Q21815: Cannot Access FIELDed Variables After CLOSE in Compiled BASIC

Article: Q21815
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00 1.01 1.02 2.00 2.01 3.00 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | docerr B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 15-MAR-1989

Problem:

I cannot access FIELDed variables after I close the random access
file. I am able to access the variables in IBM BASICA, but not in the
QuickBASIC compiler.

Response:

This is a difference between the IBM BASICA Interpreter and the
QuickBASIC Compiler.

You must assign the FIELDed variables to unFIELDed string variables to
access the data in the FIELD buffer after the file is closed.

Note: If the file is closed, and a FIELD variable is used as an
argument to a function, you may receive an "Illegal Function Call"
message.

This information needs to be added to Appendix A "Converting BASICA
Programs to QuickBASIC" in the following manuals:

1. "Microsoft BASIC Compiler Version 6.00 for MS OS/2 and MS-DOS:
   Learning and Using Microsoft QuickBASIC"

2. "Microsoft QuickBASIC: Programming in BASIC Version 4.50"

This information can also be added to Chapter 10,
"Compiler-Interpreter Language Differences," of the "Microsoft
QuickBASIC Compiler" Versions 2.0x and 3.00 manual.

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