my $line = 'amss\products\76xx\wconnect\bthost\brew\statext\src\aeebtextag.c-36572;FILE.flf;//source/wconnect/bthost/brew/statext/rel/00.00.26/src/AEEBTExtAG.c - LABEL : 1'; print "Has ;/" if ($line =~ /;\//); print "Has ;\/[^\/]" if ($line =~ /;\/[^\/]/); print "Has ;\/[^\/](.*)\s-\s" if ($line =~ /;\/[^\/](.*)\s-\s/); (my $file_name) = $line =~ /;\/[^\/](.*)\s-\s/; print $file_name;