For a string 'stuff_here_then_12' your version captures the 1. It depends if that's what the user wants. Of course there's probably a better way to do this /(\d)\d*$/ comes to mind (and /(\d)+$/ if the user wants the last digit, or even better /(\d)$/ .. updated .. well, if just the last digit is desired and it's always known to be a digit substr could be used more effeciently -- of course, you have to be sure of your data)

I was under the impressino that he wanted the entire 12 returned.

For a string 'stuff_here_then_12' ($path =~ /(\d+)$/)[0] captures the 12

$1 captures 12, you are right. However, you do an array slice thing with the [0] part -- which on my machine perl 5.6.1 AS build 633 produces an error; I have to move the parentheses around the regex itself. And when you print it, it shows a 1 on my computer. I just don't see the need for the [0]