Record Number for PUT/GET Statement Can Be a Long Integer (62771)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Basic Professional Development System for MS-DOS 7.1
  • Microsoft Basic Professional Development System for MS-DOS 7.0
This article was previously published under Q62771

SUMMARY

Pages 147 and 280 in the "Microsoft Basic 7.0: Language Reference" and Page 110 in the "Microsoft Basic 7.0: Programmer's Guide" incorrectly state that when specifying the record number in a GET/PUT statement for a random file or the position number for a binary file, the record or position number should be an integer.

The explanation for the GET/PUT statement should describe the record or position number as being either an integer or a long integer.

MORE INFORMATION

The correct syntax for the GET/PUT statement is as follows: 
  {GET|PUT} [#]filenumber% [, [recordnumber&] ] [, [variable] ]
When accessing a random file, "recordnumber&" represents the number of the record to be read or written. When accessing a binary file, "recordnumber&" represents the byte position of where the reading or writing starts.

The online Help for Basic PDS 7.00 and 7.10 correctly describes the record number as "recordnumber&". The following documentation, however, incorrectly describes the record number as "recordnumber%":

  1. Page 110 of the "Microsoft Basic 7.0: Programmer's Guide" for 7.00 and 7.10
  2. Pages 147 and 280 of the "Microsoft Basic 7.O: Language Reference" manual for 7.00 and 7.10
By specifying the recordnumber variable as "recordnumber&" instead of "recordnumber%", it is inferred that the record number variable may either be of type INTEGER or LONG INTEGER.

Using recordnumber% would suggest that the largest possible record number to be 32,767. Since the largest possible record number is 2,147,483,647, the record number should be described as recordnumber&.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/16/2005
Keywords:KB62771
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