Microsoft KB Archive/57852

= LINK /PAC Switch in 6.00/6.00b Is Now /PACKC in Basic PDS 7.00 =

Article ID: 57852

Article Last Modified on 11/21/2006



This article was previously published under Q57852



SUMMARY
The LINK.EXE /PACKCODE switch of the Microsoft Segmented-Executable Linker version 5.01.20, shipped with Microsoft Basic Compiler versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2, can be abbreviated with /PAC on the LINK command line. The same is true for the Microsoft Overlay Linker shipped with Microsoft QuickBasic versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50.

This abbreviation has changed to /PACKC in the Segmented-Executable Linker version 5.05 shipped with Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2. Mistakenly using the older /PAC switch with Linker 5.05 gives error L1001 &quot;Option name ambiguous.&quot;

On page 589 of the &quot;Microsoft Basic 7.0: Programmer's Guide&quot; (for versions 7.00 and 7.10) the abbreviation for /PACKCODE is incorrectly documented as being /PAC. It should be changed to /PACKC.

In addition, eleven occurrences of /PAC should be changed to /PACKC on pages 596-597 of the &quot;Microsoft Basic 7.0: Programmer's Guide&quot; (for versions 7.00 and 7.10).



MORE INFORMATION
The /PACKCODE switch abbreviation was changed from /PAC to /PACKC because a new switch was added to the linker to take advantage of Microsoft Basic PDS's ability to manage multiple data segments (far strings). The name of the new switch is /PACKDATA and is used to pack small data segments together. Its abbreviation is /PACKD.

Although it is not ambiguous to have one switch abbreviated /PAC and another /PACKD, because the switches have similar functions, it is more logical for their abbreviations to have the same first four letters (&quot;PACK&quot;) followed by a distinguishing letter (&quot;C&quot; or &quot;D&quot;).

Additional query words: BasicCom SR# S900116-46

Keywords: KB57852

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