in reply to Simple sort query

If your data matches /^d(\d+)$/: 
@sorted = sort { substr($a, 1) <=> substr($b, 1) } @data

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If your data matches /^(\D+)(\d+)$/: 
use Sort::Key::Multi qw(si_keysort);
  # "si" indicates that the sorting keys
  # are a string and an integer

my @sorted = si_keysort { /^(\D*)(\d*)$/ } @data;

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Re^2: Simple sort query
by Anonymous Monk on Apr 24, 2010 at 12:31 UTC
    This is really a reply to all who kindly and helpfully answered.
    How can this be extended when there is a variable number of alpha characters before any numeric ones?
[reply]
      The solution provided by Perlbotics extends to values where there is at least a non-numeric character followed by at least a numeric character.

      You can change it to something else by changing the regular expression (and the anonymous subroutine provided to sort, if required).

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