The conversion kit

Coming from PowerBASIC - 64-bit migration checklist

PBXB64 produces 64-bit code, so a few PowerBASIC habits change. This page carries the complete checklist from the V23 product page. The rules are documentation/source evidence; no new compiler or functional test was run for this publication.

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Checklist

Topic	PBXB64 V23 behaviour
LONG	8 bytes (64-bit). Use SDWORD / LONG32 where a 32-bit value is required (Win32 `int`).
INTEGER	2 bytes since V23 (was 8). See `MIGRATION_V23_INTEGER_TYPES.md`. For old 64-bit data use QUAD.
Handles and pointers	Use QUAD or a PTR type. DWORD truncates 64-bit values.
Constants	Out-of-range constants are compile errors (PB_FRONTEND-8531); run-time stores wrap. `CUINT8(300)` = 44.
TYPE size	A default TYPE is padded to a multiple of 8 (a 12-byte payload gives SIZEOF 16). `TYPE name QWORD FILL` gives the exact C sizeof.
DECLARE ... LIB	Win32 `int` parameters and results as SDWORD, handles as QUAD (sample 10).
Memory	`ALLOCATE`; `FREE` is a function; `PEEK`/`POKE` use 64-bit addresses (sample 4).
Pointers	`@p` dereferences; `p = p + 1` advances by target size. `@p[i]` is not valid.
Includes	Use `-I Includes` and `#INCLUDE "windows_core.pbi"`; the legacy Win32API include set is not shipped.
SUB parameters	Default BYREF (observed).
Division	`/` on integers is true division (7/2 = 3.5); `(5>3)` = -1.
Threads	The `THREAD CREATE` target must be a FUNCTION (sample 6).
EXE size / imports	About 75 KB for hello world; imports only Windows DLLs.

Concrete migration patterns

These patterns illustrate the documented width and API rules. They are guidance, not newly executed qualification tests.

INTEGER records

TYPE OldRec
    id AS QUAD
    count AS QUAD
END TYPE
TYPE NewRec
    id AS INTEGER
    count AS INTEGER
END TYPE

' Narrow deliberately at the migration boundary.
n.id = o.id
n.count = CINT(o.count AND &HFFFF)

Win32-style declarations

' Win32 int is 32-bit; a handle is pointer-sized.
DECLARE FUNCTION GetValue LIB "example.dll" () AS SDWORD
DECLARE FUNCTION OpenThing LIB "example.dll" (BYVAL name AS STRING) AS QUAD

Pointer arithmetic

LOCAL p AS BYTE PTR
p = ALLOCATE(64)
POKE BYTE, p, 1
p = p + 1
ignored = FREE(p - 1)

Historical V23 example

PBXB64.exe 03_migration.bas -o 03_migration.exe

id = 7 | count =-25536
INTEGER range:-32768 .. 32767 | w =-1
CUINT8(300) = 44

The original page records this sample as compiled and run with PBXB64 V23 on 5 October 2026. That historical receipt is preserved; this detail page adds no new execution claim.