Q47124: Array in SUB Statement Doesn’t Need Dimensions in Parentheses

Article: Q47124
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | docerr B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 30-MAY-1990

In QuickBASIC versions 3.00 and earlier, passing an array in a SUB
statement requires the number of array dimensions to be specified in
parentheses, such as x(2) for an array dimensioned as DIM x(10,10).
Empty parentheses () after the array name in a SUB statement cause a
compile-time error in QuickBASIC 3.00 and earlier.

However, in QuickBASIC versions 4.00 and later, empty parentheses
after the array name in a SUB statement are actually the preferred
syntax. They are also the preferred syntax in Microsoft BASIC Compiler
versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2 and in Microsoft BASIC
Professional Development System (PDS) version 7.00 for MS-DOS and MS
OS /2.

In fact, the QB.EXE editor in QuickBASIC versions 4.00, 4.00b, and
4.50 and the QBX.EXE editor in BASIC PDS version 7.00 automatically
strip out the constant (if any) in the parentheses net to the array
name in a SUB statement.

When using a text editor (word processor, EDLIN, etc.) and writing the
program using the syntax for QuickBASIC versions 3.00 or earlier, you
will get an "L1101 Invalid Object Module" error when trying to link
the .OBJ that was created using QuickBASIC versions 4.00 or later.

The subroutine example for the LBOUND and UBOUND functions in the
manuals doesn't require the subscript (2) in the array in the SUB
statement. This applies to Page 60 of the "Microsoft QuickBASIC 4.0:
Programming in BASIC: Selected Topics" manual for QuickBASIC versions
4.00 and 4.00b and for Microsoft BASIC Compiler versions 6.00 and
6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2, and to Page 53 of the "Microsoft
QuickBASIC 4.5: Programming in BASIC" manual for QuickBASIC version
4.50. This misleading documentation was changed in Microsoft BASIC PDS
version 7.00.

The first line of the subroutine example shows the following, which is
allowed but may be a little misleading, since QB.EXE and QBX.EXE strip
out the "2":

   SUB PrintOut(A(2)) STATIC

No number of dimensions (2) is required for the A array. This line
converts to the following preferred syntax when entered in the QB.EXE
and QBX.EXE editor:

   SUB PrintOut(A()) STATIC

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