#!/usr/bin/perl my $string = "<*2>H<2:0>,I<3:0>,<*2>P<4:0:2>"; if($string =~ /^<\*(\d+)>(\S+)<(\d+):(\d+):(\d+)>$/) { print "Matched\n"; } #### my $string = "<*2>P<4:0:2>";