Free Pascal 2.2.0 released

**ErosOlmi** · 11-09-2007, 07:03

September 10, 2007 The Free Pascal Compiler team is pleased to announce the release of FPC 2.2.0!

I definitely need to have a serious run with it and see if I can make a thinBasic SDK for Free Pascal in order to be able to develop thinBasic module under Free Pascal.

http://www.freepascal.org/

**ErosOlmi** · 11-09-2007, 07:05

From http://svn.freepascal.org/svn/fpcbui...c/whatsnew.txt

...
Wide strings are COM/OLE compatible on Windows
...

This will open a lot of possibilities !!!!!

**matthew** · 11-09-2007, 07:40

For a short period of time I used to use FreePascal and the Lazarus IDE.

I only managed to write a short OpenGL Routine that rotated a Cube on the Screen though.

**kryton9** · 11-09-2007, 08:28

I am glad you are looking at freepascal Eros, depending on what comes from PowerBasic, it might be a good alternative in the future. Either way good to look and be up on things, thanks for sharing your excitement!

**Michael Hartlef** · 11-09-2007, 09:00

I have to check it. It was in beta quite some time. Of course I will use it with FantomGL.

Btw. Eros, if someone add eport statements to a thinbasic module, would it be possible to use the module also with other languages? Imo it should, after all it is a DLL.

I am glad you are looking at freepascal Eros, depending on what comes from PowerBasic, it might be a good alternative in the future.

Are there any rumors spreading around that I didn't hear of?

**ErosOlmi** · 11-09-2007, 09:48

Originally Posted by Michael Hartlef

Btw. Eros, if someone add eport statements to a thinbasic module, would it be possible to use the module also with other languages? Imo it should, after all it is a DLL.

Yes, of course. As you already stated, a module is nothing than a standard DLL with a way to bind some functions only to thinBasic. If you make multiple versions of the needed functions [one for thinBasic not exported in the usual way, and one exported] you will get a double usage DLL/Module object. This is also something I have suggested to Petr about TBGL. TBGL would be a great DLL even worth some money for many users. I think one day maybe he will do that job

The only consideration is where to put initialization/de-initialization (in case your dll needs some).
thinBasic automatically calls LoadLocalSymbols when module is loaded and UnLoadLocalSymbols when module is unloaded.
Windows automatically calls LIBMAIN function and you have to check fwdReason parameter to determine if process is starting or terminating.

Ciao
Eros

PS: if I will need some help about Free Pascal I will ask you here, OK? ;D

**Michael Hartlef** · 11-09-2007, 11:48

Originally Posted by ErosOlmi

PS: if I will need some help about Free Pascal I will ask you here, OK? ;D

Of course you can!

**sandyrepope** · 11-09-2007, 16:23

From what I've read here Free Pascal sounds interesting. I was wondering though, is this a large download?

Thanks
Sandy

**ErosOlmi** · 11-09-2007, 16:38

fpc-2.2.0.i386-win32.exe

32 Mb

**sandyrepope** · 11-09-2007, 18:47

I was just too curious so I downloaded the file. It took a while but now I can check it out later today.

I was surprised that I could download it since I still haven't been able to download the thinbasic preview.

Thanks for posting about the new release.

Sandy