...nor via "perl script...".

Well, you do... your pl2bat generated batch files do it for you...

I see your point, but as someone who long abandonded maintaining dual language scripts (since my change from using Perl5 instead of Perl4 and using WinNT, which gave me a way to just declare .pl files "executable") and someone who is supposed to support Win at work, I prefer not to ignore this "1 in a million" problem, but seek for a proper explanation/fix.