#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;

my $input = '0004$ADAM0002*330004%19770004$BOB 0002*430004%1967';

while( length $input ) {
    unless ($input =~ s/^(\d+)(.)//) {
        die "Input misformatted: $input";
    }
    my $len = $1;
    my $type = $2;

    unless ($input =~ s/^(.{$len})//) {
        die "Input misformatted: $len, $type, $input";
    }
    my $record = $1;
    
    print "Type:\t<$type>\nRecord:\t<$record>\n\n";
}
##</code><code>##

Type:   <$>
Record: <ADAM>

Type:   <*>
Record: <33>

Type:   <%>
Record: <1977>

Type:   <$>
Record: <BOB >

Type:   <*>
Record: <43>

Type:   <%>
Record: <1967>