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Q65082: "Error During Run-Time Initialization" Mixing Near/Far Strings

Article: Q65082
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 7.00 7.10
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 4-SEP-1990

When you link separate modules together to make an .EXE program, all
the modules must have been compiled with the same string option (near
or far strings).

If you LINK modules or libraries together and some were compiled with
and some without the BC /Fs (far strings) option, the .EXE program can
hang in version 7.00, or can give the following error message at run
time in version 7.10:

   Error during run-time initialization

This information applies to Microsoft BASIC Professional Development
System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2.

Combining string options can cause unpredictable results in the .EXE
program at run time. After the possible hang in 7.00, a warm boot
(CTRL+ALT+DEL) may not work. To reboot, you may have to turn the
computer off, then back on.

To avoid this problem, only LINK routines that were compiled with the
same string option (BC /Fs or no /Fs).

Also, remember that the QBX.EXE environment of BASIC PDS 7.00 and 7.10
only supports far strings, not near strings. In other words, all BASIC
object modules linked into a Quick library (.QLB file) for use in
QBX.EXE must be compiled with the BC /Fs option.

What Are Far Strings?
---------------------

The contents of far strings are stored in the far heap, and the
contents of near strings are stored in near heap (the 64K DGROUP
segment).

Note that the BC /Fs (far strings) option affects only the storage
location of variable-length string variables. The far strings option
does NOT affect fixed-length string variables. (Also, fixed-length
strings do NOT have a string descriptor.)

Every variable-length string variable (or array element) has a 4-byte
string descriptor. The 4-byte string descriptor for each
variable-length string always resides in DGROUP (the 64K near heap)
regardless of the compiler string option (near or far).

References:

See Pages 719-720, "Variable Storage and Memory Use," and also
Chapter 11, "Advanced String Storage," in the "Microsoft BASIC 7.0:
Programmer's Guide" for BASIC PDS versions 7.00 and 7.10.

Code Example 1
--------------

Compile the following program with the BC /Fs option, as follows:

   BC TEST1/Fs;

REM  TEST1.BAS
CALL TEST

Compile the following program with BC and no options, as follows:

   BC TEST2;

REM  TEST2.BAS
SUB TEST STATIC
PRINT "This is a test"
END SUB

Link as follows:  LINK TEST1+TEST2;

Now run TEST1.EXE. If compiled in BASIC 7.00, the program may display
random garbage on the screen and hang. If compiled in BASIC 7.10, the
program will give the error message "Error during run-time
initialization."

Code Example 2
--------------

Compiling and linking any program in BASIC PDS 7.10 as follows gives
"Error during run-time initialization" when you run the BASFILE.EXE
program:

   BC /Fs basfile.BAS;
   LINK basfile.OBJ,,,BRT71ENR.LIB;

Note that "ENR" in BRT71ENR.LIB refers to "E" for IEEE math, "N" for
near strings, and "R" for MS-DOS (real) mode.

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