C:\Users\alex>perl -E "$file=chr(34).chr(34); say $file.' '.(-e($file) ? 'yes' : 'no')" "" yes C:\Users\alex>ver Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601] C:\Users\alex>dir Volume in drive C is System Volume Serial Number is B663-2E5B Directory of C:\Users\alex 24.06.2012 19:12 . 24.06.2012 19:12 .. 25.05.2012 23:46 .gegl-0.0 24.06.2012 19:21 .gimp-2.6 24.06.2012 19:12 6.262 .recently-used.xbel 28.05.2012 14:19 .thumbnails 06.05.2012 23:44 Contacts 24.06.2012 19:12 Desktop 24.06.2012 19:41 Documents 01.07.2012 19:22 Downloads 24.06.2012 19:32 Favorites 06.05.2012 23:44 Links 16.06.2012 12:54 Music 25.05.2012 23:50 Pictures 06.05.2012 23:44 Saved Games 06.05.2012 23:44 Searches 06.05.2012 23:44 Videos 15.06.2012 21:05 Virtual Machines 1 File(s) 6.262 bytes 17 Dir(s) 11.921.534.976 bytes free C:\Users\alex>perl -V Summary of my perl5 (revision 5 version 14 subversion 2) configuration: Platform: osname=MSWin32, osvers=4.0, archname=MSWin32-x64-multi-thread uname='Win32 strawberryperl 5.14.2.1 #1 Tue Nov 22 22:40:59 2011 x64' config_args='undef' hint=recommended, useposix=true, d_sigaction=undef useithreads=define, usemultiplicity=define useperlio=define, d_sfio=undef, uselargefiles=define, usesocks=undef use64bitint=define, use64bitall=undef, uselongdouble=undef usemymalloc=n, bincompat5005=undef Compiler: cc='gcc', ccflags =' -s -O2 -DWIN32 -DWIN64 -DCONSERVATIVE -DPERL_TEXTMODE_SCRIPTS -DUSE_SITECUSTOMIZE -DPERL_IMPLICIT_CONTEXT -DPERL_IMPLICIT_SYS -fno-strict-aliasing -mms-bitfields', optimize='-s -O2', cppflags='-DWIN32' ccversion='', gccversion='4.4.7', gccosandvers='' intsize=4, longsize=4, ptrsize=8, doublesize=8, byteorder=12345678 d_longlong=define, longlongsize=8, d_longdbl=define, longdblsize=12 ivtype='long long', ivsize=8, nvtype='double', nvsize=8, Off_t='long long', lseeksize=8 alignbytes=8, prototype=define Linker and Libraries: ld='g++', ldflags ='-s -L"C:\strawberry\perl\lib\CORE" -L"C:\strawberry\c\lib"' libpth=C:\strawberry\c\lib C:\strawberry\c\x86_64-w64-mingw32\lib libs=-lmoldname -lkernel32 -luser32 -lgdi32 -lwinspool -lcomdlg32 -ladvapi32 -lshell32 -lole32 -loleaut32 -lnetapi32 -luuid -lws2_32 -lmpr -lwinmm -lversion -lodbc32 -lodbccp32 -lcomctl32 perllibs=-lmoldname -lkernel32 -luser32 -lgdi32 -lwinspool -lcomdlg32 -ladvapi32 -lshell32 -lole32 -loleaut32 -lnetapi32 -luuid -lws2_32 -lmpr -lwinmm -lversion -lodbc32 -lodbccp32 -lcomctl32 libc=, so=dll, useshrplib=true, libperl=libperl514.a gnulibc_version='' Dynamic Linking: dlsrc=dl_win32.xs, dlext=dll, d_dlsymun=undef, ccdlflags=' ' cccdlflags=' ', lddlflags='-mdll -s -L"C:\strawberry\perl\lib\CORE" -L"C:\strawberry\c\lib"' Characteristics of this binary (from libperl): Compile-time options: MULTIPLICITY PERL_DONT_CREATE_GVSV PERL_IMPLICIT_CONTEXT PERL_IMPLICIT_SYS PERL_MALLOC_WRAP PERL_PRESERVE_IVUV PL_OP_SLAB_ALLOC USE_64_BIT_INT USE_ITHREADS USE_LARGE_FILES USE_PERLIO USE_PERL_ATOF USE_SITECUSTOMIZE Built under MSWin32 Compiled at Nov 22 2011 22:53:05 %ENV: PERL_JSON_BACKEND="JSON::XS" PERL_YAML_BACKEND="YAML" @INC: C:/strawberry/perl/site/lib C:/strawberry/perl/vendor/lib C:/strawberry/perl/lib . C:\Users\alex>