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I asked "Are I/O specifiers considered to be optional dummy arguments?" Dick Hendrickson and Richard Maine have laid the question to rest. The "Restrictions on dummy arguments not present" in section 12 of the Fortran 200x draft is clear enough: A dummy argument that is not present can be used for almost nothing. An exception is that it can be used as the actual argument corresponding to an optional dummy argument. The part I couldn't find was whether I/O specifiers are considered to be optional dummy arguments. My presumption was that they are not, unless specified to be. I couldn't find a specification that they are, but I also couldn't tell if there is one and I failed to find it. Dick Hendrickson has provided the historical context: There was a debate, and it was decided that they are not. There is no need for an interpretation. I may, however, propose during the Fortran 201x requirements definition phase that the decision that I/O specifiers are not optional dummy arguments be reversed. As far as I can tell, this would not invalidate any existing program, and would be a minor convenience. Best regards, Van Snyder %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%