[Bug fortran/41603] [-fwhole-file] Add diagnostic for assumed-length character function

[burnus at gcc dot gnu dot org]

------- Comment #5 from burnus at gcc dot gnu dot org  2009-10-07 08:02 -------
More from the thread.

Richard Maine wrote:

  The Note appears to have been removed from f2003, but see
  F95 Note 5.6. Apparently it was the interface body case I was recalling
  rather than the module procedure case.

  "An interface body may be specified for a dummy or external function
   whose result has a character length parameter of * only if the function
   is not invoked. This is because this characteristic has to be specified
   to be the same in the interface body as in the procedure definition, but
   in order to invoke such a procedure, the calling routine is required to
   specify a length other than *."

   Well, I agree that the wording isn't as clear as I'd like. And I do note
   the switch from "consistent" to "same" in the above Note.

James Van Buskirk remarked "It seems possible to me that the Note was removed
   in the next edition because it was simply incorrect, not having been vetted
   to the same standard as normative text in the first place."

And Richard replied: "Granted"

(At least F2003 deprecates assumed-length functions: They are printed in 
smaller font size, which might be a reason for removal of the note.)

 * * *

One pragmatic solution would be to close this PR a won't fix and only fix the
items in PR 41604.


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http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=41603