function theBytesOut = fcat(theInput, theOutput)

% fcat -- Concatenate files.
%  fcat('theInput', 'theOutput') concatenates all files
%   encompassed by "dir('theInput')" to 'theOutput' file.
%   The output file is created if it does not already
%   exist.  The number of bytes output is returned.
 
% Copyright (C) 2000 Dr. Charles R. Denham, ZYDECO.
%  All Rights Reserved.
%   Disclosure without explicit written consent from the
%    copyright owner does not constitute publication.
 
% Version of 19-Jul-2000 15:09:05.
% Updated    19-Jul-2000 15:29:15.

if nargout > 0, theBytesOut = 0; end

if nargin < 2, help(mfilename), return, end

if ischar(theInput)
	theInput = dir(theInput);
end

if isempty(theInput)
	disp([' ## ' mfilename ' -- No inputs exist.'])
	return
end

fout = fopen(theOutput, 'a');

if fout < 0
	disp([' ## ' mfilename ' -- No such output file: ' theOutput])
	return
end

bytes_out = 0;

for i = 1:length(theInput)
	w = which(theInput(i).name);
	fin = fopen(w, 'r');
	if fin >= 0
		theBytes = fread(fin);
		fclose(fin);
		if ~isempty(theBytes)
			c = fwrite(fout, theBytes);
			bytes_out = bytes_out + c;
		end
	end
end

fclose(fout);

if nargout > 0, theBytesOut = bytes_out; end