Q143403: PRB: Problems Editing Long Declares in the Conditional Compile

Article: Q143403
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnokeyword kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbGrpDSVB
Last Modified: 11-JAN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Control Creation Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you have long declare statements in conditional code, if you copy the
declare from one condition to the other, then modify the identifier in the Alias
clause, additional changes occur in your declaration which you did not specify.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior is by design. The Alias clause disappears and the type elements
wrap differently; however, the code runs as desired.

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

Steps to Reproduce the Problem
------------------------------

1. Create a new Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by
  default.

2. Place the following code in the declaration section of Form1.

         #If Win32 Then
            Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib _
               "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
                 (ByVal hwnd As Long, _
                  ByVal lpOperation As String, _
                  ByVal lpFile As String, _
                  ByVal lpParameters As String, _
                  ByVal lpDirectory As String, _
                  ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long
         #Else
         #End If

3. Copy the Declare statement in the "If Win32" clause and paste it in the #Else
  clause.

4. Insert the cursor following the "A" in "ShellExecuteA" and backspace over the
  "A".

5. Commit the line by stepping off the declare statement.

6. The line continuation for the #ELSE clause gets scrambled as is shown below.
  The Alias clause is gone and the type elements are not wrapped as you would
  expect; however, the code runs as desired.

         #If Win32 Then
           Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib _
               "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
                 (ByVal hwnd As Long, _
                  ByVal lpOperation As String, _
                  ByVal lpFile As String, _
                  ByVal lpParameters As String, _
                  ByVal lpDirectory As String, _
                  ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long
         #Else
           Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib _
               "shell32.dll" (ByVal _
                 hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation _
                  As String, ByVal lpFile _
                  As String, ByVal lpParameters _
                  As String, ByVal lpDirectory _
                  As String, ByVal nShowCmd _
                  As Long) As Long
         #End If

If you press CTRL+Z to undo the erasing of the "A", the following will appear.
The actual edit is undone, but your incorrect line continuations are still
there. This code will not run because part of the declaration is missing.

        Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib _
            "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
              hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation _
               As String, ByVal lpFile _
               As String, ByVal lpParameters _
               As String, ByVal lpDirectory _
               As String, ByVal nShowCmd _
               As Long) As Long

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbnokeyword kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVBA500Search kbVBA500 kbVBA600 kbVB500 kbVB600 kbVB400Search kbVB400 kbZNotKeyword3 kbVB16bitSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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