adding numbers in a text file

I have a simple count file named count_db that contains ONLY the following: { 'total' => 39540000 } I need to open file, find numbers in the file, add $newnumbers to existing numbers. Then write these new numbers over the original numbers and close the file. Also while I'm doing this a counter script will be reading this file, but NOT writing to it. Will the file need to be locked while adding $newnumber to it? Thanks Craig ><> westerman@chanuteks.com