getContents

[Malcolm Wallace]

>      contents <- hGetContents handle
>      seq (last contents) (hClose handle)

vs.

>      contents <- hGetContents handle
>      hClose handle

> However I looked at the manual and it seems that hClose should
> force the whole of contents to be read anyway.

If some manual says this, it is wrong.

The Haskell Report says that 'hGetContents' gives the handle a
special status, called "semi-closed".  A semi-closed handle becomes
fully closed when 'hClose' is applied to it.  When this occurs, the
contents of the associated stream of characters (i.e. those returned
by 'hGetContents') is truncated, and is the list of characters that
have already been read from that handle.

Regards,
    Malcolm