Patch (context patch) follows:
-- For more explanation netCDF-group Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 
--  <http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/glimpse/netcdfgroup-list/1175>
-- or email oheudeck@awi-bremerhaven.de
---- patch follows: apply with patch ffio.c < patchfile

------------ start of patchfile -----------
*** ffio.c.save	Wed Apr 15 11:49:54 1998
--- ffio.c	Wed Apr 15 11:49:54 1998
***************
*** 3,8 ****
--- 3,10 ----
   *	See netcdf/COPYRIGHT file for copying and redistribution conditions.
   */
  /* $Id: ffio.c,v 1.48 1998/03/07 06:46:06 davis Exp $ */
+ /* addition by O. Heudecker, AWI-Bremerhaven, 12.3.1998 */
+ /* added correction by John Sheldon and Hans Vahlenkamp 15.4.1998*/
  
  #include "ncconfig.h"
  #include <assert.h>
***************
*** 16,21 ****
--- 18,25 ----
  #include <ffio.h>
  #include <unistd.h>
  #include <string.h>
+ /* Insertion by O. R. Heudecker, AWI-Bremerhaven 12.3.98 (1 line)*/
+ #include <fortran.h>
  
  #include "ncio.h"
  #include "fbits.h"
***************
*** 477,487 ****
  	{
  		 ControlString="bufa:336:2";
  	}
! 
  	if(fIsSet(ioflags, NC_NOCLOBBER))
  		fSet(oflags, O_EXCL);
  
! 	fd = ffopens(path, oflags, 0666, 0, &stat, ControlString);
  	if(fd < 0)
  	{
  		status = errno;
--- 481,515 ----
  	{
  		 ControlString="bufa:336:2";
  	}
! 	/* Insertion by Olaf Heudecker, AWI-Bremerhaven, 12.8.1998
! 	   to allow more versatile FFIO-assigns */
! 	/* begin new */
! 	{ 
! 	  char assignstr[128];
! 	  char emptystr='\0';
! 	  char *xtra_assign;
! 	  xtra_assign = getenv("NETCDF_XFFIOSPEC");
! 	  if(xtra_assign == NULL)
! 	    {
! 	      xtra_assign=&emptystr;
! 	    }
! 	  if (strlen(ControlString)+strlen(xtra_assign)+21 > 127) {
! 	    /* Error: AssignCommand too long */
! 	    status=E2BIG;
! 	    goto unwind_new;
! 	  }
! 	  sprintf(assignstr,"assign -F %s %s f:%s",ControlString,
! 		  xtra_assign,path);
! 	  /* printf("1 assignstr=>%s<\n",assignstr); */
! 	  /* Aufruf der Fortran-Routine assign von C aus */
! 	  ASSIGN(_cptofcd(assignstr,strlen(assignstr)));
! 	}
! 	/* end new */
  	if(fIsSet(ioflags, NC_NOCLOBBER))
  		fSet(oflags, O_EXCL);
  
! 	/* Orig: fd = ffopens(path, oflags, 0666, 0, &stat, ControlString); */
! 	fd = ffopen(path, oflags, 0666, 0, &stat);
  	if(fd < 0)
  	{
  		status = errno;
***************
*** 559,566 ****
  	{
  		 ControlString="bufa:336:2";
  	}
  
! 	fd = ffopens(path, oflags, 0, 0, &stat, ControlString);
  	if(fd < 0)
  	{
  		status = errno;
--- 587,620 ----
  	{
  		 ControlString="bufa:336:2";
  	}
+ 	/* Insertion by Olaf Heudecker, AWI-Bremerhaven, 12.8.1998
+ 	   to allow more versatile FFIO-assigns */
+ 	/* begin new */
+ 	{ 
+ 	  char assignstr[128];
+ 	  char emptystr='\0';
+ 	  char *xtra_assign;
+ 	  xtra_assign = getenv("NETCDF_XFFIOSPEC");
+ 	  if(xtra_assign == NULL)
+ 	    {
+ 	      xtra_assign=&emptystr;
+ 	    }
+ 	  if (strlen(ControlString)+strlen(xtra_assign)+21 > 127) {
+ 	    /* Error: AssignCommand too long */
+ 	    status=E2BIG;
+ 	    goto unwind_new;
+ 	  }
+ 	  sprintf(assignstr,"assign -F %s %s f:%s",ControlString,
+ 		  xtra_assign,path);
+ 	  /* printf("2 assignstr=>%s<\n",assignstr); */
+ 	  /* Aufruf der Fortran-Routine assign von C aus */
+ 	  ASSIGN(_cptofcd(assignstr,strlen(assignstr)));
+ 	}
+ 	/* end new */
  
! 	/* Orig: fd = ffopens(path, oflags, 0, 0, &stat, ControlString); */
! 	fd = ffopen(path, oflags, 0, 0, &stat);
! 
  	if(fd < 0)
  	{
  		status = errno;
----------end