"Subscript Out of Range" Dimensioning a Dynamic Numeric Array (21964)






This article was previously published under Q21964

SUMMARY

Problem:

I can dimension a single-dimensional dynamic integer array with 32,000 elements; however, I get the message "Subscript Out of Range" dimensioning a two-dimensional integer array with only 30,000 elements. The following is an example:
   Rem $dynamic
   dim b%(32000) 'this is okay
   dim c%(10,2850) 'this is also okay
   dim a%(10,3000) ' this will give a "subscript out of range" error
				
Response:

The statement DIM A%(10,3000) exceeds the 64K size limit that exists for each dynamic numeric array. In QuickBasic Version 4.00 and greater, you can compile with QB /AH or BC /AH to allow dynamic numeric (or fixed-length string) arrays to exceed 64K. The /AH switch is not implemented in QuickBasic 3.00 and previous versions.

An array dimensioned DIM B%(32000) actually has 32,001 elements because the counting begins at element 0 by default, and the array will take up 64,002 bytes, since there are two bytes per integer element.

You may change the default starting element to 1 with the OPTION BASE 1 statement. An array dimensioned DIM C%(10,2850) actually has 31,361 elements (11 multiplied by 2,851) which would take up 62,722 bytes. An integer array dimensioned (10,3000) gives a "subscript out of range" error because it has 33,011 elements, or 66,022 bytes, which exceeds the dynamic numeric array size limit of 65,536 bytes (64K).

Note that there are 1,024 bytes per Kilobyte (K), therefore 64K multiplied by 1024 bytes per Kilobyte equals 65,536 bytes.

Modification Type: Minor Last Reviewed: 1/8/2003
Keywords: KB21964