###############################################################
my $pair_no = 1;

foreach my $conn (@input_connections)
{
	print "\rON pair $pair_no";
	my @curr_conn = split(/\-/,$conn);
	
	## check if current connection exists

	my $exists = 1;

	my $start  = $curr_conn[0];
	my $end    = $curr_conn[1];

	## first number in pair is larger than second, reverse them
	if ($curr_conn[0] > $curr_conn[1])
	{
		$start = $curr_conn[1];
		$end   = $curr_conn[0];
	}

	## ** Ideally I want to do away with this loop ** ##
	for ($start..$end)
	{
		if ( not defined $used_connections[$_] )
		{
			$exists = 0;
			last;
		}
	}

	if ($exists == 0)
	{
		for ($start..$end)
		{
			$used_connections[$_] = 1;
			
			# I tried something like @used_connections[$start..$end] = 1 , but
			# it did not seem to work the same as what is in place now.
		}
		push @output_connections , $conn;
	}
	$pair_no++;
}
###############################################################