=**************************************
    = Name: readAndCompare.pl
    = Description:This script was created wi
    =     th
    the intent of comparing two files, one in a production
    environment with that under source code control.
    = By: James Aguirre
    =
    = Inputs:Inputs:
    Paths to files you'd like 
    to difference.
    =
    = Returns:Message if the compared files 
    =     are different.
    =
    = Assumes:Using perl -w yields an irreli
    =     vant 
    message for line 21
    The comparison wil be *-Binary-* 
    so whitespace
    is NOT ignored.
    =
    = Side Effects:Files are opened 
    as ReadOnly.
    =
    =This code is copyrighted and has    = limited warranties.Please see http://w
    =     ww.Planet-Source-Code.com/vb/scripts/Sho
    =     wCode.asp?txtCodeId=127&lngWId;=6    =for details.    =**************************************
    
    #################################################
    # File: readAndCompare.pl 
    # 
    # Synopsis: This file was written as a replacement 
    # for the DOS file compare command, and is 
    # equivalent to fc /b (BINARY) <FILE> <FILE>
    # so whitespace is NOT IGNORED. It was created with
    # the intent of compareing files in a production
    # environment with that under source code control
    #
    # Written by: James Aguirre -- 08-29-2000 
    #################################################
    !#usr/bin/perl
    # provide the paths to the file 
    # Grab the paths from cmd line. 
    print "Enter Path to Production file.\n";
    chomp($pPath=<STDIN>);
    ##### DEBUG #####
    #print "Path Given was $pPath\n";
    print "Enter Path to Versioned file.\n";
    chomp($vPath=<STDIN>);
    # Check that the command line args were not equal.
    if($pPath eq $vPath)
    {
    print "Cannot compare the same file\n";
    exit;
    }
    ##### DEBUG #####
    #print "Path Given was $vPath\n";
    # Open the production file.
    open(PROD, "< $pPath") or die "Can't read the production file";
    # write to a scalar
    while(<PROD>)
    {
    	 $pHandle .=$_
    }
    # Close the filehandle
    close(PROD) or die "Can't close the production file.";	 
    # Open the versioned file Read Only.
    open(VERS, "< $vPath") or die "Can't read the versioned file";
    # write to a scalar
    while(<VERS>)
    {
    	 $vHandle .=$_
    }
    # Close the filehandle
    close(VERS) or die "Can't close the versioned file.";
    # Compare the scalars 
    ###### NOTE: this is a -- BINARY -- compare. 
    if($vHandle ne $pHandle)
    	{
    print "Production file differs from versioned file.\n";
    	}
    else
    {
    # Clever alert Message -? 
    exit;
    }