A few syntax questions

What is the purpose of an optional comma after the type specifier CHARACTER*(n) ?

In the numbered syntax rules, why are END (FUNCTION|SUBROUTINE|PROGRAM) listed under action-stmt? They seem no more an action statement than ENDDO, and require several Constraints to exclude them from normal action statements.

Does F2003 still require space-insensitive parsing of free-form source code?

Is there still no constant attribute? A parameter is a Fortran constant, but can you have, for example, a pointer that points to a constant? It looks like F2003 adds only a few special constant attributes, KIND and LEN. Why not just have a general purpose CONSTANT attribute?

Joe Krahn
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