VMS Help FORTRAN, Statements, OPEN, FILE  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

  FILE = fln

  fln  Is a character scalar reference, numeric scalar memory
       reference, or numeric array name reference.

  The FILE parameter specifies the name of the file to be connected
  to the unit.  The name can be any file specification accepted by
  the operating system.

  If the file name is stored in a numeric scalar or array, the name
  must consist of ASCII characters terminated by an ASCII null
  character (zero byte).  However, if it is stored in a character
  scalar or array, it must not contain a zero byte.