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From: STEINBERGER@SRI-KL.ARPA (Richard Steinberger)
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: F$element call?
Message-ID: <12252783562.18.STEINBERGER@SRI-KL.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 6-Nov-86 10:50:20 EST
Article-I.D.: SRI-KL.12252783562.18.STEINBERGER
Posted: Thu Nov  6 10:50:20 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Nov-86 22:00:11 EST
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I have an application were the f$element function would exactly fit the bill.
(This DCL LEX function parses strings and gives you back the element you
request.)  However, I need to use such a function from within a Fortran
program.  Alas, there is no LIB$ELEMENT call, and LIB$TPARSE seems in-
credibly complicated.  What I currently do is parse the string using
various LIB$ and STR$ calls, but it takes several of these as well as some
error checking, etc. to do what a single f$element type call might do.
Someone suggested using LIB$SPAWN to run the F$ELEMENT call, but is is 
unclear how arguments can be passed to and from the calling program;
also spawning is said to be a burden on a uVAX.  Has anyone encountered
this situation before?  Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance.

-Ric Steinberger
STEINBERGER@SRI-KL.ARPA.#INTERNET

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