ASSOCIATED (pointer [,target]) Class: Inquiry function - Generic Returns the association status of its pointer argument or indicates whether the pointer is associated with the target. The pointer must not have an undefined association status. The "target" can be a pointer or target. If only POINTER appears, the result is true if it is currently associated with a target; otherwise, the result is false. If TARGET also appears and is a target, the result is true if POINTER is currently associated with TARGET; otherwise, the result is false. If TARGET is a pointer, the result is true if both POINTER and TARGET are currently associated with the same target; otherwise, the result is false. (If either POINTER or TARGET is disassociated, the result is false.) The setting of integer size compiler options can affect this function. Examples: Consider the following: REAL, TARGET, DIMENSION (0:50) :: TAR REAL, POINTER, DIMENSION (:) :: PTR PTR => TAR PRINT *, ASSOCIATED (PTR, TAR) ! Returns the value true The subscript range for PTR is 0:50. Consider the following pointer assignment statements: (1) PTR => TAR (:) (2) PTR => TAR (0:50) (3) PTR => TAR (0:49) For statements 1 and 2, ASSOCIATED (PTR, TAR) is true because TAR has not changed (the subscript range for PTR in both cases is 1:51, following the rules for deferred-shape arrays). For statement 3, ASSOCIATED (PTR, TAR) is false because the upper bound of PTR has changed. Consider the following: REAL, POINTER, DIMENSION (:) :: PTR2, PTR3 ALLOCATE (PTR2 (0:15)) PTR3 => PTR2 PRINT *, ASSOCIATED (PTR2, PTR3) ! Returns the value true ... NULLIFY (PTR2) NULLIFY (PTR3) PRINT *, ASSOCIATED (PTR2, PTR3) ! Returns the value false