open( $record_layout, '<', $RECORD_LAYOUT )
        or die "Open file $RECORD_LAYOUT  failed $!";

#Load record formats into a hash. If record layout changes simply change layout
while ($record = <$record_layout>) {
    chomp $record;
    my @fields = split(/\|/, $record);
    my @keys   = split(/\./, $fields[0]);
    $keys[1] =~ s/\s*$//;
    $keys[1] = int($keys[1]); 
 
    if (! $rec_layout_hash{$keys[0]}) {         
        $rec_layout_hash{$keys[0]} = {};
    }
    else {
        $rec_layout_hash{$keys[0]}->{$keys[1]} = {};
    }

   $rec_layout_hash{$keys[0]}->{$keys[1]} =
          {'field_type'     => $fields[1],
           'chars_position' => $fields[2],
           'field_length'   => $fields[3],
           'sub_routine'    => $fields[5],
         };
}
 
close $record_layout;