The readdata function reads numeric data from a text file into Maple. The data in the file must consist of integers or floating-point values arranged in columns, separated by white space.

If only one column of data is read, the output is a list of the data. If more than one column is read, the output is a list of data corresponding to the rows of data in the file for the specified columns.

To read numerical data and store it in a Matrix or Vector, see ImportMatrix and ImportVector.

The first form of the calling sequence for the readdata function reads $n$ columns of numerical data in floating-point format from the file specified by $\mathrm{fileID}$.

The second and third calling sequence for readdata specify whether the data is read as integer, floating-point, or string data.  The format parameter must be one of integer, float, or string, or a list containing one or more of these.

Note: The procedure readline is used to read a line of data from the file and the data is extracted by using sscanf.

While integers can be read as floating-point numbers, floating-point numbers should not be read in as integers.

If a file name is specified (instead of a file descriptor), and the file is not already open, the file will be opened as a TEXT file in READ mode.  Furthermore, if a file name is specified, the file is closed when readdata returns.

Note: The writedata function is the corresponding function for writing numerical data into a file.

$\mathrm{readdata}\left(\mathrm{data}\,3\right)$

$\left[\left[1.\,1.\,50.\right]\,\left[1.\,2.\,55.\right]\,\left[2.\,1.\,55.\right]\,\left[2.\,2.\,70.\right]\right]$

$\mathrm{readdata}\left(\mathrm{data}\,\mathrm{integer}\,3\right)$

$\left[\left[1\,1\,50\right]\,\left[1\,2\,55\right]\,\left[2\,1\,55\right]\,\left[2\,2\,70\right]\right]$

$\mathrm{readdata}\left(\mathrm{data}\,\mathrm{integer}\right)$

$\left[1\,1\,2\,2\right]$

$\mathrm{readdata}\left(\mathrm{data}\,\mathrm{float}\right)$

$\left[1.\,1.\,2.\,2.\right]$

$\mathrm{readdata}\left(\mathrm{data}\,\left[\mathrm{integer}\,\mathrm{integer}\,\mathrm{float}\right]\right)$

$\left[\left[1\,1\,50.\right]\,\left[1\,2\,55.\right]\,\left[2\,1\,55.\right]\,\left[2\,2\,70.\right]\right]$