The simple source specifies the string of characters that is to become the new value of the pointer-valued attribute. This string of characters must end in a terminator that is a null character (48"00") for the PATHNAME file attribute and the CURRENTDIRECTORY task attribute, and a period (.) for other attributes.

If the simple source is a string literal, the last character of the string literal must be the terminator character. The effective part of the string literal is terminated by the first terminator in the string. A maximum string length is associated with each pointer-valued attribute. If the effective part of the string literal has a string length that is greater than the maximum length allowed for the pointer-valued attribute, then the new value of the pointer-valued attribute is the value of the string literal truncated on the right to the required length.

If the simple source is a pointer expression, the pointer expression must point to the string of characters that is to become the new value of the pointer-valued attribute. Starting with the first character pointed to by the pointer expression, characters are copied as the new value of the pointer-valued attribute until the terminator is encountered, the maximum number of characters for the attribute are copied, or the end of the array row is encountered. The last case results in a run-time error.

If a pointer-valued task attribute is used as the destination and the source is a pointer-valued attribute, the source attribute and the destination attribute must be the same attribute. Some pointer-valued task attributes used as a destination require a simple source. These attributes receive a run-time INVALID PARAMETER error if the source is a pointer-valued task attribute. If a pointer-valued file attribute is used as the destination, the source must be a simple source. If a string-valued library attribute is used as the destination, the source can be either a simple source or another string-valued library attribute.