KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q39443: FIX: Parentheses Necessary for Operator Precedence

Article: Q39443
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): 5.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 04-MAY-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), version 5.1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Using Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) version 5.1, You may be able to correct
"Illegal size for operand" errors by careful use of parentheses.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM version 5.1. This problem
was corrected in MASM version 5.1a.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following code demonstrates warnings, errors, and their solution:

  dosseg
  .model small,c
  .data

  .code
  myproc PROC buffer:FAR PTR BYTE

             mov     bx, WORD PTR buffer[0]
             mov     ds, WORD PTR buffer[2]

  ; MASM gives an operand-size error. This is a precedence problem that
  ; you can correct with parentheses:

             mov     bx, WORD PTR (buffer[0])
             mov     ds, WORD PTR (buffer[2])

  myproc ENDP

  end

Additional query words: 5.10 buglist5.10 fixlist5.10a

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM510
Version           : :5.1
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.