fpc/compiler

This directory contains the sources of the Free Pascal Compiler

To recompile the compiler, use the batch file
mppc386.bat

If you want to build a m68k version to cross compile from i386 to m68k
use the batch file
mppc68k.bat

If you want to compile/modify the compiler, please read first the
programmers manual.


Changes in the syntax or semantic of FPC:
-----------------------------------------
28/01/99 implicit conversion from boolean to integer is not possible
anymore (solved several bugs) but this could lead to errors
on previously accepted code (PM)
01/02/99 c styled comments are supported (/* ... */), mainly
for the Sibyl sources of Medigo (FK)
02/02/99 class destructors take now two parameters: flag
if the helper routine should free the instance and
self pointer (FK)
22/02/99 PROTECTED and PRIVATE have now the same behavior
as in TP
09/03/99 small records and arrays passed by value to a function are now directly copied
into a 4 bytes parameter (needed for C and DLL calls) (PM)
11/03/99 the makefile.fpc is now also needed for the compiler and RTL, you can
find it in the base.zip package (PFV)
24/03/99 new directives UNITPATH,INCLUDEPATH,OBJECTPATH,LIBRARYPATH to
set the searchpaths where to find the files for that module (PFV)
25/03/99 new directive STATIC +/- or on/off , works like -St commandline
switch
02/04/99 rtl/cfg/ directory has been removed, it's not used anymore
15/04/99 FINALIZATION is supported
21/04/99 Default assembler for i386 changed to AT&T instead of direct
25/04/99 initialized vars supported in Delphi mode (only $J+ mode)
getting the address of an untyped const is now
forbidden as in BP
27/04/99 New unit format PPU016, you need to recompile all older units
01/05/99 Internal assembler. Assembler readers now support MMX,KNI
instructions.
12/05/99 rtl/utils/ directory moved to utils/. Moved the utils only needed
for compiler development to compiler/utils/
13/05/99 Classes are now only allowed in the ObjFpc or Delphi mode. Use
{$mode objfpc} or {$mode delphi}. Or from commandline -S2 or -Sd
16/05/99 Remove options -Up (use now -Fu) and -Fg (use now -Fl)
17/05/99 Redesign of ansistring temporary handling, please report
any problems
17/05/99 Most stuff of the objpas unit is now in the system unit
because the new temporary ansistring handling support
exceptions and exceptions need the class OOP model
18/05/99 The compiler will stop directly if there are errors in the
commandline parameters
16/08/99 DLL are relocatable by default (need to strip symbols)
-WN make non relocatable DLL (which can retain debug info)
for both type of DLL the prefered image base can be specified
with -WB1100000 for instance to get image base at $11000000.
08/09/99 pointer addition/substraction (only available in fpc,objfpc mode)
now uses the size of the type the pointer points to, just like
inc(),dec() already did. Now inc(p) is the same as p:=p+1.
But old code can be broken by this when there is a p:=p+4 then
it's now parsed like: p:=p+4*sizeof(type). To get the old situation
you can use typecasting: p:=ptype(pointer(p)+4).
08/09/99 class/object field return their offsets in the object/class. You
must access them self with loading the object/class pointer and
then create a reference where you add the field
07/11/99 Small change to property writing in PPU => all units
exporting classes with properties must be recompiled
(no new unit format, so be careful) (FK)
08/11/99 PP variable in Makefiles changed to FPC
14/11/99 makefile.fpc is not available anymore. You must now use fpcmake
which is available from the utils/. There is also an example
Makefile.fpc