Q38163: /DOSSEG Link Switch Fails to Make CodeView .exe

Article: Q38163
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 2.20 2.30
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 9-AUG-1989

Question:

CodeView is failing on an .exe produced using the /DOSSEG linker
switch. CodeView responded to an attempt to run with this .exe
with a "not enough space" diagnostic. What is the problem?

Response:

The modules below demonstrate the problem. In this case, compiling the
C source module and assembling the MASM source module with the
appropriate CodeView switches, then linking with the /CO /DO switches
generates a bad .exe. The problem is that CodeView displays source
with extended ASCII characters.

To work around this problem, put .DOSSEG in the MASM modules
being linked, and omit the /DO switch rather that trying to
force the linker to do the work. Also, switching the order of
the linker switches may solve the problem.

The following example demonstrates the problem:

#include <stdio.h>
main ()
  {
  long int getds(void), getdsq(void);
  printf("ds.DATA  = %lX\nds.DATA? = %lX\n",getds(),getdsq());
  }

**************************************************************
;        DOSSEG could be put here
        .MODEL  small
        .DATA
array   dd      0
        .DATA?
arrayq  dd      ?
        .CODE
        PUBLIC  _getds,_getdsq
_getds  PROC
        mov     ax,SEG array
        mov     dx,ds
        ret
_getds  ENDP
_getdsq PROC
        mov     ax,SEG arrayq
        mov     dx,ds
        ret
_getdsq ENDP
        END