VMS Help FORTRAN, Statements, ASSIGN  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

  Assigns the value of a statement label to an integer variable.
  Statement format:

     ASSIGN s TO v

     s  Is the label of an executable statement or a
        FORMAT statement.  You must specify the label
        as an unsigned integer (from 1-5 characters
        long, using digits 0-9).

     v  Is an integer variable name (must be INTEGER*4).

  When the value of a statement label is assigned to an integer
  variable:  the variable can then be used as a transfer destination
  in a following assigned GOTO statement or as a format specifier in
  a formatted I/O statement.  The ASSIGN statement must be in the
  same program unit as and must be executed before the statement(s)
  in which the assigned variable is used.