File$

File$(N)

The File$(N) internal function returns the path and name of file N. When used without parameters, FILE$ returns the name of the file from the last error in an OPEN statement or any other I/O statement.

Comments and Examples

FILE$(0) returns the device name for the current workstation. This function can be used to determine whether a program is running on a DOS or Unix / Linux system. DOS versions will return CON:, whereas Unix / Linux versions will return a string beginning with :/dev/tty. See the SYSTEM command for a detailed example of using FILE$(0) to increase portability of operating system dependent SYSTEM commands.

FILE$(0) will now be displayed without a leading colon if OPTION 25 is specified. In 3.9, File$(0) displays with a leading colon to signify that it is not a normal data file.

As in the following example, the string returned by FILE$ may be used as a valid file name

00010 OPEN #1:"name="&FILE$(0),DISPLAY,OUTPUT

Related Functions

For additional information about files, see the following functions:

• Exists
• File (internal function)
• FileNum
• FreeSp
• KLn
• KPs
• KRec
• LRec
• Rec
• RLn

Technical Considerations

1. If the current error was not an I/O error, FILE$ will be irrelevant because it contains information about a previous error.