> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guide.cronuszen.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guide.cronuszen.com/gpcscripting/gpc-script-guide/learn-gpc/raw-data-section.md).

# Raw data section

`data(...)` stores immutable bytes at the start of the compiled virtual data space:

{% code title="raw-data-section.gpc" %}

```cpp
data(20, 42, 35, 255, 1, 100, 0, 86);

int signed_value;
int unsigned_value;

main {
    signed_value = dint8(3);    // -1 from byte 0xFF
    unsigned_value = duint8(3); // 255
}
```

{% endcode %}

`data(...)` also accepts values wider than one byte. The compiler splits a wider value into multiple bytes and warns because every later byte offset moves:

| Source value range                         | Storage on the current Zen target | Warning                  |
| ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------: | ------------------------ |
| `-128..255`                                |                            1 byte | None for width           |
| `-32768..65535` outside the one-byte range |                           2 bytes | Later indexes shift by 1 |
| Values outside the two-byte range          |                           4 bytes | Later indexes shift by 3 |

{% code title="raw-data-widths.gpc" %}

```cpp
data(0x12, 0x1234, 0x12345678);

int byte_value;
int word_value;
int dword_value;

main {
    byte_value = duint8(0);
    word_value = duint16(1);
    dword_value = dint32(3);
}
```

{% endcode %}

If exact packed bytes matter, spelling out each byte is easier to audit and avoids accidental offset changes.

Live readers:

| Reader           | Bytes | Interpretation  |
| ---------------- | ----: | --------------- |
| `dint8(index)`   |     1 | signed 8-bit    |
| `duint8(index)`  |     1 | unsigned 8-bit  |
| `dint16(index)`  |     2 | signed 16-bit   |
| `duint16(index)` |     2 | unsigned 16-bit |
| `dint32(index)`  |     4 | signed 32-bit   |

Indexes are **byte offsets**. A wider entry shifts every following offset. Prefer compiler-managed const arrays for ordinary tables; use raw data when exact packed layout is the point.


---

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