DEFINE CHARACTER

        [SIC\]DEFINE CHARACTER Var1*Lvar1[DIM1] [...]
        [SIC\]DEFINE CHARACTER*Length Var1[DIM1] [...]

    CHARACTER variables can be scalar or multi-dimensional.  The  length  of
    CHARACTER  variable  is specified after an * either after CHARACTER key-
    word or after the name of the variable. When both are present, the  per-
    variable  length has precedence. The dimension field (same syntax as for
    other arrays) should follow the length declaration.  The CHARACTER  key-
    word can be abbreviated, i.e. this is a valid statement
        DEFIN CHAR*12 Var1  Var2*36 Var3[16]

    Character  substrings  can  be accessed for reading and writing with the
    [charmin:charmax] specification, e.g.
        DEFINE CHARACTER C*128
        LET C[3:4] "AB"
        EXAMINE C[3:4]
        IF C[3:4].EQ."AB"  SAY "Yes"
    The substring specification MUST be provided with the column  ":",  even
    for  a  single character, e.g. C[1:1]. If the character variable has one
    or more dimensions, the substring specification  can  be  applied  to  a
    scalar subarray, e.g.
        DEFINE CHARACTER*128 D[3,4]
        EXAMINE D[1,2][3:4]
    It is an error to apply a substring specification to an array, e.g.
        EXAMINE D[1,][3:4]  ! Invalid