[fpc-devel] CmdLine

[Marc Weustink]

Vinzent Hoefler wrote:
> On Thursday 19 October 2006 08:31, Marc Weustink wrote:
> 
>> The case shows that users can do this. There is no language construct
>> that forbids it. So optimizing this with a smart linker may break
>> such code.
> 
> Yes, it may. So what?
> 
> There's hell a lot of code that is generally possible within the 
> language. Still it can be unportable, plain wrong, only work in certain 
> situations etc. pp. Read: It still may break.

I'm speaking about correct and portable code working in all situations. 
The only point is that the linker doesn't recognize the reference being 
used.

> So "no language construct that forbids it" is no excuse, especially when 
> you're digging around in internal compiler constructs.

I'm not digging in internal compiler constructs, I'm using a defined 
class layout and RTTI. No internal magic is used. (unless you define 
RTTI as internal)

> Otherwise I'd expect some of my old code to work with FreePascal - where 
> I outsmarted TPs heap manager to be able to free parts of dynamically 
> allocated arrays.
> 
>> IMO, ppl will always be smarter and find a valid case where things get 
>> broken.
> 
> This highly depends on your definition of "valid". My opinion: If it 
> ain't guaranteed by the language, it ain't valid.

A valid case is a piece of code where you and I will agree on that is 
should work.
The only thing guaranteed by the language is that if you follow its 
definitions, it will compile. Nothing more nothing less.

Marc