$ perl587 -Dst -e'$a = "abc"; $a .= 1' EXECUTING... => (-e:0) enter => (-e:0) nextstate => (-e:1) const(PV("abc"\0)) => PV("abc"\0) (-e:1) gvsv(main::a) => PV("abc"\0) UNDEF (-e:1) sassign => PV("abc"\0) (-e:1) nextstate => (-e:1) gvsv(main::a) => PV("abc"\0) (-e:1) const(IV(1)) => PV("abc"\0) IV(1) (-e:1) concat => PV("abc1"\0) (-e:1) leave