#!/usr/bin/perl -w use strict; my $in ="20120704 00:05:53.46;CmdTask(0);EV;FBLdxPreAlignment rtn=0, Yoffset=-4278 "; #desired: 20120704,00:05:53.46,,,-4278 my ($num, $time, $offset) = $in =~ /\s*(\d+)\s+([\d:.]+).*=([-\d]+)\s*$/; print "$num,$time,,,$offset\n"; __END__ prints: 20120704,00:05:53.46,,,-4278