[fpc-devel] Improved RTTI compromise

[Michael Van Canneyt]

On Wed, 7 Dec 2016, Maciej Izak wrote:

> 2016-12-07 8:49 GMT+01:00 Michael Van Canneyt <michael at freepascal.org>:
>>
>> I am not sure this is possible. The structures exposed in the typinfo
>> interfacee mimic the info the compiler generates in the binary.
>>
>> If the compiler generates different info than Delphi, you cannot retrieve
>> it in a delphi-compatible way.
>>
>> Trying to generate the exact same information as Delphi is IMHO not the
>> right path.
>>
>> What is needed is an API that gives you the info contained in the internal
>> structures.
>
>
> I think it is possible but solution proposed by Sven is good enough :). As
> was mentioned in my previous message to Sven:
>
> 100% agree I don't have problem with a little Delphi incompatible RTTI, the
> bigger picture is more important than small details, but quote from Jonas
> Maebe ([fpc-devel] Attributes
> thread): "some people wanted it to be Delphi compatible, other people did
> not mind if it was not. Both categories of people were in the core team."
>
> Delphi incompatible info was mentioned as serious problem for merging RTTI
> branch into trunk.

I am one of the people who do not mind if it is not compatible. 
As I said:

Trying to generate the exact same information as Delphi is IMHO not the right path.

If the RTTI unit is there, people who want Delphi compatibility can and should use that.

People with a more low-level mindset (such as me) will be able to work
around the low-level details.

Michael.