diff --git a/lib/gen_misc.py b/lib/gen_misc.py
index 02aee84..f66caff 100755
--- a/lib/gen_misc.py
+++ b/lib/gen_misc.py
@@ -303,10 +303,22 @@
         if trim:
             line = line.strip()
         lines.append(line)
+    file.close()
 
     return lines
 
 
+def file_to_str(*args, **kwargs):
+    r"""
+    Return the contents of a file as a string.
+
+    Description of arguments:
+    See file_to_list defined above for description of arguments.
+    """
+
+    return '\n'.join(file_to_list(*args, **kwargs))
+
+
 def return_path_list():
     r"""
     This function will split the PATH environment variable into a PATH_LIST