Enscribe Programmer's Guide

• The OPEN^FILE procedure lets an application alter the characteristics of SIO operations when
a file is opened. Also, the SET^FILE procedure makes this possible before or after the file is
opened. Some optional characteristics are:
◦ Record blocking and deblocking
◦ Duplicative file capability, where data read from one file is automatically echoed to
another file
◦ An error-reporting file, where all error messages are directed. When a particular file is
not specified, the error-reporting file is the home terminal.
• They can be used with the INITIALIZER procedure to make run-time changes. File transfer
characteristics, such as record length, can be changed using the operating system Command
Interpreter's ASSIGN command.
• They retain information about the files in file control blocks (FCBs). There is one FCB for each
open file plus one common FCB that is linked to the other FCBs.
For a thorough discussion of the SIO procedures, refer to the Guardian Programmer's Guide.
Sequential I/O (SIO) Procedures 45