$oldpat = '-([0-9]+)-';
$newpat = '"_$1_"'; # note double quotes in single quotes

$newname = $oldname;
$newname =~ s/$oldpat/$newpat/ee; # note double ee

##</code><code>##

-- 
Joost       downtime n. The period during which a system
            is error-free and immune from user input.