[fpc-devel] The (near) future of strings

[Marco van de Voort]

In our previous episode, Michael Van Canneyt said:
> /usr/local/lib/fpc/4.0.0/x86_64-linux/dotted/XYZ
> 
> But only one is referenced in fpc.cfg :
> 
> #IFDEF NAMESPACED
> /usr/local/lib/fpc/4.0.0/x86_64-linux/dotted/XYZ
> #ELSE
> /usr/local/lib/fpc/4.0.0/x86_64-linux/XYZ
> #ENDIF
> 
> where the -NS switch defines NAMESPACED

That is correct if the namespace switches was introduced with XE2. It would
fail for sources that used dotted notation and namespace, but don't assume
it for the RTL, iow pre XE2.
 
> >>
> >> Dotted, unicode
> >> not dotted, unicode.
> >>
> >> which is clear nonsense.
> >
> > No, two rtls, both dotted, with namespace if needed. Which is the same as
> > what you propose, just kept physically apart.
> 
> If the above fails to satisfy you, no problem, all for it. 
> But I don't see the use of the dotted for old code.

That was just for simplicity's case. 
 
> Lets not forget that Delphi tries to hide a lot of the complexity by
> always writing a complete config file and using that file when compiling.

I think a good first step would be building without storing the generated
files in the same dir as the source.

So a bit like configure that allows ../configure and works even when the
source dir is read-only. If you start building sources multiple times in one
run, that is a good way.