$abs_file = File::Spec->rel2abs( $_, $directory );
$canon_file = elimupdir( $abs_file );

sub elimupdir {
    my $foo = shift;
    my( $volume, $directories, $file ) = File::Spec->splitpath(File::Spec->canonpath( $foo ));

    my( @dur ) = File::Spec->splitdir( $directories );

    my @dar;
    foreach(@dur){
        if( $_ eq $updir ){
            pop @dar;
        } else {
            push @dar, $_;
        }
    }

    return File::Spec->catpath(
        $volume,
        File::Spec->catdir( @dar ),
        $file
    );
}