[MPI3 Fortran] Fortran extra_state argument to MPI attributefunctions

[Bill Long]

Jeff Squyres wrote:
> On May 26, 2009, at 4:43 PM, Aleksandar Donev wrote:
>
>
>> The recommended way, if you are willing to use a Fortran 2003, is to
>> make the extra parameters exactly what they are in C, a void pointer:
>>
>> USE ISO_C_BINDING ! F03 intrinsic module
>> TYPE(C_PTR), VALUE :: extra_state
>>
>
> Is this effectively a neutral type --

If you know about so-called "Cray pointers" (more accurately, Livermore 
pointers from LRLtran),  C_PTR is just a typealias for a typeless Cray 
pointer  (pointer(*,*)).   In fact, that's exactly how it's defined in 
our iso_c_binding module.  Similarly, C_LOC has the same effect as the 
Cray (and other vendors) LOC function.   The intent of C_PTR and C_LOC 
was to give these common extensions standardized, and hence portable, 
names and syntax. 

If you do not know about Cray pointers, and are not interested in 
Fortran language archeology, you can safely ignore the previous paragraph.

Cheers,
Bill

-- 
Bill Long                                   longb at cray.com
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