User-friendly, portable input interface for use with evolving simulation computer codes

Summary Form only given, as follows. A description is given of a library of portable routines, written in Fortran 77, which provide mechanisms for addressing the difficulties normally encountered in maintaining the input interfaces for large, evolving simulation codes. These routines permit free-form input of numerical and character data from multiple files and a terminal keyboard. Lines of commentary can be included within data files, and prompts for input are readily generated for keyboard input. The interface provides partial record read capabilities, optional default satisfaction of input requests, retrieval of data from the operating system environment, and error reporting. The library has been designed in a modular fashion that facilitates the development of portable simulation codes by insulating the programmer from most direct use of nonportable file manipulation statements.<>