c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le "$_ = '+++1223w3433.45+34***'; ;; my $ndg; ;; $ndg =()= /\d\D*/g; print qq{A: $ndg digit grps.; m// change unpossible '$_'}; ;; $ndg = do { (my $r = $_) =~ s/\d\D*//g }; print qq{B: $ndg digit grps.; s/// string unchanged '$_'}; ;; $ndg = s/(\d\D*)/$1/g; print qq{C: $ndg digit grps.; s/// string unchanged '$_'}; ;; $ndg = s/\d\D*//g; print qq{D: $ndg digit grps.; s/// string CHANGED '$_'}; " A: 12 digit grps.; m// change unpossible '+++1223w3433.45+34***' B: 12 digit grps.; s/// string unchanged '+++1223w3433.45+34***' C: 12 digit grps.; s/// string unchanged '+++1223w3433.45+34***' D: 12 digit grps.; s/// string CHANGED '+++'