(j3.2006) Some Questions About Function Returnign a Pointer is a Variable (Was:: READ unit ambiguity)

[Craig Dedo]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: j3-bounces at j3-fortran.org [mailto:j3-bounces at j3-fortran.org] On Behalf Of
> Bill Long
> Sent: Friday, March 02, 2012 11:08
> To: fortran standards email list for J3
> Subject: Re: (j3.2006) Some Questions About Function Returnign a Pointer is a
> Variable (Was:: READ unit ambiguity)
> 
> On 3/2/12 10:55 AM, Craig Dedo wrote:
> >
> > 	The new rule, "function reference returning a pointer is a variable",
> > seems like a Really Bad Feature, more like a defect that needs fixing.  I have a
> few questions.
> >
> > 	I tried looking up "function reference returning a pointer is a
> > variable" in the Fortran 2008 standard and I could not find it.  Where is this
> defined?
> >
> 
> See 6.2, definition of "variable".
> 
> Cheers,
> Bill

	Thank you very much, Bill, for pointing me in the right direction.  I made the
mistake of only looking for "variable" in the index, not for <variable> as a syntax term.
My bad.

	Unfortunately, nobody has yet ventured to answer my other questions.  I would like
to see as many people as possible attempt to provide some serious answers to these
questions.  I especially would like to hear from implementors.

	Are there are any people brave, or foolish, enough to make an attempt? 
 
> > 	How difficult would it be to reverse out this abomination?
> >
> > 	How many compilers have already implemented this "feature"?
> >
> > 	How many programs or users depend on it?  How difficult would it be
> > for them to change their programs if this "feature" was reversed out?
> >
> > 	What were the perceived benefits of this "feature"?  From my
> > perspective, it appears to have few, if any, benefits and a very large number of
> complications.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Craig T. Dedo
> > 17130 W. Burleigh Place
> > P. O. Box 423                         Mobile Phone:  (414) 412-5869
> > Brookfield, WI   53008-0423    E-mail:<craig at ctdedo.com>
> > USA
> > Linked-In:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdedo
> 
> --
> Bill Long                                           longb at cray.com
> Fortran Technical Support    &                 voice: 651-605-9024
> Bioinformatics Software Development            fax:   651-605-9142
> Cray Inc./Cray Plaza, Suite 210/380 Jackson St./St. Paul, MN 55101


Sincerely,
Craig T. Dedo
17130 W. Burleigh Place
P. O. Box 423                         Mobile Phone:  (414) 412-5869
Brookfield, WI   53008-0423    E-mail:  <craig at ctdedo.com>
USA
Linked-In:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdedo