Opens a file for use with low-level file functions.
Syntax
FOPEN(cFileName [, nAttribute])
Returns
Numeric
Arguments
cFileName
Specifies the name of the file to open. cFileName can include a path to open files in directories, folders, drives, or volumes not in the current Microsoft Visual FoxPro search path. If a path isn't included, Visual FoxPro searches for the file in the following locations:
Note Visual FoxPro will not recognize a path name properly if a disk or directory name contains an exclamation point (!).
nAttribute
Specifies read-write privileges or a buffering scheme for the file you open. The following table lists each number you can include in nAttribute, and the read-write file privileges and buffering scheme it establishes.
| nAttribute | Read-Write privileges | Buffered/unbuffered |
| 0 | (Default) Read Only | Buffered |
| 1 | Write-Only | Buffered |
| 2 | Read and Write | Buffered |
| 10 | Read-Only | Unbuffered |
| 11 | Write-Only | Unbuffered |
| 12 | Read and Write | Unbuffered |
If nAttribute isn't included, or if nAttribute evaluates to 0, the file is opened as read-only and is buffered.
Note Visual FoxPro will not recognize a path name properly if a disk or directory name contains an exclamation point (!).
Remarks
If FOPEN( ) successfully opens the file, the file handle number of the file is returned. FOPEN( ) returns –1 if the file cannot be opened.
Tip Assign the file handle number to a memory variable so you can access the file by the memory variable in other low-level file functions.
The following information about files opened with FOPEN( ) can be displayed or sent to a printer with DISPLAY STATUS or LIST STATUS.