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Q38498: "Expression Too Complex" Error when Compiling with BC.EXE

Article: Q38498
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | buglist4.50 | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 29-NOV-1988

The program below, which runs properly inside the QuickBASIC Version
4.50 environment, will generate an "Expression too complex" error
message when compiled with BC.EXE.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in BC.EXE in QuickBASIC
Version 4.50. We are researching this problem and will post new
information as it becomes available.

The program compiles and executes properly in Microsoft QuickBASIC
Versions 4.00 and 4.00b.

When the program listed below is compiled using BC.EXE, either from
the DOS command line, or from the QuickBASIC environment with "Make
.EXE File..." option, an "Expression too complex" error message is
generated on the END SUB statement. The problem does not occur if the
expression in the subprogram is simplified in any way (such as
breaking the expression into two parts, using temporary variables,
etc.), or if the array values in the subprogram are SHARED rather than
passed as parameters.

To avoid the problem, you can either break the expression in the
subprogram down, using multiple expressions and temporary variables,
or make the arrays SHARED rather than passed to the subprogram as
parameters.

The following is a code example:

DEFINT A-Z
DECLARE SUB cd (cur(), c(), b(), sn, l())
DIM b(10), c(1, 10), cur(10, 2, 1, 6)
DIM l(10)
PRINT "This is a test."
END
'Note that the subprogram does NOT have to be CALLED
'to reproduce the problem
SUB cd (cur(), c(), b(), sn, l())
  mp = cur(l(sn), 0, 1, c(0, sn)) - 1
END SUB

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