Rules for Fixed Format Fortran: A Comprehensive Guide

[swartzism]

Are there any rule guides on fixed format Fortran such as in .f77, .f, .for files? For example, http://www.physics.nau.edu/~bowman/PHY520/F77tutor/03_basics.html has a few snippets of rules for Fortran 77 such as

Col. 1 : Blank, or a "c" or "*" for comments
Col. 1-5 : Statement label (optional)
Col. 6 : Continuation of previous line (optional; see below)
Col. 7-72 : Statements
Col. 73-80: Sequence number (optional, rarely used today)​

I'm wondering if there are any style guides floating around out there governing all of these sorts of rules for fixed (and even free) format Fortran. Thanks in advance!

 

[DrClaude]

I don't understand why you are calling that "a few snippets." This is a complete description of fixed-form Fortran.

 

[swartzism]

Yes, but isn't that just for .f77? Do .f and .for have different rules?

 

[DrClaude]

Yes, but isn't that just for .f77? Do .f and .for have different rules?

No. There is a single fixed format, which is a leftover from the punch card era.

The only time the extension is important is when it is something like .f90 or .f95, where free-form is assumed.

 

[SteamKing]

Yes, but isn't that just for .f77? Do .f and .for have different rules?

The statement format in the OP has been used since at least Fortran 66. The 80 column width limit is predicated on what could be fit onto old-style punch cards, which were used at one time to store and then feed a Fortran source program into a computer.

A punch card:

A Fortran coding form:

Ahhh... the good old days!

 

[BvU]

That's progress for you ! Much better than that damn flimsy old paper tape ...