.BG
.VE $Header: /usr3/s/current/s/.help/RCS/read,v 1.3 84/04/25 06:01:05 rab Exp $
.FN read
.TL
read: Read Data from a File
.CS
read(file, length, mode, skip, print)
.PP
.AG file
character string, naming the file to read.  If the file name
is omitted, reading is from the standard input (terminal).
.AG length
the maximum number of values to read, default is to read until end-of-file.
.AG mode
the mode of the data, default REAL.
.AG skip
number of lines of the file to skip before starting to read.
Default 0.
.AG print
logical flag, should number of items read be printed?
Default TRUE.
.RT
vector comprised of the data read from the file. 
If fewer than `length' values are read before end-of-file,
the length of the result is the number of values read.
.PP
The function prints the number of values read, and warns if end-of-file was
not reached.  Missing values can be read in numeric data if `NA' appears
in the input.
.PP
Character strings read (`mode=CHAR') can contain internal blanks only
if enclosed by quotes.
.EX
tst <- read("testdata")         # normal usage
.KW basic*
.KW input
.KW read
.KW file
.WR
