Is there a (simple) way of trapping runtime I/O errors in GPC, like the {$I-} compiler directive in Borland Pascal? Right now, the program var x : real; begin Readln (x); end. abort with a run-time error if the user enters something that is not a number. The same applies to ReadStr, BTW, so unless there is such a switch (hidden) in GPC, we have to call C functions like 'sscanf' or 'atof' to emulate the Borland 'Val' procedure. However, ReadStr + trapping runtime I/O errors would be simpler, IMHO. Jesper Lund