If you're sure that - or some other delimeter will always be present and in the same position, split would suit your example...

 # left = 555, right = 4587
my($left,$right) = split( /-/ => $string, 2 );

[download]

If you really wanted only the first three regardless of content, then take a look at substr...

 # left = 555, string = 555-4587
my($left) = substr( $string => 0, 3 );

 # leftmost = 555, string = -4587
my($left) = substr( $string => 0, 3, "" );

[download]

    --k.


In reply to Re: obtaining the three leftmost characters of a string by Kanji
in thread obtaining the three leftmost characters of a string by Baz

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