readline() strangeness on 4.8.10D4

[Roger Cornelius]

Filepro 4.8.10D4 on SCO OSR507

I'm seeing strange behaviour from readline(), which I haven't had a need
to use before now.  Or maybe it's len() or call processing or the
debugger that's the problem.

- I'm using a called table via "call noauto"
- In auto processing I have field kz(12,*)
- In called table I have field kz(64,*)
- fh has been opened to a filepro "map" file with mode "rt"
- readline(fh,kz) returns the correct number of bytes read and kz is
  populated correctly as evidenced by "show popup kz", but len(kz) always
  returns 12 which is the length defined in auto processing.  When I
  display field kz in debug mode using "F", display field, it displays
  as a blank field 12 characters long.  If I change the field length in
  auto processing, values returned by len() and debug mode display field
  change accordingly.  According to the manual, "call auto" causes dummy
  fields from auto processing to be ignored.  Not what seems to be
  happening here.

And also:

- readline() doesn't like it when it's arguments are variables with long
  names.  At least I get a syntax error when I try to save the table.
  writeline() seems to work fine with long name variables.

Since we're on an old fp version, can I assume these issues have already
been reported and fixed?  If so, in what version?

Am I going to have problems reusing vars which exist in auto processing
even though I'm using "call noauto"?

Thanks.
-- 
Roger Cornelius            rac at custom-mobility.com