$new = $old;
$new =~ s/$pattern/qq{$replace}/eeg;
[download]

But you're scaring me here. I said that the string had to be from a trusted source. As soon as you start talking "GUI", that makes me think that the user-ID of the person typing the string is not necessarily the user-ID of the person running the code.

Let me reemphasize. Using this code as-is will allow any arbitrary Perl code to be executed, including shelling out to execute arbitrary system commands. Clear? It's not just about mangling a string. You must either trust the invoker, or not use this code.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker
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