Name

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      NEXTITEM

Purpose

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      Return next line from a file, ignore comments & null lines.

Category

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Calling Sequence

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      itm = nextitem(lun, [txt])

Inputs

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      lun = unit number of opened text file. in

Keyword Parameters

---

Outputs

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      txt = optionally returned complete line. out
      itm = first word in text line. out

Common Blocks

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Notes

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      Note: Useful to read control files. First item on each
        line is returned. Items may be delimited by spaces,
        commas, or tabs. Null lines and comments are ignored.
        Comment lines have * as the first character in the line.
        If a line contains only a single space it is considered
        a null line. The entire text line may optionally be
        returned. It has commas and tabs converted spaces,
        ready for GETWRD. On EOF a null string is returned.

Modification History

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      Written by R. Sterner, 19 June, 1985.
      Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
      RES 5 Nov, 1985 --- returned TXT.
  Copyright (C) 1985, Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory
  This software may be used, copied, or redistributed as long as it is not
  sold and this copyright notice is reproduced on each copy made. This
  routine is provided as is without any express or implied warranties
  whatsoever. Other limitations apply as described in the file disclaimer.txt.