next if $file =~ /^\/?$location/;

[download]
makes the front slash optional.

update: See the exemplary code below, which will result in OK2 OK3 OK4: 

my $s1  = "abc";
my $s2  = "/abc";
my $all = "/abc";

print "OK1\n" if $all =~ /^$s1/;
print "OK2\n" if $all =~ /^$s2/;
print "OK3\n" if $all =~ /^\/?$s1/;
print "OK4\n" if $all =~ /^\/?$s2/;

[download]

update 2: Thanks for the hint davido. Now that you point it out, I see that I misinterpreted front and later. @OP: please use the solution provided by davido instead!

In reply to Re: Making the later front slash "/" optional by Ratazong
in thread Making the later front slash "/" optional by Anonymous Monk

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