use Parse::RecDescent; use IO::All; my $text = io("xxx.DAT")->slurp; # Create and compile the source file $parser1 = Parse::RecDescent->new(q( startrule : HeadRule /.+/ms TrailerRule HeadRule : /^Y.+$/m TrailerRule: /^Z.+$/m )); $parser2 = Parse::RecDescent->new(q( startrule : HeadRule HeadRule : /^Y.+^Z.+$/ms )); # Test it print "Valid data\n" if $parser1->startrule($text); #no! print "Valid data\n" if $parser2->startrule($text); #yes