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Q85228: BUG: Causes of A2042 During Data Initialization

Article: Q85228
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): MS-DOS:6.0,6.0a,6.0b,6.1,6.11,6.1a
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 06-MAY-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0b, 6.1, 6.1a, 6.11 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Attempting to initialize a STRUCT or an array with a single data statement may
generate the following error when too many initialization values are used:

  error A2042: statement too complex

CAUSE
=====

The error is produced because the token limit for that particular line has been
exceeded. This limit may also be exceeded by lines that are extended using the
backslash ("\") character or the comma, as shown in the sample code below.

RESOLUTION
==========

Do not attempt to initialize a struct on a single line that contains more than
99 tokens, commas, numbers, and so forth.

The data statement can be broken into several statements as shown by the array D2
in the sample below. Consecutive data items specified in this way are allocated
in memory exactly as they would be if they were in a single data declaration.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft Macro Assembler
(MASM) versions 6.x. We are researching this problem and will post new
information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

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

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

In the sample code below, there are 97 tokens in the line where test_struct0 is
declared on a single text line. This line assembles without a problem. The
initialization of test_struc1, however, causes error A2042 to be generated.
test_struc1 has 99 tokens, which causes the error A2042 to be produced.
test_struct2 and test_struct3 are multiple-line demonstrations of the same
problem.

The array d1 illustrates the same problem for an array of WORD. Array d2 shows a
workaround.

  ; assembly options needed: /c
  .MODEL SMALL,C
  .DATA

  prob_struct STRUCT 2
  element WORD 60 DUP(0)
  prob_struct ENDS

  ; test_struct0 and test_struct1 should be single lines; they were
  ; broken for readability. Reassemble them to a single line.

  test_struct0 prob_struct {{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,
                             1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,
                             2,3,4,5,6,7}} ; no error

  test_struct1 prob_struct {{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,
                             1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,
                             2,3,4,5,6,7,8}} ; error produced

  test_struct2 prob_struct {{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
                             0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
                             0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7}} ; no error

  test_struct3 prob_struct {{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
                             0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
                             0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}} ; error produced

  d1 WORD  1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,20,
           21,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,30,31,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
           40,41,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
  ;  error A2042: statement too complex

  d2 WORD 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,20,
          21,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,30,31,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,40,
          41,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
     WORD 9
  ; same data as d1 but assembles without error

  END

Additional query words: 6.00 6.00a 6.00b 6.10 6.10a buglist6.00b buglist6.10 buglist6.10a buglist6.11 h_masm buglist6.00 buglist6.00a

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM600 kbMASM610 kbMASM611 kbMASM610a kbMASM600a kbMASM600b
Version           : MS-DOS:6.0,6.0a,6.0b,6.1,6.11,6.1a

=============================================================================

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