Hi Folks,
I have just modified an old program that I have been using for
maybe 25 years. It comes from CBT File 149 and is called (very
non-descriptively) COMPARE. I renamed it to COMPLOAD, because it
compares two load modules, and/or entire load module libraries, to find
differences. The comparison is direct, and byte-by-byte.
If the 2 load modules are different in length, the comparison stops
at the SHORTER length. Since the comparison is byte-by-byte, if the
load modules are a bit out of sync, the "difference list" (ddname of
SYSPRINT) can be very long. However, the display is helpful
nevertheless. I enhanced the SYSPRINT display of byte differences to
include the EBCDIC interpretation of the byte (which was originally
displayed only in hex) if it is printable. So you can see eyecatcher
differences and the like. And you can now spot telltale strings in both
modules, and compare their relative positions within each module, when
some code was added in between.
The load library comparison report is also very useful (ddname of
WTO). You can compare two entire load libraries to find members that
are both different, and the same. For all different load modules in
both libraries, the ddname of SYSPRINT will still produce the
byte-by-byte comparison report.
As you see, this is a useful tool to have. The new version of File
149 is currently in the Updates page of www.cbttape.org and will remain
there, until a new level of the CBT tape is cut. Currently the Updates
page contains files that will go into CBT Version 489. In File 149, I
kept the original member called COMPARE, but added the new member
COMPLOAD plus an assembly/linkedit job for it.
Use it in good health !!! All the best of everything to all of you.
Sincerely, Sam
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