in reply to How to get an exact match of files
I think you're looking for "eq", as in $date eq $file.
However, if you insist using a regex, please reveal the actual context, as it is probably not freeform Perl code then.
-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.
In Section
Seekers of Perl Wisdom