piping binary files

[FBUIJSEN at NLR.NL]

Tom Rohling writes:

>    When I do this:
>
>
>zcat foo.dat | foo
>
>
>    I get this response:
>
>
>sue: unformatted io not allowed
>apparent state: unit 5 named

My guess is that the problem is in the unit number: on IBM and like
mainframe machines units 5, 6 and 7 have special meanings:
unit 5 is, for example, standard designated to punch-card (!) input and
unit 6 to printer output. Of course, punch card input cannot be
unformatted :-). I am not sure whether this problem only occurs when you
READ (*,*) somewhere in your program (the * means 5, you know). My personal
solution is now not to touch units 5 and 6 in any program with a ten-foot
pole.
                  Frans Buijsen