foreach my $line ( split( /\n/, $c ) ) { if ( $line =~ m/someregex/ ) { if ( exists( $lag_detail{"ports"} ) ) { push( @{ $self->{"lags"} }, \%lag_detail ); } %lag_detail = ( "lagid" => $lag, "lagdesc" => $4, "operationstate" => $3, "adminstate" => $2 ); } } if ( $line =~ m/somemoreregex/ ) { my %port_detail = ( "port" => $1, "adminstate" => $2, "operationstate" => $4, "ismaster" => $3 ); push @{ $lag_detail{"ports"} }, \%port_detail; } }