dispose syntax error when using fortran open statement

Question

I am opening a file which has to be deleted at the end. The following command complains about using dispose.

f = "espy.tmp";  h = "formatted";  r = "read" 
Open (newunit=u, file=f, form=h, action=r,  &
  status="old", dispose="delete")

lib/core.f:177:21:

     status="old", dispose="delete")
                 1
Error: Syntax error in OPEN statement at (1)

Answer 1

Dispose is a non-standard compiler extension (and not supported by your compiler). As described in this answer, the standard way to do this is to delete the file on closure:

f = "espy.tmp";  h = "formatted";  r = "read" 
Open (newunit=u, file=f, form=h, action=r,  &
  status="old")

close(u, status='delete')

Or, you could use temporary/scratch files (no filename):

f = "espy.tmp";  h = "formatted";  r = "read" 
Open (newunit=u, form=h, action=r,  &
  status="old", status='scratch')