use warnings; use strict; my $str = '12/22/2005 20 Notice of Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Hearing (related document(s)2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, [17], 18, 19) Filed by Fubar, Inc.. Hearing scheduled for 4/11/2013 at 11:30 AM'; if($str=~m{related.+\)(.+?)\[(.+?)\](.+?)\)}){ print join "\n" => map{ split/,\s*/,$_}($1,$2,$3); }