The ReadNextFloat(file) command attempts to read a float from file.  The ReadNextFloat function skips characters until it finds a valid float.  It then reads the float and returns it.  If no characters match a valid float, then the end of file is reached and NULL is returned.

If file is the name of a file that has not been opened, Maple attempts to open the file before attempting to read the float.

An error is raised if file is not a valid descriptor or if it is the name of a file that cannot be opened.

$\mathrm{FileTools}\left[\mathrm{Text}\right]\left[\mathrm{WriteString}\right]\left(''testfile''\,''2.73\; to\; 3.14\; for''\right)$

$16$

$\mathrm{FileTools}\left[\mathrm{Text}\right]\left[\mathrm{Close}\right]\left(''testfile''\right)\:$

$\mathrm{FileTools}\left[\mathrm{Text}\right]\left[\mathrm{ReadNextFloat}\right]\left(''testfile''\right)$

$2.73$

$\mathrm{FileTools}\left[\mathrm{Text}\right]\left[\mathrm{ReadNextFloat}\right]\left(''testfile''\right)$

$3.14$

$\mathrm{FileTools}\left[\mathrm{Text}\right]\left[\mathrm{ReadNextFloat}\right]\left(''testfile''\right)$

$\mathrm{FileTools}\left[\mathrm{AtEndOfFile}\right]\left(''testfile''\right)$

$\mathrm{true}$