filename$		String variable that defines the name of the serial (sequential) file to create.
rec_size		Maximum size of the data portion of the record. (Optional on most operating systems.) Numeric expression.
max_recs		Estimated number of records the file is to contain. The default is no initial allocation of file space, with no limit as to final size. (Not used in most operating system implementations.) Numeric expression.
stmtref		Program line number or statement label to which to transfer control.

Record Access Mode and Binary Access Mode

In record access mode, a serial file is read a line or record at a time. Each line is determined by the presence of end-of-line-character(s) which are different based on the OS. On UNIX (or similar OS’s) the end-of-line character is the line feed ($0A$), on Microsoft Windows it is a carriage return followed by a line feed ($0D0A$).

Each READ or READ RECORD will only read 1 line. When using a standard READ directive READ each line will be parsed by any field SEP's that exist within the line and the corresponding variables within the READ will be set. If you use a READ RECORD then the field SEP's will not be parsed and the variable on the directive will receive the complete lines data.

When you OPEN a serial file in record access mode, there are 2 logical file pointers in the file. The read pointer starts at the top of the file, and the write pointer starts at the bottom; therefore, reads return the data starting from the first record whereas writes automatically append to the end of the file.

You can move both file pointers by issuing a READ or WRITE and supplying an IND= clause (IND=0 is the first record, IND=1 is second, etc.)

When a file is opened in binary access mode, you can read and write byte by byte with no regard for the data contents. The data on the file is logically parsed into records each of whose size is based on the ISZ= in an OPEN clause. For example,

OPEN(chan,ISZ=1) "filename"

This sets binary access mode with the contents of the file being considered a series of 1-byte records. An OPEN(chan,ISZ=512) sets binary mode with a series of 512-byte records.

A READ or READ RECORD will read the ISZ= number of bytes and treat these as a record. Using an IND= moves the current file pointer to a specific record, so when using ISZ=1, the IND= will take you to a specific byte offset within the file.

0010 SERIAL "PRNTFL",,133
0010 SERIAL A$+"-"+B$,100,50,ERR=1090