Assembly Language Help (alang.hlp) (Table of Contents; Topic list)
Start a Data Segment
 Example                                   Up Contents Index Back
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
  Syntax:   .DATA
 
            .DATA?
 
  See also: .FARDATA, Uninitialized Data Placeholder (?), .MODEL, .CODE,
            .CONST, .STACK, @data, @DataSize, Table of Memory Models
 
  Description:
 
     The .DATA directive starts the initialized data segment (with
     segment name _DATA) and ends the previous segment, if any. The
     .DATA segment should contain all global data that have initial
     values.
 
     The .DATA? directive starts the uninitialized data segment (with
     segment name _BSS) and ends the previous segment, if any. Place all
     uninitialized data in the .DATA? segment.
 
     Although uninitialized data can be placed in the .DATA segment by
     declaring data with the ? operator, use the .DATA? directive to
     minimize the size of the .EXE file and to maximize compatibility
     with other languages.
 
     The .MODEL directive must precede these directives. It generates a
     GROUP statement that places _DATA and _BSS in DGROUP.
                                    -♦-