I have a variable dynamically generated
$batch = /dataload/R3P/interface/Bowne/reports/RDI00244.rpt

Now I'd like to strip '/dataload/R3P/interface/Bowne/reports/RDI' and '.rpt' from this variable

my output should be only 00244
how to do this using perl regex.I'm a newbie to perl and would like to know how to do this.

thanks and regards,
Ram.

Hello...

There are a few ways to do this, but if what you want is ALWAYS the digits in the middle of the file name, then this is probably easiest...

First, at the top of your program, put "use File::Basename;" This is a standard module included with Perl... Basename gives you the filename at the end of a path... Suppose the whole path name is in $myfullpath

use File::Basename

$myFile = Basename($myfullpath); # $myFile now RDI00244.rpt

$myFile =~ /(\d)/; #The () around \d (digits) captures the match so...
$mydigits = $1 # $1 because it's the first parentheses set in the patern

or you could do....

$myFile =~ s/(\d)/$1/; # now a direct substitution of the digits into $myFile

Hope that helps
matthew rapaport (quine@sonic.net)