# I need to match the $4 up to ~ 30 times. if ($ssh[0] =~ /^\s*>(\w+)\-(\w+)\-(\w+)\s+((\n\w+){1,9})/) { print "$1 $2 $3 \n $4\n"; } # this is what i'm matching: >MWG869551-C3277-T7 CCCATCCAGTTTATGAGATCGCGCATTGATCGCCCGAGGCGGTCTA GCCGCCACACCACTAATGTATCGCCGGCGCGCAATTGCTCTTTAATTTTCTCAAGCCCCG GCCGCGCAGTGACAACGCCAGAGACCTTATCAGTGATGACCTTTTCGCAGCCCGCCGCCC GTAAAGCGTCGGTTTGAAGATCCAAATTTTGTTCGATGGTCGAGACCCGCGCATAGCCAA TCTTCATACGAGCAGTGCCCGGCCATTGAGAAAAGGAAGAAAACTCATGTTATCCTGAAA TTCATTGCCCTAGTTTTCTTTACCGAGTAGATTTACCGGCATTCGGTAGAATTGGCAACG TGTTGGAGATCGCGTGACCATTACC