BUG: Number of Lines on First Page of Listing File Incorrect

• Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, versions 6.0x, 6.1x, 6.11x
• Microsoft Macro Assembler for Windows NT, version 6.11x

SYMPTOMS

When you use the PAGE directive to specify the number of lines per page of the listing file, the first listing page contains more lines than specified by the PAGE directive.

CAUSE

The problem apparently occurs because the internal counter used to track the number of lines per page does not include the four-line header on the first page or any comments that start on the first line of the source file. However, it does count the header on subsequent pages. As a result, all pages have the correct number of lines except for the first page, which contains additional lines.

RESOLUTION

If reducing the number of lines per page to account for the first page is not an option, the PAGE directive used without an argument can be placed in the source file at or near the correct position. This will force a page break on the first page. Some experimentation will be necessary, and the position of the forced page break will have to be adjusted if the source above the forced page break changes.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.