Mario, in this thread:
https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=4126.msg27694#msg27694
we came up with a method of removing keywords from the hierarchical keywords field by using the variable in a template and then modifying it with a series of 'replace' commands.
In this technique, if you have several replace commands listed, what is the order of operations? Are the commands performed in the order in which they are listed? Is a prior 'replace' command completed before a later command is evaluated for a string match?
left to right.
You can easily try such things out in the Var Toy app.