08-223r1
To: J3
From: Steve Lionel
Subject: Comment J32009 from Robert Corbett
Date: 2008 August 12

Commenter's Subject was "File position and the left tab limit"

[...] filed request for interpretation 95/000027.  The
interpretation issued by the committee is clear, but
it is not reflected in the text of the standard.  The
standard does not clearly state that the character
position within the current record is part of the
file position.  Questions regarding the character
position have been asked about Fortran 90, Fortran 95,
and Fortran 2003.

Paragraph 3 of Section 9.3.4.1 should state that if
a record file is positioned within a record, the
character position within the record is part of the
file position.

J3's Response:

The standard consistently refers to "position" in contexts such
as "position just before the first record","position within a record"
(9.3.4.1) and "position within the current record" (9.3.4.2, C6.2)
that clearly indicate character position is an aspect of
"file position".  J3 believes that adding the requested text would
be unnecessary and possibly confusing.  This is a case where the word
"position" has the usual English meaning.  J3's position is that no
edit is required.