Quite so. And note that   split(/\|/, "2|3||||"); gives a different result than   split('|', "2|3||||"); Consult perlfunc for details. You probably want to be using the latter form, as it retains empty fields.

Uhm... split(/\|/, "2|3||||"); is different from split('|', "2|3||||"); only because that pipe isn't escaped in the second one. Perl will split on that as if it were a pattern. In other words, that's broken in the same way as your original one. Note that splitting on a literal space is a special case. This isn't.

$ perl -le '$_="2|3|||||"; @a = split q(|); print "($_)" for @a'
(2)
(|)
(3)
(|)
(|)
(|)
(|)
(|)

$ perl -le '$_="2|3|||||"; @a = split /|/; print "($_)" for @a'
(2)
(|)
(3)
(|)
(|)
(|)
(|)
(|)
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-sauoq
"My two cents aren't worth a dime.";

print "($_)\n" for split(/\|/, "2|3|||||");
__END__
(2)
(3)

print "($_)\n" for split('|', "2|3|||||");
__END__
(2)
(|)
(3)
(|)
(|)
(|)
(|)
(|)

C:\> perl -v
This is perl, v5.6.1 built for MSWin32-x86-multi-thread
(with 1 registered patch, see perl -V for more detail)

Copyright 1987-2001, Larry Wall

Binary build 631 provided by ActiveState Tool Corp. http://www.ActiveS
+tate.com
Built 17:16:22 Jan  2 2002
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