The READ operation is valid for a full-procedural combined file or a full-procedural input file that uses externally-described data or program-described data. The READ operation retrieves a record from the display. However, a format must exist at the device before any input operations can occur. This requirement can be satisfied on a display device by conditioning an output record with the 1P indicator, by writing the first format to the device from another program, or, if the read is by record-format name, by using the keyword INZRCD on the record description in the DDS.