#!/usr/local/bin/perl use warnings; use strict; my $line = "2006-01-01,Kims,common,406,560(centrifuge,refrig.),569b,607(dark room),210-211,101(ultracentrifuge),104-105(crystal growth rooms),660(centrifuge,refrig.)"; $line =~ m/(\d{4}-\d\d-\d\d),(\w*),(\w*),(\w*,|\w*\(.*?\),?|\w*-\w*,|\w*-\w*\(.*?\),?)*/; #{8} replaces * print "1:$1\n", "2:$2\n","3:$3\n","4:$4\n","5:$5\n","6:$6\n","7:$7\n","8:$8\n","9:$9\n","10:$10\n","11:$11\n";