replace }else{ append to text file...?

I'm trying to read a text file, each line being a record with a unique name at the beginning, and comparing to a new input line. Based on whether the name of the record finds a match or not, either replace the matching line, otherwise append that line to the end of the file. Also to delete a line if indicated.

I've played with some code I found, but the results are either it duplicates the lines read in and appends them all, or it just writes the same (new) line out for every record.

I won't muck things up with the code I've started with, I want a fresh start, but basically it needs to look like:

file content example:
name=value|value|value|value|...continues....
monkey=something|anotherthing|anything|........
bear=problem|anything|manythings|duplicate|tree|.......
harvey=speaker|duplicate|something|........


$saveline = $ENV{QUERY_STRING}  # new line input
  open the existing file.
  read each line already there.
  compare 'name' value of $saveline to file records.
  if names match AND value='delete' kill this record.
    }elsif{
    names match AND value!='delete' replace the older record with the new one.
    }else{
    leave the older record as-is.
  }
  write all records back out to the file.
  close file.

So (using data above) if $saveline is:  
buick=old|blue|something|quite|carpet|........
it would append as a new record.

But if $saveline is:
bear=pink|orange|blue|green|red|......
it would overwrite the existing 'bear' line.

Or if $saveline is:
bear=delete|
this record is removed from the file.

Hope I'm making sense here, sorry for the weird thumbnail layout, but I'm in a hurry, I'm at work and have no reference material in front of me.

thanks!