PRB: L4001 Warning May Be Caused by Using Incorrect Linker (74169)

SYMPTOMS

During the process of linking an application, Microsoft LINK generates the following message:

warning L4001: frame-relative fix-up,

frame ignored near xxx in segment yyy

In most cases, LINK ignores the initial frame and performs a far address calculation.

CAUSE

This error can occur incorrectly when the incorrect linker is used. For example, the error occurs if an assembly module is assembled with USE32 segments in Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) and LINK version 5.x attempts to create the .EXE file. The same error occurs if MASM version 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0b, or 6.1 creates code for the FLAT memory model.

RESOLUTION

The resolution depends on the target operating system. When Windows NT is the target, use the CVTOMF utility provided with the Windows NT Software Development Kit (SDK) to convert the generated object file from OMF format to COFF format. Then use the LINK utility provided with the Windows NT SDK to build the application. If OS/2 version 2.0 is the target, use LINK386 from the IBM OS/2 2.0 development kit.

MORE INFORMATION

The following code sample demonstrates both the error message discussed above and the methods to avoid it. Assemble the code below with MASM version 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0b, or 6.1. To reproduce the error message above, link with a segmented-executable linker, such as LINK version 5.x. To create a correct executable file, link the code with LINK386 from IBM.

Sample Code

; Assemble options needed: /c
;     Link options needed: Link with LINK 5.x to see errors
;                          Link with LINK386 for correct results

INCLUDELIB DOSCALLS.LIB ; OS/2 systems call library

.386
.MODEL flat, syscall

Dos32Write PROTO NEAR32 syscall,
    hf:WORD, pvBuf:NEAR32, cbBuf:WORD, pcbBytesWritten:NEAR32

Dos32Exit PROTO NEAR32 syscall,
    fTerminate:WORD, ulExitCode:WORD

.STACK 4096

.DATA

msg DB "Hello, world.", 13, 10
written DW 0

.CODE
_start:
    INVOKE  Dos32Write,        ; OS/2 system call
        1,                     ; File handle for screen
        NEAR32 PTR msg,        ; Address of string
        LENGTHOF msg,          ; Length of string
        NEAR32 PTR written     ; Bytes written

    INVOKE  Dos32Exit,         ; OS/2 system call
        0,                     ; Terminate all treads
        0                      ; Result code for parent process

END _start