"read.segs" <-
function (file) 
{
    if (is.R() && as.numeric(version$minor) > 3) {
        lines <- scan(file, what = "", sep = "\n", comment.char = "")
    }
    else {
        lines <- scan(file, what = "", sep = "\n")
    }

# next four lines added by JMH 19.10.03
for(j in 1:length(lines)){
if(substring(lines[j], 1, 1)=="\t")
lines[j] _ paste("*", lines[j])
}


    inheader <- 1
    i <- 1
    labels <- start <- end <- utts <- NULL
    while (i < length(lines) && inheader) {
        if (lines[i] == "#") {
            inheader <- 0
        }
        else {
            foo <- splitstring(lines[i], ":")
            if (foo[1] == "database") 
                database <- paste(foo[-1], sep = ":")
            if (foo[1] == "query") {
                query <- paste(foo[-1], sep = ":")
            }
            if (foo[1] == "type") 
                type <- paste(foo[-1], sep = ":")
            i <- i + 1
        }
    }
    if (inheader) {
        stop("End of header (#) not found in segment file")
    }
# Next line taken out and following 
# 5 added by JMH 19.10.03
    # mat <- matscan(file, 4, what = "", sk = i)
mat _ NULL
for(j in (i+1) : length(lines) ){
vec _ strsplit(lines[j], "\t")
mat _ rbind(mat, unlist(vec))
}


    segs <- make.seglist(mat[, 1], mat[, 2], mat[, 3], mat[, 
        4], query, type, database)
    segs
}