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─────CHARACTER──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     Action
 
     Specifies the CHARACTER type for user-defined names.
 
     Syntax
 
     CHARACTER[*chars] vname [ [attrs] ] [*length] [(dim)][/values/]
     [, vname [attrs][*length] [(dim)][/values/] ]...
 
     The order of the <dim> and <length> parameters can be reversed.
 
     Parameter          Description
 
     chars              The length, in characters, of the items
                        specified in the CHARACTER statement.
 
     vname              Name of the constant, variable, or function.
                        Cannot be the name of a subroutine or main
                        program.
 
     [attrs]            A list of attributes, separated by commas.
                        Valid attributes are: ALIAS, ALLOCATABLE, C,
                        EXTERN, FAR, HUGE, NEAR, PASCAL, REFERENCE,
                        VALUE.
 
     length             The length, in characters, of the <vname>
                        immediately preceding it. This value, if
                        specified, overrides the length indicated
                        by <chars>.
 
     dim                A dimension declarator. Specifying <dim>
                        declares <vname> as an array.
 
     values             A list of constants to initialize <vname> to,
                        separated by commas.
 
     Remarks
 
     The name <vname> is defined for the entire program unit and cannot
     be defined by any other type statement in that program unit.
 
     An asterisk in parentheses ((*)) as a length specifier indicates
     that the length is specified elsewhere. An asterisk length
     specifier is allowed in:
 
       1. Character constants defined by PARAMETER statements.
 
       2. Formal character arguments.
 
       3. Character functions that are defined in one program unit,
          and referenced in another.
 
     If neither <length> nor <chars> is specified, the length
     defaults to one.
 
     CHARACTER statements must precede all executable statements.
 
     Examples
 
           CHARACTER  wt*10, city*80, ch
 
           CHARACTER  name(10)*20, eman*20(10)
 
           CHARACTER*20  tom, dick, harry*12, tarzan, jane*34
                                    -♦-