# CFFILE ACTION="Read"

You can use the CFFILE tag to read an existing text file. The file is read into a dynamic parameter you can use anywhere in the page like any other dynamic parameter. For example, you could read a text file and then insert its contents into a database. Or you could read a text file and then use one of the find and replace functions to modify its contents.

### Syntax

    <CFFILE ACTION="Read"
        FILE="full_path_name"
        VARIABLE="var_name">

#### FILE

Required. The full path name of the text file to be read.

#### VARIABLE

Required. The name of the variable that will contain the contents of the text file after it has been read.

### Example

The following example creates a variable named "Message " that will contain the contents of the file message.txt.

    <CFFILE ACTION="Read"
        FILE="c:\web\message.txt"
        VARIABLE="Message">

The variable "Message" could then be used in the page. For example, you could display the contents of the `message.txt` file in the final Web page:

    <CFOUTPUT>#Message#</CFOUTPUT>

ColdFusion supports a number of powerful functions for manipulating the contents of text files. You can also use variable created by a CFFILE Read operation in ArrayToList and ListToArray functions.

See String Functions and Array Functions for more information about working with strings and arrays.