"""mio: module, (contains functions capture_output, restore_output,
     print_file, and clear_file )"""
import sys
_file_object = None
def capture_output(file="capture_file.txt"):
    """capture_output(file='capture_file.txt'): redirect the standard
    output to 'file'."""
    global _file_object
    print "output will be sent to file: %s" % (file)
    print "restore to normal by calling 'mio.restore_output()'"
    _file_object= open(file, 'w')
    sys.stdout = _file_object

def restore_output():
    """restore_output(): restore the standard output back to the
             default (also closes the capture file)"""
    global _file_object
    sys.stdout = sys.__stdout__
    _file_object.close()
    print "standard output has been restored back to normal"

def print_file(file="capture_file.txt"):
    """print_file(file="capture_file.txt"): print the given file to the
         standard output"""
    f = open(file,'r')
    print f.read()

def clear_file(file="capture_file.txt"):
    """clear_file(file="capture_file.txt"): clears the contents of the
         given file"""
    f = open(file,'w')
    f.close()