To: J3 J3/14-194r1 From: Van Snyder & David Muxworthy Subject: Assignment to specifier variables Date: 2014 June 26 References: 14-007r1, 14-125r1, 14-166 1. Introduction =============== The final sentence of 9.10.1p1 says "All specifier value assignments are performed according to the rules for assignment statements." The reason for this is probably so that specifiers that require character variables get values assigned that are left adjusted, and either truncated or blank padded, as for intrinsic assignment. Firstly, the statement ought to be "as if by intrinsic assignment," or perhaps "as if by an intrinsic assignment statement" or "according to the rules for intrinsic assignment." A broader problem is that we now have more statements that assign a value to a character variable corresponding to a specifier: The ERMSG or IOMSG specifier. Therefore, the same requirement as in the final sentence of 9.10.1p1, amended to specify "as if by intrinsic assignment," needs to apply to all statements that assign a value to a character variable associated with a specifier. Although for ones that require integer or logical variables, there isn't really a possibility of confusion, it wouldn't hurt to specify the requirement for all assignments to variables associated with specifiers. 2. Edits ========== [134:35 6.7.5p2] After "assign" insert ", as if by intrinsic assignment,". [196:6 8.5.7p5] After "assign" insert ", as if by intrinsic assignment,". [234:6-7 9.10.1p1] Replace "according to the rules for assignment statements" by "as if by intrinsic assignment". [242:27 9.11.6p1] After "assign" insert ", as if by intrinsic assignment,".