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<head><title>close -- close a file</title>
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<div><h1>close -- close a file</h1>
<div class="single"><h2>Description</h2>
<div><tt>f << close</tt> -- closes the file <tt>f</tt>.<br/><tt>close f</tt> -- closes the file <tt>f</tt>.<p/>
In the case of an output file, any buffered output is first written to the file, and the return value is an integer, normally 0, or -1 on error, or the return status of the child process in case the the file was a pipe.<p/>
If the file was open for both input and output, both directions are closed.<p/>
If the file is a pipe to another process, i.e., the filename began with the character <tt>!</tt>, we will wait for the process to terminate. If you don't want to wait for the process to terminate, open the file with <a href="_open__In__Out.html" title="open an input output file">openInOut</a>, and if necessary, use <a href="_close__In.html" title="close an input file">closeIn</a> to close it, to indicate that it has received all its input.<p/>
If the file is <tt>stdio</tt> then it is left open, and no error is signaled.</div>
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<div class="waystouse"><h2>For the programmer</h2>
<p>The object <a href="_close.html" title="close a file">close</a> is <span>a <a href="___Manipulator.html">manipulator</a></span>.</p>
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