STATUS=sta

• The STATUS=sta clause is optional. sta is a character expression. Possible values are: 'OLD', 'NEW', 'UNKNOWN', or 'SCRATCH'.

• 'OLD'-- The file already exists (nonexistence is an error). For example: STATUS='OLD'.

• 'NEW' -- The file doesn't exist (existence is an error). If 'FILE=name' is not specified, then a file named 'fort.n' is opened, where n is the specified logical unit.

• 'UNKNOWN' -- Existence is unknown. This is the default.

• 'SCRATCH' -- For a file opened with STATUS='SCRATCH', a temporary file with a name of the form tmp.FAAAxnnnnn is opened. Any other STATUS specifier without an associated file name results in opening a file named 'fort.n', where n is the specified logical unit number. By default, a scratch file is deleted when closed or during normal termination. If the program aborts, then the file may not be deleted. To prevent deletion, CLOSE with STATUS='KEEP'.

• The FORTRAN 77 Standard prohibits opening a named file as scratch: if OPEN has a FILE=name option, then it cannot have a STATUS='SCRATCH' option. This FORTRAN extends the standard by allowing opening named files as scratch. @ Such files are normally deleted when closed or at normal termination.

• TMPDIR: FORTRAN programs normally put scratch files in the current working directory. If the TMPDIR environment variable is set to a writable directory, then the program puts scratch files there. @