This assumes that it is *known* that we search for "MyApp". I understood the problem in the following way: Throw away everything in the beginning of the list up to, and including, DBIC. Then keep everythin which follows, up to (but not including) the first Dancer. Then throw away what follows. For instance, a MyApp which precedes a DBIC or follows a Dancer, should also be thrown away. This can't be done with your grep solution.