From b36e5262c74e7f32bcb80cc52d2066fc452eb471 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andrew Johnson <anj@anl.gov>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2020 17:59:46 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] const init a char array from a string value

---
 documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.md           | 17 ++++++++++++++++-
 modules/database/src/std/link/lnkConst.c | 13 +++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index f3e6a934f..0ec080579 100644
--- a/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -17,11 +17,26 @@ should also be read to understand what has changed since earlier releases.
 
 <!-- Insert new items immediately below here ... -->
 
+### Using a `{const:"string"}` to initialize an array of `DBF_CHAR`
+
+It is now possible to use a JSON Const link with a string value to initialize
+an aai or waveform record that has `FTVL` set to `CHAR` through the INP link.
+The string length is not limited to 40 characters. This should also work for
+aSub record inputs similarly configured as long strings.
+
+```
+  record(waveform, "wf") {
+    field(NELM, 100)
+    field(FTVL, CHAR)
+    field(INP, {const:"This is a waveform and more than 40 characters"})
+  }
+```
+
 ### RELEASE files may use `undefine`
 
 GNUmake added the directive `undefine` in version 3.82 to allow variables to
 be undefined. Support for this has been added to the EPICS Release file parser,
-so `undefine` can now be used in configure/RELEASE files. 
+so `undefine` can now be used in configure/RELEASE files to unset variables.
 
 
 ## EPICS Release 7.0.4.1
diff --git a/modules/database/src/std/link/lnkConst.c b/modules/database/src/std/link/lnkConst.c
index e990e91af..4e15fa803 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/std/link/lnkConst.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/std/link/lnkConst.c
@@ -489,8 +489,17 @@ static long lnkConst_loadArray(struct link *plink, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
     case sc40:
         if (clink->jlink.debug)
             printf("   sc40 '%s'\n", clink->value.scalar_string);
-        status = dbFastPutConvertRoutine[DBF_STRING][dbrType]
-            (clink->value.scalar_string, pbuffer, NULL);
+        if (dbrType != DBF_CHAR) {
+            status = dbFastPutConvertRoutine[DBF_STRING][dbrType]
+                (clink->value.scalar_string, pbuffer, NULL);
+        }
+        else {
+            /* Long string conversion */
+            strncpy(pbuffer, clink->value.scalar_string, *pnReq);
+            ((char *)pbuffer)[*pnReq] = 0;
+            nElems = strlen(pbuffer) + 1;
+            status = 0;
+        }
         break;
 
     case ai64: