{ my @new; $_ = 'bla'; push @new, $_ =~ m/^bla/; print(@new, "\n"); # prints 1 } { my @new; $_ = 'bla'; push @new, $_ =~ m/^(bla)/; print(@new, "\n"); # prints bla } #### while () { push @new, m/^(\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+)/; print "\n$#num\n"; } while () { s/^\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+\S+\s+/$new[$i++]/; print OUT $_; }