ETAT

Syntax

ETAT (file$)

Location

ETAT

This function checks to see if the given file (passed as a string) exists and then checks upon its status (whether it can be opened etc). If necessary a standard error number is returned, otherwise ETAT will return 0, which means that the file can be accessed without the danger of an error such as “not found”. This can therefore be used to avoid the need for error trapping.

Example

This program copies text files to window #1:

100 REPeat input_loop
110 INPUT "File to view:"!file$
120   AnError=ETAT(file$)
130   IF NOT AnError: EXIT input_loop
140   PRINT "Sorry, ";: REPORT#1,AnError
150 END REPeat input_loop
160 OPEN_IN#3,file$
170 REPeat view_file
180 IF EOF(#3) THEN EXIT view_file
190 INPUT#3,line$: PRINT line$
200 END REPeat view_file
210 CLOSE#3

CROSS-REFERENCE

FTEST works like ETAT but recognises the default device and directory. FILE_OPEN, FOPEN, FOP_IN, FOP_OVER and FOP_NEW are all functions to open files without the need for error trapping. OPEN, OPEN_IN and OPEN_NEW stop with error messages if an error occurs. To avoid this, error trapping facilities, such as WHEN ERRor have to be used.