.EXE Compiled BC /S May Not Print String in PRINT TAB(n),A$ (41388)

SUMMARY

Creating an executable .EXE program with QuickBasic Version 4.50 with the BC /S compiler option may cause the following statement to print a blank line:

   PRINT TAB(n); A$
				

The program works correctly from inside the QuickBasic editor, or when compiled without the /S option.

The /S option is used to minimize string data at compile time by writing quoted strings to the object file instead of the symbol table. The only use for the /S option is to help the compiler handle large programs at compile time. Normally, /S does not affect the size or behavior of the object code.

This problem can be corrected by doing the following:

1. Not using the /S compiler option.
2. Replacing the PRINT TAB(nn) with a PRINT SPACE$(nn) statement.
3. Compiling with the /X switch, which is normally used to indicate the presence of ON ERROR with RESUME, RESUME NEXT, or RESUME 0.

This problem occurs only in QuickBasic Version 4.50; it does not occur in earlier versions of QuickBasic, Microsoft Basic Compiler 6.00 or 6.00b, or Microsoft Basic PDS Version 7.00.

REM  ** SAMPLE PROGRAM 1 ** DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY **

A$ = "THIS SHOULD BE PRINTED"
PRINT TAB(40 - LEN(A$) / 2); A$
END


REM  ** SAMPLE PROGRAM 2 ** WORKS FINE **

A$ = "THIS SHOULD BE PRINTED"
PRINT SPACE$(39 - LEN(A$) / 2); A$
END