--- a/src/file-io.cc	Thu May 16 15:49:42 1996 +0000
+++ b/src/file-io.cc	Thu May 16 15:56:40 1996 +0000
@@ -592,16 +592,19 @@
 \n\
 If it is omitted, a value of Inf is assumed.\n\
 \n\
-The number of items successfully read is returned in COUNT")
+The number of items successfully read is returned in COUNT.\n\
+\n\
+[A, B, ...] = fscanf (FILENUM, FORMAT, \"C\")\n\
+\n\
+Read from FILENUM according to FORMAT, with each conversion specifier\n\
+in FORMAT corresponding to a single scalar return value.  This form is\n\
+more `C-like', and also compatible with previous versions of Octave")
 {
   octave_value_list retval;
 
-  retval (1) = 0.0;
-  retval (0) = Matrix ();
-
   int nargin = args.length ();
 
-  if (nargin == 2 || nargin == 3)
+  if (nargin == 3 && args(2).is_string ())
     {
       octave_stream *os = octave_stream_list::lookup (args(0));
 
@@ -611,18 +614,7 @@
 	    {
 	      string fmt = args(1).string_value ();
 
-	      int count = 0;
-
-	      Matrix size = (nargin == 3)
-		? args(2).matrix_value () : Matrix (1, 1, octave_Inf);
-
-	      if (! error_state)
-		{
-		  octave_value tmp = os->scanf (fmt, size, count);
-
-		  retval(1) = (double) count;
-		  retval(0) = tmp;
-		}
+	      retval = os->oscanf (fmt);
 	    }
 	  else
 	    ::error ("fscanf: format must be a string");
@@ -631,7 +623,42 @@
 	gripe_invalid_file_id ("fscanf");
     }
   else
-    print_usage ("fscanf");
+    {
+      retval (1) = 0.0;
+      retval (0) = Matrix ();
+
+      if (nargin == 2 || nargin == 3)
+	{
+	  octave_stream *os = octave_stream_list::lookup (args(0));
+
+	  if (os)
+	    {
+	      if (args(1).is_string ())
+		{
+		  string fmt = args(1).string_value ();
+
+		  int count = 0;
+
+		  Matrix size = (nargin == 3)
+		    ? args(2).matrix_value () : Matrix (1, 1, octave_Inf);
+
+		  if (! error_state)
+		    {
+		      octave_value tmp = os->scanf (fmt, size, count);
+
+		      retval(1) = (double) count;
+		      retval(0) = tmp;
+		    }
+		}
+	      else
+		::error ("fscanf: format must be a string");
+	    }
+	  else
+	    gripe_invalid_file_id ("fscanf");
+	}
+      else
+	print_usage ("fscanf");
+    }
 
   return retval;
 }
@@ -639,7 +666,7 @@
 DEFUN (sscanf, args, ,
   "[A, COUNT, ERRMSG, INDEX] = sscanf (STRING, FORMAT, SIZE)\n\
 \n\
-Read from FILENUM according to FORMAT, returning the result in the\n\
+Read from STRING according to FORMAT, returning the result in the\n\
 matrix A.  SIZE is optional.  If present, it can be one of\n\
 \n\
        Inf : read as much as possible, returning a column vector\n\
@@ -654,19 +681,20 @@
 The number of items successfully read is returned in COUNT.  If an\n\
 error occurs, ERRMSG contains the text of the corresponding error\n\
 message.  INDEX contains the index of the next character to be read\n\
-from STRING")
+from STRING\n\
+\n\
+[A, B, ...] = sscanf (STRING, FORMAT, \"C\")\n\
+\n\
+Read from STRING according to FORMAT, with each conversion specifier\n\
+in FORMAT corresponding to a single scalar return value.  This form is\n\
+more `C-like', and also compatible with previous versions of Octave")
 {
   octave_value_list retval;
 
   int nargin = args.length ();
 
-  if (nargin == 2 || nargin == 3)
+  if (nargin == 3 && args(2).is_string ())
     {
-      retval(3) = -1.0;
-      retval(2) = "unknown error";
-      retval(1) = 0.0;
-      retval(0) = Matrix ();
-
       if (args(0).is_string ())
 	{
 	  string data = args(0).string_value ();
@@ -681,22 +709,7 @@
 		{
 		  string fmt = args(1).string_value ();
 
-		  int count = 0;
-
-		  Matrix size = (nargin == 3)
-		    ? args(2).matrix_value () : Matrix (1, 1, octave_Inf);
-
-		  octave_value tmp = os.scanf (fmt, size, count);
-
-		  // XXX FIXME XXX -- is this the right thing to do?
-		  // Extract error message first, because getting
-		  // position will clear it.
-		  string errmsg = os.error ();
-
-		  retval(3) = (double) (os.tell () + 1);
-		  retval(2) = errmsg;
-		  retval(1) = (double) count;
-		  retval(0) = tmp;
+		  retval = os.oscanf (fmt);
 		}
 	      else
 		::error ("sscanf: format must be a string");
@@ -708,11 +721,75 @@
 	::error ("sscanf: first argument must be a string");
     }
   else
-    print_usage ("sscanf");
+    {
+      if (nargin == 2 || nargin == 3)
+	{
+	  retval(3) = -1.0;
+	  retval(2) = "unknown error";
+	  retval(1) = 0.0;
+	  retval(0) = Matrix ();
+
+	  if (args(0).is_string ())
+	    {
+	      string data = args(0).string_value ();
+
+	      octave_istrstream istr (data);
+
+	      octave_stream os (&istr, true);
+
+	      if (os)
+		{
+		  if (args(1).is_string ())
+		    {
+		      string fmt = args(1).string_value ();
+
+		      int count = 0;
+
+		      Matrix size = (nargin == 3)
+			? args(2).matrix_value () : Matrix (1, 1, octave_Inf);
+
+		      octave_value tmp = os.scanf (fmt, size, count);
+
+		      // XXX FIXME XXX -- is this the right thing to do?
+		      // Extract error message first, because getting
+		      // position will clear it.
+		      string errmsg = os.error ();
+
+		      retval(3) = (double) (os.tell () + 1);
+		      retval(2) = errmsg;
+		      retval(1) = (double) count;
+		      retval(0) = tmp;
+		    }
+		  else
+		    ::error ("sscanf: format must be a string");
+		}
+	      else
+		::error ("sscanf: unable to create temporary input buffer");
+	    }
+	  else
+	    ::error ("sscanf: first argument must be a string");
+	}
+      else
+	print_usage ("sscanf");
+    }
 
   return retval;
 }
 
+DEFUN (scanf, args, nargout,
+  "scanf (FORMAT) is equivalent to fscanf (stdin, FORMAT)")
+{
+  int nargin = args.length ();
+
+  octave_value_list tmp_args (nargin+1, octave_value ());
+
+  tmp_args (0) = 0.0;
+  for (int i = 0; i < nargin; i++)
+    tmp_args (i+1) = args (i);
+
+  return Ffscanf (tmp_args, nargout);
+}
+
 static octave_value
 do_fread (octave_stream& os, const octave_value& size_arg,
 	  const octave_value& prec_arg, const octave_value& skip_arg,