File manipulation

This page documents the File type, which can be used to read and write text files.

General concepts

This type provides methods to read and create files. The default encoding is UTF-8. Other supported included are UTF-16 and UTF-32 (read-only).

Global functions

read_file(path)

Return the content of the file named path as a string.

Methods

class File
File(path[, mode[, encoding]])

Open the file named path and return a handle to it. If no mode is specified, the file is opened for reading. Otherwise, mode must be one of the following strings:

  • "r" = open the file in reading mode, starting at the beginning of the file (the file must exist)

  • "w" = open the file in writing mode, starting at the beginning of the file (the file is overwritten if it already exists)

  • "a" = open the file in reading mode, starting at the end of the file (the file is created if it doesn’t exist)

  • "r+" = open the file in reading and writing mode, starting at the beginning of the file (the file must exist)

  • "w+" = open the file in reading and writing mode, starting at the beginning of the file (the file is overwritten if it already exists)

  • "a+" = open the file in reading and writing mode, starting at the end of the file (the file is created if it doesn’t exist)

If encoding is not specified, Phonometrica will try to guess the encoding in reading mode and will use UTF-8 in writing mode. Otherwise, encoding must be one of the following strings:

  • utf8 = UTF-8 encoding

  • utf16 = UTF-16, using the platform’s endianness

  • utf32 = UTF-32, using the platform’s endianness

  • utf16le = UTF-16 little endian

  • utf16be = UTF-16 big endian

  • utf32le = UTF-32 little endian

  • utf32be = UTF-32 big endian

close()

Close the file. Once the file is closed, no further reading or writing operations are allowed.

eof()

Returns true if the cursor is positionned at the end of the file, false otherwise.

rewind()

Rewind the cursor to the beginning of the file.

size()

Return the number of bytes in the file.

write(text)

Write text into file.

write_line(text)

Write text into file, and append a new line separator.

write_byte(byte)

Write a single byte into the file.

read_byte()

Read a single byte from the file.

read_line()

Read a line from the file file. If the cursor is at the end of the file, return a empty string.

read_lines()

Return the content of the file as a table whose elements are the lines of the file.