Not to directly address your problem but given how much you're slinging at the regex engine it almost feels like you're on the cusp of where you might want to look at maybe Marpa::R2 or the like and use a parser and grammar rather than wrestling with 40 line regexen (unless you're Abigail in which case the entire thing should be rewritten to run solely as a finite automata inside the regex engine).

Edit: Just to further explain, you've got eight nine (misread) different line types I think you mentioned. Especially if this is something longer term or that might expand in scope it's at the point where a proper parser feels right. If it's a one off, never mind of course.

The cake is a lie.
The cake is a lie.
The cake is a lie.


In reply to Re: Reusing a complex regexp in multiple spots, escaping the regexp by Fletch
in thread Reusing a complex regexp in multiple spots, escaping the regexp by ecm

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