Hi,
as you might know, GPC supports "defines" for two purposes, as conditionals for `ifdef' etc. (like some other Pascal compilers do), and as macros (like the C preprocessor).
However, currently they're case-sensitive (like in C) which is different from other Pascal compilers (e.g., Borland Pascal) and generally not very "Pascalish", so I want to introduce case-insensitive defines. But there are also a few valid uses for case-sensitive defines, so I'd like to keep both.
Actually, I've already done most of the work. The question that remains is about the syntax. Currently, GPC understands:
#define foo -- inherited from the C preprocessor, but not recommended
{$d foo} -- we plan to change this. More precisely, we want to drop all the one-letter directives except those compatible to BP as well as $M (not the same as in BP, but no problem as it will only write a harmless message for the BP memory directives which are unnecessary in GPC) and $W (warnings -- quite widely used).
{$define foo} -- this is what BP uses.
So for BP compatibility, we should probably make {$define} case-insensitive, and rename {$d} to something longer and leave it case-sensitive.
Any suggestions? I thought of maybe {$def}, but this wouldn't make the difference to {$define} very clear. OTOH, something like {$define-case-sensitive} would make it clear, but it's very long. Peter has suggested {$cdefine} (c for `C' or for `case'). We're not very fond of either of them, perhaps someone has got a better idea...
Frank
Hi,
What about command line defines, as
gpc -DPostScript ...
would it be case sensitive ? I would prefer no, but is there any problem ?
Maurice
On Wed, 5 Apr 2000, Frank Heckenbach wrote:
Any suggestions? I thought of maybe {$def}, but this wouldn't make ... very fond of either of them, perhaps someone has got a better
Hmmmm... How 'bout {$definecs foo} ? Unless you use {$define-case-sensitive foo}, the docs are going to have to explain what it is anyway.
See ya! Orlando Llanes
"Meine Damen und Herren, Elvis hat soeben das Gebaeude verlassen!"
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all the one-letter directives except those compatible to BP as well as $M (not the same as in BP, but no problem as it will only write a harmless message for the BP memory directives which are unnecessary in GPC) and $W (warnings -- quite widely used).
{$define foo} -- this is what BP uses.
Vote in favour :-)
FPC and Delphi also do this, so since you do this because of consistancy, why not go the entire way :-)
Marco van de Voort (MarcoV@Stack.nl) http://www.stack.nl/~marcov/xtdlib.htm
Marco van de Voort wrote:
{$define foo} -- this is what BP uses.
Vote in favour :-)
FPC and Delphi also do this, so since you do this because of consistancy, why not go the entire way :-)
This is not the problem. {$define foo} will be the case-insensitive version as it is in BP, FPC, and Delphi.
The problem is how to call the case-sensitive version.
Peter
On 5 Apr 2000, at 19:07, Frank Heckenbach wrote:
I thought of maybe {$def}, but this wouldn't make the difference to {$define} very clear.
Agreed, it would look like an abbreviation, rather than a semantically different command.
OTOH, something like {$define-case-sensitive} would make it clear, but it's very long.
{$define-cs} would be OK (better than {$definecs} only because the "cs" part stands out better with the hyphen).
Peter has suggested {$cdefine} (c for `C' or for `case').
That makes me think of a "define something having to do with the C language" rather than "define with case sensitivity." But that might be OK too, because it can also mean, "define with C preprocessor semantics," i.e., case sensitivity.
So I'd suggest either {$define-cs} or {$cdefine}. The more I think of {$cdefine}, however, the more I like it!
-- Dave
On 5 Apr 00, at 19:07, Frank Heckenbach wrote:
Hi,
as you might know, GPC supports "defines" for two purposes, as conditionals for `ifdef' etc. (like some other Pascal compilers do), and as macros (like the C preprocessor).
However, currently they're case-sensitive (like in C) which is different from other Pascal compilers (e.g., Borland Pascal) and generally not very "Pascalish", so I want to introduce case-insensitive defines. But there are also a few valid uses for case-sensitive defines, so I'd like to keep both.
Actually, I've already done most of the work. The question that remains is about the syntax. Currently, GPC understands:
#define foo -- inherited from the C preprocessor, but not recommended
Why not use {$define} for case insensitive and #define for case sensitive ? Since case-sensitivity is a C thing, we might as well keep #define (which is also a C thing) for that purpose. Advantage? It avoids the introduction of new constructs.
Best regards, The Chief ----- Dr Abimbola A Olowofoyeku (The African Chief) Email: African_Chief@bigfoot.com Author of Chief's Installer Pro v5.22 for Win32 http://www.bigfoot.com/~African_Chief/chief32.htm
Dr A Olowofoyeku wrote:
Why not use {$define} for case insensitive and #define for case sensitive ? Since case-sensitivity is a C thing, we might as well keep #define (which is also a C thing) for that purpose. Advantage? It avoids the introduction of new constructs.
I see the advantages. But in fact we want to get rid of unpascalish things such as #define and promote alternatives like {$define}.
Peter
On 7 Apr 00, at 0:53, Peter Gerwinski wrote:
Dr A Olowofoyeku wrote:
Why not use {$define} for case insensitive and #define for case sensitive ? Since case-sensitivity is a C thing, we might as well keep #define (which is also a C thing) for that purpose. Advantage? It avoids the introduction of new constructs.
I see the advantages. But in fact we want to get rid of unpascalish things such as #define and promote alternatives like {$define}.
I see. In this case I vote for {$csdefine} ('Case Sensitive Define') or {$cdefine}.
Best regards, The Chief ----- Dr Abimbola A Olowofoyeku (The African Chief) Email: African_Chief@bigfoot.com Author of Chief's Installer Pro v5.22 for Win32 http://www.bigfoot.com/~African_Chief/chief32.htm
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Dr A Olowofoyeku -
Frank Heckenbach -
J. David Bryan -
Marco van de Voort -
Maurice Lombardi -
Orlando Llanes -
Peter Gerwinski