| Craig Dedo 2008-02-14, 7:14 pm |
| "Gary Scott" <garylscott@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:SrXsj.11007$J41.4633@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net...
> jwm wrote:
>
> This has been argued for a long time. There are too many problems and
> limitations with it and the results can be achieved with other methods.
> --
> Gary Scott
> mailto:garylscott@sbcglobal dot net
I have never understood what the problems and limitations are or could be.
Variable Format Expressions (VFE) have been an extension in many Fortran
compilers for over two decades. AFAIK, they are always implemented with the
same capabilities and limitations. Thus, it appears that the technology for
implementing them is well known and well understood. If there are substantial
problems and limitations, please explain what they are.
I offered a proposal to make VFEs part of standard Fortran in 1996 and 1997
when I was a member of J3. The paper numbers are 96-071 and 97-109. The latter
paper is also WG5 paper N1241. David Levine, then the HP representative to J3,
offered a counter-proposal that he said would "simplify" the feature. David's
counter-proposal would restrict the contents of VFEs to scalar, non-pointer,
default integer variables. In contrast, the common extension only required that
the contents of VFEs be scalar numeric expressions of any kind. David Levine's
paper was 96-083. I wrote a rebuttal to David's counter-proposal in paper
96-091.
The entire paper, including rationale, technical specification, and edits to
the standard, were only 2-1/2 pages of single-spaced text.
Neither my original proposal nor David Levine's counter-proposal got
anywhere. I do not remember the reasons why other members of J3 were unwilling
to essentially ratify an existing practice.
If readers are interested, I can post my original proposal in this forum.
--
Craig Dedo
17130 W. Burleigh Place
P. O. Box 423
Brookfield, WI 53008-0423
Voice: (262) 783-5869
Fax: (262) 783-5928
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E-mail: <cdedo@wi.rr.com> or <craig@ctdedo.com>
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