The GNU Pascal Manual

Short Contents

• GNU Pascal
• Welcome to GNU Pascal ...
• Some of GPC's most interesting features.
• New Features of GNU Pascal.
• The GNU Pascal Frequently Asked Questions List.
• How to download, compile and install GNU Pascal.
• Command Line Options supported by GNU Pascal.
• The Programmer's Guide to GPC
• A QuickStart Guide from Borland Pascal to GNU Pascal.
• The Alphabetical GPC Language Reference
• Pascal keywords and operators supported by GNU Pascal.
• Where to get support for GNU Pascal; how to report bugs.
• The GNU Pascal To-Do List.
• The GPC Source Reference
• GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
• GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
• GNU FREE DOCUMENTATION LICENSE
• DEMO COPYING
• Contributors to GNU Pascal.
• Resources For Use With GPC.
• The GNU Project.
• GPC Index

Table of Contents

• GNU Pascal
• Welcome to GNU Pascal ...
• Some of GPC's most interesting features.
• New Features of GNU Pascal.
• The GNU Pascal Frequently Asked Questions List.
  • GNU Pascal
    • What and why?
    • What is the current version?
    • Is it compatible with Turbo Pascal (R)?
    • Which platforms are supported by GNU Pascal?
  • Installing GPC
    • What to read next
    • Which components do I need to compile Pascal code?
    • How do I debug my Pascal programs?
    • What additional libraries should I have?
    • Contributed units
    • Can you recommend an IDE?
  • GNU Pascal on the DJGPP (MS-DOS) platform
    • What is DJGPP?
    • If you need more information
    • What do I download?
    • How do I install the compiler?
    • I cannot read the Info documentation!
    • GPC says: no DPMI
    • I have troubles with assembly code
    • Tell me how to do DPMI, BIOS and other DOS related things.
    • I got an exception when accessing an array [1 .. 4000000] of Byte.
  • Strings
    • What's this confusion about strings?
    • Overlaying strings in variant records
    • Why does s[0] not contain the length?
    • Watch out when using strings as parameters
    • Support for BP compatible short strings
    • What about C strings?
  • Getting Help
  • Miscellaneous
    • I want to contribute; where do I start?
    • Where is the GNU Pascal web site?
    • About this FAQ
• How to download, compile and install GNU Pascal.
  • Where and what to download
  • Installation instructions for a GPC binary distribution
  • Compiling GPC
  • Compilation notes for specific platforms
    • MS-DOS with DJGPP
    • MS-DOS or OS/2 with EMX
    • MS Windows 95/98/NT
  • Building and Installing a cross-compiler
  • Crossbuilding a compiler
• Command Line Options supported by GNU Pascal.
  • GPC options besides those of GCC.
  • The most commonly used options to GPC
• The Programmer's Guide to GPC
  • Source Structures
    • The Source Structure of Programs
    • Label Declaration
    • Constant Declaration
    • Type Declaration
    • Variable Declaration
    • Subroutine Declaration
      • The Procedure
      • The Function
      • The Operator
      • Subroutine Parameter List Declaration
    • Statements
      • Assignment
      • begin end Compound Statement
      • if Statement
      • case Statement
      • for Statement
      • while Statement
      • repeat Statement
      • asm Inline
      • with Statement
      • goto Statement
      • Procedure Call
      • The Declaring Statement
      • Loop Control Statements
    • Import Part and Module/Unit Concept
      • The Source Structure of ISO 10206 Extended Pascal Modules
      • The Source Structure of UCSD/Borland Pascal Units
  • Data Types
    • Type Definition
    • Ordinal Types
    • Integer Types
      • The CPU's Natural Integer Types
      • The Main Branch of Integer Types
      • Integer Types with Specified Size
      • Integer Types and Compatibility
      • Summary of Integer Types
    • Built-in Real (Floating Point) Types
    • Strings Types
    • Character Types
    • Enumerated Types
    • File Types
    • Boolean (Intrinsic)
    • Pointer (Intrinsic)
    • Type Definition Possibilities
      • Subrange Types
      • Array Types
      • Record Types
      • Variant Records
      • EP's Schema Types including String
      • Set Types
      • Pointer Types
      • Procedural and Functional Types
      • Object Types
      • Initial values to type denoters
      • Restricted Types
    • Machine-dependencies in Types
      • Endianness
      • Alignment
  • Operators
    • Built-in Operators
    • User-defined Operators
  • Procedure And Function Parameters
    • Parameters declared as protected or const
    • The Standard way to pass arrays of variable size
    • BP's alternative to Conformant Arrays
  • Accessing parts of strings (and other arrays)
  • Pointer Arithmetics
  • Type Casts
  • Object-Oriented Programming
  • Compiler Directives And The Preprocessor
  • Routines Built-in or in the Run Time System
    • File Routines
    • String Operations
    • Accessing Command Line Arguments
    • Memory Management Routines
    • Operations for Integer and Ordinal Types
    • Complex Number Operations
    • Set Operations
    • Date And Time Routines
  • Interfacing with Other Languages
    • Importing Libraries from Other Languages
    • Exporting GPC Libraries to Other Languages
  • Notes for Debugging
  • Pascal declarations for GPC's Run Time System
  • Units included with GPC
    • BP compatibility: CRT & WinCRT, portable, with many extensions
    • BP compatibility: Dos
    • Overcome some differences between Dos and Unix
    • Higher level file and directory handling
    • Arithmetic with unlimited size and precision
    • Turbo Power compatibility, etc.
    • Primitive heap checking
    • Internationalization
    • MD5 Message Digests
    • BP compatibility: Overlay
    • Start a child process, connected with pipes, also on Dos
    • BP compatibility (partly): Port, PortW arrays
    • BP compatibility: Printer, portable
    • Regular Expression matching and substituting
    • BP compatibility: Strings
    • Higher level string handling
    • BP compatibility: System
    • Some text file tricks
    • Trap runtime errors
    • BP compatibility: Turbo3
    • BP compatibility: WinDos
  • How to use I18N in own programs
• A QuickStart Guide from Borland Pascal to GNU Pascal.
  • BP Compatibility
  • BP Incompatibilities
    • String type
    • Qualified identifiers
    • Assembler
    • Move; FillChar
    • Real type
    • Graph unit
    • OOP units
    • Keep; GetIntVec; SetIntVec
    • TFDDs
    • Mem; Port; Ptr; Seg; Ofs; PrefixSeg; etc.
    • Endianness assumptions
    • - -borland-pascal - disable GPC extensions
    • -w - disable all warnings
    • - -uses=System - Swap; HeapError; etc.
    • -D__BP_TYPE_SIZES__ - small integer types etc.
    • - -pack-struct - disable structure alignment
    • -D__BP_RANDOM__ - BP compatible pseudo random number generator
    • -D__BP_UNPORTABLE_ROUTINES__ - Intr; DosVersion; etc.
    • -D__BP_PARAMSTR_0__ - BP compatible ParamStr (0) behaviour
  • IDE versus command line
  • Comments
  • BP Compatible Compiler Directives
  • Units, GPI files and Automake
  • Optimization
  • Debugging
  • Objects
  • Strings in BP and GPC
  • Typed Constants
  • Bit, Byte and Memory Manipulation
  • User-defined Operators in GPC
  • Data Types in BP and GPC
  • BP Procedural Types
  • Files
  • Built-in Constants
  • Built-in Operators in BP and GPC
  • Built-in Procedures and Functions
  • Special Parameters
  • Miscellaneous
  • BP and Extended Pascal
  • Portability hints
• The Alphabetical GPC Language Reference
  • Abs
  • absolute
  • abstract
  • Addr
  • AlignOf
  • all
  • and
  • and then
  • and_then
  • AnsiChar
  • AnyFile
  • Append
  • ArcTan
  • Arg
  • array
  • as
  • asm
  • asmname
  • Assert
  • Assign
  • Assigned
  • attribute
  • begin
  • Bind
  • bindable
  • Binding
  • BindingType
  • BitSizeOf
  • BlockRead
  • BlockWrite
  • Boolean
  • Break
  • Byte
  • ByteBool
  • ByteCard
  • ByteInt
  • c
  • Card
  • Cardinal
  • case
  • CBoolean
  • Char
  • ChDir
  • Chr
  • c_language
  • class
  • Close
  • Cmplx
  • Comp
  • Complex
  • Concat
  • Conjugate
  • const
  • constructor
  • Continue
  • Copy
  • Cos
  • CString
  • CString2String
  • CStringCopyString
  • CurrentRoutineName
  • Date
  • Dec
  • DefineSize
  • Delete
  • destructor
  • Dispose
  • div
  • do
  • Double
  • downto
  • else
  • Empty
  • end
  • EOF
  • EOLn
  • EpsReal
  • EQ
  • EQPad
  • Erase
  • Exclude
  • Exit
  • Exp
  • export
  • exports
  • Extend
  • Extended
  • external
  • Fail
  • False
  • far
  • file
  • FilePos
  • FileSize
  • FillChar
  • finalization
  • Finalize
  • Flush
  • for
  • FormatString
  • forward
  • Frac
  • FrameAddress
  • FreeMem
  • function
  • GE
  • GEPad
  • Get
  • GetMem
  • GetTimeStamp
  • goto
  • GT
  • GTPad
  • Halt
  • High
  • if
  • Im
  • implementation
  • import
  • in
  • Inc
  • Include
  • Index
  • inherited
  • initialization
  • Initialize
  • InOutRes
  • Input
  • Insert
  • Int
  • Integer
  • interface
  • interrupt
  • IOResult
  • is
  • label
  • LastPosition
  • LE
  • Length
  • LEPad
  • library
  • Ln
  • LoCase
  • LongBool
  • LongCard
  • LongestBool
  • LongestCard
  • LongestInt
  • LongestReal
  • LongestWord
  • LongInt
  • LongReal
  • LongWord
  • Low
  • LT
  • LTPad
  • Mark
  • Max
  • MaxChar
  • MaxInt
  • MaxReal
  • MedBool
  • MedCard
  • MedInt
  • MedReal
  • MedWord
  • Min
  • MinReal
  • MkDir
  • mod
  • module
  • Move
  • MoveLeft
  • MoveRight
  • name
  • NE
  • near
  • NEPad
  • New
  • NewCString
  • nil
  • not
  • Null
  • object
  • Odd
  • of
  • only
  • operator
  • or
  • Ord
  • or else
  • or_else
  • otherwise
  • Output
  • Pack
  • packed
  • Page
  • PAnsiChar
  • ParamCount
  • ParamStr
  • PChar
  • Pi
  • PObjectType
  • Pointer
  • Polar
  • Pos
  • Position
  • pow
  • Pred
  • private
  • procedure
  • program
  • property
  • protected
  • PtrCard
  • PtrDiffType
  • PtrInt
  • PtrWord
  • public
  • published
  • Put
  • qualified
  • Random
  • Randomize
  • Re
  • Read
  • ReadLn
  • ReadStr
  • Real
  • record
  • Release
  • Rename
  • repeat
  • Reset
  • resident
  • restricted
  • Result
  • Return
  • ReturnAddress
  • Rewrite
  • RmDir
  • Round
  • RunError
  • Seek
  • SeekEOF
  • SeekEOLn
  • SeekRead
  • SeekUpdate
  • SeekWrite
  • segment
  • Self
  • set
  • SetFileTime
  • SetLength
  • SetType
  • shl
  • ShortBool
  • ShortCard
  • ShortInt
  • ShortReal
  • ShortWord
  • shr
  • Sin
  • Single
  • SizeOf
  • SizeType
  • SmallInt
  • Sqr
  • SqRt
  • StandardError
  • StandardInput
  • StandardOutput
  • StdErr
  • Str
  • String
  • String2CString
  • SubStr
  • Succ
  • Text
  • then
  • Time
  • TimeStamp
  • to
  • to begin do
  • to end do
  • Trim
  • True
  • Trunc
  • Truncate
  • type
  • type of
  • TypeOf
  • Unbind
  • unit
  • Unpack
  • until
  • UpCase
  • Update
  • uses
  • Val
  • value
  • var
  • view
  • virtual
  • Void
  • while
  • with
  • Word
  • WordBool
  • Write
  • WriteLn
  • WriteStr
  • xor
• Pascal keywords and operators supported by GNU Pascal.
• Where to get support for GNU Pascal; how to report bugs.
  • The GPC Mailing List
  • The GPC Mailing List Archives
  • Newsgroups relevant to GPC
  • Where to get individual support for GPC
  • If the compiler crashes ...
  • How to report GPC bugs
  • Running the GPC Test Suite
• The GNU Pascal To-Do List.
  • Known bugs in GPC
  • Features planned for GPC
    • Planned features: Strings
    • Planned features: Records/arrays
    • Planned features: Files
    • Planned features: Other types
    • Planned features: OOP
    • Planned features: Misc
    • Planned features: Utilities
  • Problems that have been solved
• The GPC Source Reference
  • The Pascal preprocessor
  • GPC's Lexical Analyzer
  • Interrelations between the lexer and parser
  • Language Definition: GPC's Parser
  • So many keywords, so many problems ...
    • attribute as a weak keyword
    • external as a weak keyword
    • forward, near and far as weak keywords
    • implementation, constructor, destructor, operator, uses, import and initialization as weak keywords
  • Expressions as lower bounds of subranges
  • Tree Nodes
  • Parameter Passing
  • GPI files - GNU Pascal Interfaces
  • GPC's Automake Mechanism - How it Works
  • Files that make up GPC; Integrating GNU Pascal in GCC
• GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
  • GPL Preamble
  • How to Apply These Terms to Your New Programs
• GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
  • LGPL Preamble
  • How to Apply These Terms to Your New Libraries
• GNU FREE DOCUMENTATION LICENSE
  • ADDENDUM: How to use this License for your documents
• DEMO COPYING
• Contributors to GNU Pascal.
• Resources For Use With GPC.
• The GNU Project.
  • The GNU Manifesto
    • What's GNU? Gnu's Not Unix!
    • Why I Must Write GNU
    • Why GNU Will Be Compatible with Unix
    • How GNU Will Be Available
    • Why Many Other Programmers Want to Help
    • How You Can Contribute
    • Why All Computer Users Will Benefit
    • Some Easily Rebutted Objections to GNU's Goals
  • Funding Free Software
• GPC Index

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GNU Pascal

This manual documents how to run, install and maintain the GNU Pascal Compiler (GPC), as well as its new features and incompatibilities, and how to report bugs. It corresponds to GPC 20030507 (GCC 2.8.1, 2.95.x or 3.2.1).

Introduction:

• Welcome: Welcome to GNU Pascal ...
• Highlights: Some of GPC's most interesting features.
• News: New Features of GNU Pascal.
• FAQ: The GNU Pascal Frequently Asked Questions List.

  Installation:

• Installation: How to download, compile and install GNU Pascal.

  Using GNU Pascal:

• Invoking GPC: Command Line Options supported by GNU Pascal.
• Programming: The Programmer's Guide to GPC.
• Borland Pascal: A QuickStart Guide from Borland Pascal to GNU Pascal.
• Reference: The Alphabetical GPC Language Reference.
• Keywords: Pascal keywords and operators supported by GNU Pascal.
• Support: Where to get support for GNU Pascal; how to report bugs.

  Development:

• To Do: The GNU Pascal To-Do List.
• Internals: How to get more information from the GPC source itself.

  Licenses:

• Copying: The GNU General Public License -- Your rights and duties when using GPC.
• Library Copying: The GNU Lesser General Public License -- Your rights and duties when using certain libraries.
• Documentation Copying: The GNU Free Documentation License -- Your rights and duties when using certain documentation.
• Demo Copying: GPL with exception -- Your rights and duties when using or modifying the demo programs.

  Appendix:

• Acknowledgments: Contributors to GNU Pascal.
• Resources: Resources For Use With GPC.

• GNU: The GNU Project.

• GPC Index: Index of concepts and symbol names (incomplete).