Q59585: FIX: LOCAL Directive with a Structure

Article: Q59585
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): 5.1,5.1a
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 06-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), versions 5.1, 5.1a 
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SYMPTOMS
========

On Page Update-42 of the "Microsoft Macro Assembler 5.1 Updates and Microsoft
Editor" manual, it states that you can use the LOCAL directive with a structure
type. When this is done, you may receive the following errors:

  A2003 Unknown Type Specifier
  A2010 Syntax Error

CAUSE
=====

This feature was not implemented in MASM versions 5.1 or 5.1a.

RESOLUTION
==========

To avoid the A2003 Unknown type specifier error, include the PTR keyword in the
LOCAL directive. For example:

     LOCAL stuff:parms

becomes

     LOCAL stuff:ptr parms

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM version 5.1. This problem
has been corrected in MASM version 6.0.

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

The following code can bed used to demonstrate this problem.

Sample Code
-----------

  ; Assemble options needed: none

  .MODEL small, c
  .STACK 4096

  parms STRUC
        p1 DW ?
        p2 DW ?
  parms ENDS

  .CODE

        CALL test_func

  test_func PROC
  LOCAL stuff:parms             ; A2003 Unknown type specifier
        MOV ax, 0ffffh
        MOV stuff. p1,ax        ; A2010 Syntax error
        MOV stuff. p2,ax        ; A2010 Syntax error
        RET
  test_func ENDP

  END

Additional query words: 5.10 5.10a buglist5.10 buglist5.10a fixlist6.00

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM510 kbMASM510a
Version           : :5.1,5.1a
Solution Type     : kbfix

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