Q36578: "Bad File Mode" Loading 4.50 Fast Load Format File into 4.00

Article: Q36578
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 12-DEC-1989

Files saved in the (default) Fast-Load-and-Save format of Microsoft
QuickBASIC Version 4.50 cannot be used (are not downwards-compatible)
with QuickBASIC Version 4.00 or 4.00b. The error message "bad file
mode" indicates that the QuickBASIC Version 4.50 tokenized file is
different than expected by Version 4.00 or 4.00b. You will need to
first save QuickBASIC Version 4.50 files as text before loading them
into QuickBASIC Version 4.00 or 4.00b.

Fast-Load-format files saved by QuickBASIC Version 4.00 are generally
upwardly compatible with Version 4.50, but it is recommended to always
have a backup in ASCII text format for all files.

Microsoft Product Support does not recommend using Fast-Load-and-Save
format. Instead, always save with Text format, to avoid the chance of
problems. To read about possible problems, query on QuickBASIC, your
version number, and the following words:

   fast and load and save and format

Similarly, files saved in the (default) Fast-Load-and-Save format of
QBX.EXE, which comes with BASIC PDS Version 7.00, cannot be used (are
not downwards-compatible) with QuickBASIC Version 4.00, 4.00b or 4.50
and will produce the "Bad File Mode" error message as well. QBX.EXE
can, however, read files saved in the Fast-Load-format of Versions
4.00, 4.00b and 4.50. As stated before, the Fast-Load-and-Save formats
are upwardly compatible.

The QuickBASIC Version 4.50 Help screens do not indicate that the Fast
Load formats are different for the various versions of QuickBASIC.

Note that QuickBASIC versions earlier than 4.00 do not have a Fast
Load format (just text mode).

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