### 7.1.1.4 Format Specifier

The format specifier stipulates either explicit or list-directed formatting. In the case of explicit formatting, it also identifies the parameter that controls formatting. The format specifier takes either of the following forms:

    { [FMT=]f }

    { [FMT=]* }

f
  Is one of the following:

  - A statement label of a FORMAT statement

  - An integer variable that has been assigned a FORMAT statement label with an ASSIGN statement

  - A name of a numeric array or numeric array element containing a run-time format

  - A name of a character array containing a run-time format

  - A character expression containing a run-time format
*
  Specifies list-directed formatting.

The keyword FMT is optional if the format specifier is the second parameter in the control list, and the first parameter is a logical unit or internal file specifier without the optional keyword UNIT.

In sequential I/O statements, you can use an asterisk instead of a format specifier to denote list-directed formatting.

For More Information:

- On FORMAT statements, see Chapter 8.

- On the interaction between formats and I/O statements, see Section 8.10.

- On list-directed formatting, see Sections 7.2.1.2 and 7.3.1.2.

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