// Reading and writing files are basic tasks needed for
// many Go programs. First we'll look at some examples of
// reading files.

package main

import (
    "bufio"
    "fmt"
    "io"
    "io/ioutil"
    "os"
)

// Reading files requires checking most calls for errors.
// This helper will streamline our error checks below.
func check(e error) {
    if e != nil {
        panic(e)
    }
}

func main() {

    // Perhaps the most basic file reading task is
    // slurping a file's entire contents into memory.
    dat, err := ioutil.ReadFile("/tmp/dat")
    check(err)
    fmt.Print(string(dat))

    // You'll often want more control over how and what
    // parts of a file are read. For these tasks, start
    // by `Open`ing a file to obtain an `os.File` value.
    f, err := os.Open("/tmp/dat")
    check(err)

    // Read some bytes from the beginning of the file.
    // Allow up to 5 to be read but also note how many
    // actually were read.
    b1 := make([]byte, 5)
    n1, err := f.Read(b1)
    check(err)
    fmt.Printf("%d bytes: %s\n", n1, string(b1))

    // You can also `Seek` to a known location in the file
    // and `Read` from there.
    o2, err := f.Seek(6, 0)
    check(err)
    b2 := make([]byte, 2)
    n2, err := f.Read(b2)
    check(err)
    fmt.Printf("%d bytes @ %d: %s\n", n2, o2, string(b2))

    // The `io` package provides some functions that may
    // be helpful for file reading. For example, reads
    // like the ones above can be more robustly
    // implemented with `ReadAtLeast`.
    o3, err := f.Seek(6, 0)
    check(err)
    b3 := make([]byte, 2)
    n3, err := io.ReadAtLeast(f, b3, 2)
    check(err)
    fmt.Printf("%d bytes @ %d: %s\n", n3, o3, string(b3))

    // There is no built-in rewind, but `Seek(0, 0)`
    // accomplishes this.
    _, err = f.Seek(0, 0)
    check(err)

    // The `bufio` package implements a buffered
    // reader that may be useful both for its efficiency
    // with many small reads and because of the additional
    // reading methods it provides.
    r4 := bufio.NewReader(f)
    b4, err := r4.Peek(5)
    check(err)
    fmt.Printf("5 bytes: %s\n", string(b4))

    // Close the file when you're done (usually this would
    // be scheduled immediately after `Open`ing with
    // `defer`).
    f.Close()

}