> that is an amazingly simple solution!

Did you try it?

These (??{ $first = 1; }) won't work because they'll include 1,2 or 3 into the regex.

Try (?{ $first = 1; }); with a single ? instead.

Cheers Rolf
(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)
see Wikisyntax for the Monastery

Thus

In reply to Re^3: Regex question - identify which pattern comes first by LanX
in thread Regex question - identify which pattern comes first by harangzsolt33

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