Library /sys$common/syshlp/basichelp.hlb Compile time errors, STRLENANY  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

  ERROR - An ANY parameter specifies a  string  length  in  an  EXTERNAL
  statement.   This  is not allowed because ANY implies that you can use
  any datatype, not specifically a string datatype.  Remove  the  string
  length specification from the ANY clause.