my $counter = 3; 
                     my $dec_size=""; 
                                            my $nodigits="";
my $onedigits = "0";  
                                 my $twodigits = "00"; 
      my $threedigits = "000";
                           my $fourdigits = "0000";
for 		($i = eval($counter)		;  $i>1; $i--)
  {
if 				($i > 1000)
#:)
       {if ($i > 9999) 		{         $dec_size = $nodigits  }
     else          {$dec_size = $onedigit;}}
 else 	# 				its less than 1000
     {    if ($i < 100)
   		       {if ($i < 10){  $dec_size = $fourdigits; }
 else    {$dec_size = $threedigits;}			;}
        				else
       {	$dec_size = $twodigits;	 }       } }