.help bfread Sep86 imfort.bfio
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NAME
bfread -- read from a binary file at the specified offset
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SYNOPSIS
.nf
integer function bfread (fd, buf, nchars, offset)

integer		fd		#I BFIO file descriptor of open file
typeless	buf(*)		#O buffer to receive file data
integer		nchars		#I number of SPP chars to read
integer		offset		#I 1-indexed char offset into file
.fi
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DESCRIPTION
The \fIbfread\fR procedure reads \fInchars\fR char units of storage from
the file opened on file descriptor \fIfd\fR starting at the one-indexed
char file offset \fIoffset\fR.  Any number of chars may be read starting
at any char file offset.
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RETURN VALUE
The actual number of char units of storage read is returned as the function
value; a read at end of file results in zero chars being read.  A negative
function value indicates that the read failed for some reason, e.g., the
file descriptor was invalid, the file offset was out of range, or an actual
physical read error occurred.
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SEE ALSO
bfwrit
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