# fseek

Set the file pointer to a location.

## Syntax

* fseek(fid, offset, origin)
* status = fseek(fid, offset, origin)

## Input argument

* fid - an integer value: file descriptor
* offset - an integer value: number of bytes to move from origin.
* origin - an integer value or a string: location in the file.

## Output argument

* status - an integer value: 0 or -1 if there is an error.

## Description

**fseek** moves the file pointer to the location **offset** within the file **fid**.

origin can take as value:

'bof' or -1 : beginning of file.

'cof' or 0 : current position in file.

'eof' or 1 : end of file.

**offset** may be one of the predefined variables **SEEK\_CUR** (current position, or 0), **SEEK\_SET** (beginning, or -1), or **SEEK\_END** (end of file, or 1).

## Example

```matlab
fileID = fopen([tempdir(), 'fseek.txt'],'wt');
fprintf(fileID, 'son is beautiful.');
fseek(fileID, SEEK_CUR, 'bof');
fprintf(fileID, 'sun');
fclose(fileID);
R = fileread([tempdir(), 'fseek.txt'])
```

## See also

[frewind](frewind).

## History

| Version | Description     |
| ------- | --------------- |
| 1.0.0   | initial version |

## Author

Allan CORNET
