How to read certain lines in a file and tell what is different

[briintex]

Hello,
I have 2 files that I am going to compare. I was wondering how would I go about to read those files, and tell what is different. Take for instance...that file1.txt has <name>Fred</Fred>
<name>Barney</name>
<name>This</name>
File2.txt has...
<name> Barn</name>
<name> Fred</name>
<name> This</name>

Then I would have file box say file2.txt is different than file1.txt.
Because it has more names than than file1.txt and also file2.txt is missing barney.

Can someone tell me of a website that can help me with this, or can they help me themselves?

[gavio]

I have done this a while ago... it's a bit "clumsy", but it'll do - i'm sure it can be done easier, but hey

Dim arr1() As String, arr2() As String, arrDifferent() As String, line As String
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, n As Integer, k As Integer, _
    counter As Integer, diffCounter As Integer, FF As Integer
 
    i = -1: FF = FreeFile
        
        'load first file
        Open "c:\first.txt" For Input As #FF
            Do Until EOF(FF)
                i = i + 1
                    Line Input #FF, line
                        line = LTrim(line): line = RTrim(line)
                            If line <> vbNullString Then
                                ReDim Preserve arr1(i) As String
                                    arr1(i) = line
                            Else
                                i = i - 1
                            End If
            Loop
        Close #FF
 
    i = -1: FF = FreeFile
 
        'load second file
        Open "c:\second.txt" For Input As #FF
            Do Until EOF(FF)
                i = i + 1
                    Line Input #FF, line
                        line = LTrim(line): line = RTrim(line)
                            If line <> vbNullString Then
                                ReDim Preserve arr2(i) As String
                                    arr2(i) = line
                            Else
                                i = i - 1
                            End If
            Loop
        Close #FF
 
    n = -1: diffCounter = 0
 
        'compare in one way
        For i = 0 To UBound(arr1)
            counter = 0
                For j = 0 To UBound(arr2)
                    If arr1(i) = arr2(j) Then
                        counter = counter + 1
                            Exit For
                    End If
                Next j
                    If counter = 0 Then
                        n = n + 1
                            diffCounter = diffCounter + 1
                                ReDim Preserve arrDifferent(n) As String
                                    arrDifferent(n) = arr1(i)
                    End If
        Next i
 
        'compare in second way
        For i = 0 To UBound(arr2)
            counter = 0
                For j = 0 To UBound(arr1)
                    If arr2(i) = arr1(j) Then
                        counter = counter + 1
                            Exit For
                    End If
                Next j
                    If counter = 0 Then
                        n = n + 1: counter = 0
                            If diffCounter <> 0 Then
                                For k = 0 To UBound(arrDifferent)
                                    If arrDifferent(k) = arr2(i) Then
                                        counter = counter + 1
                                            Exit For
                                    End If
                                Next k
                                    If counter = 0 Then
                                        diffCounter = diffCounter + 1
                                            ReDim Preserve arrDifferent(UBound(arrDifferent) + 1) As String
                                                arrDifferent(UBound(arrDifferent)) = arr2(i)
                                    End If
                            Else
                                diffCounter = diffCounter + 1
                                    ReDim Preserve arrDifferent(0) As String
                                        arrDifferent(UBound(arrDifferent)) = arr2(i)
                            End If
                    End If
        Next i
 
            'display all the different ones... if there are any
            If diffCounter <> 0 Then
                For i = 0 To UBound(arrDifferent)
                    Debug.Print arrDifferent(i)
                Next i
            Else
                MsgBox "There is no difference!"
            End If