BUG: Class Must Be Listed Last in Full Segment Definitions (73308)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) 6.0
This article was previously published under Q73308

SYMPTOMS

The "Microsoft Macro Assembler Programmer's Guide" that ships with the Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) version 6.0 states on page 49 that "options used with the SEGMENT directive can be in any order." The BNF Grammar for the language also indicates that this should be the case; however, if a class name is specified and it is not the last option listed in a full segment definition, the assembler will generate a syntax error.

RESOLUTION

When using MASM version 6.0, make sure that the class is the last attribute listed.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM version 6.0. This problem was corrected in MASM version 6.0a.

MORE INFORMATION

The sample code below may be used to illustrate this problem. Assembling the code with MASM version 6.0 results in the following errors:
file.asm(1): error A2008: syntax error : word
file.asm(3): fatal error A1010: unmatched block nesting : data
Because MASM 6.0 incorrectly requires a class name to be the last item in a full segment definition, the first error is generated when the assembler fails to recognize the directive option specified after the class name. The second error is merely a side-effect of the first.

Sample Code

; Assemble options needed: none

data    SEGMENT PUBLIC 'DATA' WORD

data    ENDS

END
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/30/2003
Keywords:KB73308
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.