63.3 Functions and Variables for binary input and output

Function: assume_external_byte_order (byte_order_flag) ¶

Tells numericalio the byte order for reading and writing binary data. Two values of byte_order_flag are recognized: lsb which indicates least-significant byte first, also called little-endian byte order; and msb which indicates most-significant byte first, also called big-endian byte order.

If not specified, numericalio assumes the external byte order is most-significant byte first.

Function: openr_binary (file_name) ¶

Returns an input stream of 8-bit unsigned bytes to read the file named by file_name.

Function: openw_binary (file_name) ¶

Returns an output stream of 8-bit unsigned bytes to write the file named by file_name.

Function: opena_binary (file_name) ¶

Returns an output stream of 8-bit unsigned bytes to append the file named by file_name.

Function: read_binary_matrix (S, M) ¶

Reads binary 8-byte floating point numbers from the source S into the matrix M until M is full, or the source is exhausted. Elements of M are read in row-major order.

The source S may be a file name or a stream.

The byte order in elements of the source is specified by assume_external_byte_order.

Function: read_binary_array (S, A) ¶

Reads binary 8-byte floating point numbers from the source S into the array A until A is full, or the source is exhausted. A must be an array created by array or make_array. Elements of A are read in row-major order.

The source S may be a file name or a stream.

The byte order in elements of the source is specified by assume_external_byte_order.

Function: read_binary_list (S) ¶

Function: read_binary_list (S, L) ¶

read_binary_list(S) reads the entire content of the source S as a sequence of binary 8-byte floating point numbers, and returns it as a list. The source S may be a file name or a stream.

read_binary_list(S, L) reads 8-byte binary floating point numbers from the source S until the list L is full, or the source is exhausted.

The byte order in elements of the source is specified by assume_external_byte_order.

Function: write_binary_data (X, D) ¶

Writes the object X, comprising binary 8-byte IEEE 754 floating-point numbers, to the destination D. Other kinds of numbers are coerced to 8-byte floats. write_binary_data cannot write non-numeric data.

The object X may be a list, a nested list, a matrix, or an array created by array or make_array; X cannot be an undeclared array or any other type of object. write_binary_data writes nested lists, matrices, and arrays in row-major order.

The destination D may be a file name or a stream. When the destination is a file name, the global variable file_output_append governs whether the output file is appended or truncated. When the destination is a stream, no special action is taken by write_binary_data after all the data are written; in particular, the stream remains open.

The byte order in elements of the destination is specified by assume_external_byte_order.