>Thanks
>Matt Hoyle

>readln(a, firstline)

> Matt Hoyle <m...@webone.com.au> wrote:

> >I need to reset a text file but whenever I put
> >reset(f)
> >then try to access it
> >readln(a, firstline)
> >I get a "File not open for input"
> >append(f) puts the pointer at the end
> >Can i move the pointer to the start some other way?

> I noticed that you had the variable 'a' in your readln() statement.
> If you have two variables, a and f defined as type text, this might
> be your problem. Also, if you closed the file somewhere before
> the readln() you could get the error as well.  Reset(f) would be
> the idea way that I know of to put the file pointer back to the
> beginning of the file.

> Hope this helps,
> Mike McWhinney
> Chief Engineer
> elja, Inc.

> I have the variable assigned as
> Var a:text;

> begin
>  Assign(a, Path);  {Path is from another procedure which is correct}
>  reset(a);
>  writeln(a, 'Firstline');
>  close(a);
> end.
> This alway give's me a "file not open for output".

> I cant use seek or anything and this seems not to be working :(
> Is there a problem with my coding, or is there another way i can do it?

> In article <37049E79.8BE30...@webone.com.au> m...@webone.com.au wrote...

> > I need to reset a text file but whenever I put
> > reset(f)
> > then try to access it
> > readln(a, firstline)
> > I get a "File not open for input"

> Not surprising - you've reset 'f' but are reading from 'a'.

> Mike{*word*106}son, Black Cat Software Factory, Edinburgh, Scotland
> fax 0131-271-1551 - Columnated Ruins Domino - Mellotron M400 #996

> Matt Hoyle wrote:

> > I have the variable assigned as
> > Var a:text;

> > begin
> >  Assign(a, Path);  {Path is from another procedure which is correct}
> >  reset(a);
> >  writeln(a, 'Firstline');
> >  close(a);
> > end.
> > This alway give's me a "file not open for output".
> Of course. Textfile - reset is made for "READ" only.

> > begin
> >  Assign(a, Path);  {Path is from another procedure which is correct}
> >  append(a);
> >  reset(a);
> >  writeln(a, 'Firstline');
> >  close(a);
> > end.
> > This just writes it to the end of the file.
> Append and Rewrite are made for "WRITE" only.

> > I cant use seek or anything and this seems not to be working :(
> > Is there a problem with my coding, or is there another way i can do it?
> The problem is with your misunderstanding of Text - files.

> A text file is made as a "serial" file. There is no means to
> seek or read/write randomly. You can understand that very similarly
> to a serial port (the words are the same, but they have different
> meaning of course: with the port the bits are written serially).

> For random files use a file of char or an untyped file with
> blockread and blockwrite, but here you have to handle all r/w
> "manually". The benefit is: they are randomly accessible.
> --
> Franz Glaser, Glasau 3, A-4191 Vorderweissenbach Austria ++43-7219-7035
> Muehlviertler Elektronik Glaser. Industrial control and instrumentation
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> http://members.eunet.at/meg-glaser           mailto:meg-gla...@eunet.at
> http://www.geocities.com/~franzglaser  http://members.xoom.com/f_glaser

> Thanks for the info, I have been using types files recently so just
> assumed it would work the same in text files.
> So does this mean there no way easy way to write a pascal search and
> replace program then?
> Do i have to read the entire file into variables then do the
> search/replace then rewrite the file and write all the variables back in
> again.

>> Thanks for the info, I have been using types files recently so just
>> assumed it would work the same in text files.
>> So does this mean there no way easy way to write a pascal search
and
>> replace program then?
>> Do i have to read the entire file into variables then do the
>> search/replace then rewrite the file and write all the variables
back in
>> again.

>Once again: A textfile is a serial stream of characters. The lines
>can be different in length, the text may contain control characters
>and Esc - codes, tabs and delimiters.

>Where would you like to write the replaced string if it was
>lengthened? Or opposite, how would you like to fill the gaps if
>the string was shortened?

>If you want to write a search/replace routine you must first be
>aware of the kind of data. There are sophisticated texteditors on
>the market which work with data in files - but surely they do not
>use primitive text files. You can treat the file as a file of char,
>or even better as an untyped file - using the block R/W procedures
>as described in the previous mail. But all handling is YOUR task.

>Whenever there is a chance that the text modified the size, you
>have to buffer it in RAM memory, what else?

>YOU simply use the WRONG filetype, there is no reason
>to doubt about Pascal's (whichever compiler) functionality.
>--
>Franz Glaser, Glasau 3, A-4191 Vorderweissenbach Austria
++43-7219-7035
>Muehlviertler Elektronik Glaser. Industrial control and
instrumentation
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>http://members.eunet.at/meg-glaser

> Gee!  Someone's taking that discussion a little personal!

> -- nz Glaser wrote in message <3706A246.32907...@eunet.at>...
> >Matt Hoyle wrote:

> >> Thanks for the info, I have been using types files recently so just
> >> assumed it would work the same in text files.
> >> So does this mean there no way easy way to write a pascal search
> and
> >> replace program then?
> >> Do i have to read the entire file into variables then do the
> >> search/replace then rewrite the file and write all the variables
> back in
> >> again.

> >Once again: A textfile is a serial stream of characters. The lines
> >can be different in length, the text may contain control characters
> >and Esc - codes, tabs and delimiters.

> >Where would you like to write the replaced string if it was
> >lengthened? Or opposite, how would you like to fill the gaps if
> >the string was shortened?

> >If you want to write a search/replace routine you must first be
> >aware of the kind of data. There are sophisticated texteditors on
> >the market which work with data in files - but surely they do not
> >use primitive text files. You can treat the file as a file of char,
> >or even better as an untyped file - using the block R/W procedures
> >as described in the previous mail. But all handling is YOUR task.

> >Whenever there is a chance that the text modified the size, you
> >have to buffer it in RAM memory, what else?

> >YOU simply use the WRONG filetype, there is no reason
> >to doubt about Pascal's (whichever compiler) functionality.
> >--
> >Franz Glaser, Glasau 3, A-4191 Vorderweissenbach Austria
> ++43-7219-7035
> >Muehlviertler Elektronik Glaser. Industrial control and
> instrumentation
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> >http://members.eunet.at/meg-glaser
> mailto:meg-gla...@eunet.at
> >http://www.geocities.com/~franzglaser
> http://members.xoom.com/f_glaser