topic Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64 in Intel® Fortran Compiler

Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Bryan_H_1 — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:18:58 GMT

The IFX compiler is not showing common blocks in the debugger watch window. The code below shows DATA.Var1 as expected in the Visual Studio watch window.

PROGRAM WatchTest

STRUCTURE /S_DATA /
REAL Var1
END STRUCTURE

!COMMON /C_DATA/ DATA
RECORD /S_DATA/ DATA

DATA.Var1 = 5.0

END PROGRAM

However, if I remove the "!" to activate the COMMON block the DATA.Var1 does not show in the Visual Studio watch window. Instead, it gives me "Invalid structure member 'Var1'".

I am using:

Intel Fortran Compiler 2024.1

Visual Studio 17.11.4

Thanks.

HAPPY_x86_Commonblock_WatchlistTestSAD_x64_CommonBlock_WatchListTestHAPPY_x64_NoCommonBlock_WatchListTest

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Ron_Green — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 21:43:46 GMT

You may have a fundamental misunderstanding of named common. Common defines a storage area with global scope. It is NOT a derived type or structure. for COMMON / C_DATA /, the variable VAR1 is NOT a component, since DATA is not a structure.

I am surprised this even compiled for you. I am using a prebuild of 2025.0 and ifx rejects your syntax

Data.Var1 = 5.0

with a compiler error #6535 "This variable or component must be of derived or structure type".

For Data in C_COMMON the syntax should be

Var1 = 5.0

Correct understand of the common declaration you have is this:

There is a global storage area named "C_DATA".

In this storage area is a kind REAL variable named "Var1" that you can reference as "Var1".

It is not a structure.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Bryan_H_1 — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:07:15 GMT

Hi Ron,

Thanks for your time. I see my example was poorly chosen. Please consider the updated example below. It tries to follow the partial sample in the intel help: COMMON (intel.com),

The help does show that common blocks can include structured types. This does run and work, the only issue is that the debugger in IFX isn't able to resolve club(1).a in the watch window.

If the example below is still not an acceptable use of COMMON, an example of the correct use of structures in COMMON blocks is greatly appreciated.

PROGRAM MAIN

STRUCTURE /member/
REAL a
END STRUCTURE

RECORD /member/ club(50)
COMMON /blocka/ club

club(1).a = 5.0

WRITE(*,*) club(1).a

END PROGRAM

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

andrew_4619 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:40:15 GMT

program main type :: member sequence real a end type type(member) :: club(50) common /blocka/ club club(1)%a = 5.0 write(*,*) club(1)%a end program

Out of curiosity I rewrote the sample in conforming Fortran removing the ancient and non-standard STRUCTURE/RECORD syntax to see if that was part of the problem. I can conform that club(1)%a cannot be watched in the debugger. As noted by the OP commenting out line 9 , the common definition enables club(1)%a to be watched. I would suggest this is a bug in the integrations it works in IFORT btw.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Devorah_H_Intel — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:46:53 GMT

I will investigate this further and update you. Thank you for your report. @Bryan_H_1 @andrew_4619

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

andrew_4619 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:50:47 GMT

I should have noted also that the IFORT/IFX tests were both 64 bit.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Bryan_H_1 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:23:16 GMT

Hi Devorah,

Are there any status updates you can share, or any issue/bug tracking link I can follow? Thanks.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Devorah_H_Intel — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 23:06:25 GMT

@Bryan_H_1 wrote:

Hi Devorah,

Are there any status updates you can share, or any issue/bug tracking link I can follow? Thanks.

The compiler engineering team is fixing the case. The fix is targeted for the 2025.1 version of the compiler since it is too late for the 2025.0 release.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Bryan_H_1 — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 22:15:27 GMT

Approximately when will 2025.1 be released?

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Ron_Green — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 22:36:16 GMT

End of March hopefully, else early April

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

JohnNichols — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 19:52:22 GMT

program main implicit none type :: member sequence real a end type type(member) :: club(50) common /blocka/ club real g club(1)%a = 5.0 g = club(1)%a write(*,*) club(1)%a end program

A simple workaround.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

JohnNichols — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 19:56:00 GMT

program main implicit none type :: member sequence real a end type type(member) :: club(50) real g club(1)%a = 5.0 g = club(1)%a write(*,*) club(1)%a end program

This also works and avoids using commons that are not a good idea now.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

andrew_4619 — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:17:16 GMT

The "workaround" misses the point of the post. Yes I fully agree that commons are not part of a modern robust approach I have not used common for over 20 years. However of all the reasons a user might have for refactoring a huge existing codebase to remove commons I am not convinced that the debugger not quite working correctly in displaying some common vars is one of the best reasons. ASSOCIATE might be a better "workaround" as it does not involve copying data to local vars.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

JohnNichols — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 21:35:01 GMT

No, the original author indicated the problem. They can wait for the Intel Solution, and do nothing useful with watch or

they can use a local assignment, which is one way or an associate which I agree is a slightly cooler solution and one the infamous mece-j4 taught me many years ago, paying homage to the Great Queen song, In the year of '39.

Do they need a quick fix or a long fix?

After playing with a lot of modules, etc, I can now see the common's concept sneaking back into C#.

But commons have problems.

Re: Visual Studio watch window works for common blocks in x86 but not for x64

Bryan_H_1 — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:14:53 GMT

Retested with 2025.1 and this issue is now fixed. My thanks to all involved.