Contributor: MIKE PHILLIPS { EH> But if it isn't a VAR parameter it IS copied afterwards (out of the EH> manual, Inside Turbo Pascal): Value parameters are passed by value or EH> by reference depending on the size and type of the parameter. (deleted EH> when passed by value). Otherwise a pointer to the value is pushed and EH> the procedure or function THEN COPIES the value into a LOCAL storage EH> location. (my capitalisation) Yeah, well that's fine and dandy in theory, but... EH> So the startup code of the procedure WILL make local copies of all EH> "non-VAR" parameters that are passed "by reference". get a load of this. } program crypt; procedure cipher2 (s:string; dest:string); assembler; asm push ds; lds si, s; les di, dest; lodsb; stosb; mov cl, al; xor ch, ch; @@EncryptionLoop: lodsb; rol al, 2; stosb; loop @@EncryptionLoop; pop ds; end; procedure decipher2 (s:string; dest:string); assembler; asm push ds; lds si, s; les di, dest; lodsb; stosb; mov cl, al; xor ch, ch; @@EncryptionLoop: lodsb; ror al, 2; stosb; loop @@EncryptionLoop; pop ds; end; var notsecret, notsecret2, secret:string; begin notsecret:='This is the secret stuff.'; writeln; writeln('This should NOT be encrypted: "'+notsecret+'"'); cipher2 (notsecret, secret); writeln('This SHOULD be encrypted....: "'+secret+'"'); decipher2 (secret, notsecret2); writeln('This SHOULD NOT be encrypted....: "'+notsecret2+'"'); end.