Problem with required data type

[h-faber]

Hi,
I am going slightly mad trying to fix the following error message:

"A CHARACTER data type is required in this context"

The code I got looks like

CHARACTER*(*) VAR1
.
.
.
VAR1 = SCHAUM()
.
.
.
CHARACTER*(*) FUNCTION SCHAUM ()
SCHAUM = 'SCHAUMSCHLAEGER'
RETURN
END FUNCTION SCHAUM

It does not help if I replace the *(*) figures by (len=80) or so. Besides I have no idea about the meaning of CHARACTER*(*) VAR1, haven't found any documentation about it.

Anyone here knowing more about this issue?

TIA

H.

[wkramer]

You probably need an explicit interface to function SCHAUM(), so the compiler knows that SCHAUM returns with a character variable.

Add something like:

Interface

CHARACTER*(*) FUNCTION SCHAUM ()
SCHAUM = 'SCHAUMSCHLAEGER'
RETURN
END FUNCTION SCHAUM

End interface

to your declarations.

Walter

[h-faber]

Hello Walter,
adding your two interface lines unfortunately does not change a thing, still the same error message. What might be of interest is that this code is contained in a file which begins with
SUBROUTINE MyFunc(Var1, Var2, Var3)
Maybe this plays a role in this issue?

[wkramer]

Sorry, I have been a bit messy in my reply.

The following code for a complete program shows what I mean.

A charcacter*(*) function return value is not accepted in an interface block, so I changed it into character(len=15).

Walter

Code:

    program CharString
      implicit none
    ! Variables
      CHARACTER(len=80) VAR1
    ! Body of CharString
      CALL MyFunc(Var1)
    end program CharString

    SUBROUTINE MyFunc(Var1)
      implicit none
      CHARACTER*(*) VAR1
      Interface
        CHARACTER(len=15) FUNCTION SCHAUM ()
        END FUNCTION SCHAUM
      End interface
      VAR1 = SCHAUM()
    END SUBROUTINE
    
    CHARACTER(len=15) FUNCTION SCHAUM ()
      implicit none
      SCHAUM = 'SCHAUMSCHLAEGER'
      RETURN
    END FUNCTION SCHAUM

Message Edited by wkramer on 03-18-2005 04:57 AM

[h-faber]

Hello Walter,
thx a bunch, I got it working now. :)