The ASSOCIATED function returns FALSE when its argument is a pointer to a zero-sized array.
Dick Hendrickson program try_mf1053 ! fails on Windows XP ! gcc version 4.4.0 20080312 (experimental) [trunk revision 133139] call mf1053 ( 1, 2, 3, 4) end SUBROUTINE MF1053 (nf1, nf2, nf3, nf4) INTEGER, pointer :: ILA(:,:) INTEGER, target :: ILA1(NF2,NF4:NF3) ILA => ILA1 if (ASSOCIATED (ILA, ILA1(NF1:NF2,NF4:NF3) ) ) print *, "1 bad" if ( .not. ASSOCIATED(ILA) ) print *, "2 bad" END SUBROUTINE C:\g_experiments\gfortran>gfortran mf1053.f C:\g_experiments\gfortran>a 2 bad -- Summary: pointer to zero sized array not associated Product: gcc Version: 4.4.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: fortran AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: dick dot hendrickson at gmail dot com http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=35719