format-string

    OpenVMS usage:char_string
    type:         character string
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by descriptor

    Receives the translation of LIB$DT_INPUT_FORMAT. The format-
    string argument is the address of a descriptor pointing to this
    format string.

 user-context

    OpenVMS usage:context
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       modify
    mechanism:    by reference

    Context variable that retains the translation context over
    multiple calls to this routine. The user-context argument is the
    address of an unsigned longword that contains this context. The
    initial value of the context variable must be zero. Thereafter,
    the user program must not write to the cell.

    The user-context argument is optional. However, if a context cell
    is not passed, LIB$GET_DATE_FORMAT may abort if two threads of
    execution attempt to manipulate the context area concurrently.
    Therefore, when calling this routine in situations where
    reentrancy might occur, such as from AST level, VSI recommends
    that users specify a different context cell for each calling
    thread.