1 # VMS::stdio - VMS extensions to Perl's stdio calls
3 # Author: Charles Bailey bailey@genetics.upenn.edu
8 # 1.0 29-Nov-1994 Charles Bailey bailey@genetics.upenn.edu
10 # 1.1 09-Mar-1995 Charles Bailey bailey@genetics.upenn.edu
11 # changed calling sequence to return FH/undef - like POSIX::open
12 # added fgetname and tmpnam
22 $uniquename = &tmpnam;
23 $fh = vmsfopen("my.file","rfm=var","alq=100",...) or die $!;
27 This package gives Perl scripts access to VMS extensions to the
28 C stdio routines, such as optional arguments to C<fopen()>.
29 The specific routines are described below.
33 The C<fgetname> function returns the file specification associated
34 with a Perl FileHandle. If an error occurs, it returns C<undef>.
38 The C<tmpnam> function returns a unique string which can be used
39 as a filename when creating temporary files. If, for some
40 reason, it is unable to generate a name, it returns C<undef>.
44 The C<vmsfopen> function provides access to the VMS CRTL
45 C<fopen()> function. It is similar to the built-in Perl C<open>
46 function (see L<perlfunc> for a complete description), but will
47 only open normal files; it cannot open pipes or duplicate
48 existing FileHandles. Up to 8 optional arguments may follow the
49 file name. These arguments should be strings which specify
50 optional file characteristics as allowed by the CRTL C<fopen()>
51 routine. (See the CRTL reference manual for details.)
53 You can use the FileHandle returned by C<vmsfopen> just as you
54 would any other Perl FileHandle.
56 C<vmsfopen> is a temporary solution to problems which arise in
57 handling VMS-specific file formats; in the long term, we hope to
58 provide more transparent access to VMS file I/O through routines
59 which replace standard Perl C<open> function, or through tied
60 FileHandles. When this becomes possible, C<vmsfopen> may be
65 This document was last revised on 09-Mar-1995, for Perl 5.001.
74 @ISA = qw( Exporter DynaLoader);
75 @EXPORT = qw( &fgetname &tmpfile &tmpnam &vmsfopen );