#!/usr/bin/perl use strict; use warnings; my $str = "1" x 5; $_ = $str; print "Single s///g:\n"; print "Before: [$_]; "; s/1(1+)/$1/g; print "After [$_]\n"; $_ = $str; print "Loop s///:\n"; while (1) { print "Before: [$_]; "; last unless s/1(1+)/$1/; print "After: [$_]\n"; } print "\n"; __END__ Single s///g: Before: [11111]; After [1111] Loop s///: Before: [11111]; After: [1111] Before: [1111]; After: [111] Before: [111]; After: [11] Before: [11]; After: [1] Before: [1];