$referrers[$cnt] = [ $element, $name, $count ]; $cnt++; #### push @referrers, [ $element, $name, $count ]; #### my @sorted_referrers = sort { $a->[2] cmp $b->[2] } @referrers; #### my @sorted_referrers = sort { (split("|", $a))[2] cmp (split("|",$b))[2] } @referrers; #### my @sorted_referrers = map { $_->[1] } sort { $a->[0] cmp $b->[0] }, map { [ (split("|"))[2], $_ ] } @referrers;