Home Manual Packages Global Index Keywords Quick Reference Language Reference Function Reference I/O Reference Opening and Closing Text Files Reading Text Writing Text Positioning a Text File Opening and Closing Binary Files Saving and Restoring Variables Reading History Records Writing History Records Opening Non-PDB Files Making Plots Plot Paging and Hardcopy Setting Plot Limits Managing Graphics Windows Graphics Query, Edit, and Defaults | # Yorick Language Reference ## Positioning a Text File The `write` function always appends to the end of a file. A sequence of `read` operations may be intermixed with `write` operations on the same file. The two types of operations do not interact. The `read` and `rdline` functions read the file in complete lines; a file cannot be positioned in the middle of a line - although the `read` function may ignore a part of the last line read, subsequent `read` operations will begin with the next full line. The following functions allow the file to be reset to a previously read line.
`backup, f` | back up file f one line
`m = bookmark(f)` | record position of file f in m
`backup, f, m` | back up file f to m
The bookmark m records the current position of the file; it has a distinct Yorick data type, and the `info` or `print` function can be used to examine it. Without a bookmark, the `backup` function can back up only a single line.