Cannot Display Array Pointer or Full Basic Array with CodeView (63010)

SUMMARY

The BC.EXE compiler in QuickBasic versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50, in Microsoft Basic Compiler versions 6.00 and 6.00b, and in Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 can create programs that will run under Microsoft CodeView versions 2.x and 3.00. However, arrays or arrays in TYPEd records give "?CANNOT DISPLAY" for the CodeView commands ?, ??, or w?. This is not a problem with either the Basic compiler or CodeView, but represents a limitation of debugging Basic programs in CodeView.

This information applies to programs run under CV.EXE and CVP.EXE 2.x and 3.00 when compiled with the BC.EXE compiler that comes with QuickBasic versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50, Microsoft Basic Compiler versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2, and Microsoft Basic PDS versions 7.00 and 7.10 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2.

MORE INFORMATION

In CodeView, the ? command is used to display an expression. The ?? command is used to graphically view a variable in a dialog box. ?? will expand a variable, such as a TYPEd record, to show the fields and the value currently assigned to each field.

This limitation also applies to the CodeView 3.00 command ??, where the graphical display (??) can expand the elements of an array. For example, an array in C (int intarray[10];) can be displayed as a far pointer with ? and expanded to its elements with ??. With CodeView 2.x and C version 5.10, the ?? command won't display the elements of a C array, but will display the far pointer value that is the array's address.