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Section 16
SAR$–Symbolic Access Routines
The Symbolic Access Routines (SAR$) allow the calling program to read and write
system data format (SDF) files.
SAR$ has four main functions:
• READ
Read symbolic images from SDF files, SDF elements, the READ$ file, or an alternate
READ$ file.
• WRITE
Write symbolic images to SDF files, SDF elements, the standard PRINT$ file, the
standard PUNCH$ file, alternate PRINT$ files, or alternate PUNCH$ files.
• ATREAD
Write a symbolic image to the current output stream and read a symbolic image
from the current input stream.
• COM
Write a symbolic image to the operator's console and read a symbolic image from
the operator's console.
Symbolic images have traditionally been in the Fieldata, ASCII/ISO, or attributed
character data (ACD) character sets. Additional coded character sets (CCS) have now
been defined and are supported by the Symbolic Access Routines. A total of 63 CCSs
are currently defined. Forty of these are referred to as ASCII-like. This means that the
character set is essentially identical to the ASCII/ISO character set in the octal range 000
through 0177, with any differences being minor. Refer to the ER Programming
Reference Manual, Table 14–1, for a detailed description of the CCSs. Throughout
Section 16, wherever ASCII or ASCII/ISO is used, the SAR$ capabilities apply equally to
all ASCII-like character sets.
The SAR$ functions may be called from either PLUS or MASM programs. These
functions are described in the following subsections.
SAR$ is available in relocatable elements and in the SYSLIB common banks. The READ,
ATREAD, and COM functions are in the common bank absolute SYSLIB$3. The WRITE
function is in the common bank absolute SYSLIB$4. Appendix E lists the relocatable and
common bank entry points for SAR$.
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