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Q32729: "Path/File Access" Opening a "NUL" File on a Novell Network

Article: Q32729
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 21-DEC-1989

It has been reported that opening a "NUL" file on a Novell Network
gives a "Path/File access" error message if you are not running on the
server machine.

Another customer reported that opening a "NUL" file when the current
drive is a server on a Token Ring Network gives a "Disk Not Ready"
message. The same test on the IBM PC Network gives an "I/O error".

This information applies to Microsoft QuickBASIC Versions 4.00 4.00b
and 4.50, to Microsoft BASIC Compiler Versions 6.00 and 6.00b for
MS-DOS and MS OS/2, and Microsoft BASIC PDS Version 7.00 for MS-DOS
and MS OS/2.

You can work around the problem as follows:

   OPEN "\DEV\NUL" FOR OUTPUT AS #1

MS-DOS uses the "\DEV\" prefix for logical system filenames, and it
does not attach a directory search path for the name. This applies
only to the following system filenames: LPT1:, COM1:, COM2:, SCRN:,
CON:, and NUL:. The colon (:) may be omitted when referencing the
logical filename.

Please note that Microsoft QuickBASIC Versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50,
Microsoft BASIC Compiler Versions 6.00 and 6.00b, and Microsoft BASIC
PDS Version 7.00 are designed only for the IBM PC Network or networks
compatible with the MS-Net standard. Compiled BASIC programs access
the IBM PC Network and the MS Network with standard MS-DOS (Versions
3.00 and later) network calls. Microsoft QuickBASIC and  Microsoft
BASIC Compiler are not tested or supported on the Novell Network or
IBM Token Ring Network.

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