Thanks for the suggestions... I'll put it in the pot(!)

After some more walking and thinking, a woefully poor way of doing what I (ultimately) need might be:
@opts = ( "SS  21   PL 2#3  PV  51.3 CL #110 +0 RL 126' SA 106 DS 93",
          "SS  21   PL 2.3  PVa51.3 CT^ 110 +0 RL126, SA 106 DS 93",
          "SS  21   PL2#3#  PV   51.3 CL #110 +0 RL 126' SA 106 DS 93"
+,
          "SS  21   PL2.3#  PV   51.3 CL #110 +0 RL 126' SA 106 DS 93"
        );

foreach $buf (@opts) {
   printf("                 1         2         3         4         5 
+        6\n");
   printf("       0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901
+234567890\n");
   printf("\$buf: >%s<\n", $buf);
   printf("\n");

   $ssos = index($buf, "SS", 0);
   $plos = index($buf, "PL", $ssos);
   $pvos = index($buf, "PV", $plos);
   $ctos = index($buf, "CT", $pvos);
   if ($ctos < 0) {
      $ctos = index($buf, "CL", $pvos);
   }
   $rlos = index($buf, "RL", $ctos);
   $saos = index($buf, "SA", $rlos);
   $dsos = index($buf, "DS", $saos);

   printf("\$ssos = $ssos\n");
   printf("\$plos = $plos\n");
   printf("\$pvos = $pvos\n");
   printf("\$ctos = $ctos\n");
   printf("\$rlos = $rlos\n");
   printf("\$saos = $saos\n");
   printf("\$dsos = $dsos\n");
   printf("\n");

   $ssstr = substr($buf, $ssos+2, $plos - $ssos - 2);
   $plstr = substr($buf, $plos+2, $pvos - $plos - 2);
   $pvstr = substr($buf, $pvos+2, $ctos - $pvos - 2);
   $ctstr = substr($buf, $ctos+2, $rlos - $ctos - 2);
   $rlstr = substr($buf, $rlos+2, $saos - $rlos - 2);
   $sastr = substr($buf, $saos+2, $dsos - $saos - 2);
   $dsstr = substr($buf, $dsos+2);

   $ssstr =~ s/\s+//g;
   $plstr =~ s/\s+//g;
   $pvstr =~ s/\s+//g;
   $ctstr =~ s/\s+//g;
   $rlstr =~ s/\s+//g;
   $sastr =~ s/\s+//g;
   $dsstr =~ s/\s+//g;

   printf("\$ssstr = >$ssstr<\n");
   printf("\$plstr = >$plstr<\n");
   printf("\$pvstr = >$pvstr<\n");
   printf("\$ctstr = >$ctstr<\n");
   printf("\$rlstr = >$rlstr<\n");
   printf("\$sastr = >$sastr<\n");
   printf("\$dsstr = >$dsstr<\n");
   printf("\n");

} # another opt

[download]
...which gives a typical output:
$ssstr = >21<
$plstr = >2#3<
$pvstr = >51.3<
$ctstr = >#110+0<
$rlstr = >126'<
$sastr = >106<
$dsstr = >93<

[download]
...but that's pretty dashed ugly, even if it does work.

Now, if I could replicate all that index/substr garbage with something more elegant...

In reply to Re^2: Parsing a Variable Format String by ozboomer
in thread Parsing a Variable Format String by ozboomer

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