BIC



   1.0  Description


        BIC (BInary Compare) is a utility program used to compare two files
   using  either a byte by byte or word by word comparison.  If BIC finds a
   difference, it will print to the output file or device the  location  in
   the file, the two words or bytes that ARE different and the XOR of them,
   which tells the bit positions which are different.  For example:

                    PC        File 1      File 2       XOR
                    --        ------      ------       ---

                  000000      000041      000025      000064
                  000002      047056      027011      060047
                  000010      047116      042514      005402




   2.0  Use

   BIC is run either by using the MCR command BIC:

                             >BIC command
                             _

   or by the RUN command:

                             >RUN $BIC
                             _
                             BIC>command
                             ____

   where command is the command line in standard DEC syntax:

                        outputfile[/sw...]=file1,file2

   File1 and file2 are the two files to be compared and outputfile is  file
   and/or  device (e.g., TI:) on which differences are to be printed.  Each
   of these file names has the format:

                       [ddn:][uic][file.ext][;version]

   If the device, ddn:, is not specified, SY:  is assumed;  if the  UIC  is
   missing,  the  UIC  you  are  running  on  is  assumed.   In the case of
   outputfile, if file.ext is not specified, BIC.LST is used.  In the  case
   of  file2,  its default file specifications are taken from file1;  thus,
   for example, if you want to compare two versions of a file from the same
   disk area, file2 only need specify the version number--";nnn".






   2.1  Switches


        There are two switches (and their negations)  which  may  be  used;
   these are:

   /BY       Do a byte by byte comparison,  rather  than  a  word  by  word
             comparison (which is the default).

   /-BY      Do a word by word comparison

   /SP       Spool the output file to the printer when BIC is done.

   /-SP      Do not spool the output file to the printer when BIC is  done.
             This is the default.




   3.0  Miscellaneous




   3.1  Indirect files


        BIC allows the use of indirect files up to four levels.  These  are
   specified in the standard DEC way:

                              >BIC @commandfile
                              ____

   The default extension on the command file is .CMD.