statement/OPEN                                                 statement/OPEN
 
 NAME
     OPEN -- Opens a logical file for I/O operations
 
 ABBREVIATION
     o <shift> P

 SYNOPSIS
     OPEN <file>[,<device>[,<address>[,"<command>,<type>,<mode>"]]]

 FUNCTION
     The OPEN statement allows your computer to access devices such as the 
     tape and disk for data, a printer, or even the screen. The word OPEN is 
     followed by a logical file number (<file>), which is the number to which
     all other BASIC statements will refer. This number is from 1 to 255. 
     There is normally a second number after the first called the device 
     number (<device>). Device number 0 is the keyboard, 1 is the tape 
     (default), 3 is the screen, 4 is the printer, 8 is usually the disk. A 
     zero (0) may be included in front of the device number digit (e.g. 08 
     for 8). Following the second number may be a third number called the 
     secondary address (<address>). In the case of the tape, this can be 0 
     for read, 1 for write, and 2 for write with end-of-tape marker at the 
     end. In the case of the disk, the number refers to the channel number. 
     In the printer, the secondary addresses are used to set the mode of the 
     printer. There may also be a string following the third number, which 
     could be a command to the disk drive or name of the file on tape or disk
     (<command>). The type (<type>) and mode (<mode>) refer to disk files 
     only. (File types are prg, seq, rel, and usr; modes are read and write.)
 
 INPUTS
     <file>     - logical file number for the file to be opened (1-255)
     <device>   - input/output device number
     <address>  - secondary address for device
     <command>  - command for device
     <type>     - file type (prg/seq/rel/usr)
     <mode>     - I/O mode (read/write)
 
 RESULT
     Opens a logical file for I/O operations.

 EXAMPLES
     10 OPEN 3,3
         OPENs the screen as a device.

     10 OPEN 1,0
         OPENs the keyboard as a device.

     10 OPEN 1,1,0,"UP"
         OPENs the tape for reading, file to be searched for is named UP.

     OPEN 4,4
         OPENs a channel to use the printer.

     OPEN 15,8,15
         OPENs the command channel on the disk.

     5 OPEN 8,8,12,"TESTFILE,SEQ,WRITE"
         Creates a sequential disk file for writing.
 
 NOTES
     None
 
 BUGS
     None
 
 SEE ALSO
     CLOSE
     CMD
     GET#
     INPUT#
     PRINT#