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

  ASSOCIATEVARIABLE = asv

  asv  Is an integer variable.  It cannot be a dummy argument
       to the routine in which the OPEN statement appears.
       Use only in direct access mode.

  NOTE:  Direct access READ, direct access WRITE, FIND, DELETE, and
  REWRITE statements can affect the value of the variable.