how to read entire file?

[srvaldez]

how do I read the entire file in a buffer?
suppose I have this code

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dim as zstring ptr buffer = allocate(10000)

how do I read the entire file into buffer ?
I tried

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open "testfile" for binary access read as 1 len=lof(1)
get #1,1,*buffer,10000
close 1

[srvaldez]

this seems to work

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dim as long fl
open "testfile" for binary access read as 1
fl=lof(1)
dim as ubyte buffer(fl)
get #1,,buffer()
close 1
dim as zstring ptr s=@buffer(0)
print *s
close

is there a better way or improvements ?

[fxm]

Using a var-len string as buffer, pre-sized at the right value (the file size), you can also process the '0' characters (corresponding to the null bytes).

Not tested:

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dim as long fl
open "testfile" for binary access read as 1
fl=lof(1)
dim as string s=string(fl,0)
get #1,,s
close 1
print s
close

[srvaldez]

thank you fxm, I like your solution

[sancho3]

This is another way:

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dim as integer fnum 
dim as string buffer

fnum = freefile()
if open ("myfilename", for input, as #fnum) <>0 then
	? "can't open file" 
	end
endif
	buffer = input(lof(fnum), fnum)
close fnum
? buffer

[srvaldez]

thank you sancho3
I learned something new, was not aware that input could be used as a function.