Specifying a List File Affects the Assembler

ID Number: Q39521

4.00 5.00

MS-DOS

buglist4.00 buglist5.00 fixlist5.10

Summary:

When the sample code below is assembled with the Microsoft Macro

Assembler, no errors are generated. However, the message "Number of

open conditionals: 1" is displayed.

If a list file is specified, either on the command line or using the

MASM prompts, a severe error is generated. However, there is no error

code; only the message above is displayed twice.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Versions 4.00 and

5.00. This problem was corrected in Version 5.10 of the assembler.

Version 5.10 flags this as a severe error in either context.

More Information:

The following sample code demonstrates this problem:

_text segment byte public 'code'

assume cs:_text

start: mov ax, 4c00h

int 21h

_text ends

ifdef COM

end start

else

end

endif

....................................................................

rem NO LIST FILE

masm4 test;

Microsoft Ò Macro Assembler Version 4.00

Copyright Ó Microsoft Corp 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985.

All rights reserved.

Number of open conditionals:1

51070 Bytes symbol space free

0 Warning Errors

0 Severe Errors

....................................................................

rem WITH LIST FILE

masm4 test,,,;

Microsoft Ò Macro Assembler Version 4.00

Copyright Ó Microsoft Corp 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985.

All rights reserved.

Number of open conditionals:1

Number of open conditionals:1

49990 Bytes symbol space free

0 Warning Errors

1 Severe Errors

.....................................................................

rem NO LIST FILE

masm5 test;

Microsoft Ò Macro Assembler Version 5.00

Copyright Ó Microsoft Corp 1981-1985, 1987. All rights reserved.

Number of open conditionals:1

Number of open conditionals:1

50976 + 0 Bytes symbol space free

0 Warning Errors

1 Severe Errors

This problem has been fixed in version 5.10 of the assembler. Version

5.10 flags this as a severe error in either context. Again there is

no error code.