(j3.2006) (SC22WG5.3585) OPTIONAL arguments and C interop

[Van Snyder]

On Wed, 2008-07-16 at 11:22 -0700, Aleksandar Donev wrote:
> For OPTIONAL, I don't see how one can use a function or a struct to
> get around the fact that some vendor passes 2 arguments instead of 1.
> So even if we use some opaque way to specify what is present and what
> is not (instead of saying NULL is not present and all else is
> present), we still have to decide the number of arguments and their
> matching between Fortran interfaces and C prototypes.

I did actually read that in Bill's message, but hadn't appreciated it.

Do any vendors use separate arguments to pass shape for assumed-shape
arrays?

I know some use a separate argument for the length for characters.  Do
they use three arguments for optional characters?

It seems bizarre that they would use a structure for one case, and
multiple arguments for another, but there it is.

-- 
Van Snyder                    |  What fraction of Americans believe 
Van.Snyder at jpl.nasa.gov       |  Wrestling is real and NASA is fake?
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