/* check for step size
         */
        if (ch == '/') {
                /* eat the slash
                 */
                ch = get_char(file);
                if (ch == EOF)
                        return EOF;

                /* get the step size -- note: we don't pass the
                 * names here, because the number is not an
                 * element id, it's a step size.  'low' is
                 * sent as a 0 since there is no offset either.
                 */
                ch = get_number(&num3, 0, PPC_NULL, ch, file);
                if (ch == EOF)
                        return EOF;
        } else {
                /* no step.  default==1.
                 */
                num3 = 1;
        }