old_contents: import numpy
  
  #results = numpy.loadtxt('simulation_results.dat')
  
  results = []
  results_ref = []
  
  with open ("simulation_results.dat", "r") as myfile:
      data=myfile.readlines()    
      #print data[1:]
      for i in data[1:]:
          data_l_i = i.split('\t')
          data_l_i_f = []
          #for val in i:
          #    print val
          for val in data_l_i :
              try:
                  float(val)
                  data_l_i_f.append(float(val))
              except:
                  print (' -- ')
          results =  numpy.array(data_l_i_f)
          #print i,float(i.split('\t'))
          #print ' '
          
  with open ("simulation_results.ref", "r") as myfile:
      data=myfile.readlines()    
      #print data[1:]
      for i in data[1:]:
          data_l_i = i.split('\t')
          data_l_i_f = []
          #for val in i:
          #    print val
          for val in data_l_i :
              try:
                  float(val)
                  data_l_i_f.append(float(val))
              except:
                  print (' -- ')
          results_ref =  numpy.array(data_l_i_f)
          #print i,float(i.split('\t'))
          #print ' '
  
  error_= numpy.linalg.norm(results-results_ref)
  print 'Error w.r.t reference file = ', error_
          
  assert (error_< 1e-14)
  
new_contents: import numpy
  
  #results = numpy.loadtxt('simulation_results.dat')
  
  results = []
  results_ref = []
  
  with open ("simulation_results.dat", "r") as myfile:
      data=myfile.readlines()
      #print data[1:]
      for i in data[1:]:
          data_l_i = i.split('\t')
          data_l_i_f = []
          #for val in i:
          #    print val
          for val in data_l_i :
              try:
                  float(val)
                  data_l_i_f.append(float(val))
              except:
                  print (' -- ')
          results =  numpy.array(data_l_i_f)
          #print i,float(i.split('\t'))
          #print ' '
  
  with open ("simulation_results.ref", "r") as myfile:
      data=myfile.readlines()
      #print data[1:]
      for i in data[1:]:
          data_l_i = i.split('\t')
          data_l_i_f = []
          #for val in i:
          #    print val
          for val in data_l_i :
              try:
                  float(val)
                  data_l_i_f.append(float(val))
              except:
                  print (' -- ')
          results_ref =  numpy.array(data_l_i_f)
          #print i,float(i.split('\t'))
          #print ' '
  
  error_= numpy.linalg.norm(results-results_ref)
  print 'Error w.r.t reference file = ', error_
  
  assert (error_< 1e-14)
  
subject: add a python script for checking results