>perl -wMstrict -le
"print qq{'$_' -> }, 0 + $_
   for '1234', '12AB', 'AB12', '0123', qq{\x00\x00\x00\x08};
"
'1234' -> 1234
Argument "12AB" isn't numeric in addition (+) at -e line 1.
'12AB' -> 12
Argument "AB12" isn't numeric in addition (+) at -e line 1.
'AB12' -> 0
'0123' -> 123
Argument "\0\0\0^H" isn't numeric in addition (+) at -e line 1.
' ' -> 0