c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le "print qq{perl version $]}; ;; my $curdir = 'Y:\Music\Schubert\Lieder\Terfel'; my $startdir = 'Y:\mUsIc\\'; ;; my %replace = ('1', '', '-1', '_', '0', '.pls'); (my $plsname = $curdir) =~ s{ \A (?i) \Q$startdir\E | \\ | \z } {$replace{ $-[0] == 0 || $-[0] <=> $+[0] }}xmsg; print qq{'$plsname'}; " perl version 5.008009 'Schubert_Lieder_Terfel.pls'