function editWord(number)
  number = tonumber(number)
  -- determine modifications
  local modify_all = true
  local reenable_modify_all = false
  local mph = false
  local mm = false
  local mt = false
  local mco = false
  local mmo = false
  local mn = false

  for _, v in pairs(arg) do
	  if v == "--modify-phonetics"
	  or v == "-mph" then
      modify_all = false
      mph = true
    end
    if v == "--modify-meaning"
    or v == "-mm" then
      modify_all = false
      mm = true
    end
    if v == "--modify-type"
    or v == "-mt" then
      modify_all = false
      mt = true
    end
    if v == "--modify-canon-origin"
    or v == "-mco" then
      modify_all = false
      mco = true
    end
    if v == "--modify-meta-origin"
    or v == "-mmo" then
      modify_all = false
      mmo = true
    end
    if v == "--modify-notes"
    or v == "-mn" then
      modify_all = false
      mn = true
    end
    if v == "--modify-all"
    or v == "-ma" then
      reenable_modify_all = true
    end
	end
  if reenable_modify_all then
    modify_all = true
  end
  -- open file
	local file = io.open(data_get, "r")
	local text = file:read("*all")
  local pos = 0

  -- move to line
  for i=1, number do
    local npos = string.find(text,"\n",pos+1)
	  if npos == nil then break end
	  pos = npos
	end

  file:seek("set",0)
  local before = file:read(pos)
  file:seek("set",pos)

  -- move to things to modify
  pos = string.find(text,"{\"",pos)+1
  file:seek("set",pos)

  modify = {}
  for i=1, 6 do
    -- find next "
    length = string.find(text,"\"",pos+1)-pos
    table.insert(modify,file:read(length-1))
    if i < 6 then
      pos = string.find(text,"\"",pos+length+1)
    end
  	file:seek("set",pos)
  end
  file:seek("set",string.find(text,"})",pos+length+1)+1)
  local after = file:read("*all") or ""
	file:close()

  print("FILE:")
  print("    phonetics",modify[1])
  print("      meaning",modify[2])
  print("         type",modify[3])
  print(" canon origin",modify[4])
  print("  meta origin",modify[5])
  print("        notes",modify[6])

  print("")
  if modify_all or mph then
    print("insert new phonetics:")
    modify[1] = io.read()
  end
  if modify_all or mm then
    print("insert new meaning:")
    modify[2] = io.read()
  end
  if modify_all or mt then
    print("insert new type:")
    modify[3] = io.read()
  end
  if modify_all or mco then
    print("insert new canon origin:")
    modify[4] = io.read()
  end

  if modify_all or mmo then
    print("insert new meta origin:")
    modify[5] = io.read()
  end

  if modify_all or mn then
    print("insert new notes:")
    modify[6] = io.read()
  end

  print("NEW:")
  print("    phonetics",modify[1])
  print("      meaning",modify[2])
  print("         type",modify[3])
  print(" canon origin",modify[4])
  print("  meta origin",modify[5])
  print("        notes",modify[6])

  --rewrite with new info
	local file = io.open(data_output, "w+")
	file:write(before)
	file:write("table.insert(t,{\"")
	for i=1, #modify do
	  if i > 1 then
  	  file:write("\",\"")
  	end
  	file:write(modify[i])
  end
  file:write("\"})")
	file:write(after)
	file:close()
end