VMS Help READ, Qualifiers  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

1 - /DELETE

    Deletes a record from an indexed file after it has been read. An
    indexed file must be opened with the /READ and /WRITE qualifiers
    in order to use the READ/DELETE command.

2 - /END_OF_FILE

       /END_OF_FILE=label

    Transfers control to the location specified by the label keyword
    (in the current command procedure) when the end of the file is
    reached. When the last record in the file is read, the OpenVMS
    Record Management Services (RMS) returns an error condition
    indicating the end-of-file (EOF). If the /END_OF_FILE qualifier
    is specified, the command interpreter transfers control to the
    command line at the specified label.

    If the /END_OF_FILE qualifier is not specified, control is given
    to the error label specified with the /ERROR qualifier when the
    end of the file is reached. If neither the /ERROR nor the /END_
    OF_FILE qualifier is specified, then the current ON condition
    action is taken.

3 - /ERROR

       /ERROR=label

    Transfers control to the location specified by the label keyword
    (in the current command procedure) when a read error occurs.
    If no error routine is specified and an error occurs during the
    reading of the file, the current ON condition action is taken.

    Overrides any ON condition action specified.

    If an error occurs and the target label is successfully given
    control, the reserved global symbol $STATUS retains the error
    code.

4 - /INDEX

       /INDEX=n

    Specifies the index (n) to be used to look up keys when reading
    an indexed file.

    If you do not specify the /INDEX qualifier, the most recent
    /INDEX qualifier value is used. If a previous value was not
    specified, the primary index is used (/INDEX=0).

5 - /KEY

       /KEY=string

    Reads a record with the key that matches the specified character
    string. Binary and integer keys are not allowed. This qualifier,
    when used together with the /INDEX qualifier, allows you random
    access to indexed files.

    Key matches are made by comparing the characters in the /KEY
    string to characters in the record key.

    To read records at random in an indexed file, you must specify
    the /KEY qualifier. Once a record is read randomly, all
    subsequent reads without the /KEY qualifier access records in
    the indexed file sequentially.

6 - /MATCH

       /MATCH=option

    Specifies the key match algorithm to be used when searching for
    matching keys. Specify one of the following options:

    EQ      Selects keys equal to the match value (default).
    GE      Selects keys greater than or equal to the match value.
    GT      Selects keys greater than the specified key.

    If you are reading indexed files and you do not use the /MATCH
    qualifier, the default is /MATCH=EQ.

7 - /NOLOCK

    Specifies that the record to be read not be locked and enables a
    record to be read that has been locked by other accessors.

    By default, records are locked as they are read and unlocked on
    the next I/O operation on the file.

8 - /PROMPT

       /PROMPT=string

    Specifies an alternate prompt string to be displayed when reading
    from the terminal. The default prompt string is DATA:.

9 - /TIME_OUT

       /TIME_OUT=n
       /NOTIME_OUT (default)

    Specifies the number of seconds after which the READ command is
    terminated if no input is received. If you enter the /TIME_OUT
    qualifier, you must specify a value from 0 to 255.

    If you enter both the /ERROR=label and /TIME_OUT qualifiers, and
    the time limit expires, the error branch is taken.