@arr = split /(".+?")|,/, $s print @arr a b "hey,you" "str1, str2, str3" end

That doesn't work. It actually returns

(
    'a',
    undef,
    'b',
    undef,
    '',
    '"hey, you"',
    '',
    undef,
    '',
    '"str1, str2, str3"',
    '',
    undef,
    'end',
)
[download]

Keep in mind the first arg of split is a separator.

Text::CSV_XS but ... if your sample is indicative:

$s = 'a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end';;
print for split ',(?=\S)', $s;;
a
b
"hey, you"
"str1, str2, str3"
end
[download]

This of course fails in the following cases, because it's looking for the space after the comma:

a,b,"hey,you",etc
a, b, "hey, you", etc
[download]

Which is why it was qualified with "if your sample is indicative". A more general solution can be found by focusing on the fields themselves, rather than the commas:

@fields = $s =~ /("[^"]*"|[^,]*),/gc;
$lastfield = $s =~ /\G(.*)/;
push @fields, $lastfield;
[download]

But even that has no provision for placing a quotation mark inside a quoted string, and I'm sure there are other things I missed. The problem is hairier than it looks, hence, Text::CSV or Text::CSV_XS is best.

A more general solution can be found

The phrase "more general" is similar to "a bit pregnant".

There is little point in catering for one possibility not in evidence and not another. You should either cater for what is; or for every possibility.

As noted on wikipedia, there is no single consistent standard for what constitute CSV or TSV etc. The module we both mentioned therefore jumps through extraordinary hoops to try and cater for every possible variation--and inevitably fails.

But, individual sources of CSV output are usually self-consistent.

Just as we don't take a universal phrase book covering every known language--were such available--with us when travelling to a particular country, it rarely makes sense to try and cater for non-evident possibilities unless you are going to cater for them all. You're either doing more work than necessary; or not enough.

---

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

RIP an inspiration; A true Folk's Guy

use Text::ParseWords;
my $line = q(a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end);
@words = &quotewords(',', 0, $line);
[download]

... and to preserve the quotes using Text::ParseWords, if desired:

use strict;
use warnings;

use Text::ParseWords;
my $line  = q(a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end);
my @words = quotewords(',', 1, $line);
print "$_\n" for @words;

__END__

a
b
"hey, you"
"str1, str2, str3"
end
[download]

use strict;

   sub main{
      my $text   = qq{a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end};
      print "Input: $text\n\n";

      # Split the delimiters
      my @values = split( /(?:\,|(\".*?\"))/ , $text);
      
      # Remove the created blanks
      @values    = grep{$_ ne ''} @values;
      
      # Output
      foreach (0..$#values){
          print "$_: $values[$_] \n";
      }
   }
   
   main();
[download]

Input: a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end

0: a
1: b
2: "hey, you"
3: "str1, str2, str3"
4: end
[download]

Ouch! Misusing split, which you attempt to fix by filtering out empty strings, which leads to warnings and the removal of empty fields.

    Thing being separated
        vvvvvvv
/(?:\,|(\".*?\"))/
    ^^
  Separator
[download]

How are those two things on equal footing?

Response: I was about to say, you might want to remove all the undefined created by the unmatched parens, before removing the blank fields.

      @values    = grep{defined} @values;
      @values    = grep{$_ ne ''} @values;
[download]

or

      @values    = grep{defined && $_ ne ''} @values;
[download]

Again, I would not use this method. It's not good to remove blank string values. As for the equal footing, would this be any less equal: /(?:\,)|(\".*?\")/

Update: I did forget to include the trailing comma after the quotes, but I still wouldn't use it: /\,|(?:(\".*?\")\,)/



---

Demize

Easy peasy.

$s = 'a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end';
push @fields, $1 while $s =~ /("[^"]+"|[^",]+)(?:,|$)/g;
print "$_\n" for @fields;
[download]

$s = 'a,b,"hey, you","str1, str2, str3",end';
@fields = $s =~ /("[^"]+"|[^,]+)(?:,|$)/g;  # Use +, not *, or you get
+ a blank element
print "$_\n" for @fields;
[download]

Both print:

a
b
"hey, you"
"str1, str2, str3"
end
[download]