#!/usr/bin/perl -w use strict; my $line = "0010 0010 text // text // JOHN DOE"; chomp $line; if ($line =~ /^(0010 ){2}(.*\/\/ ){2}(.*)$/) { my $name = $3; } #### my $name = "0010 0010 text // text // JOHN DOE"; chomp($name); $name =~ s/^(0010 ){2}(.*\/\/ ){2}(.*)$/$3/i; print $name;