6. FORMAT statement

The FORMAT statement specifies the form of the data being read or written. If the form of the data remains unchanged, the same format statement can be used for reading and writing. Moreover, the same format statement can be used for more than one input-output statements.

statement number FORMAT(sets of specifications).

Each specification set consists of three elements: edit descriptor, field size, and decimal location.

The edit descriptor specifies the type of the data.
The field size is the maximum no. of character positions on input or output media.
The decimal location is expressed as the no. of places from the right of the field.

Example:

FORMAT (Iw)

1. FORMAT (I5)

I is the edit descriptor specifying that the data is of integer type and w is the field size/width

106 FORMAT (F10.2)

F is the edit descriptor specifying that the data is of real type, w is an integer indicating the field size, and d is the decimal location expressed as the no. of places form the right of the field.

Q.15. Locate the error, if any, in each of the following WRITE-FORMAT pairs: (June 2002)
(i) WRITE (3, 35) X, Y, Z
35 FORMAT (1X, 3E 18.9)
(ii) WRITE (*, 40) A, J, B, C, K
40 FORMAT (F7.1, 8I, E6.2)

Ans. (i) No spaces are allowed in the specification 3E 18.9. So the specification 3E 18.9 must be written as 3E18.9. Format specification of two variables (Y, Z) is not defined.
(ii) The integer data must be in the form of Iw. So 8I must be written as I8. Format specification of two variables (C, K) is not defined.

Q.16. Locate the error, if any, in each of the following WRITE-FORMAT pairs: (Dec. 99)
(i) WRITE (*, 30), A, B, N
30 FORMAT (F10.2, 3X, I8, 5X, I6)
(ii) WRITE (*, 40) A, J, B, C, K
40 FORMAT (F7.1X, I8, E6.2)

Ans. (i) In WRITE statement, comma is not allowed after right parenthesis.
(ii) Format specification of two variables (C, K) is not defined.