Extra Characters on Line
ID Number:  Q11194

3.00 4.00
MS-DOS
buglist4.00 fixlist5.00 

Problem:

I have noticed that when INCLUDE files are created with WORDSTAR, the
assembler gives the error message "Extra characters on line" due to
the padding of CTRL-Zs added to the end of the file by the editor. 

Response:

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Version 4.00. This
problem was corrected in Version 5.00.

The following is a method to patch MASM Version 4.00 using DEBUG to
correct the problem: 

1. Copy MASM.EXE MASM.SAV (to make a backup).

2. Rename MASM.EXE MASM.FIX (DEBUG.COM cannot write .EXE).

3. Debug MASM.FIX.

      A. D 72B8 L 22 (should see 34 bytes of 00)
      B. E 72B8
   ENTER THESE BYTES: 8B 1E D6 09 C6 06 C0 01 00 E9 75 02 C4 57 06 FE
   06 C0 01 E9 74 02 80 7C FF 1A 74 03 E9 9D 02 4E
   EB F4
      C. U 7535 L 1 (should see "MOV BX,[09D6]")
      D. E 7535
   ENTER THESE BYTES: E9 80 FD
      E. U 753F L 1 (should see "LES DX,[BX+06]")
      F. E 753F
   ENTER THESE BYTES: E9 82 FD
      G. U 756D L 1 (should see "CMP BYTE PTR [SI-01],1A")
      H. E 756D
   ENTER THESE BYTES: E9 5E FD
      I. W (to write changes to MASM.FIX)
      J. Q (to exit DEBUG)

4. Rename MASM.FIX MASM.EXE.

5. Test MASM.EXE to ensure changes have been made correctly. If
   not, copy MASM.SAV to MASM.EXE and try again. 
