Index: src/natools-s_expressions-file_readers.adb
==================================================================
--- src/natools-s_expressions-file_readers.adb
+++ src/natools-s_expressions-file_readers.adb
@@ -111,10 +111,23 @@
       Stream_IO.Read (Object.File, Result, Last);
       pragma Assert (Last = Result'Last);
       return Result;
    end Read;
 
+
+   function Read (Object : Atom_Reader) return Atom_Refs.Reference is
+      Length : constant Count := Object.Length;
+      Result : constant Atom_Refs.Reference
+        := Atom_Refs.Create (new Atom (1 .. Length));
+      Last : Count;
+   begin
+      Stream_IO.Set_Index (Object.File, 1);
+      Stream_IO.Read (Object.File, Result.Update.Data.all, Last);
+      pragma Assert (Last = Length);
+      return Result;
+   end Read;
+
 
    procedure Read
      (Object : in Atom_Reader;
       Data : out Atom;
       Length : out Count) is

Index: src/natools-s_expressions-file_readers.ads
==================================================================
--- src/natools-s_expressions-file_readers.ads
+++ src/natools-s_expressions-file_readers.ads
@@ -19,10 +19,11 @@
 -- on disk (using Stream_IO) and expose their data as S-expressions or as   --
 -- atoms.                                                                   --
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 with Natools.S_Expressions.Atom_Buffers;
+with Natools.S_Expressions.Atom_Refs;
 with Natools.S_Expressions.Lockable;
 
 private with Ada.Finalization;
 private with Ada.Streams.Stream_IO;
 private with Natools.S_Expressions.Parsers;
@@ -55,10 +56,13 @@
       --  Return the file length
 
    function Read (Object : Atom_Reader) return Atom;
       --  Read the whole file and return it as a single atom
 
+   function Read (Object : Atom_Reader) return Atom_Refs.Reference;
+      --  Read the whole file to memory and return a reference to the data
+
    procedure Read
      (Object : in Atom_Reader;
       Data : out Atom;
       Length : out Count);
       --  Read the whole file and store it in Data, along with its Length.