# FileRead

Reads the contents of a file and returns it as a string or binary object

## Method Signature

```
FileRead(filepath=[string], charsetOrBufferSize=[string], charset=[string], buffersize=[string])
```

### Arguments

| Argument              | Type     | Required | Description                                                                                                                                                         | Default |
| --------------------- | -------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `filepath`            | `string` | `true`   | The path to the file to read.                                                                                                                                       |         |
| `charsetOrBufferSize` | `string` | `false`  | Either the charset to use when reading the file, or the buffer size to use when reading the file. If providing a buffer size, the next argument can be the charset. |         |
| `charset`             | `string` | `false`  | The explicit charset to use when reading the file.                                                                                                                  |         |
| `buffersize`          | `string` | `false`  | The explicit buffer size to use when reading the file.                                                                                                              |         |

## Examples

### Read a file into a binary object

Uses expandPath to grab a file in current directory.

```java
binaryContent = fileReadBinary( expandPath( "./file.pdf" ) );

```

### Additional Examples

```java
binaryContent = fileReadBinary( expandPath( "./image.jpg" ) );

```

## Related

* [ContractPath](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/contractpath)
* [CreateTempDirectory](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/createtempdirectory)
* [CreateTempFile](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/createtempfile)
* [DirectoryCopy](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorycopy)
* [DirectoryCreate](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorycreate)
* [DirectoryDelete](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorydelete)
* [DirectoryExists](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directoryexists)
* [DirectoryList](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorylist)
* [DirectoryMove](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorymove)
* [DirectoryRename](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directoryrename)
* [ExpandPath](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/expandpath)
* [FileAppend](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileappend)
* [FileClose](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileclose)
* [FileCopy](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filecopy)
* [FileDelete](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filedelete)
* [FileExists](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileexists)
* [FileGetMimeType](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filegetmimetype)
* [FileInfo](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileinfo)
* [FileIsEOF](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileiseof)
* [FileMove](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filemove)
* [FileOpen](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileopen)
* [FileReadBinary](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filereadbinary)
* [FileReadLine](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filereadline)
* [FileSeek](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileseek)
* [FileSetAccessMode](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filesetaccessmode)
* [FileSetAttribute](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filesetattribute)
* [FileSetLastModified](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filesetlastmodified)
* [FileSkipBytes](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileskipbytes)
* [FileWrite](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filewrite)
* [FileWriteLine](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filewriteline)
* [GetCanonicalPath](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/getcanonicalpath)
* [GetDirectoryFromPath](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/getdirectoryfrompath)
* [GetFileInfo](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/getfileinfo)
* [getTempFile](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/gettempfile)
* [PropertyFile](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/propertyfile)