access: Test if a file exists

Package: language

Usage

bool = access (filename) bool = imaccess (imagename)

Parameters

filename: The name of the file whose existence is to be tested.

imagename: The name of the image whose existence is to be tested.

Description

Access is a boolean intrinsic function returning true ("yes") if the named file exists. Access can only be called as a function in an expression, not as a task.

Examples

1. Type a file if it exists.

if (access ("lib$motd"))
    type ("lib$motd")
else
    error (11, "File not found")

2. Tell if a file and an image exists.

cl> = access ("lib$motd")
cl> = imaccess ("dev$pix")

Bugs

An optional second argument should be added to test whether the named file can be accessed for reading or writing.