diff --git a/bin/tscompare b/bin/tscompare
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..0b23aeac1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tscompare
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/csh
+#
+#  Test whether $1 has a modification time
+#  greater than $2
+#
+test $1 -nt $2 
+set tres = $status
+# echo "tres = " $tres
+if ( $tres == "0" )  then
+  exit 0
+endif
+# echo we are here
+exit 1
diff --git a/bin/tscompare_alwaystrue b/bin/tscompare_alwaystrue
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..de8a02c87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tscompare_alwaystrue
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+#  Test whether $1 has a modification time
+#  greater than $2
+#
+# This is the default base case, if no other
+# script works.
+exit 0
diff --git a/bin/tscompare_csh b/bin/tscompare_csh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..0b23aeac1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tscompare_csh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/csh
+#
+#  Test whether $1 has a modification time
+#  greater than $2
+#
+test $1 -nt $2 
+set tres = $status
+# echo "tres = " $tres
+if ( $tres == "0" )  then
+  exit 0
+endif
+# echo we are here
+exit 1
diff --git a/bin/tscompare_ksh b/bin/tscompare_ksh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..29fd1c9e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tscompare_ksh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/ksh
+#
+#  Test whether $1 has a modification time
+#  greater than $2
+#
+if test $1 -nt $2 ; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+#echo we are here
+exit 1
diff --git a/bin/tscompare_sh b/bin/tscompare_sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..5309da9df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tscompare_sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+#  Test whether $1 has a modification time
+#  greater than $2
+#
+if test $1 -nt $2 ; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+#echo we are here
+exit 1