This compiled with out a warning on older versions of gfortran. It does not seem to like the '\0', but it says something else -
[dranta:~/tests/gfortran-D] dir% gfortran -c linlab.f linlab.f:3.33: data bzero /'0', '.', '0', '\0','0'/ 1 Warning: initialization string truncated to match variable at (1) [dranta:~/tests/gfortran-D] dir% cat linlab.f subroutine linlab character*1 bzero(5) data bzero /'0', '.', '0', '\0','0'/ return end [dranta:~/tests/gfortran-D] dir% gfortran --v Using built-in specs. Target: powerpc-apple-darwin8.9.0 Configured with: ../gcc/configure --enable-checking --disable-multilib --prefix=/usr/local/gfortran --enable-languages=c,fortran Thread model: posix gcc version 4.3.0 20070604 (experimental) -- Summary: Warning Message - incorrect ? Product: gcc Version: 4.3.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: fortran AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: dir at lanl dot gov GCC host triplet: powerpc-apple-darwin8.9.0 http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=32223