A reasonable solution, but I want to do this without invoking the regex engine

When you say, "I wanna do $X", and the answer is "by doing $Y", and then you say "I wanna do $X but without doing $Y", you are obligated to provide a reason why the best/easiest way ($Y) is so easily dismissed. How close to doing $Y can you get, for example, and why not $Y? {grin}

You haven't yet. Please do so.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker
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