BUG: Cannot Watch Undimensioned Array

ID: Q93162

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft CodeView for MS-DOS, versions 4.0, 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 query words: 4.00 4.10

Keywords : kb16bitonly
Version : :4.0,4.01,4.1
Platform :
Issue type :