# assume my(%field) exists, holding name->index pairs # assume my(@records) exists, holding your recods my $data = "lnum-a,source-a,hits-d,sip-d,time-a"; my %is_string = ( source => 1 ); # sort with cmp my $sorter = make_field_sort($data, \%field, \%is_string); for (sort $sorter @records) { ... } sub make_field_sort { my ($data, $FIELD, $STRING) = @_; my @cmp; for (split /,/, $data) { my ($f, $o) = split /-/; push @cmp, ('b <=> a', 'a <=> b')[$o eq 'a']; $cmp[-1] =~ s/<=>/cmp/ if $STRING->{$f}; $cmp[-1] =~ s/([ab])/\$${1}->[$FIELD->{$f}]/g; } local $" = " or "; eval "sub { @cmp }"; }