Q197569: BUG: CRITICAL_SECTION is Defined Incorrectly in API Text Viewer

Article: Q197569
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbKernBase kbThread kbVBp400bug kbVBp500bug kbVBp600bug kbGrpDSVB
Last Modified: 11-JAN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

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

The API Text Viewer definition for CRITICAL_SECTION is incorrect and will cause
an access violation or corrupt the memory directly following any variables of
this type.

CAUSE
=====

The API Text Viewer defines CRITICAL_SECTION as follows:

     Type CRITICAL_SECTION
        dummy As Long
     End Type

If you use this definition, you may receive access violations or you may notice
that the variables declared directly after a critical section are overwritten or
corrupted when you call any of the critical section APIs.

RESOLUTION
==========

The following is a proper definition for CRITICAL_SECTION:

     Type CRITICAL_SECTION
        Reserved1 As Long
        Reserved2 As Long
        Reserved3 As Long
        Reserved4 As Long
        Reserved5 As Long
        Reserved6 As Long
     End Type

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article.

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

You should never access the members of the CRITICAL_SECTION structure directly.
An object of this type is designed to be manipulated through the following Win32
APIs:

     InitializeCriticalSection()
     EnterCriticalSection()
     LeaveCriticalSection()
     DeleteCriticalSection()

For more information, refer to the MSDN documentation for critical sections.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbKernBase kbThread kbVBp400bug kbVBp500bug kbVBp600bug kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVBA500Search kbVBA500 kbVBA600 kbVB500 kbVB600 kbVB400Search kbVB400 kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

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