WRITE_FILE

  Writes the contents of a buffer or range to a specified file or to the
  output file associated with the buffer; optionally returns a string for
  the output file specification.

  Syntax

     [string2 :=] WRITE_FILE ({buffer|range} [,string1] [, {ON|OFF|1|0})

  Parameters

     buffer          The buffer whose contents you want to write to a file.

     range           The range whose contents you want to write to a file.

     string1         The output file specification.  If you do not specify a
                     file, DECTPU uses the output file associated with the
                     buffer.  If there is no associated output file, DECTPU
                     prompts for one.

     ON or 1         The output will be padded with spaces to keep the first
                     character of each record at the same column as the text
                     in the buffer.  By default, padding is ON.

     OFF or 0        No padding spaces will be inserted when writing to the
                     file.

  Examples

  All examples assume a buffer with the following text.  Each line has a
  left margin of 6.  The select range runs from the '1' to the first 'i' in
  line 3.

       This is line 1
       This is line 2
       This is line 3

  1.  WRITE_FILE (CURRENT_BUFFER, "myfile.txt");

      Writes out the current buffer to a file called MYFILE.TXT in your
      current (default) directory.  Each record in the file will be preceded
      by five spaces to keep the 'T' in each record in column 6.

  2.  out_file := WRITE_FILE (select_range, "myfile.txt", OFF);

      Stores in the variable OUT_FILE the file specification used for
      writing out the select range.  The file contains the following text:

      1
      This is line 2
      Thi

  3.  WRITE_FILE (select_range, READ_LINE ("Output file:  "), ON);

      Writes out the select range to a file, using READ_LINE to prompt for
      the output file specification.  The lines are padded, so the text in
      the file is:

                        1
           This is line 2
           Thi

  Related topics

     EXIT   QUIT   READ_FILE   SET(NO_WRITE)   SET(OUTPUT_FILE)