# mseek

sets current position in a binary file

## Calling Sequence

    mseek(n [,fd, flag])

## Arguments

n

  a scalar: the offset in a number of bytes.

fd

  a scalar: a file descriptor returned by the function `mopen`. `-1` stands for last opened file. Default value is `-1`.

flag

  a string: specifies the origin. Default value `'set'`.

## Description

The function `mseek` sets the position of the next input or output operation on the stream `fd`. The new position is at the signed distance given by `n` bytes from the beginning, from the current position, or from the end of the file, according to the `flag` value which can be `'set'`, `'cur'` or `'end'`. This is the reason why `n` must be positive when `flag` is equal to `'set'`.

`mseek` allows the file position indicator to be set beyond the end of the existing data in the file. If data is later written at this point, subsequent reads of data in the gap will return zero until data is actually written into the gap. `mseek`, by itself, does not extend the size of the file.

## Examples

    file3=fullfile(TMPDIR,'test3.bin');
    fd1= mopen(file3,'wb');
    for i=1:10
      mput(i,'d');
    end
    mseek(0);
    mput(678,'d');
    mseek(0,fd1,'end');
    mput(932,'d');
    mclose(fd1)

    fd1= mopen(file3,'rb');
    res=mget(11,'d')
    res1=[1:11]; res1(1)=678;res1($)=932;
    if res1<>res then
      write(%io(2),'Bug');
    end
    mseek(0,fd1,'set');

    // trying to read more than stored data
    res1=mget(100,'d',fd1);
    if res1<>res then
      write(%io(2),'Bug');
    end
    meof(fd1)
    mclearerr(fd1)
    mclose(fd1);

## See Also

- mclose
- meof
- mfprintf
- fprintfMat
- mfscanf
- fscanfMat
- mget
- mgetstr
- mopen
- mprintf
- mput
- mputstr
- mtell
- mdelete