Array slice a split or a regex capture perhaps

$_ = 'index.html';
print( (split /\./)[0], $/,
       /^([a-z]+)\./,   $/);

__output__
index
index
[download]

See. split, perlre and perlop for more info on the behaviour above.
HTH

_________
broquaint

update: changed to grabbing before the dot (i.e not extension)