string = const char $\ast$ (Given)

ipos = int $\ast$ (Given & Returned)

a = double $\ast$ (Returned)

j = int $\ast$ (Returned)

• The first three " fields" in STRING are degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds, separated by spaces or commas. The degrees field may be signed, but not the others. The decoding is carried out by the palDfltin routine and is free-format.

• Successive fields may be absent, defaulting to zero. For zero status, the only combinations allowed are degrees alone, degrees and arcminutes, and all three fields present. If all three fields are omitted, a status of $+$1 is returned and A is unchanged. In all other cases A is changed.

• Range checking:

The degrees field is not range checked. However, it is expected to be integral unless the other two fields are absent.

The arcminutes field is expected to be 0-59, and integral if the arcseconds field is present. If the arcseconds field is absent, the arcminutes is expected to be 0-59.9999...

The arcseconds field is expected to be 0-59.9999...

• Decoding continues even when a check has failed. Under these circumstances the field takes the supplied value, defaulting to zero, and the result A is computed and returned.

• Further fields after the three expected ones are not treated as an error. The pointer IPOS is left in the correct state for further decoding with the present routine or with palDfltin etc. See the example, above.

• If STRING contains hours, minutes, seconds instead of degrees etc, or if the required units are turns (or days) instead of radians, the result A should be multiplied as follows:

for to obtain multiply STRING A in A by

d ’" radians 1 = 1.0 d ’" turns 1/2pi = 0.1591549430918953358 h m s radians 15 = 15.0 h m s days 15/2pi = 2.3873241463784300365

STRING ’ -57 17 44.806 12 34 56.7’ unchanged IPTR 1 16 (points to 12...) A ? -1.00000D0 J ? 0