.\"reads a contiguous series of bytes from a file into a string
.DT
read_bytes
$MUDNAME$ driver help
read_bytes

.SH Name
.SI 5
read_bytes() - reads a contiguous series of bytes from a file into a string
.EI

.SH Synopsis
.SI 5
string read_bytes( string path );
string read_bytes( string path, int start, int length );
.EI

.SH Description
.SP 5 5
This function reads `length' bytes beginning at byte # `start' from the
file named `path'.  The bytes are returned as a string.  Note that
(`start' + `length') must not be past the end of the file or else read_bytes
will fail.  If the second and third arguments are omitted, the entire file
is returned.
.EP

.SH See also
.SI 5
read_file(), write_bytes()
.EI
