my $date = "12.12.2003"; my $date_db = "13.12.2003"; my ($day_1,$month_1,$year_1) = split(/\./,$date); my $date_1 = $year_1.$month_1.$day_1; my ($day_2,$month_2,$year_2) = split(/\./,$date_db); my $date_2 = $year_2.$month_2.$day_2; if($date_2 != $date_1){ print "ungleich!\n"; } else{ print "gleich!\n"; }