#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# sub load_file_in_array():
#       Load a text file into an array. Remove all CR/LF.
#
sub load_file_in_array {
  (my $a_file) = @_;
  my @the_lines = ();
 
  unless ("$a_file" eq "")
  {
	  # load the test case file
	  if ($DEBUG > 1) { print "# loading the file '$a_file'\n" };
	  unless ( open ( FILE, $a_file ) )
	  {
	    die  "ERROR: $PROGNAME: Can't open '$a_file': $!";
	  }
	  @the_lines = <FILE>;
	  close FILE;
	  chomp(@the_lines);
	}
  return @the_lines;
}