Reads a record from an open file and assigns its contents to a symbol.

Format
 READ logical-name symbol-name

Additional information available:

ParametersQualifiers

logical-name
 The logical name associated with the input file by the OPEN command or
 SYS$INPUT or SYS$COMMAND.
symbol-name
 Name of a symbol to be equated to the contents of the record. The name
 must be 1 through 255 alphanumeric characters. The symbol becomes a
 local character symbol. If the symbol has already been defined, the
 READ command redefines it to the contents of the record.

Additional information available:

/DELETE/END_OF_FILE/ERROR/INDEX/KEY/MATCH
/NOLOCK/PROMPT/TIME_OUT

 Deletes a record from an ISAM file after it has been read. Requires
 that the ISAM file be opened with the /READ and /WRITE qualifiers.

 Transfers control to the location specified by label (in a command
 procedure) when the end of the file is reached. The transfer overrides
 any /ERROR label or ON condition action specified.

 Transfers control to the location specified by label (in a command
 procedure) when a read error occurs. Overrides any ON condition action
 specified. The system symbol $STATUS retains the error code.

 Specifies the index to be used to look up keys when reading an ISAM
 file. The default value is 0, the primary index.

 Reads a record with the key that matches the specified value. Enclose
 the value in quotation marks. Binary and integer keys are not allowed.

 Specifies the match algorithm to be used when searching for matching
 keys:

 +---------+-------------------------------------------------------+
 | Option  |                      Description                      |
 +---------+-------------------------------------------------------+
 +---------+-------------------------------------------------------+
 | EQ      | Select keys equal to the match value (default).       |
 +---------+-------------------------------------------------------+
 | GE      | Select keys greater than or equal to the match value. |
 +---------+-------------------------------------------------------+
 | GT      | Select keys greater than the specified key.           |
 +---------+-------------------------------------------------------+

 Specifies that the record not be locked and enables a record to be
 read that has been locked by other accessors. By default, records are
 locked as they are read and unlocked on the next I/O operation on the
 file.

 Specifies an alternate prompt if you are reading from the terminal.
 Enclose the prompt in quotation marks if it contains spaces, special
 characters, or lower case characters. The default prompt is DATA:.

 /NOTIME_OUT (default)
 Specifies a number of seconds, after which READ is terminated if no
 input is recieved. If you enter /TIME_OUT, you must specify a value
 from 0 through 255. If you enter both the /TIME_OUT and /ERROR
 qualifiers, and if the time limit expires, the error branch is taken.