Annul the locator associated with the top-level object in a container file, decrement the container file reference count by one and close the file if the reference count reaches zero. If the file is closed, all other locators associated with it (both primary and secondary) will also be annulled.

CALL HDS_CLOSE( LOC, STATUS )

LOC = CHARACTER $\ast$ ( DAT__SZLOC ) (Given)

STATUS = INTEGER (Given and Returned)

This routine is obsolete – its behaviour is flawed because it does not recognise that some top-level locators are not associated with a container file reference count (those created with DAT_CLONE, for instance). HDS_CLOSE will always decrement the reference count and, hence, may close a container file while it is still in use via other locators. The dependence on top-level locators to hold a container file open has been superceded by the more general primary/secondary locator attribute (see DAT_PRMRY) and the role previously played by HDS_CLOSE is now incorporated in DAT_ANNUL.