system.pas (Was `Word' data type et al)

Thu, 19 Jun 1997 13:39:17 +0100 (BST)

On Thu, 19 Jun 1997 03:22:55 +0200 Frank Heckenbach  
wrote:

[...]
>The African Chief wrote:
>
>> >> {$ifdef _Borland_16_Bit_}
>> >
>> >Is this defined by default in your unit?
>>
>> No. The definition is commented out (with a dot before the "$")
>>
>> > (Otherwise it might be confusing for BP->gpc programmers.)
>>
>> BP->GPC programmers (like me) may want BP syntax support,
>> but not necessarily want to use 16-bit data structures instead
>> of the default ones. It is quite easy to remove the dot.
>
>Ok, so by default the unit uses data types like BP, but it can be
>changed, right? 

I am not sure I understand what you mean. However, the idea is
this. GPC is a 32-bit compiler that wants to support the BP syntax;
so we try to do support the *syntax* - thereby helping BP folks to
move their programs to 32-bit.; so we keep the data structures in
their 32-bit format - but, if, for some reason, a person who wants
to move his 16-bit programs to 32-bit with GPC still wants his
data types to be exactly as they are in a 16-bit compiler, then he
has to remove a dot on one line in the unit wherein the data types
are defined, and recompile his program.

>BTW: I just took a look at BPCompat1.0. Just a few quick comments:
>
>- How about some sub-directories (perhaps according to the 5 sections
>  of files in *.txt)? Would help in order to see immediately what's
>  needed for "only" BP compatibility, and what's additional
>  functionality.

Yes, that will happen in the next release.

>- Concerning FindFirst and FindNext in Dos: is there any reason why
>  they're functions, not procedures? 

> Delphi? 

Yes.

> If so, perhaps dependent on a compiler switch? 

At present, no.

> (Is there a way to test in a program, if  "--borland-pascal" or 
> "--delphi" was given?) 

I know of none.

> Otherwise, you'll always
>  get warnings in BP programs (and I don't think it's a good idea to
>  disable warnings globally).

True enough. In BP, when {$X+} is used, you can use functions just
like procedures. Perhaps Peter can add this to GPC as well, so that
no warning is generated in such instances? If this happens, then we
don't need to turn off warnings.

>- If you want to use my random functions in System, you're welcome to
>  include them, of course. (Perhaps one day we can claim "100% BP
>  compatibility -- even the random numbers are the same..." ;-).

Okay, thanks. I will see if I can add it. AFAICR your unit uses some ASM
statements. Are we sure that ASM code in GPC will stand the test of time?
(I have some programs which use a lot of 8086 asm code, and it is
impossible to port these to Delphi 2 ...).

>  As a preliminary solution for the overloading problem, one could use
>  the (case-sensitive!) preprocessor, as by defining
>  "{$define random RandReal}". Then "random" would be for real types,
>  and all other cases for integers. (Or perhaps vice versa? Or all-caps?)
>  At least, programs could be the same for BP and gpc in this respect. :-)

The problem with $define is that it does not export from units. Will
this be a problem?

Best regards, The Chief 
Dr Abimbola A. Olowofoyeku (The African Chief, and the Great Elephant)
Author of:  Chief's Installer Pro v3.60 for Win16 and Win32.
Homepage:  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/African_Chief/
E-mail: laa12@cc.keele.ac.uk


The African Chief (laa12@cc.keele.ac.uk)