Microsoft KB Archive/24953

= Phase Errors May Be Caused By Forward References =

Article ID: 24953

Article Last Modified on 10/17/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 1.25
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 1.27
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 4.0
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 4.0
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 5.0
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 5.1 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q24953



SUMMARY
Phase errors indicate that a relative address of a label changed between pass 1 and pass 2 of the assembly process. They usually are caused by improper forward references to labels. During pass 1, the assembler will have to make assumptions (e.g. it might assume a near jump during pass 1 if the location of a label is not known). During pass 2, the assembler may have to change those assumptions (e.g. now it knows that the jump is to a far label). If this involves changing the size of an instruction, that difference can cause a phase error.

To examine the assumptions made by the assembler on pass 1, use the /D option to get a pass 1 listing.



MORE INFORMATION
Phase errors can usually be prevented by using segment overrides or explicit type specification, as shown in the following examples: jmp dword ptr far_label        ;jump to far label

mov ax, word ptr label

Additional query words: 1.25 1.27 3.0x 4.00 5.00 5.10

Keywords: KB24953

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