The function CHARS()

The function CHARS always opens a file.

You should close the file after calling CHARS or your OS/2 session might run out of free file handles.

Use the function STREAM to get the size of a file. STREAM works also for open files.

The behaviour is the same in Object-Oriented REXX; but because there is no file handle limit in Object REXX your program won't run out of free file handles.

(see also The function CHARS() in Object REXX)