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Q106403: FIX: DUP Operator Must Be Preceded by White Space

Article: Q106403
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): 6.0,6.0a,6.0b
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 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0b 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The DUP operator must be preceded by white space. The number of items and the
DUP operator must be separated by spaces or tabs. In MASM 6.0, no error message
is given, but space for only one data item is allocated if the white space is
missing. MASM 6.1 and later issue the error message:

  error A2206: missing operator in expression

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM versions 6.0x. The problem
was corrected in MASM 6.1.

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

  ; Assemble options needed: /Fl
  ; View the listing file to see the error in MASM 6.0 for data item b

  .MODEL SMALL
  .STACK

  .DATA
  a        db 4 dup(0)
  size_a   db SIZEOF a
  b        db 4dup(?)    ; A2206 here in MASM 6.1
  size_b   db SIZEOF b

  .CODE
  start:
     mov   ax,4C00H
     int   21H    ;Terminate Process
  END start

Additional query words: 6.00 6.00a 6.00b buglist6.00 buglist6.00a buglist6.00b fixlist6.10

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM600 kbMASM600a kbMASM600b
Version           : :6.0,6.0a,6.0b
Solution Type     : kbfix

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