[Info-vax] Fortran problem with QIO

[Bob Koehler]

In article <hf6c6l$fpl$2 at naig.caltech.edu>, glen herrmannsfeldt <gah at ugcs.caltech.edu> writes:
> 
> I remember Fortran programs doing QIO from 1979, the first time I
> saw %VAL() used.  

   Doing $QIO from Fortran isn't so bad.  Doing disk IO at the $QIO
   level is a pain, no matter what language you use.
 
> %DESCR() should be used when call by descriptor is needed.  For
> Fortran 77 that will usually be just CHARACTER variables.
> For Fortran 90 and later, assumed shape arrays should also be passed
> by descriptor.  Also, arrays in PL/I.

   From Fortran to Fortran CHARACTER are, of course, passed by
   descriptor by default and no %DESCR is needed.  But the data
   structures needed to talk to the Files-11 XQP might also be
   called "descriptors" even though your passsing some collection of
   integers.  I think this has mislead the OP, who may need to build
   a different data strructure than the one %DESCR is building.