02-170r1

    Unresolved Issue 360

To:         J3
From:       Craig Dedo
Date:       May 13, 2002
Subject:        Unresolved issue 360


Introduction

Unresolved Issue 360

    On reading the result, I'm still not convinced that these words
    unambiguously address the recurring question of whether it is
    legal to end a line with a semicolon.  In spite of the change
    to consistently use the term "termination", we still have the
    claim that the semicolon "allows" another statement to begin on
    the same line.  That "allows" is vague as to exactly what
    situations do and do not start a new statement.  It is possible
    to interpret this as meaning that a new statement does start
    (and then is an invalid empty statement).  Perhaps if we just
    plain say it instead of letting it be deduced, things would be
    simpler.

    The use of the terms "also" and "optional" are also confusing.
    Does "also" mean "alternatively" here, or does it mean that the
    statement is simultaneously terminated by two different things
    (whatever that would mean).  I think it means "alternatively".
    The "optional" is confusing in that the semicolon is certainly
    not optional if there are two statements on the same line.

    In addition to the editor's comments, it still seems that a
    terminator with more than one semicolon has to begin only with
    semicolons, and then it can have some blanks.

Edits

29:4-8      Replace the paragraph with the following:
    A statement may alternatively be terminated by a ";" character
    that appears other than in a character context or in a comment.
    The ";" is not part of the statement.  After a ";" terminator,
    another statement may appear on the same line, or begin on that
    line and be continued.  A ";" shall not appear as the first
    nonblank character on a line.  A sequence consisting only of
    zero or more blanks and one or more ";" terminators, in any
    order, is equivalent to a single ";" terminator.

29:8+       [Editor: Delete unresolved issue note 360.]

30:9-13     Replace the paragraph with the following:
    A statement may alternatively be terminated by a  character
    that appears other than in a character context, n a comment, or
    in character position 6.  The ";" is not part of the statement.
    After a ";" terminator, another statement may begin on the same
    line, or begin on that line and be continued.  A ";" shall not
    appear as the first nonblank character on a line, except in
    character position 6.  A sequence consisting only of zero or
    more blanks and one or more ";" terminators, in any order, is
    equivalent to a single ";" terminator.

References
02-007r1, Fortran 2000 Draft

[End of J3 / 02-170r1]