Article ID: 46180
Article Last Modified on 11/21/2006
This article was previously published under Q46180
SYMPTOMS
A function that has been declared with the STATIC attribute should retain its value between calls. When a STATIC function is called and assigned a value, subsequent calls to the function that do not assign a new value to the function should always return the previous value, even if you leave the function with an EXIT FUNCTION statement. This behavior is correctly exhibited by programs compiled with BC.EXE.
However, when you attempt the same procedure in the QB.EXE or QBX.EXE environment, a STATIC FUNCTION fails to retain its value in multiple invocations, and incorrectly returns a 0 (zero) or null string, depending on the type of the function.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the QB.EXE environment of Microsoft QuickBasic versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50; in the QB.EXE environment of Microsoft Basic Compiler versions 6.00 and 6.00b (buglist6.00, buglist6.00b); and in the QBX.EXE environment of Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 (buglist7.00, buglist7.10). We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
MORE INFORMATION
The following sample program demonstrates the problem:
x% = staticfun%(1)
PRINT x% ' Should print 5.
x% = staticfun%(0)
PRINT x% ' Should print 5.
END
FUNCTION staticfun%(parm%) STATIC
IF parm% = 0 THEN
EXIT FUNCTION
ELSE
staticfun% = 5
END IF
END FUNCTION
When this program is compiled with BC.EXE, it correctly prints the values 5 and 5. From inside the QuickBasic QB.EXE or QBX.EXE environment, it incorrectly prints 5 and 0.
Additional query words: QuickBas BasicCom buglist4.00 buglist4.00b buglist4.50
Keywords: KB46180
