Q43791: $INCLUDE with DATA Statements in SUB May Hang QB.EXE Editor

Article: Q43791
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | buglist4.00 buglist4.00b buglist4.50 B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 2-MAR-1990

Using an $INCLUDE file containing DATA statements that are (illegally)
located inside a SUB or a FUNCTION can cause the QB.EXE editor to
hang. This problem occurs when you attempt to View Subs, Save, or Run
the program. The problem also occurs when you use the Merge command
(from the File menu) to merge a file that contains DATA statements
into a SUB or FUNCTION block.

Note that DATA statements are not legal inside SUB ... END SUB or
FUNCTION ... END FUNCTION blocks.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft QuickBASIC
Versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50. This problem was corrected in
Microsoft BASIC Professional Development System (PDS) Version 7.00
(fixlist7.00).

In the QBX.EXE editor that comes with PDS, this problem is caught by
the error message "Illegal in SUB, FUNCTION, or DEF FN."

This problem can be worked around by observing the rule that DATA
statements cannot be placed (or included) inside SUBs or FUNCTIONs.

On one occasion, trying to change SUBs in the described case caused
the message "String Space Corrupt" to be displayed and control was
transferred to MS-DOS.

If the program is edited in a different editor and then taken into the
QB.EXE editor, the INCLUDEd DATA statements are placed on the module
level. The program then runs correctly. If this version is then saved,
the DATA statements will be duplicated the next time this program is
edited.

Code Example
------------

Entering the following program example while in the QB editor
illustrates the problem:

   CALL test
   END

   SUB test
   '$INCLUDE: 'DATA.INC'
   END SUB

This example assumes that you have previously created DATA.INC to
contain the following:

   DATA 1,2,3

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