sub compareFolder
{
   my $folder = shift;
   $folder = uc ($folder);
   while ($folder =~ /\\/)
   {
      $folder =~ s/\\/\//; # transform regular c:\sample\path into c:/sample/path for later comparison
   }
   
   my $mode = shift;
   my @wantedF = @{+shift};
   my @bannedF = @{+shift};
   
   for (0..$#wantedF)
   {
      return ACCEPTED if ($folder eq uc($wantedF[$_])); # if folder is directly equal to a desired(forced) folder
   }
   
   for (0..$#bannedF)
   {
      return BANNED if ($folder eq uc($bannedF[$_]));   # if folder is directly equal to a banned folder
      if ($mode == INC_SUBDIRS) # if a parent folder is banned then so are the subfolders unless otherwise stated
      {
         my $bFolder = uc($bannedF[$_]);
         return BANNED if ($folder =~ /(^$bFolder\/).*/); # example : $folder = c:\temp\one; $bannedF[$_] = c:\temp
      }
   }
   
   return ACCEPTED; # if execution reaches this point, then folder isn't affected by the forced/banned folder list
   		    # hence it can be scanned.
}