BUG: Write of Function Returning a Character String Fails

• Microsoft FORTRAN PowerStation for Windows 95 and Windows NT, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you declare a function that returns a variable size array of variable length character strings by putting the array declaration part before the string declaration part, a write of the array-valued function fails to produce correct results.

RESOLUTION

Reorder the declaration by specifying the string declaration part before the array declaration part.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The following sample code causes the write of the array to print nothing. Changing the declaration, so the string is declared before the array, causes the correct output 1 to be written to the display.

Sample Code to Illustrate Problem

! Compile options needed: none

      program test
        interface
          function h(i,j)

            dimension h(i)
            character(len=j) h

!            character(len=j) h
!            dimension h(i)
          end function
        end interface

        write(*,*) h(1,1)
      end program test

      function h(i,j)

        dimension h(i)
        character(len=j) h

!        character(len=j) h
!        dimension h(i)
        h = '1234567890'
      end function