Bit Data Types

TYPE and UNION structures may contain bit variables, which are named BIT (unsigned values) or SBIT (signed values). Each bit variable may occupy from 1 to 31 bits. When used in a TYPE, bit variables are packed one after another up to a total of 32 bits per bit field. When used in a UNION, all bit variables overlay each other, starting at the first bit position.

Bit variables may only be used as TYPE or UNION members, not as scalar, array, or pointer variables. The size of a bit variable is defined as:

var AS BIT * nlit [IN BYTE|WORD|DWORD]

where the term "* nlit" defines the number of bits (1 to 31), and the optional term "IN BYTE|WORD|DWORD", if present, defines the start of a new bit field of 1, 2, or 4 bytes.

TYPE abcd

valu AS BIT * 31 IN DWORD

sign AS SBIT * 1

nybl2 AS BIT * 4 IN BYTE

nybl1 AS BIT * 4

END TYPE

The example type above is 5 bytes in size, containing a 4-byte bit field and a 1-byte bit field. In this case, each contain 2 bit variables of varying size. The range of values which may be stored depends upon the number of bits available. For example, "BIT * 4" has a range of 0 to 15, "SBIT * 1" has a range of -1 to 0, and "SBIT * 5" has a range of -16 to +15. BIT and SBIT variables may not be used with SHIFT or ROTATE statements.

UNION abcde

Part1 AS BIT * 8 IN DWORD

Part2 AS BIT * 16

END UNION

The example union above is 2 bytes in size, containing an 8-bit field and an overlapping 16-bit field.

See Also

TYPE/END TYPE block

UNION/END UNION statements