"Read Error on Standard Input" in PWB.EXE and BC.EXE (80183)

SUMMARY

If you use a large number of compile options when compiling Basic programs from Programmer's WorkBench (PWB) under MS-DOS, such that the resulting BC.EXE command line is longer than 128 characters, the compile may fail with an error such as "Read error on standard input." This occurs because of the MS-DOS command line limitation of 128 characters. The remaining characters will be lost (which includes the semicolon [;]), and BC.EXE will try to prompt for an object file, which fails with an error.

This information applies to PWB version 1.1 provided with Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) version 7.1 for MS-DOS.

MORE INFORMATION

The error that is returned by BC.EXE depends on where the 128th character falls on the command line. For example, if the same command line is executed from the MS-DOS command prompt, and the semicolon (;) is truncated, BC.EXE will prompt for object and list files. Also, if a part of the source file name is truncated (that is, if the 128th character falls on the "B" in a .BAS extension), BC.EXE responds with the error:

BC : Input file not found

This is the same error that causes PWB to display the message:

BC : Read error on standard input

To work around the problem, compile from the command line, leaving the spaces out between the switches. By default, PWB separates all compile options with spaces. Taking these out from the command line reduces the length of the line, possibly making it less than 128 characters.

If the line is still too long, invoke BC.EXE from the MS-DOS command line, without any parameters, and enter the options and file name(s) at the appropriate prompt(s).