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Q48669: QB 4.50 .EXE Program Might Print DYNAMIC Arrays Incorrectly

Article: Q48669
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | SR# S890809-44 buglist4.50 | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 17-JAN-1991

DYNAMIC arrays might not PRINT correctly when using the PRINT TAB(nn),
SPC(nn), or SPACE$(nn) statement in .EXE programs compiled with BC.EXE
in Microsoft QuickBASIC version 4.50. The problem does not occur in
the QB.EXE editor environment.

This problem can occur when PRINTing any DYNAMIC array, and compiling
the program without the /D (DEBUG), /X (RESUME), or /AH (HUGE ARRAYS)
switch. STATIC arrays print correctly regardless of the compiler
switches used.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in version 4.50. This
problem is corrected in Microsoft BASIC Professional Development
System (PDS) version 7.00 (fixlist7.00).

This problem does not occur in Microsoft QuickBASIC version 4.00 or
4.00b or in Microsoft BASIC Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b.

To work around the problem in 4.50, compile with one or all of the
following compiler switches: /d /x /ah. For example:

   BC filename /d /x /ah;

The problem can also be corrected by using STATIC arrays rather than
DYNAMIC arrays.

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

' $STATIC

DIM SVarStr$(3)
DIM SFixStr(3) AS STRING * 4
DIM SInt%(3)
DIM SSgl!(3)

' $DYNAMIC

DIM DVarStr$(3)
DIM DFixStr(3) AS STRING * 4
DIM DInt%(3)
DIM DSgl!(3)

CLS

FOR A% = 1 TO 3
    SVarStr$(A%) = STR$(A%)
    DVarStr$(A%) = STR$(A%)

    SFixStr(A%) = STR$(A%)
    DFixStr(A%) = STR$(A%)

    SInt%(A%) = A%
    DInt%(A%) = A%

    SSgl!(A%) = A%
    DSgl!(A%) = A%
NEXT A%

PRINT "STATIC AND DYNAMIC ARRAYS USING TAB(nn)"
PRINT
PRINT TAB(5); SVarStr$(1); TAB(12); SVarStr$(2); TAB(18); SVarStr$(3)
PRINT TAB(5); DVarStr$(1); TAB(12); DVarStr$(2); TAB(18); DVarStr$(3)
PRINT
PRINT TAB(5); SFixStr(1); TAB(12); SFixStr(2); TAB(18); SFixStr(3)
PRINT TAB(5); DFixStr(1); TAB(12); DFixStr(2); TAB(18); DFixStr(3)
PRINT
PRINT TAB(5); SInt%(1); TAB(12); SInt%(2); TAB(18); SInt%(3)
PRINT TAB(5); DInt%(1); TAB(12); DInt%(2); TAB(18); SInt%(3)
PRINT
PRINT TAB(5); SSgl!(1); TAB(12); SSgl!(2); TAB(18); SSgl!(3)
PRINT TAB(5); DSgl!(1); TAB(12); DSgl!(2); TAB(18); SSgl!(3)
PRINT
PRINT "STATIC AND DYNAMIC ARRAYS USING SPACE(nn)"
PRINT
PRINT SPACE$(5); SVarStr$(1); SPACE$(5); SVarStr$(2);
PRINT SPACE$(5); SVarStr$(3)
PRINT SPACE$(5); DVarStr$(1); SPACE$(5); DVarStr$(2);
PRINT SPACE$(5); DVarStr$(3)
PRINT
PRINT SPACE$(5); SFixStr(1); SPACE$(5); SFixStr(2);
PRINT SPACE$(5); SFixStr(3)
PRINT SPACE$(5); DFixStr(1); SPACE$(5); DFixStr(2);
PRINT SPACE$(5); DFixStr(3)
PRINT
PRINT SPACE$(5); SInt%(1); SPACE$(5); SInt%(2); SPACE$(5); SInt%(3)
PRINT SPACE$(5); DInt%(1); SPACE$(5); DInt%(2); SPACE$(5); DInt%(3)
PRINT
PRINT SPACE$(5); SSgl!(1); SPACE$(5); SSgl!(2); SPACE$(5); SSgl!(3)
PRINT SPACE$(5); DSgl!(1); SPACE$(5); DSgl!(2); SPACE$(5); DSgl!(3)
PRINT
PRINT "STATIC AND DYNAMIC ARRAYS USING SPC(nn)"
PRINT
PRINT SPC(5); SVarStr$(1); SPC(5); SVarStr$(2); SPC(5); SVarStr$(3)
PRINT SPC(5); DVarStr$(1); SPC(5); DVarStr$(2); SPC(5); DVarStr$(3)
PRINT
PRINT SPC(5); SFixStr(1); SPC(5); SFixStr(2); SPC(5); SFixStr(3)
PRINT SPC(5); DFixStr(1); SPC(5); DFixStr(2); SPC(5); DFixStr(3)
PRINT
PRINT SPC(5); SInt%(1); SPC(5); SInt%(2); SPC(5); SInt%(3)
PRINT SPC(5); DInt%(1); SPC(5); DInt%(2); SPC(5); DInt%(3)
PRINT
PRINT SPC(5); SSgl!(1); SPC(5); SSgl!(2); SPC(5); SSgl!(3)
PRINT SPC(5); DSgl!(1); SPC(5); DSgl!(2); SPC(5); DSgl!(3)
PRINT
END

The values in the DYNAMIC arrays in the above program will PRINT
unpredictably on all machines -- the values can vary depending on the
hardware configuration.

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