Opens a file with the type of permission specified. Unlike OPEN, FOPEN does not load the file into memory and display it; instead, FOPEN establishes a channel with the file so that you can exchange information with it. If the file is opened successfully, FOPEN returns a file ID number. If it can't open the file, FOPEN returns the #N/A error value. Use the file ID number with other file functions (such as FREAD, FWRITE, and FSIZE) when you want to get information from or send information to the file.
Syntax
FOPEN(file_text, access_num)
File_text is the name of the file you want to open.
Access_num is a number from 1 to 3 specifying what type of permission to allow to the file:
| Access_num | Type of permission |
| 1 or omitted | Can read and write to the file (read/write permission) |
| 2 | Can read the file, but can't write to the file (read-only permission) |
| 3 | Creates a new file with read/write permission |
If the file doesn't exist and access_num is 3, FOPEN creates a new file.
If the file does exist and access_num is 3, FOPEN replaces the contents of the file with any information you supply using the FWRITE or FWRITELN functions.
If the file doesn't exist and access_num is 1 or 2, FOPEN returns the #N/A error value.
Remarks
Use FCLOSE to close a file after you finish using it.
Example
The following function opens a file identified as FileName using read-only permission:
FOPEN(FileName, 2)
Related Functions
FCLOSE Closes a text file
FREAD Reads characters from a text file
FWRITE Writes characters to a text file
OPEN Opens a workbook
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