Language Names Used as PUBLIC Symbols Are Not Allowed

• Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, versions 5.1 and 5.1a
• Microsoft Macro Assembler for OS/2, versions 5.1 and 5.1a

SUMMARY

Starting with the Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) version 5.1, symbols that are language names cannot be declared PUBLIC. The language names affected are Basic, C, FORTRAN, and PASCAL. The following error message is displayed by MASM 5.1 and 5.1a

   error A2009: Symbol not defined:

The following error is the generated by MASM 6.0

   error A2008: Syntax error in directive

MORE INFORMATION

The use of language names as variables is allowed in MASM versions 5.1 and 5.1a, but not is MASM 6.0. MASM 6.0 will give the error

   error A2008: syntax error: <language name>

The following example will cause MASM 5.1 and 5.1a to correctly generate error A2009 on the line

   public c

   public c
   c  DB  1

Sample Code

; Assemble options needed: none

.model small .data public c

c DB 1

   END