J3/04-295 To: J3 From: DATA/J. Martin Date: 4 May 2004 Subject: Revision of INTERP F90/000070 NUMBER: F90/000070 TITLE: Characteristics specified by interface bodies KEYWORDS: characteristics, array bounds, array shape, function result DEFECT TYPE: Erratum STATUS: J3 consideration in progress QUESTION: Section 12.3.2.2 indicates that an interface body specifies all of a procedure's characteristics and that the characteristics must be consistent with those in the procedure definition. Are the following code fragments standard conforming? (a) PROGRAM FRED INTERFACE SUBROUTINE SUB (ARR,J) INTEGER ARR(1:) END SUBROUTINE END INTERFACE INTEGER ARR(10) CALL SUB(ARR,2) END PROGRAM SUBROUTINE SUB(ARR, J) INTEGER ARR(J:) ... END SUBROUTINE SUB (b) FUNCTION C1( ) CHARACTER(*) C1 ... END FUNCTION C1 FUNCTION C2(N) CHARACTER(N) C2 ... END FUNCTION C2 SUBROUTINE CALLER( ) INTERFACE FUNCTION C1( ) CHARACTER(*) C1 END FUNCTION FUNCTION C2(N) CHARACTER(2) C2 END FUNCTION END INTERFACE CHARACTER(5) CC CC=C1( )//C2(2) ANSWER: (a) This example is standard conforming. (b) This example is not standard conforming. Discussion: (a) 12.2.1.1 states that the characteristics of a dummy data object include its shape, and that if the shape is assumed then that is a characteristic. Section 2.4.5 states that the shape of an array is determined by its rank and extent in each dimension (but not by its bounds, 5.1.2.4.2). Both the interface block for SUB and the definition of SUB describe the shape of ARR as assumed, so they are describing the same shape, and the program is standard conforming. (b) Section 12.2.2 states that the characteristics of a function include whether or not the function result value is a character of assumed length. So the interface body for function C1 must indicate that C1 is of assumed length. However, item (3) in 5.1.1.5 indicates that scoping units that invoke an external character function of assumed length must have access to a declaration of the function name with a length type parameter value other than *. This is explained in Note 5.6, (which has been removed in Fortran 2003). In addition, the interface for C2 does not conform to the standard as the length of C2 specified as 2 is not consistent with the length specified as N within the function definition. [Possible F2003 edit: Reinstate Note 5.6 of Fortran 95 in B.2.5. of Fortran 2003.] REFERENCES: ISO/IEC 1539:1991 (E) sections 2.4.5, 5.1.1.5, 5.1.2.4.2, 12.2.1.1, and 12.2.2. EDITS: None SUBMITTED BY: Graham Barber (a), Janice Shepherd (b) HISTORY: 92-264 Question (a) originally posed 92-46 Question (b) originally posed in e-mail ui 48 (jw note) 92-283 Response proposed m123 Approved by unanimous consent 93-018 Response questioned by John Reid in 93-103 Revised response proposed m124 Approved by unanimous consent 93-111 m125 ballot, return to subgroup, Leonard comment, coordinate with 0000049? 94-060 m128 New edit in F90/000049 referenced 04-295 m168 Edit removed