# Character array constructor

**URL:** <https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/character-array-constructor/5591>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 17, 2023, 4:10am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/character-array-constructor/5591 "2023-04-17T04:10:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 3

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**Author:** ![FortranFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@FortranFan](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/FortranFan)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/character-array-constructor/5591/3 "2023-04-17T12:11:38Z")

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> [@Harper](#):
>
> … There may of course be a good reason that I don’t know why f2023 does not permit the brief form.

TL;DR:

1. Fortran standard does not support what is a [**jagged array**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagged_array) in CS parlance,
2. The array is constructed independently (e.g., in a `var = expr` assignment, how RHS `expr` gets defined) and therefore, the array element length needs to be specified toward the construction.

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