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Q27139: WIDTH Over 255 Not Trapped as Error in Version 4.00 Editor

Article: Q27139
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | B_BasicCom buglist4.00 buglist4.00b buglist4.50 | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 22-JAN-1990

If a width greater than 255 is used in the WIDTH statement, no error
is generated within the QuickBASIC editor. No error is given by either
the editor or BC.EXE if the width is specified using a variable.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in QuickBASIC Versions
4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50, and in Microsoft BASIC Compiler Versions 6.00
and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2 (buglist6.00, buglist6.00b). This
problem was corrected in Microsoft BASIC Professional Development
System (PDS) Version 7.00 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2 (fixlist7.00).

The maximum allowable width that can be specified using the WIDTH
statement is 255. If a number greater than that is given, the error
"Math overflow" should be generated. However, this message is not
given when running in the editor or when the WIDTH argument is
assigned to a variable.

Results of testing with previous versions indicate that an error
message is correctly given in the Version 3.00 editor.

The following is a code example:

open "cons:" for output as #1
a = 400
width #1, a   ' If 400 is used instead of "a", the error is correctly
              ' flagged when compiled with BC.EXE.

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