open (BEG_PUB_FILE, "$as_dir/$beg_pub_file") || 
  die  "Cannot open: $!\n";

  while ($pub_line = <BEG_PUB_FILE>) {
    chomp $pub_line;
    next if ($pub_line =~ /unknown|shutdown/);
    ($as,$as_name,$neighbor,$router,$interface,$address,
     $interface_name,$ifindex,$vpi,$vci) = split(' ',$pub_line);
    push @{$HoL_pub{$router}}, $interface_name;
  }

foreach $pub_element(@pub) {
    open FILE, "$as_dir/$element" || 
     die "Can't open $as_dir/$element: $!\n";

    while ($compare_pub = <FILE>) {
      chomp $compare_pub;
      next if ($compare_pub =~ /unknown|shutdown/);
   ($as,$as_name,$neighbor,$router,$interface,$address,
    $interface_name,$ifindex,$vpi,$vci) = split(' ',$compare_lines);
      push @{$HoL_compare_pub{$router}}, $interface_name;
    }
    
  }