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Q35965: Which BASIC Versions Can CALL C, FORTRAN, Pascal, MASM

Article: Q35965
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | B_BasicCom S_C H_Fortran S_PasCal H_MASM S_QuickASM S_QuickC | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 22-OCT-1990

Certain versions of Microsoft QuickBASIC and Microsoft BASIC Compiler
can CALL routines from certain other Microsoft languages (and pass
parameters), depending upon the product version number, as explained
below.

Microsoft BASIC Professional Development System (PDS) version 7.10 can
be linked with Microsoft C PDS version 6.00 or QuickC version 2.50 or
2.51.

The following application note, which can be requested from Microsoft
Product Support Services, is required if you wish to perform BASIC
7.10 mixed-language programming with C 5.10, FORTRAN 5.00, or Pascal
4.00:

   "How to Link BASIC PDS 7.10 with C 5.10, FORTRAN 5.00, or
    Pascal 4.00" (application note number BB0345)

QuickBASIC 4.50 and BASIC PDS 7.00 (but not earlier versions) can
create .OBJ modules that can be linked with .OBJ modules from
Microsoft FORTRAN version 5.00 and Microsoft QuickC version 2.01.

QuickBASIC versions 4.00b and 4.50, Microsoft BASIC Compiler versions
6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2, and Microsoft BASIC PDS version
7.00 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2 create .OBJ modules that can be linked
with .OBJ modules from the following languages:

1. Microsoft Pascal version 4.00.
2. Microsoft FORTRAN version 4.10.
3. Microsoft C version 5.10 and QuickC versions 1.01 and 2.00.
4. Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) version 5.00 or later recommended,
   but earlier versions should also work.

For more information on interlanguage CALLing between Microsoft C and
BASIC, query in this Knowledge Base on the word "BAS2C".

For more information on interlanguage CALLing between Microsoft MASM
and BASIC, query in this Knowledge Base on the word "BAS2MASM".

For more information about using the CALL statement to pass parameters
from BASIC to other languages, query in this Knowledge Base on the
following words:

   CALL and (PASSING or PASS) and [language name]

QuickBASIC 4.00
---------------

QuickBASIC version 4.00 creates .OBJ modules that can be linked with
.OBJ modules from the following languages (Microsoft has performed
successful interlanguage test suites for QuickBASIC version 4.00 with
these language versions):

1. Microsoft C version 5.00, QuickC version 1.00.
2. Microsoft FORTRAN version 4.00.
3. Microsoft Pascal version 4.00.
4. Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) versions 4.00 and later
   recommended, but earlier versions should also work.

Note that QuickBASIC version 4.00b might link with these earlier
language versions, but Microsoft cannot guarantee success because the
4.00b test suites were performed only on the later language versions
mentioned further above in this article.

QuickBASIC 1.x, 2.x, 3.00
-------------------------

In QuickBASIC versions 1.00, 1.01, 1.02, 2.00, 2.01, and 3.00, you can
link only to .OBJ modules from Microsoft Macro Assembler (versions
1.2x, 2.x, or later) or the given version of QuickBASIC. In other
words, QuickBASIC versions 3.00 and earlier can CALL only QuickBASIC
subprograms or assembly routines.

Important Information About Interlanguage CALLing
-------------------------------------------------

To be compatible with compiled BASIC, programs should be assembled or
compiled using the medium, large, or huge memory model, and BASIC must
be linked first (as the main module).

When you link compiled BASIC to other compiled BASIC modules, compiler
versions should not be mixed. For example, an .OBJ module compiled in
QuickBASIC version 4.00 should not be linked with an .OBJ module
compiled in QuickBASIC version 4.00b or 4.50 or Microsoft BASIC
Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b or Microsoft BASIC PDS version 7.00 or
7.10.

As an alternative to the CALL statement for interlanguage invocation,
you may use the SHELL statement to invoke most (non-TSR) .EXE, .COM,
or .BAT programs that you can also invoke from DOS. SHELL works
differently than CALL. SHELL invokes another copy of the DOS
COMMAND.COM command processor before running a requested executable
program.

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