Why is this only returning x.z in $first and nothing in $second?
Because split consumes what you are splitting on, and you are splitting on .y in your test case. However,
If the PATTERN contains capturing groups, then for each separator, an additional field is produced for each substring captured by a group (in the order in which the groups are specified
so you could do <contrived> 
my $str = "x.z.y";
my ($first,$second) = split(/\.([^.]*)$/,$str);

[download]
</contrived> Other alternatives include split, pop and join; toolic's regex (what I'd actually do); or even reverse, index and substr. Good times.

#11929 First ask yourself `How would I do this without a computer?' Then have the computer do it the same way.

In reply to Re: split giving me a splitting headache by kennethk
in thread split giving me a splitting headache by Anonymous Monk

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