Section 13,63,2: Character

 Format:

    CHARACTER[*len[,] v[*len] [/clist/] [,v[*len] [/clist/]]...

    len    Is an unsigned integer constant, an integer constant 
           expression enclosed in parentheses, or an asterisk (*)
           enclosed in parentheses.  The value of "len" specifies 
           the length of the character data elements.

    v      Is the symbolic name of a constant, variable, array, 
           statement function or function subprogram, or array 
           declarator.  The name can optionally be followed by 
           a data type length specifier (*len or *(*)).

    clist  Is a list of constants, as in a DATA statement.  If
           "v" is the symbolic name of a constant, "clist" must 
           not be present.

 If you use CHARACTER*len, "len" is the default length specification
 for that list.  If an item in that list does not have a length
 specification, the item's length is "len".  However, if an item
 does have a length specification, it overrides the default length
 specified in CHARACTER*len.

 When an asterisk length specification *(*) is used for a function
 name or dummy argument, it assumes the length of the corresponding
 function reference or actual argument.  Similarly, when an asterisk
 length specification is used for the symbolic name of a constant,
 the name assumes the length of the actual constant it represents.
 For example, STRING assumes a 9-byte length in the following
 statements:

    CHARACTER*(*) STRING
    PARAMETER (STRING = 'VALUE IS:')

 The length specification must range from 1 to 2**31-1 on RISC
 processors.  If no length is specified, a length of 1 is assumed.

 Character type declaration statements can define arrays if they
 include array declarators in their list.  The array declarator goes
 first if both an array declarator and a length are specified.

 A character type declaration statement can assign initial values to
 variables or arrays if it specifies a list of constants (the
 clist).  The specified constants initialize only the variable or
 array that immediately precedes them.  The "clist" cannot have more
 than one element unless it initializes an array.  When the "clist"
 initializes an array, it must contain a value for every element in
 the array.