[fpc-devel] Redefine FillChar() to use out parameter instead

[Martin]

Graeme Geldenhuys wrote:
> Paul Ishenin wrote:
>   
>> Compiler will add a flag for each var/const argument that they dont 
>> require that checks.
>>     
>
> Can't the compiler simply initialize structured types by default?
> Initialize char arrays to empty strings, other structures like pointers
> to nil, byte arrays to #0 etc..?
>
> After all, this is already done for AnsString, Integer type, real types
> etc...
>   
I thought it does that?

But FillChar is the same lowlevel like move. (IMHO)
Move doesn't care about ref-counts. And if you use move, you must start 
to take care of refcounts yourself. Ani if you have to care about them, 
you need a fillchar that doesn't affect them....

But we start discussing 2 different unctiuons
  FillChar
  FillcharWithPreFinalization

they do differrent things, both have a use case.

The initial problem of this thread was not: Fillchar doesn't finalize 
ref-counted types

It was about the hints.
What is wanted is a Fillchar (that does not care about ref-counts, as it 
is currently) but that does not hint neither. => that is behaviour of a 
var param, but without hint.

If you want Fillchar with previous finalization of ref counted types, 
then FillChar is not the function you need.


Fillchar is as lowlevel as move / and I wonder: does move give hints 
too, if the targer is not initalized?

Martin