2.10 Automatic File Preconnection

All logical unit numbers are automatically preconnected to specific files. These files need not exist and will only be opened or created if they are accessed with READ or WRITE without an explicit OPEN. By default the specific filename for unit n is fort.n; however if the environment variable FORTnn exists its value is used as the filename. Note that there are two digits in this variable name, e.g. the variable controlling unit 1 is FORT01 whereas the default filename is ‘fort.1’ (unless the prefix has been changed, see the description of module F90_PRECONN_IO).

A file preconnected in this manner is opened with ACCESS='SEQUENTIAL'. If the initial READ or WRITE is an unformatted i/o statement, it is opened with FORM='UNFORMATTED' otherwise it is opened with FORM='FORMATTED'. By default a formatted connection is opened with BLANK='NULL' and POSITION='REWIND' (see module F90_PRECONN_IO).

Automatic preconnection applies only to the initial use of a logical unit; once CLOSEd the unit will not be reconnected automatically but must be explicitly OPENed.

Note that this facility means that it is possible for a READ or WRITE statement with an IOSTAT= clause to receive an i/o error code associated with the implicit OPEN.