diff --git a/test/compare_file.c b/test/compare_file.c
index 63a7ff5a..cd7cdbcd 100644
--- a/test/compare_file.c
+++ b/test/compare_file.c
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@
 #include <time.h>
 
 
+/* @param flag bit0= single letters */
 char *Ftypetxt(mode_t st_mode, int flag)
 {
+ if(flag&1)
+   goto single_letters;
  if(S_ISDIR(st_mode))
    return("directory");
  else if(S_ISREG(st_mode))
@@ -42,6 +45,22 @@ char *Ftypetxt(mode_t st_mode, int flag)
  else if(S_ISSOCK(st_mode))
    return("unix_socket");
  return("unknown");
+single_letters:;
+ if(S_ISDIR(st_mode))
+   return("d");
+ else if(S_ISREG(st_mode))
+   return("-");
+ else if(S_ISLNK(st_mode))
+   return("l");
+ else if(S_ISBLK(st_mode))
+   return("b");
+ else if(S_ISCHR(st_mode))
+   return("c");
+ else if(S_ISFIFO(st_mode))
+   return("p");
+ else if(S_ISSOCK(st_mode))
+   return("s");
+ return("?");
 }
 
 
@@ -82,7 +101,7 @@ int Compare_2_files(char *adr1, char *adr2, char *adrc, int flag)
    printf("? %s : cannot lstat() : %s\n", adr1, strerror(errno));
    return(0);
  }
- strcpy(a, Ftypetxt(s1.st_mode, 0));
+ strcpy(a, Ftypetxt(s1.st_mode, 1));
  strcat(a, " ");
  if(adrc[0])
    strcat(a, adrc);