SKIP builds a skip table of lines to be skipped inside the named file. The file must have been previously opened using the OPEN command. Up to 50 skip points are available in the table for each opened file. Each individual line skipped counts as one specification and each range of lines skipped counts as two specifications. Whenever a file is OPEN'ed, or reOPEN'ed, its skip table is cleared. REWINDing a file (see the REWIND command) does not clear the skip table. If you just type SKIP logical_name without any lines to skip then the table of skipped lines for the named file is printed.
Lines which are SKIPped in a file can not be read with the READ command or by string substitution and are not used by the STAT command. In particular, note that the number of lines in the file as returned by the STAT command is the actual number of lines minus any skipped lines.
See the example under the READ command for one use of the SKIP command.