function fh  = create(fname,varnames,ncols,bytesperelem)
% fh=create(fname,varnames,ncols,bytesperelem) Create a Gauss data
% set with file handle fh, named fname for writing
% with number of columns equal to cols, number of bytes per element
% equal to bytesperelem, and (optional) varnames given as a character
% array
% Note: (fh)'th row of the global matrix _gaussfh will be initialized
% and a file named fname.dht will be created
global gaussfh; % gauss file handle info
if isempty(findstr('.dat',fname));
   fnamehd=strcat(fname,'.dht');
   fname=strcat(fname,'.dat');
else;
   fnamehd=strrep(fname,'.dat','.dht');
end;
faux=fopen(fnamehd,'w');
if faux==-1;
   'Could not open Gauss dataset header file';
   'The following file could not be created:';
   fnamehd;
end;
dhtvec=zeros(128+ncols*8,1);
dhtvec(1)=218;
dhtvec(2)=218;
dhtvec(7)=ncols;
dhtvec(9)=ncols*bytesperelem;
dhtvec(11)=128;
dhtvec(13)=bytesperelem;
i=1;
while i <= ncols;
     lp=129+(i-1)*8;
     up=lp+7;
     if isempty(varnames);
        thisstr=strcat('col',num2str(i));
     elseif rows(varnames)==1 & ncols>1;
        thisstr=strcat(varnames,num2str(i));
     else;
        thisstr=varnames(i);
     end;
     ntp=8-cols(thisstr);
     if ntp==0;
         dhtvec(lp:up)=double(thisstr)';
     else;
         rows(double(thisstr)');
         rows(blanks(ntp)');
         lab=[double(thisstr)';double(blanks(ntp))'];
         dhtvec(lp:up)=lab;
     end;
     i=i+1;
end;
ww=fwrite(faux,dhtvec,'uchar');
fclose(faux);
fh=fopen(fname,'w');
gaussfh(fh,1)=ncols;
gaussfh(fh,2)=bytesperelem;
if fh==-1;
   'Could not create Gauss dataset ';
   'The following file was not created:';
   fname;
end;
return;