Field
Specifies field alignment.
Syntax
`
Type|Union typename Field = { 1 | 2 | 4 }
...
End Type|Union
`
Description
`Field` can be used to pack `Types` or `Unions` more tightly than the default layout. The most commonly used value is `Field = 1`, which causes the `Type` or `Union` to be packed as tightly as possible, without any padding bytes being added between the fields or at the end of the `Type`. `Field` can only be used to decrease field alignment, but it cannot be used to increase it. In order to add padding bytes, a `Union` with appropriate members could be used instead.
Example
`
Type bitmap_header Field = 1
bfType As UShort
bfsize As UInteger
bfReserved1 As UShort
bfReserved2 As UShort
bfOffBits As UInteger
biSize As UInteger
biWidth As UInteger
biHeight As UInteger
biPlanes As UShort
biBitCount As UShort
biCompression As UInteger
biSizeImage As UInteger
biXPelsPerMeter As UInteger
biYPelsPerMeter As UInteger
biClrUsed As UInteger
biClrImportant As UInteger
End Type
Dim bmp_header As bitmap_header
'Open up bmp.bmp and get its header data:
'Note: Will not work without a bmp.bmp to load . . .
Open "bmp.bmp" For Binary As #1
Get #1, , bmp_header
Close #1
Print bmp_header.biWidth, bmp_header.biHeight
Sleep
`
Dialect Differences

- In the -lang qb dialect, the compiler assumes `Field = 1` by default, if no other `Field` was specified, causing all structures to be tightly packed, without added padding, as in QB.

Differences from QB

- In QB `Field` was used to define fields in a file buffer at run time. This feature is not implemented in FB, so the keyword has been redefined. To define fields in a file buffer, `Types` must be used.

See also

- `Type`
- `Union`
- Structure packing/field alignment