DOCERR: MASM 6.0 Programmer's Guide Errors: Chapters 1-6

• Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, version 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0b
• Microsoft Macro Assembler for OS/2, version 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0b

The following is a list of documentation additions and corrections for Chapters 1 through 6 of the "Microsoft Macro Assembler Programmer's Guide" for version 6.0. The section and page numbers are listed first, followed by a description of the addition or correction.

Section 1.2.1, Page 12

The following paragraph comes from the README.DOC file included with the MASM 6.0 package. Add the paragraph to the description of reserved words in Section 1.2.1:

   With the /Zm command-line option or OPTION M510, keywords and
   instructions that are not available in the current CPU mode (such
   as ENTER under .8086) are not treated as keywords. The USE32, FLAT,
   FAR32, and NEAR32 segment types and the 80386/486 registers are not
   keywords with processor selection directives less than .386.

Section 3.3.1, Page 75

In the sample code at the top of the page, STRUCT PERSON should be PERSON STRUCT.

Section 3.2.4.1, Page 70

Add an additional instruction in the program example shown in the paragraph titled "Accessing Structure Elements." The example should read:

    .
    .
    .
    mov     bx, OFFSET students
    mov     ax, 4
    mov     di, SIZE STUDENT
    mul     di
    mov     di,ax               ; This line is added. It places the
                                ; result of the multiply into DI

    mov     al,(STUDENT PTR[bx+di]).year

Section 3.2.4.3, Page 73

The example line at the top of page 73 states:

   mov     eax,[ebp*2]     ; EBP base (only - seg SS)

   mov     eax,[ebp*2]     ; EBP base (only - seg DS)

Section 4.1.1, Page 87

The table at the top of page 87 incorrectly states that the size of a variable defined with the DWORD or SDWORD initializer is 3 bytes. This should show that a variable of size DWORD or SDWORD is 4 bytes, not 3.

Section 4.2.2.1, Page 95

The last paragraph on page 95 states:

   If you use these stack values often in your program, you may want
   to give them labels. For example, you can use TEXTEQU to create a
   label such as count TEXTEQU <bp-6>.

   If you use these stack values often in your program, you may want
   to give them labels. For example, you can use TEXTEQU to create a
   label, such as "count TEXTEQU <[bp-6]>".

Section 5.2, Page 124

The following paragraph should be added to Section 5.2. This addition comes from the README.DOC file.

   The ALIGN, EVEN, and ORG directives can be used during structure
   definition to modify how offsets of elements are defined. The EVEN
   and ALIGN directives will round the current field offset up to the
   specified align value by inserting padding bytes into the skipped
   space. The ORG directive may be used to change the current field
   offset to a new value, either positive or negative. If the ORG
   directive is used in a structure definition, you cannot create an
   instance of the structure.

Section 5.2.2, Page 127

Change this line in the first example of Section 5.2.2 "Defining Structure and Union Variables:"

   ITYPE     UNION

   UNION     ITYPE

Section 5.2.2, Page 129

On page 129, the comments in the program example, as well as the last paragraph, incorrectly state that a literal string cannot initialize a structure field that is defined with DUP. This statement is incorrect because it can be done.