PRB: MASM Err Msg: Unable to Open Input File: options.asm

 Last reviewed: January 9, 1995
Article ID: Q67758
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, versions 5.1 and 5.1a
  • Microsoft Macro Assembler for OS/2, versions 5.1 and 5.1a

SYMPTOMS

When running MASM.EXE, the following fatal error occurs: 

   Unable to open input file: options.asm

CAUSE

The MASM environment variable "MASM" is set to "options".

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, the environment variable needs to be cleared. This can be done as follows at the DOS command prompt: 

   SET MASM=<ret>

MORE INFORMATION

When the RUNME program is executed to install MASM, it tells you to set your AUTOEXEC.BAT file as follows: 

   MOUSE                 (load mouse driver if you have a mouse)
   SET PATH=c:\masm...   (directory containing MASM and utilities)
   SET INCLUDE=c:\masm...(directory containing include files)
   SET LIB=d:\masm....   (directory containing library & object files)
   SET MASM=options      (standard assembly options)
   SET LINK=options      (standard link options)
   SET TMP=tempDir       (LINK work directory - use RAM disk if
                          available)
People often set their AUTOEXEC.BAT files literally as the program shows. The intent is to show that if you always want to assemble with options /Zi and /Mx and link with option /CO, you could use 

   SET MASM=/Zi /Mx
   SET LINK=/CO
to achieve this. When "MASM" is set to "options", the driver is passed "options" and it is treated as a source file name, rather than an option, since it does not begin with a backslash (\).

Additional reference words: 5.10 5.10a
KBCategory: kbsetup kbprb
KBSubCategory:

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Last reviewed: January 9, 1995
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