sub padr{ substr $_[ 0 ] . $_[ 1 ] x $_[ 2 ], 0, $_[ 2 ]} sub padl{ substr $_[ 1 ] x $_[ 2 ] . $_[ 0 ], -$_[ 2 ] } print padl 'fred', '.', 20; ................fred print padr 'fred', '.', 20; fred................