The Sun FORTRAN extension options enable extensions that we attribute to Sun FORTRAN v2.0. Although Sun's compiler supports a number of extensions, they are mostly of contemporary and VAX FORTRAN origin.
This option enables support for the AUTOMATIC and STATIC statements. The AUTOMATIC statement is the opposite of the SAVE statement. Automatic variables do not retain their values between calls to the routine. The AUTOMATIC statement is necessary because Sun, like many other FORTRAN-77 vendors, chose to make all local variables and arrays 'static' by definition, thus invalidating the need for the standard SAVE statement. The STATIC statement is basically the same as the standard SAVE statemen and neither is needed for Sun FORTRAN. If you do select one, use the SAVE statement for portability. In fact, to retain the same behavior as the Sun FORTRAN, each routine, depending on saved variables, should have a SAVE statement.
Support the Cray/Sun style POINTER statements (and variables). Although the POINTER statement was introduced with Cray FORTRAN, we support Sun FORTRAN and attribute the extension to Sun FORTRAN. The pointer statement syntax is: POINTER( ptr_variable = ptr_base [,...] ) The ptr_variable should be set only once (typically with a malloc call). The ptr_base variable can be set or referenced like any normal FORTRAN variable.