$|=1; use XML::Rules; $xml = <<'*END*'; <doc> <person> <fname>Jane</fname> <lname>Luser</lname> <email>JLuser@bogus.com</email> <address> <street>Washington st.</street> <city>Old Creek</city> <country>The US</country> <bogus>bleargh</bogus> </address> </person> <person> <fname>John</fname> <lname>Other</lname> <email>JOther@silly.com</email> <address> <street>Grant's st.</street> <city>New Creek</city> <country>Canada</country> <bogus>sdrysdfgtyh <foo>degtrhy werthy</foo> drthyu</bogus> </address> </person> </doc> *END* %rules = ( _default => 'content', # bogus => sub {}, # means "returns no value. The subtags ARE processed. '^bogus' => undef, # means "ignore". The subtags ARE NOT processed. address => 'no content', person => 'no content array', doc => sub {$_[1]->{person}}, #'pass no content', foo => sub {print "FOOOOOOOO\n"}, ); my $parser = new XML::Rules ( rules => \%rules, # other options ); my $result = $parser->parsestring($xml); use Data::Dumper; print Dumper($result);