$ perl -E ' > @arr = qw{ > abCdeFg > hIJklMn > OpqrsTu > }; > say join q{:}, @arr; > $str = join q{:}, > map { s{[A-Z]}{*}g } @arr; > say $str;' abCdeFg:hIJklMn:OpqrsTu 2:3:2 $