read_buffer - read from a file and return a buffer

mixed read_buffer( mixed src, int start, int len);

This efun is only available if DISALLOW_BUFFER_TYPE is not compiled in.

If 'src' is a string (filename), then the filename will be read, starting at byte # 'start', for 'len' bytes, and returned as a buffer. If neither argument is given, the entire file is read.

If 'src' is a buffer, then characters are read from the buffer beginning at byte # 'start' in the buffer, and for 'len' # of bytes, and returned as a string.

Note that the maximum number of bytes you can read from a file and into a buffer is controlled via the 'maximum byte transfer' parameter in the runtime config file.

See also: write_buffer , allocate_buffer , bufferp , read_bytes , write_bytes