sub ksh_like_select { my $prompt = shift; my @words = @_; my $retval; my $reply; do { my $i = 1; print STDERR $i++, ")\t$_\n" for @words; print $prompt; $reply = ; } while ($reply eq ''); if ($reply =~ /^(\d+)/ and $1 > 0 and $1 <= @words) { $retval = $words[$1-1]; } wantarray() ? ($retval,$reply) : $retval; }