$text = "abc123def"; $text_match = qr/(\D+)(\d+)(?{ dumpr() })(\D+)/; $text =~ $text_match; use Devel::Peek; sub dumpr { Dump($+), Dump($1), Dump($2), Dump($3); local $\ = "\n"; print $+; print $1; print $2; print $3; }