Mask

Mask is used to declare all the masks that can be used in a routine.

Syntax

   Local  Mask MASK_LIST
   Mask MASK_LIST

• MASK_LIST is a list of MASKSseparated by commas.
• MASK can be one of the following choices:
  • a mask name as a symbol, optionally followed by an abbreviation between square brackets. The mask name can be prefixed by a folder name with the syntax FOLDER.MASKNAME
  • an abbreviation between square brackets (if the mask was already declared in a previous instruction).
  • an expression prefixed by the "=" sign. The result of the expression must be a string that defines the mask to be declared.

Examples

   # Declaring 3 masks
    Mask SAICP1 [CPT1] , =[L]NOMMSK [CPT2], ="DOSSIERA.SAICP1" [CPT3]

Description and comments

Mask is used to declare the masks that can be used during a routine. For this, the following may be declared:
* an absolute or relative path
* the name of the mask if it is in the MSK directory of the current folder or one of the reference applications.
If a mask name and an abbreviation are given together, the mask may be opened by changing its abbreviation (allowing it to be opened twice, for example).

The instruction Mask closes all previously open masks. The Local Mask instruction will therefore be used in sub-programmes in preference to Mask. This declaration does not actually close files previously opened by a Mask or Local Mask instruction; however, the default list of masks then only contains masks declared by Local Mask. On return to the calling routine, the default list of masks will be found to be as it was before the sub-programme was called.

Associated errors

Error	Description
ERMODE (10)	The mask name is not alphanumeric.
ERTROM (42)	Too many masks opened at once.
PAFIC (20)	Mask not found.
ERCLAS (7)	Associated file abbreviation not found.
ERACCE (27)	Access error to mask.

See also

File, Affzo.