diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3864f13..100d1d5 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 [package]
 name = "lndups"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 edition = "2021"
 
 # See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
 
 [dependencies]
 shlex = "1.3"
+smallvec = "1.13"
 structopt = "0.3"
diff --git a/prebuilt-x86-64-linux/lndups b/prebuilt-x86-64-linux/lndups
index 93da4de..9c89648 100755
Binary files a/prebuilt-x86-64-linux/lndups and b/prebuilt-x86-64-linux/lndups differ
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 0c6ac57..97ca443 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 extern crate shlex;
+extern crate smallvec;
 extern crate structopt;
 use std::borrow::Borrow;
-use std::io::{Read, Write, BufReader, BufRead};
-use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::io::{Read, Write, BufReader, BufRead};
 use std::os::linux::fs::MetadataExt as MetadataExtLinux;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use crate::structopt::StructOpt;
+use crate::smallvec::*;
 
 
 
@@ -13,96 +16,6 @@ macro_rules! s_arg_target_file_name { () => { "target-file" } }
 macro_rules! s_default_target_separator { () => { ";" } }
 
 
-
-fn main() -> Result<(), i32> {
-    let mut args = CLIArguments::from_args();
-    let verbosity = args.verbose - args.quiet;
-
-    let config = Config {
-        min_size: args.min_size.map(|v| if v > 1 { v } else { 1 }).unwrap_or(1),
-        no_brace_output: args.no_brace_output,
-        dry_run: args.dry_run,
-        verbosity
-    };
-
-    if let Some(arg_file) = args.file_containing_targets {
-        if !args.targets.is_empty() {
-            eprintln!("No targets should be provided as cli arguments if arguments are being read from file");
-            return Err(1);
-        }
-        if let Err(s) = {
-            if arg_file == "-" {
-                read_lines(std::io::stdin().lock(), &mut args.targets)
-            } else {
-                read_file_lines(Path::new(&arg_file), &mut args.targets)
-            }
-        } {
-            eprintln!("Error reading file containing targets: {}", s);
-            return Err(1);
-        }
-    }
-
-    for target in &args.targets {
-        if target.contains('\0') {
-            eprintln!("Paths can never contain null byte: {}", target);
-            return Err(1);
-        }
-    }
-    let run_targets: Vec<Vec<&String>> = split_vec(&args.targets, &args.separator.unwrap_or(s_default_target_separator!().to_string()));
-
-    if run_targets.is_empty() {
-        if verbosity > 0 {
-            println!("No targets provided");
-        }
-        return Ok(());
-    }
-
-    let mut bad = false;
-    let run_paths: Vec<Vec<PathBuf>> = run_targets.iter().enumerate().map(
-        |(_,spaths)| spaths.iter().map(
-            |spath| Path::new(spath).canonicalize().unwrap_or_else(
-                |_| {
-                    eprintln!("Failed to retrieve absolute path for {}", shlex::try_quote(spath).unwrap());
-                    bad = true;
-                    Default::default()
-                }
-            )
-        ).collect()
-    ).collect();
-    if bad {
-        return Err(1);
-    }
-
-    if args.prompt {
-        if !prompt_confirm(&run_targets) {
-            return Ok(());
-        }
-    }
-
-
-    for paths in &run_paths {
-        if let Err(s) = check_all_same_device(paths) {
-            eprintln!("{}", s);
-            return Err(1);
-        }
-    }
-
-
-    for paths in run_paths {
-        run(paths, &config);
-    }
-    Ok(())
-}
-
-
-struct Config {
-    dry_run: bool,
-    min_size: u64,
-    verbosity: i8,
-    no_brace_output: bool
-}
-
-
 #[derive(StructOpt)]
 #[structopt(
     about="Hardlink duplicate files recursively\nSymlinks are treated as normal files",
@@ -157,12 +70,295 @@ struct CLIArguments {
         "  All targets must be on the same device\n",
         "All symlinks are ignored\n",
         "'-' is not treated as special\n",
-        "Mutually exclusive with ", s_arg_target_file_name!(),
+        "Mutually exclusive with --", s_arg_target_file_name!(),
     ))]
     targets: Vec<String>,
 }
 
 
+
+struct Config {
+    dry_run: bool,
+    min_size: u64,
+    verbosity: i8,
+    no_brace_output: bool
+}
+
+
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), i32> {
+    let mut args = CLIArguments::from_args();
+    let verbosity = args.verbose - args.quiet;
+
+    let config = Config {
+        min_size: args.min_size.map(|v| if v > 1 { v } else { 1 }).unwrap_or(1),
+        no_brace_output: args.no_brace_output,
+        dry_run: args.dry_run,
+        verbosity
+    };
+
+    let run_targets: Vec<Vec<&String>> = obtain_run_targets(
+        args.file_containing_targets.as_ref(),
+        &mut args.targets,
+        args.separator.as_ref().unwrap_or(&s_default_target_separator!().to_string()),
+        verbosity,
+    )?;
+    if run_targets.is_empty() {
+        if verbosity >= 1 {
+            println!("No targets provided");
+        }
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let run_paths: Vec<Vec<PathWithMetadata>> = obtain_run_paths(
+        run_targets.iter().map(|v| v.iter()),
+        verbosity,
+    )?;
+
+    for paths in &run_paths {
+        if let Err(s) = check_all_same_device(paths) {
+            eprintln!("{}", s);
+            return Err(1);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if run_paths.len() == 0 {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if args.prompt {
+        if !prompt_confirm(&run_targets) {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+    }
+
+    for paths in run_paths {
+        run(paths, &config);
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+
+/// result may be empty; contents each nonempty
+fn obtain_run_targets<'a>(
+    arg_file: Option<&String>,
+    arg_targets: &'a mut Vec<String>,
+    separator: &String, verbosity: i8
+) -> Result<Vec<Vec<&'a String>>, i32> {
+    if let Some(arg_file) = &arg_file {
+        if !arg_targets.is_empty() {
+            if verbosity >= 0 {
+                eprintln!("No targets should be provided as cli arguments if arguments are being read from file");
+            }
+            return Err(1);
+        }
+        if let Err(s) = {
+            if *arg_file == "-" {
+                read_lines(std::io::stdin().lock(), arg_targets)
+            } else {
+                read_file_lines(Path::new(&arg_file), arg_targets)
+            }
+        } {
+            if verbosity >= 0 {
+                eprintln!("Error reading file containing targets: {}", s);
+            }
+            return Err(1);
+        }
+    } else {
+        for target in arg_targets.iter() {
+            if target.contains('\0') {
+                if verbosity >= 0 {
+                    eprintln!("Paths can never contain null byte: {}", target);
+                }
+                return Err(1);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    let mut run_targets = split_vec(arg_targets, &separator);
+    for i in (0..run_targets.len()).rev() {
+        if run_targets[i].len() == 0 {
+            run_targets.swap_remove(i);
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(run_targets)
+}
+
+
+/// result has no symlinks; may be empty; contents each nonempty
+fn obtain_run_paths<T, Y, U>(run_targets: T, verbosity: i8) -> Result<Vec<Vec<PathWithMetadata>>, i32>
+where
+    T: Iterator<Item=Y> + ExactSizeIterator,
+    Y: Iterator<Item=U> + ExactSizeIterator,
+    U: AsRef<str>,
+{
+    let mut run_paths: Vec<Vec<PathWithMetadata>> = Vec::with_capacity(run_targets.len());
+    for spaths in run_targets {
+        let mut paths = Vec::with_capacity(spaths.len());
+        for spath in spaths {
+            let path = Path::new(spath.as_ref()).canonicalize().map_err(|_| {
+                if verbosity >= 1 {
+                    eprintln!("Failed to retrieve absolute path for {}", shlex::try_quote(spath.as_ref()).unwrap());
+                }
+                1
+            })?;
+            let pwmd = PathWithMetadata::new(path).map_err(|s| {
+                if verbosity >= 1 {
+                    eprintln!("{}", s);
+                }
+                1
+            })?;
+            if !pwmd.md().file_type().is_symlink() {
+                paths.push(pwmd);
+            }
+        }
+        if paths.len() > 0 {
+            run_paths.push(paths);
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(run_paths)
+}
+
+
+/// perform a full run
+fn run(pwmds: Vec<PathWithMetadata>, cfg: &Config) {
+    let mut registry: HashMap<u64, Vec<PathWithMetadata>> = HashMap::new();
+    for pwmd in pwmds {
+        register(pwmd, &mut registry, cfg);
+    }
+    registry.retain(|_,files| files.len() >= 2);
+
+    let mut stdout_buffer = (cfg.verbosity >= 0).then(|| std::io::BufWriter::new(std::io::stdout().lock()));
+
+    if let Some(stdout_buffer) = &mut stdout_buffer {
+        if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
+            writeln!(stdout_buffer, "Considering {} total files for duplicates", registry.iter().map(|(_,files)| files.len()).sum::<usize>()).unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+
+    for (fsize, pwmds) in registry {
+        run_one_size(fsize, &pwmds, cfg, stdout_buffer.as_mut());
+    }
+}
+
+fn run_one_size<W: Write>(fsize: u64, pwmds: &[PathWithMetadata], cfg: &Config, mut stdout_buffer: Option<&mut W>) {
+    if let Some(stdout_buffer) = stdout_buffer.as_mut() {
+        if cfg.verbosity >= 1 {
+            writeln!(stdout_buffer, "Considering {} files of size {} for duplicates", pwmds.len(), fsize).unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+    // if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
+    //     pwmds.sort_by_key(|pwmd| pwmd.path.file_name().unwrap_or_default().to_string_lossy().to_string());
+    // }
+    let mut by_inode: Vec<SmallVec<[&PathWithMetadata; 1]>> = Vec::with_capacity((pwmds.len() as f64 * 0.8) as usize); // each nonempty
+    let mut inodes: Vec<u64> = Vec::with_capacity(by_inode.len());
+    for pwmd in pwmds {
+        let inode: u64 = pwmd.md().st_ino();
+        match inodes.binary_search(&inode) {
+            Ok(i) => {
+                by_inode[i].push(pwmd);
+            },
+            Err(i) => {
+                inodes.insert(i, inode);
+                by_inode.insert(i, smallvec![pwmd]);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    drop(inodes);
+    by_inode.sort_by(|a,b| b.len().cmp(&a.len())); // descending size order
+
+    // compare each with eachother
+    let mut i = 0;
+    while i < by_inode.len() {
+        let mut j = i+1;
+        while j < by_inode.len() {
+            let (keeps, replaces) = get2mut(&mut by_inode, i, j);
+            if hardlink_all(keeps, replaces, cfg, stdout_buffer.as_mut()) {
+                by_inode.swap_remove(j);
+            } else {
+                j += 1;
+            }
+        }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+}
+
+
+/// recursively register path or its contents if directory into registry
+/// eprints errors
+fn register(
+    pwmd: PathWithMetadata,
+    registry: &mut HashMap<u64, Vec<PathWithMetadata>>,
+    cfg: &Config,
+) {
+    if pwmd.md().file_type().is_symlink() {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if pwmd.path.is_file() {
+        let size = pwmd.md().st_size();
+        if size >= cfg.min_size {
+            registry.entry(size).or_default().push(pwmd);
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if pwmd.path.is_dir() { match std::fs::read_dir(&pwmd.path) {
+        Ok(entries) => for entry in entries { match entry {
+            Ok(entry) => match PathWithMetadata::new(entry.path()) {
+                Ok(child_pwmd) => register(child_pwmd, registry, cfg),
+                Err(s) => if cfg.verbosity >= 1 {
+                    eprintln!("{}", s);
+                },
+            },
+            Err(error) => if cfg.verbosity >= 1 {
+                eprintln!("Failed to inspect {}: {}", shlex::try_quote(&pwmd.path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap(), error);
+            },
+        } },
+        Err(error) => if cfg.verbosity >= 1 {
+            eprintln!("Failed to read dir {}: {}", shlex::try_quote(&pwmd.path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap(), error);
+        },
+    } }
+}
+
+
+
+struct PathWithMetadata {
+    pub path: PathBuf,
+    md: RefCell<std::fs::Metadata>,
+}
+impl PathWithMetadata {
+    pub fn new(path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self, String>{
+        let md = RefCell::new(Self::get_md(&path)?);
+        Ok(PathWithMetadata{ path, md })
+    }
+    #[inline(always)]
+    pub fn md(&self) -> std::cell::Ref<std::fs::Metadata> {
+        self.md.borrow()
+    }
+    pub fn reset_md(&self) -> Result<(), String> {
+        *self.md.borrow_mut() = Self::get_md(&self.path)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+    fn get_md(path: &PathBuf) -> Result<std::fs::Metadata, String> {
+        std::fs::symlink_metadata(path).map_err(|_| format!("Failed to retrive metadata for {}", shlex::try_quote(&path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap()))
+    }
+
+}
+impl AsRef<PathBuf> for PathWithMetadata {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &PathBuf {
+        return &self.path;
+    }
+}
+impl AsRef<Path> for PathWithMetadata {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &Path {
+        return &self.path.as_ref();
+    }
+}
+
+
+
 /// return whether or not user gave confirmation
 fn prompt_confirm<'a, T: Borrow<[Y]>, Y: AsRef<str>>(run_targets: &[T]) -> bool {
     println!("Are you sure you want to link all duplicates in each of these sets of targets?");
@@ -183,13 +379,9 @@ fn prompt_confirm<'a, T: Borrow<[Y]>, Y: AsRef<str>>(run_targets: &[T]) -> bool
     response.to_lowercase().starts_with("y")
 }
 
-
-fn read_lines<R: BufRead>(reader: R, dest: &mut Vec<String>) -> Result<(), String> {
+fn read_lines(reader: impl BufRead, dest: &mut Vec<String>) -> Result<(), String> {
     for line in reader.lines() {
-        match line {
-            Ok(line) => dest.push(line),
-            Err(err) => return Err(format!("Error reading line: {}", err))
-        }
+        dest.push(line.map_err(|e| format!("Error reading line: {}", e))?);
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -198,116 +390,84 @@ fn read_file_lines(path: &Path, dest: &mut Vec<String>) -> Result<(), String> {
     if !path.is_file() {
         return Err(format!("File does not exist or is not a normal file ({})", shlex::try_quote(&path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap()));
     }
-    if let Ok(f) = std::fs::File::open(path) {
-        let reader = BufReader::new(f);
-        read_lines(reader, dest)
-    } else {
-        Err(format!("Could not open {}", shlex::try_quote(&path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap()))
-    }
+    let reader = BufReader::new(std::fs::File::open(path).map_err(
+        |e| format!("Could not open {}: {}", shlex::try_quote(&path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap(), e)
+    )?);
+    read_lines(reader, dest)
 }
 
 
-/// exit on error
-fn get_st_dev(file: &PathBuf) -> Result<u64, String> {
-    if let Ok(metadata) = std::fs::metadata(file) {
-        Ok(metadata.st_dev())
-    } else {
-        Err(format!("Failed to retrive device id for {}", shlex::try_quote(&file.to_string_lossy()).unwrap()))
-    }
-}
-
-fn check_all_same_device(paths: &[PathBuf]) -> Result<(), String> {
-    if paths.len() <= 1 {
+fn check_all_same_device(pwmds: &[PathWithMetadata]) -> Result<(), String> {
+    if pwmds.len() <= 1 {
         return Ok(())
     }
-    let first_device_id = get_st_dev(&paths[0])?;
-    let mut wrong: Vec<&PathBuf> = Vec::new();
-    for path in &paths[1..] {
-        if get_st_dev(path)? != first_device_id {
-            wrong.push(path);
-        }
+    let mut by_dev: HashMap<u64, Vec<&PathWithMetadata>> = Default::default();
+    for pwmd in pwmds.iter() {
+        by_dev.entry(pwmd.md().st_dev()).or_default().push(pwmd);
     }
-    if wrong.is_empty() {
-        Ok(())
-    } else {
-        let mut s = String::with_capacity(wrong.len()*128); // 75 max estimated len of path, 53 for prefix msg + nl
-        for path in wrong {
-            s.push_str("Device ids must all be the same; got different for: {}");
-            s.push_str(&shlex::try_quote(&path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap());
-            s.push_str("\n");
-        }
-        s.pop(); // remove last newline
-        Err(s)
+    if by_dev.len() <= 1 {
+        return Ok(());
     }
+    let mut lines = Vec::with_capacity(1+by_dev.len());
+    lines.push(String::from("Device ids must all be the same; got paths on different devices:"));
+    lines.extend(by_dev.into_iter().map(|(dev,pwmds)| {
+        if pwmds.len() == 1 {
+            format!("  Device {}: {} path: {}", dev, pwmds.len(), &shlex::try_quote(&pwmds[0].path.to_string_lossy()).unwrap())
+        } else {
+            format!("  Device {}: {} paths", dev, pwmds.len())
+        }
+    }));
+    Err(lines.join("\n"))
 }
 
 
-/// perform a full run
-fn run(paths: Vec<PathBuf>, cfg: &Config) {
-    let mut registry: HashMap<u64, Vec<PathBuf>> = HashMap::new();
+/// get two mutable references in an array
+/// expects correct inputs
+fn get2mut<'a, T>(v: &'a mut [T], i: usize, j: usize) -> (&'a mut T, &'a mut T) {
+    let (left, right) = v.split_at_mut(j);
+    (&mut left[i], &mut right[0])
+}
 
-    for path in paths {
-        register(path.to_path_buf(), &mut registry, cfg);
+
+fn hardlink(keep: &PathWithMetadata, replace: &PathWithMetadata) -> Result<(), String> {
+    std::fs::remove_file(&replace.path).map_err(|_| "Failed to remove for hardlinking")?;
+    std::fs::hard_link(&keep.path, &replace.path).map_err(|_| {
+        match std::fs::copy(&keep.path, &replace.path) {
+            Ok(_) => "Failed to hardlink (copied instead)",
+            Err(_) => "Failed to hardlink or copy" // awful scenario but i believe it is impossible since i don't see how you could remove a file yet not create one in its place
+        }
+    })?;
+    replace.reset_md()?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// returns whether linking was done
+/// eprints errors
+fn hardlink_all<'a, 'b, T, W: Write>(keeps: &'a mut SmallVec<T>, replaces: &'a mut SmallVec<T>, cfg: &Config, mut stdout_buffer: Option<&mut W>) -> bool
+where T: smallvec::Array<Item=&'b PathWithMetadata>,
+{
+    if !cmp(&replaces.first().unwrap().path, &keeps.first().unwrap().path).unwrap_or(false) {
+        return false;
     }
-    registry.retain(|_,files| files.len() >= 2);
-
-    let mut stdout_buffer = if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
-        let stdout = std::io::stdout();
-        let stdout_buffer = std::io::BufWriter::new(stdout.lock());
-        Some(stdout_buffer)
-    } else {
-        None
-    };
-
-    if let Some(stdout_buffer) = &mut stdout_buffer {
-        if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
-            writeln!(stdout_buffer, "Considering {} total files for duplicates", registry.iter().map(|(_,files)| files.len()).sum::<usize>()).unwrap();
-        }
-    }
-
-    for (fsize, mut files) in registry {
-        if files.len() > 8 {
-            files.sort_by_key(|path| path.file_name().unwrap_or_default().to_string_lossy().to_string());
-        }
-        if let Some(stdout_buffer) = &mut stdout_buffer {
-            if cfg.verbosity > 1 {
-                writeln!(stdout_buffer, "Considering {} files of size {} for duplicates", files.len(), fsize).unwrap();
-            }
-        }
-        for i in (0..files.len()).rev() {
-            let f1 = &files[i];
-            for j in (0..i).rev() {
-                let f2 = &files[j];
-                if !are_hardlinked(f1, f2) && cmp(f1, f2).unwrap_or(false) {
-                    if !cfg.dry_run {
-                        if let Err(msg) = hardlink(f1, f2) {
-                            eprintln!("{}: {}", msg, format_pair(&f1.to_string_lossy(), &f2.to_string_lossy(), cfg));
-                            continue
-                        }
-                    }
-                    if let Some(stdout_buffer) = &mut stdout_buffer {
-                        if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
-                            writeln!(stdout_buffer, "hardlinked {}", format_pair(&f1.to_string_lossy(), &f2.to_string_lossy(), cfg)).unwrap();
-                        }
-                    }
+    for replace in replaces.into_iter() {
+        let keep = keeps.first().unwrap();
+        if !cfg.dry_run {
+            if let Err(msg) = hardlink(keep, replace) {
+                if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
+                    eprintln!("{}: {}", msg, format_pair(&keep.path.to_string_lossy(), &replace.path.to_string_lossy(), cfg));
                 }
+                continue // path no longer valid
             }
         }
-    }
-}
-
-
-fn hardlink(f1: &PathBuf, f2: &PathBuf) -> Result<(), &'static str> {
-    if let Err(_) = std::fs::remove_file(f2) {
-        Err("Failed to remove second file for hardlinking")
-    } else if let Err(_) = std::fs::hard_link(f1, f2) { // same as ln in terms of args: left args's inode becomes right arg's inode
-        match std::fs::copy(f1, f2) {
-            Ok(_) => Err("Failed to hardlink (copied instead)"),
-            Err(_) => Err("Failed to hardlink or copy")
+        if let Some(stdout_buffer) = stdout_buffer.as_mut() {
+            if cfg.verbosity >= 0 {
+                writeln!(stdout_buffer, "hardlinked {}", format_pair(&keep.path.to_string_lossy(), &replace.path.to_string_lossy(), cfg)).unwrap();
+            }
         }
-    } else {
-        Ok(())
+        drop(keep);
+        keeps.push(replace);
     }
+    true
 }
 
 
@@ -356,49 +516,14 @@ fn format_pair(f1s: &str, f2s: &str, cfg: &Config) -> String {
 }
 
 
-/// recursively register path or its contents if directory into registry
-fn register(path: PathBuf, registry: &mut HashMap<u64, Vec<PathBuf>>, cfg: &Config) {
-    if let Ok(metadata) = std::fs::symlink_metadata(&path) {
-        if metadata.file_type().is_symlink() {
-            return
-        }
-
-        if path.is_file() {
-            let size = metadata.st_size();
-            if size >= cfg.min_size {
-                registry.entry(size).or_insert_with(|| Vec::new()).push(path);
-            }
-        } else if path.is_dir() {
-            if let Ok(entries) = std::fs::read_dir(path) {
-                for entry in entries {
-                    if let Ok(entry) = entry {
-                        register(entry.path(), registry, cfg);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-
-fn are_hardlinked(f1: &PathBuf, f2: &PathBuf) -> bool {
-    if let (Ok(md1), Ok(md2)) = (std::fs::metadata(f1), std::fs::metadata(f2)) {
-        md1.st_ino() == md2.st_ino()
-    } else {
-        false
-    }
-}
-
-
 /// check equality of contents of two paths to files
-fn cmp(f1: &PathBuf, f2: &PathBuf) -> std::io::Result<bool> {
-    if let (Ok(mut f1), Ok(mut f2)) = (std::fs::File::open(f1), std::fs::File::open(f2)) {
-        cmp_files(&mut f1, &mut f2)
-    } else { Ok(false) }
+/// does not check sizes
+fn cmp(f1: impl AsRef<Path>, f2: impl AsRef<Path>) -> std::io::Result<bool> {
+    cmp_read(std::fs::File::open(f1)?, std::fs::File::open(f2)?)
 }
 
 /// check equality of contents of two open files
-fn cmp_files(f1: &mut std::fs::File, f2: &mut std::fs::File) -> std::io::Result<bool> {
+fn cmp_read(mut f1: impl Read, mut f2: impl Read) -> std::io::Result<bool> {
     let buff1: &mut [u8] = &mut [0; 1024];
     let buff2: &mut [u8] = &mut [0; 1024];
     loop {
@@ -436,6 +561,7 @@ fn common_suffix<'a>(s1: &'a str, s2: &'a str) -> &'a str {
 }
 
 
+/// double delimiters will result in empty vecs
 fn split_vec<'a, T: std::cmp::PartialEq>(input: &'a [T], delimiter: &T) -> Vec<Vec<&'a T>> {
     let mut result: Vec<Vec<&T>> = Vec::new();
 
@@ -462,9 +588,8 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
     #[test]
     fn _split_vec() {
-        let v: Vec<_> = vec![";", "hi", "bye", ";", "1", ";", ";", "2", "2", ";"].into_iter().map(|s| s.to_string()).collect();
+        let v: Vec<_> = vec![";", ";", ";"].into_iter().map(|s| s.to_string()).collect();
         let res = split_vec(&v[..], &";".to_string());
-        println!("{:?}", v);
-        println!("{:?}", res);
+        assert_eq!(res.len(), 2)
     }
 }