my @paths = [ { id => 1, path => [A,B], order => 'F' }, { id => 2, path => [C,D,E], order => 'F' }, { id => 3, path => [E,B], order => 'F' } ];

##</code><code>##

my %plus_minus;
$plus_minus{1}{A} = '+';
$plus_minus{1}{B} = '+';
$plus_minus{2}{C} = '+';
$plus_minus{2}{D} = '-';
$plus_minus{2}{E} = '-';
$plus_minus{3}{E} = '-';
$plus_minus{3}{B} = '-';