char cstr[4];
		long int pos;
		int i;
		fstream DiskFile;

		// open file stuff ...

		pos = DiskFile.tellg();
		DiskFile.read(cstr, 4);
		if (!DiskFile)
		{
			return SOME_ERROR_CODE;
		}
		DiskFile.seekg (pos, ios::beg);
		DiskFile.read(reinterpret_cast<char *>(&i), 4);
		if (!DiskFile)
		{
			return SOME_ERROR_CODE;
		}


		// in some much different part of the program
		DiskFile.write(reinterpret_cast<const char *>(&i),    
			sizeof(i));