Microsoft KB Archive/94911

= BUG: ALIGN Directive Placement Changes EXE File Size =

Article ID: 94911

Article Last Modified on 10/29/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 6.1 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 6.1a
 * Microsoft Macro Assembler 6.11 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q94911



SYMPTOMS
In an application developed with the Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), placing the ALIGN directive before data in a _BSS segment increases the sizes of the object module and of the executable file.



CAUSE
When the ALIGN directive appears at the beginning of a segment, the assembler places the unitialized _BSS segment into the executable file.



RESOLUTION
To work around this problem, modify the source code to remove the ALIGN directive from the beginning of the segment. According to the design of the assembler, the ALIGN directive does not have any effect at the beginning of a segment. The first item of the segment is aligned according to the alignment parameter in the SEGMENT statement.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM versions 6.1, 6.1a, and 6.11. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.



Sample Code
; Assemble options needed: None

DOSSEG

_text SEGMENT para public 'CODE' start: nop _text ENDS

_bss SEGMENT para public '_BSS' align 4 dw ? _bss ENDS

stk SEGMENT para stack 'STACK' dw ? stk ENDS

END start

Additional query words: 6.10 6.10a 6.11 buglist6.10 buglist6.10a buglist6.11

Keywords: KB94911

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