"Out of Memory," "Error R6005," with CHAIN/RUN in DOS 2.x (26677)




This article was previously published under Q26677

SYMPTOMS

Below are some DOS versions 2.x-specific problems with the CHAIN and/or RUN statements that can be avoided by running the program under DOS version 3.00 or later. The symptoms differ in three different cases, depending on whether you have the following:

  1. QuickBasic version 4.00.
  2. QuickBasic version 4.00b or 4.50, or Microsoft Basic Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b, which CHAIN correctly in DOS versions 2.x when compiled with the BRUN library (unlike version 4.00). However, as in version 4.00, CHAIN or RUN still fails in these versions when compiled with the BCOM library.
  3. QuickBasic version 3.00.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in QuickBasic versions 3.00, 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50, and in Microsoft Basic Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b for MS-DOS and OS/2 (buglist6.00, buglist6.00b). This problem was corrected in Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 (fixlist7.00, fixlist7.10).

Note that to avoid another cause of a DOS or Basic error message when executing CHAIN or RUN, you must put the DOS 2.10 COMMAND.COM (command interpreter) on each disk (or floppy) where you use Basic or QuickBasic .EXE programs under DOS 2.10.

MORE INFORMATION

Programs compiled in Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 let you work around CHAIN problems under DOS versions 2.x. According to the 7.00 and 7.10 README.DOC file, you must CHAIN as follows:

Under DOS 2.1, CHAIN <filespec$> will not work unless <filespec$> provides a path. Also under DOS 2.1, if the run-time module is in the root directory, the root directory must be listed in the PATH environment variable.

Also, you must put the DOS 2.10 COMMAND.COM (command interpreter) on each disk (or floppy) where you use .EXE programs under DOS 2.10, or else you will get a DOS or Basic error message.

Another workaround under MS-DOS version 2.10 for programs compiled in Basic PDS 7.00 and 7.10 is, instead of CHAIN or RUN, to LINK with overlays and use OVLDOS21.OBJ for DOS 2.10 support. However, converting from using CHAIN or RUN to using link overlays requires redesigning your program.

Note: QuickBasic versions 4.00 and later require DOS version 2.10, 2.11, or later.

The CHAIN statement gives run-time errors such as "Out of Memory," "Error R6005," or MS-DOS "EXEC failure" in QuickBasic version 4.00 programs (compiled with the BRUN40.LIB or BCOM40.LIB library) under DOS versions 2.x. These problems don't occur in DOS versions 3.00 or later.

The following are workarounds for the QuickBasic version 4.00 CHAIN problem under DOS versions 2.x when you compile with the BRUNxx.LIB library:

  1. Using the RUN statement instead of the CHAIN statement works around the problem in version 4.00 when you compile with the BRUN library (but not if you compile with the BCOM library).
  2. When compiled with the BRUN library option in QuickBasic version 4.00b or 4.50, or Microsoft Basic Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2, CHAIN works properly under DOS versions 2.x (but not if you compile with the BCOM library).
For programs compiled with the BCOM library (BC /O option), the CHAIN and RUN statements fail on the SECOND CHAIN or RUN attempt on DOS versions 2.x, when compiled in QuickBasic version 4.00, 4.00b, or 4.50, or in Microsoft Basic Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b.

The following error messages can occur: "Out of Memory," "Error R6005," or MS-DOS "Not enough memory to exec."

When compiled with BRUN30.LIB from QuickBasic version 3.00, the programs run properly. However, programs compiled with BCOM30.LIB from QuickBasic version 3.00 incorrectly produce the message "Out of memory during CHAIN" when the first program CHAINs to the second.

The following two sample programs demonstrate the above problems: 
   ' Prog1
   PRINT "hello"
   a$ = INKEY$
   IF a$ <> "" THEN END
   CHAIN "prog2"

   ' Prog2
   PRINT "program 2"
   a$ = INKEY$
   IF a$ <> "" THEN END
   CHAIN "prog1"
The above programs compiled in QuickBasic version 4.00 with BRUN40.LIB produce the message "Out of memory during CHAIN" when the first program CHAINs to the second. This error does not occur in QuickBasic version 4.00b or 4.50 or in Microsoft Basic Compiler version 6.00 or 6.00b compiled with BRUNxx.LIB.

You can successfully RUN or CHAIN from the first program to the second if you compile with BCOMxx.LIB (BC /O). However, the message "Runtime Error R6005" or "EXEC Failure" displays when the second program tries to RUN or CHAIN back to the first. This problem occurs in programs compiled with BCOMxx.LIB in QuickBasic 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50 and Basic compiler 6.00 and 6.00b.
Modification Type: Minor Last Reviewed: 1/9/2003
Keywords: KB26677
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