$str = join "\n",    map { $_->[0] }
                   sort {$a->[THIRD_FIELD] cmp $b->[THIRD_FIELD] }
                   map { [$_, split('\|', $_)] } split(/\n/, $str);

##</code><code>##

split(/\n/, $str);

##</code><code>##

map { [$_, split('\|', $_)] } split(/\n/, $str);

##</code><code>##

( ["abc|123|cde", "abc", 123, "cde"], ["def|222|eee", "def", 222, "eee"])

##</code><code>##

sort {$a->[THIRD_FIELD] cmp $b->[THIRD_FIELD] }

##</code><code>##

sort {$a->[THIRD_FIELD cmp $b->[THIRD_FIELD] ||
      $a->[FIRST_FIELD cmp $b->[FIRST_FIELD]}

##</code><code>##

join "\n",    map { $_->[0] }