.. efun:: string read_file(string file, int start, int number)

  Reads lines from file. If :arg:`start` is not given or 0, the file is read from the beginning, else the efun starts reading at the beginning of line :arg:`start`.

  If :arg:`number` is not given or 0, the whole file is read, else just the given amount of lines.

  If :arg:`start` would be outside the actual size of the file, 0 is returned instead of a string.

  The maximum bytes (not lines!) being read per call is :macro:`LIMIT_FILE` (see :efun:`query_limits`).

  .. seealso:: :efun:`read_bytes`, :efun:`write_file`