[fpc-devel] generics

[rstar at mnet-online.de]

further infos:
http://qc.borland.com/wc/qcmain.aspx?d=11168



Danny Milosavljevic wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm trying to add support for generics (templates) to fpc.
> 
> Do we want to have a "generics" section (like "interface",
> "implementation") or do we want a special source code type (like "unit",
> "program") in the source code ?
> 
> I'm tending to a special source code type "generic unit".
> 
> The generic source code file (.pas,.pp) is installed (not the .ppu,.o).
> Then in the 'uses' handler, when not finding a ppu, it reverts to the
> pas file, and then finds that it is a special source code "generic unit"
> or so, so it *doesnt* compile it right now, but 'uses' actually just
> registers the generic classes as 'available for compilation later'.
> 
> When first using a specialization declaration like 'GList<Integer>',
> _then_ it is compiled (after injecting the specialization types to use)
> (where to? a special .o file like glist-system-integer.o or
> glist-someunit-someclass.o ? use a .ppu too ? I guess so)
> 
> I'm leaving "advanced" features out for now, like "any" types
> (variant-interface to a generic), although it could be argued that the
> generic class could compile using the "any" types (most likely
> "Variant") later.
> 
> Opinions?
> 
> cheers,
>    Danny
> 
> 
> 
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