🚀 go-pugleaf

phil@cs.utexas.edu (Philip Smolen) writes:

>In article <1992Aug6.224812.455@ccsvax.sfasu.edu> z_harbergt@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:
>>In article <92218.074922MKK2@psuvm.psu.edu>, <MKK2@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>>> 
>>>   Q:  Is there a limit to the number of files that a program can open?
>>>       Is there someway to increase that limit?  Can you tell me where
>>>       I can learn more about this vaguely asked question? 8-)
>>
>> I am currently working on a QuickBASIC program that is using AJS's
>> db/LIB dBase Library and it just so happens that I read a section on
>> DOS file limitations.  Now I quote,
>>
>>  " DOS allows only 20 files open for any one application, and takes
>>  5 of these for its own use."

>Does DOS really limit the open files to 20?

Yes. Unless you do something special to force DOS to allow you to
have more than 20 file handles, any given program cannot open more
than 20 files at once.

>I recently loaded the Oberon system which runs on top of DOS.
>The installation instructions tell you to set FILES=64 in your
>config.sys.  I did this and DOS did not complain.  I was using
>DOS 5.0, but the instructions said it should work with 3.x,
>also.

>I must admit that I did not try openinging all 59 file handles
>that DOS doesn't use, but I would think that DOS or Oberon
>would have complained if FILES=64 is invalid.

DOS didn't complain because you could have several different procceses
using those file handles. And Application programs that need to use
more programs use the "trick" required to get extra file handles.

-- 
Leonard Erickson		      leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com
CIS: [70465,203]			 70465.203@compuserve.com
FIDO:   1:105/51	 Leonard.Erickson@f51.n105.z1.fidonet.org
(The CIS & Fido addresses are preferred)