The Variables related to regular expressions are (re)set by each successful regex operation and are dynamically scoped, so if you want to use them later, you should generally always store them into other variables, and only use them if the match is successful in the first place. (A related recent thread in regards to the variables' scoping: Re: why is $1 cleared at end of an inline sub?)

Your while($2) is outside of the dynamic scope of the regular expression, which is why it is unset there. Also, using $2 as a loop condition smells a bit fishy - I suspect it may be better if you use the if on the regex to break out of the loop via e.g. last.

> Also, using $2 as a loop condition smells a bit fishy

Indeed, the idiomatic expression is rather

 
while( m/REGEX/g ) {
    ... # use groups only if match successful 
}
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The only reason to check $2 separately, is to make sure it's not false ( "", 0, undef, etc )

this can be done with

while( m/REGEX/g ) {
    last unless $2;
    ...  
}
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tho I doubt the OP is aware of all those false cases.

Cheers Rolf
_{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)
Wikisyntax for the Monastery}

abdan:

If you want to keep it, then store it in a variable:

my $x = ....
do {
  if ($whole =~ /^(.*?)^(\*{5,}..?^\*SRC)/mscg) {
    print "\n=======\n".$1."\n=======\n".$2;
    $x = $2;
  }
} while($x);
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The capture group variables are set every time you do a match. Can you imagine how annoying it would be if they weren't? Then you'd have to explicitly clear them before doing a match or you'd risk getting bits of old data mixed in with new data. The current automatic clearing of the group variables is a much better match to typical expected behavior.

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.

That really depends on your input - maybe you want to show us your input, and/or use Regexp::Debugger?

See Coping with Scoping.

See Coping with Scoping.

Although that explains local, it unfortunately doesn't explain what's going on in the OP's example (that $1 and friends are dynamically scoped).

Indeed so. It was meant more as a suggested answer to abdan's second question rather than their first.

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🦛