FREAD(3) Linux Programmer's Manual FREAD(3) NAME fread, fwrite - binary stream input/output SYNOPSIS #include <stdio.h> size_t fread(void *ptr, size_t size, size_t nmemb, FILE *stream); size_t fwrite(const void *ptr, size_t size, size_t nmemb, FILE *stream); DESCRIPTION The function fread reads nmemb elements of data, each size bytes long, from the stream pointed to by stream, storing them at the location given by ptr. The function fwrite writes nmemb elements of data, each size bytes long, to the stream pointed to by stream, obtaining them from the loca- tion given by ptr. For non-locking counterparts, see unlocked_stdio(3). RETURN VALUE fread and fwrite return the number of items successfully read(2,n,1 builtins) or writ- ten (i.e., not the number of characters). If an error(8,n) occurs, or the end-of-file is reached, the return value is a short item count (or zero). fread does not distinguish between end-of-file and error(8,n), and callers must use feof(3) and ferror(3) to determine which occurred. CONFORMING TO The functions fread and fwrite conform to ANSI X3.159-1989 (``ANSI C''). SEE ALSO read(2,n,1 builtins)(2), write(1,2)(2), feof(3), ferror(3), unlocked_stdio(3) BSD MANPAGE 1996-05-17 FREAD(3)