The point is that READLINE() doesn't read from a file - it reads from an in memory buffer. This should mean that it is (hopefully!) trivial to capture the console output to the same buffer and use READLINE() in exactly the same way as you would if you'd read a file in.

One of the advantages is that you don't have to concern yourself with generating temporary files and the problems associated with it. A script becomes much more portable if you can keep it in-house.

Ideally we'd have proper file io and the ability to read from any io stream whether that be file, serial port, keyboard or command output. That however goes well beyond the scope of a scripting language whose original design purpose is logon processing

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Richard Howarth