An explicit-shape array is declared with explicit values for the
bounds in each dimension of the array. An explicit-shape
specification takes the following form:
[lower-bound:] upper-bound [,[lower-bound:] upper-bound ]...
The lower bound (if present) and the upper bound are specification
expressions that have a positive, negative, or zero value. If
necessary, the bound value is converted to integer type.
If the lower bound is not specified, it is assumed to be 1.
The bounds can be specified as constant or nonconstant expressions,
as follows:
o If the bounds are constant expressions, the subscript range of
the array in a dimension is the set of integer values between
and including the lower and upper bounds. If the lower bound
is greater than the upper bound, the range is empty, the extent
in that dimension is zero, and the array has a size of zero.
o If the bounds are nonconstant expressions, the array must be
declared in a procedure. The bounds can have different values
each time the procedure is executed, since they are determined
when the procedure is entered.
The bounds are not affected by any redefinition or undefinition
of the specification variables that occurs while the procedure
is executing.
The following explicit-shape arrays can specify nonconstant
bounds:
- An automatic array (the array is a local
variable)
- An adjustable array (the array is a dummy
argument to a subprogram)
The following are examples of explicit-shape specifications:
INTEGER I(3:8, -2:5) ! Rank-two array; range of dimension one is
... ! 3 to 8, range of dimension two is -2 to 5
SUBROUTINE SUB(A, B, C)
INTEGER :: B, C
REAL, DIMENSION(B:C) :: A ! Rank-one array; range is B to C
1 – Automatic Arrays
An automatic array is an explicit-shape array that is a local
variable. Automatic arrays are only allowed in function and
subroutine subprograms, and are declared in the specification part
of the subprogram. At least one bound of an automatic array must
be a nonconstant specification expression. The bounds are
determined when the subprogram is called.
The following example shows automatic arrays:
SUBROUTINE SUB1 (A, B)
INTEGER A, B, LOWER
COMMON /BOUND/ LOWER
...
INTEGER AUTO_ARRAY1(B)
...
INTEGER AUTO_ARRAY2(LOWER:B)
...
INTEGER AUTO_ARRAY3(20, B*A/2)
END SUBROUTINE
2 – Adjustable Arrays
An adjustable array is an explicit-shape array that is a dummy
argument to a subprogram. At least one bound of an adjustable
array must be a nonconstant specification expression. The bounds
are determined when the subprogram is called.
The array specification can contain integer variables that are
either dummy arguments or variables in a common block.
When the subprogram is entered, each dummy argument specified in
the bounds must be associated with an actual argument. If the
specification includes a variable in a common block, it must have a
defined value. The array specification is evaluated using the
values of the actual arguments, as well as any constants or common
block variables that appear in the specification.
The size of the adjustable array must be less than or equal to the
size of the array that is its corresponding actual argument.
To avoid possible errors in subscript evaluation, make sure that
the bounds expressions used to declare multidimensional adjustable
arrays match the bounds as declared by the caller.
In the following example, the function computes the sum of the
elements of a rank-two array. Notice how the dummy arguments M and
N control the iteration:
FUNCTION MY_SUM(A, M, N)
DIMENSION A(M, N)
SUMX = 0.0
DO J = 1, N
DO I = 1, M
SUMX = SUMX + A(I, J)
END DO
END DO
MY_SUM = SUMX
END FUNCTION
The following are examples of calls on SUM:
DIMENSION A1(10,35), A2(3,56)
SUM1 = MY_SUM(A1,10,35)
SUM2 = MY_SUM(A2,3,56)