Date   : Mon, 10 Jun 1996 10:53:50 +0200
From   : deweger@... (Mark de Weger)
Subject: OSGBPB question

The Advanced User Guide is not very clear about the value
of the sequential pointer when using OSGBPB. (It juggles
a bit with the "old", the "new" and the "parameter block"
sequential pointer.)

There are two types of OSGBPB for writing a block of data to disk:

- with A=1; this uses the "new" sequential pointer
- with A=2; this "overrules the sequential pointer in the parameter
  block

Could anybody tell me if I am correct in my following interpretation:

- OSGBPB with A=1 uses the sequential pointer provided in the
  parameter block. This allows you to provide a sequential pointer
  yourself, which is handy for random file access.
- OSGBPB with A=2 does not use the sequential pointer in the parameter
  block. Instead it uses the sequential pointer associated with the
  file handle (which is specified as the first byte of the parameter
  block). (This latter sequential pointer is probably stored somewhere
  else in memory.) This call shields you, the programmer, from dealing
  with the sequential pointer, which is handy for linear file access.

Thanx in advance,
Mark.