Why not:

my @machines = qw(c1h1 c1h2 ... c5h7);
for my $machine (@machines) {
  if ($machine =~ /h7$/) { process_special($machine) }
  else { process_normal($machine) }
}
[download]

This way, you know without even the slightest doubt precisely what order every machine will be processed in. And adding a new set of elements is no more (and arguably less) complicated than expanding the hash structure.

Hope this helps!


--jwest

-><- -><- -><- -><- -><-
All things are Perfect
    To every last Flaw
    And bound in accord
         With Eris's Law
 - HBT; The Book of Advice, 1:7