

   RReeaadd DDaattaa VVaalluueess

        scan(file="", what= double(0), nmax=-1, n=-1, sep="", skip=0, nlines=0,
                 na.strings="NA", flush=FALSE, strip.white=FALSE, quiet=FALSE)

   AArrgguummeennttss::

       file: the name of a file to read data values from.  If
             the specified file is `""', then input is taken
             from the keyboard (in this case input can be ter-
             minated by a blank line).

       what: the type of `what' gives the type of data to be
             read.  If `what' is a list, it is assumed that the
             lines of the data file are records each containing
             `length(what)' items (``fields'').

       nmax: the maximum number of data values to be read, or
             if `what' is a list, the maximum number of records
             to be read.  If omitted, `scan' will read to the
             end of `file'.

          n: the maximum number of data values to be read,
             defaulting to no limit.

        sep: by default, scan expects to read white-space
             delimited input fields.  Alternatively, `sep' can
             be used to specify a character which delimits
             fields.

       skip: this many lines of the input file should be
             skipped before starting to read data values.

     nlines: the maximum number of lines of data to be read.

   na.strings: character string, indicating which character
             fields in the file should translate to missing
             (`NA') values.

      flush: logical; if `TRUE', `scan' will flush to the end
             of the line after reading the last of the fields
             requested.  This allows putting comments after the
             last field.

   strip.white: vector of logical value(s) corresponding to
             items in the `what' argument. It is used only when
             `sep' has been specified, and allows to strip
             leading and trailing white space from `character'
             fields (`numeric' fields are always stripped).

             If `strip.white' is of length 1, it applies to all
             fields; otherwise, if `strip.white[i]' is `TRUE'
             and the `i'-th field is character (because
             `what[i]' is), then the leading and trailing white
             space from field `i' is stripped.

      quiet: logical; if `FALSE' (default), scan(.) will print
             a line, telling what fields have been read.

   DDeessccrriippttiioonn::

        The value of `what' can be a list of types, in which
        case `scan' returns a list of vectors with the types
        given by the types of the elements in `what'.  This
        provides a way of reading columnar data.

        Keyboard entry is terminated by typing a blank line.

   SSeeee AAllssoo::

        `read.table' for more user-friendly reading of data
        matrices.  `write'.

   EExxaammpplleess::

        cat("TITEL extra line", "2 3 5 7", "11 13 17", file="ex.data", sep="\n")
        pp <- scan("ex.data", skip = 1, quiet= TRUE)
            scan("ex.data", skip = 1)
            scan("ex.data", skip = 1, nlines=1)# only 1 line after the skipped one
        str(scan("ex.data", what = list("","",""))) # flush is F -> read "7"
        str(scan("ex.data", what = list("","",""), flush = TRUE))

