Shamefully, I didn't answer how you can fix that. Here ya go: 
        if ($result->entries || grep(/\b$alias\b/i, @aliases)) {
            if (my ($fixed,$plusable) = $alias =~ /(.*?)([a-z]*\d+)$/i
+) {
                ++$plusable;
                $alias = $fixed.$plusable;
                print $alias;
            } elsif

[download]
Update. Ooh! Ooh! 
        if ($result->entries || grep(/\b$alias\b/i, @aliases)) {
            if ($alias =~ s/([a-z]*\d+)$/my $x=$1; ++$x/ei) {
                print $alias;
            } elsif

[download]
Capturing the letters is optional. If you don't, johnq.smith9 becomes johnq.smith10. Otherwise, johnq.smith9 becomes johnq.smiti0.
Caution: Contents may have been coded under pressure.

In reply to Re: incrementing strings by Roy Johnson
in thread incrementing strings by deathbygoats

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