DOCERR: External Addresses in "=" Directive

Last reviewed: October 21, 1994
Article ID: Q35803

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, versions 5.0, 5.1, and 5.1a
Microsoft Macro Assembler for OS/2, versions 5.1, 5.1a, 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0b

SYMPTOMS

On page 214, section 11.1.1, of the "Microsoft Macro Assembler 5.1 Programmer's Guide", the documentation indicates that the equal sign (=) directive may be used with expressions that evaluate to an address. However, if the address refers to an external label, MASM 5.1 and 5.1a will generate the error:

   error A2052: Improper operand type

MASM 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0b will generate the error:

   error A2026: constant expected

CAUSE

MASM has a restriction that the (=) directive can not be used on an external address.

RESOLUTION

You can use the EQU directive to create an alias for an external address.

MORE INFORMATION

Sample Code

; Assemble options needed: none

EXTRN buf1:BYTE buf2 = buf1

END

Additional reference words: 5.10 5.10a 6.00 6.00a 6.00b
KBCategory: kbref kbdocerr
KBSubCategory:

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Last reviewed: October 21, 1994
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