I strongly urge you to use the

same file in one function proper way with temp file and renaming, even making it a function if you need to repeat this several times The "proper way" is fraught with pitfalls: potentially changes in file ownership and permissions, loss of linkage when the file is known by multiple names, and even total failure if you don't have The proper way does have one safety advantage. The original file is highly likely to survive should the writing of the new contents stop prematurely for some external reason. Doug