practical use of iargc() getarg()

[Brooks Moses]

RadSurfer wrote:
> Since getarg() returns strings, I was just wondering precisely how one
> converts a string to the proper numerical type desired?
> 
> Strangely, the manual (gfortran.pdf) really does not show any practical
> example for using getarg() as regards converting to numerical types.
> 
> I = IChar('123') ! Integer        (How are the other types handled?)
> 
> no matter how often I read through that manual, I see nothing about
> obtaining a REAL (single,double, let alone their attributes)
> from a String!  Did I miss something?

You did.  There's a "Note" in the documentation on the ICHAR intrinsic 
which explains (with an example) how to do an internal read in order to 
obtain a numerical value from a string.

Where exactly did you look?  Perhaps there's someplace else that this 
information ought to go.

It's probably also important to note that the GFortran manual is _not_ a 
complete reference on the Fortran language, and should be supplemented 
with a proper language reference.  There are many "how do I do this in 
Fortran?" questions that the GFortran manual doesn't contain the answers to.

- Brooks