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DEFINE CHARACTER

        [SIC\]DEFINE CHARACTER Var1*Lvar1[DIM1] [...]
        [SIC\]DEFINE CHARACTER*Length Var1[DIM1] [...]

    CHARACTER  variables  can  be scalar or multi-dimensional. The length of
    CHARACTER variable is specified after an * either after  CHARACTER  key-
    word  or after the name of the variable. When both are present, the per-
    variable length has precedence. The dimension field (same syntax as  for
    other  arrays) should follow the length declaration.  The CHARACTER key-
    word can be abbreviated, i.e. this is a valid statement
        DEFIN CHAR*12 Var1  Var2*36 Var3[16]

    Character substrings can be accessed for reading and  writing  with  the
    [charmin:charmax] specification, e.g.
        DEFINE CHARACTER C*128
        LET C[3:4] "AB"
        EXAMINE C[3:4]
        IF C[3:4].EQ."AB"  SAY "Yes"
    The  substring  specification MUST be provided with the column ":", even
    for a single character, e.g. C[1:1]. If the character variable  has  one
    or  more  dimensions,  the  substring  specification can be applied to a
    scalar subarray, e.g.
        DEFINE CHARACTER*128 D[3,4]
        EXAMINE D[1,2][3:4]
    It is an error to apply a substring specification to an array, e.g.
        EXAMINE D[1,][3:4]  ! Invalid


Gildas manager 2024-03-29