{
  local ($1, $2) = ($1, $2); # OK, so you can't actually write this.
  # The hacky can write local (*1, *2) = \($1, $2); instead.

  # Your loop:
  foreach my $symbol (@syms){
    local $test;
    $symbol=~m/(\w+)\.(\d+)/;
    print "symbol: $symbol\t\$1: $1\t\$2:$2\n";
    print "test is ",$test++,"\n";
    my ($ts,$te) = ($1,$2);
  }
}