RECL

 Indicates the length of logical records in a file connected for
 direct or keyed access, or the maximum length of a record in a file
 connected for sequential access.  It takes the following form:

 RECL = rl

 rl  Is an numeric expression.  If necessary, the value is
     converted to integer data type before use.

 If the file is connected for formatted data transfer, the value
 must be expressed in bytes (characters).  Otherwise, the value is
 expressed in 4-byte units (longwords).  If the file is connected
 for unformatted data transfer, the value can be expressed in bytes
 if compiler option /ASSUME=BYTERECL is specified.

 The "rl" value is the length for record data only.  It does not
 include space for control information, such as two segment control
 bytes (if present) or the bytes that RMS requires for maintaining
 record length and deleted record control information.

 The length specified is interpreted depending on the type of
 records in the connected file, as follows:

  o  For segmented records, RECL indicates the maximum length for
     any segment (not including the two segment control bytes).

  o  For fixed-length records, RECL indicates the size of each
     record.

  o  For variable-length or stream records, RECL specifies the size
     of the buffer that will be allocated to hold records read or
     written.  Specifying RECL for stream records (STREAM, STREAMCR
     or STREAMLF) is required if the longest record length in the
     file exceeds the default RECL value.

 Errors occur under the following conditions:

  o  If your program attempts to write to an existing file a record
     that is longer than the logical record length

  o  If you are opening an existing file that contains fixed-length
     records or has relative organization and you specify a value
     for RECL that is different from the actual length of the
     records in the file

 The following table lists the maximum values that can be specified
 for "rl" for disk files that use the fixed-length record format:

   Sequential formatted               32767 bytes
   Sequential unformatted              8191 longwords
   Relative formatted                 32255 bytes
   Relative unformatted                8063 longwords
   Indexed formatted                  32224 bytes
   Indexed unformatted                 8056 longwords
   Tape formatted                      9999 bytes
   Tape unformatted                    2499 longwords

 For other record formats and device types, the record size limit
 may be less, as described in the OpenVMS Record Management
 Services Reference Manual.

 You must specify RECL when opening new files (STATUS='NEW',
 'UNKNOWN, or 'SCRATCH') and when one or more of the following
 conditions exists:

  o  The file is opened for direct access (ACCESS='DIRECT').

  o  The record format is fixed length (RECORDTYPE='FIXED').

  o  The file organization is relative or indexed
     (ORGANIZATION='RELATIVE' or 'INDEXED').

 The default value depends on the setting of the RECORDTYPE
 specifier, as follows:

 RECORDTYPE value    RECL value
 ----------------    -----------------------------------------

 'FIXED'             None; value must be explicitly specified.
 All other types     133 bytes (for formatted records)
                     511 longwords (for unformatted records)