Percent Character Not Allowed in Identifiers in MASM 6.0

 Last reviewed: January 23, 1995
Article ID: Q69988
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, version 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0b, 6.1, 6.1a, and 6.11
  • Microsoft Macro Assembler for OS/2, version 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0b

SUMMARY

In the Macro Assembler (MASM) version 6.0 and later, the percent character "%" is not allowed in any identifier name. The valid characters that can be used in an identifier are listed on page 13 of the "Macro Assembler 6.0 Programmer's Guide."

MORE INFORMATION

The following is a possible error that may occur if you attempt to use an identifier containing a percent character: 

   file.asm(6): error A2009: syntax error in expression
Because the percent character is also used as the expansion operator (see page 238 of the "Macro Assembler 6.0 Programmer's Guide"), the assembler will not accept the percent character in identifiers, even in MASM 5.1 compatibility mode (selected by using the /Zm switch).

The Macro Assembler version 5.1 does not document the percent character as being valid in identifiers, but it was accepted by the assembler.

One workaround for this situation is to remove the percent character from the identifier.

Additional reference words: kbinf 6.00 6.00a 6.00b 6.10 6.10a
KBCategory: kbprg
KBSubCategory: MASMLngIss

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Last reviewed: January 23, 1995
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