[fpc-pascal]OOP for dummies...

[James_Wilson at i2.com]

Gabor,

Thanks for responding. You gave a very lucid and helpful answer.

> Although TCollection is implemented as an object, there is nothing
> very OOP in the way you need to use it. You can think about it as
> an 'array of pointer' with an indeterminate number of elements,
> plus a bunch of subroutines handling it. Unlike with normal arrays,
> you cannot directly reference to its elements but you have methods
> (functions and subroutines) that provide all this functionality and
> more.

I realize that a TCollection is not OOP, in the strictest sense, but it 
sounded good for a object beginner like me!  :-)


> Let's suppose you have
> var
>    Coll : TCollection
>    CollArray : array [1..MaxCollectionSize] of pointer;

This seems to imply a physical limit (MaxCollectionSize) has been defined. 
Is that correct? In rtl\inc\objects.pp I found the following:

  MaxBytes = 128*1024*1024;
  MaxCollectionSize = MaxBytes DIV SizeOf(Pointer);

if a Pointer is 4 bytes (just guessing) then the upper limit of a 
TCollection using MaxCollectionSize would be about 33,554,432?


> Unlike a simple array, you have to initialize the collection:
>    new (Coll);
>    Coll.Init (Limit, Delta);

This makes sense. But what is the Limit and Delta for?


> To put something into the collection at a given location, use
>   Coll.AtPut (Index, ItemPointer)

So this would be the pointer to the "record" itself? For example, suppose 
I've defined the following:

const
  MAX_LINES = ???;      // if there's no "limit" what should this be?

type
  DataRecord  = packed object
                private
                  Data    : string;
                  Display : boolean;
                  Actual  : longint;
                  Color   : byte;
                end;
var
  Index        : longint;
  DataFromFile : array [0..MAX_LINES] of ^DataRecord;

With an array I can assign values like this:

DataFromFile [Index]^.Data    := 'Some data';
DataFromFile [Index]^.Display := TRUE;
DataFromFile [Index]^.Actual  := Index;
DataFromFile [Index]^.Color   := 23;

But using 'Coll.AtPut (Index, ItemPointer)' how can I assign values to the 
different "elements" in the DataRecord structure? Would it be something 
like:

Coll.AtPut (Index,ItemPointer.Data);
Coll.AtPut (Index,ItemPointer.Display);
Coll.AtPut (Index,ItemPointer.Actual);
Coll.AtPut (Index,ItemPointer.Color);

BTW; I can easily redo that DataRecord structure if needed. While the 4 
pieces of information are essential I'm certainly not adverse to trying 
something different their.


> To read from a given location, use
>    ItemPointer := Coll.At (Index),

I guess if I can comprehend how to store values I can just reverse the 
logic to read them back?


> And, unlike with the array, you have to dispose of the collection
> at the end with

>   Coll.Done;
>   dispose (Coll);

Yes, this I will do.


> Actually, the collection gives you more than that. There is
> Coll.Insert which keeps track of the items put into the collection
> and places the new item directly at the end; thus, if you want to
> place item after item into the collection, you don't have to keep
> track of the indexes, just call Insert repeatedly. Or there is
> AtInsert which inserts your new item at the position you specify,
> not overwriting what is already there but making room for it,
> shifting every item behind that by one position. Or if you have a
> pointer to an item, you can learn which index it has by calling
> Coll.IndexOf.

This all sounds like what I would like to do, so I guess a TCollection is 
indeed what I need.


> For a description of all methods, visit Units.pdf. You'll also find
> examples there.

I've done that a few times now, but unfortunately I was having a bit of a 
rough time figuring it all out. I'm going to read it again though, if for 
no other reason then to see how many more times it takes before I fully 
understand it.  :-)

Thanks again.

Jim
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