Microsoft KB Archive/65402

= BC /R Makes UBOUND and LBOUND Incorrect for Multi-DIM Array =

Article ID: 65402

Article Last Modified on 11/21/2006



This article was previously published under Q65402



SYMPTOMS
The UBOUND and LBOUND functions return the upper and lower bounds of an array. However, if a program is compiled using the BC /R compiler option, which stores multidimensional arrays in row major order, the UBOUND and LBOUND functions return incorrect dimension bounds for multidimensional arrays.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the BC /R option in QuickBasic versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50 (buglist4.00, buglist4.00b, buglist4.50) for MS-DOS; in Microsoft Basic Compiler versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2; and in Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 for MS-DOS and OS/2. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Note that by default (without the /R option), BC.EXE stores arrays in column major order, and the UBOUND and LBOUND functions return correct values. Note also that the /R switch cannot be used within QBX.EXE; therefore, QBX.EXE can only store arrays in column major order. UBOUND and LBOUND work correctly in QBX.EXE.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information on using the BC /R compiler switch, query in this Knowledge Base on the following words:

MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND COLUMN AND ROW AND MAJOR

Although the array is stored differently in memory by the /R compiler option, the upper and lower bounds of each dimension do not change. Therefore the values returned by UBOUND and LBOUND for a given dimension are supposed to be the same compiling with or without BC /R.

When a program is compiled with the BC /R switch, the UBOUND and LBOUND (for a given dimension) incorrectly return the bounds for the opposite dimension. For example, in a two-dimensional array, if you request the UBOUND and LBOUND values for the first dimension, the values returned will incorrectly be those of the second dimension. Requesting the UBOUND and LBOUND values for the second dimension incorrectly gives you the bounds for the first dimension.

In an odd-dimensioned array, UBOUND and LBOUND return correct bounds for the middle dimension, but incorrect bounds for all other dimensions when compiled BC /R. For example, in a three-dimensional array, UBOUND and LBOUND for the first dimension incorrectly return bounds for the third dimension; UBOUND and LBOUND for the third dimension incorrectly return bounds for the first dimension; but UBOUND and LBOUND for the second dimension correctly return bounds for the second dimension.

Code Example
The following program example demonstrates the problem: DIM A(-1 TO 1, -2 TO 2)    ' DIMensions A as a 2-dimensional array. ' Print lower and upper bound of first dimension: PRINT LBOUND(A, 1), UBOUND(A, 1) ' Print lower and upper bound of second dimension: PRINT LBOUND(A, 2), UBOUND(A, 2) Output when compiled without BC /R (correct):   -1      1 -2     2 Output when compiled with BC /R (incorrect):   -2      2 -1     1

Additional query words: QuickBas BasicCom buglist6.00 buglist6.00b buglist7.00 buglist7.10

Keywords: KB65402

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