BUG: Cannot Watch Undimensioned Array

 Last reviewed: July 17, 1997
Article ID: Q93162
4.00 4.01 | 4.10 
MS-DOS    | WINDOWS
kbtool kbbuglist

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft CodeView for MS-DOS, versions 4.0 and 4.01
  • Microsoft CodeView for Windows, version 4.1

SYMPTOMS

The versions of CodeView listed above do not properly display undimensioned arrays in C++ code, such as the argv formal parameter to the main() function. The array value does not appear in the locals window, if it is a local variable or function parameter. An attempt to place a quick watch on the array yields an error dialog box. A watch on the array yields a random integer value. In the Visual Workbench, and CVW, watching the first array element (array[0]) causes this error to appear in the watch window: 

   CXX0030: Error: expression cannot be evaluated
In the locals window, the array will be displayed as: 

  [BP+0008] char * array[?] = 0xnnnn:0xnnnn
Since the + symbol is not placed before "char", the pointer cannot be expanded.

RESOLUTION

Modify the code to declare the array as a pointer to a pointer. For example, change 

   void main (int argc, char *argv[])
to the following equivalent definition: 

   void main (int argc, char **argv)

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in CodeView versions 4.0 and 4.01 for MS-DOS, and version 4.10 for Windows. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional reference words: 4.00 4.10
KBCategory: kbtool kbbuglist
KBSubcategory: CvwIss
Keywords : kb16bitonly

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Last reviewed: July 17, 1997
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