perl command?

<?xml version="1.0" version="20080505">

I want to store "20080505" from the above line in an array or string and use it to replace a date in the next file. Can someone please help me what command to use???

First of all, are you sure you typed it correctly? if so, it is very poorly written xml - there can't be two attributes of the same name! perhaps you meant date="20080505" ? I will assume you did. If you didn't, and it is indeed a second 'version' attribute, let me know and i'll modify my answer.

#Say you have the string in a variable:
$string = "<?xml verion="1.0" date="20080505">;
#use regex string matching:
#returns true if it finds date, equals, quote, 8 digits, quote.
$string =~ /date=\"(\d{8})\"/
#what it matched in parentheses is contained in the $1 var:
$date = $1;


Now $date contains the string "20080505"
Let me know if this isn't what you needed, or if you need more help
-Eric

It's not possible with XML.