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Q87790: DOCERR: Incorrectly States /PACKC Is Off by Default

Article: Q87790
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.1,5.11,5.13,5.15,5.2; OS/2:5.1,5.11,5.13,5.15
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb16bitonly
Last Modified: 29-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft LINK for MS-DOS, versions 5.1, 5.11, 5.13, 5.15, 5.2 
- Microsoft LINK for OS/2, versions 5.1, 5.11, 5.13, 5.15 
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SUMMARY
=======

According to the printed and online documentation for versions of Microsoft LINK
earlier than version 5.3, the default setting for the /PACKC[ODE] linker option
switch is off. This statement is incorrect.

The documentation for LINK version 5.3 includes the following correct statement:

  Code-segment packing is on by default for segmented executable files and for
  DOS programs created with overlays or with the /TINY option.

The /NOPACKC[ODE] switch turns code-segment packing off.

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

To see how code packing changes the executable file, examine the map file that
LINK creates. In the two partial map files below, each logical segment has a
distinct physical segment address when the file is linked with /NOPACKCODE but
the logical segments share a physical segment when /PACKCODE is on (the default
behavior).

  Start      Length      Name
  0001:0000  0114CH      _TEXT
  0002:0000  00972H      MOD_TEXT      //  code packing off /NOPACKCODE
  0003:0000  0137DH      MOD2_TEXT
  0004:0000  0021EH      MOD3_TEXT

  Start      Length      Name
  0001:0000  00934H      _TEXT
  0001:0934  01354H      MOD_TEXT      // code packing on   (default)
  0001:1C88  00ADAH      MOD2_TEXT
  0001:2762  014ABH      MOD3_TEXT

The /PACKCODE switch is documented incorrectly in the following four locations:

- Microsoft C "Reference" manual for version 6.0, page 31

- Microsoft FORTRAN "Environment and Tools" manual for version 5.1, version 379

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) "Programmer's Guide" manual for version 6.0,
  page 354

- Microsoft QuickC for Windows (QC/Win) "Toolkit" manual for version 1.0, page
  219

Additional query words: 5.10 5.11 5.13 5.15 5.20

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb16bitonly 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword3 kbLINKSearch kbLINK510DOS kbLINK511DOS kbLINK513DOS kbLINK515DOS kbLINK520DOS kbLINK510OS2 kbLINK511OS2 kbLINK513OS2 kbLINK515OS2
Version           : MS-DOS:5.1,5.11,5.13,5.15,5.2; OS/2:5.1,5.11,5.13,5.15

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

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