FAQ: Can RPM handle FORTRAN codes?
Problem: I have files with ASA carriage control, also known as FORTRAN control characters, that I need to print. Can RPM convert ASA carriage control properly?
Answer: RPM supports ASA characters where appropriate. In RPM 5.0 the ASA transform handles this. In prior versions the setting is found in the Transform tab of the Print Data Options dialog. When this setting is turned on, RPM regards the first byte of each line using ASA carriage control conventions. This is also known as Fortran formatted data.
The following list shows the ASA carriage control characters and how they are interpreted by RPM.
| Character | Action |
| 0 | Insert a blank line before the current line |
| 1 | Draw the current line at the top of the next page |
| + | Return to the beginning of the current line; used to overwrite |
| - | Insert two blank lines before the current line |
All other characters residing on the first column of each line are ignored and the remainder of the line is printed single-spaced.