[fpc-pascal] another fpc RAD: MSEide

[Michael Van Canneyt]

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006, Marco van de Voort wrote:

>> Micha Nelissen schreef:
>>>
>>> Smaller than FPC ? That shouldn't differ too much, I think.
>>>
>>> I don't really see why ability to compile with Delphi is so big an
>>> advantage ("distinct") ?
>>>
>>
>> It can see the advantages and they should not be diminished:
>> - having different compilers to confirm or exclude a compiler bug.
>> - The cycle, code, compile, run, debug, code is quicker on Delphi, (if you are on
>> windows)
>> - I haven't used Delphi lately, but I think the debugger is better than what Lazarus
>> offers. For example stepping through Lazarus code is slow, if the Call Stack view is
>> opened, because the Lazarus listview doesn't implement BeginUpdate and EndUpdate
>> optimally.
>
> I don't see why the IDE should delphi compilable for that. It's about the
> applications!?!?
>
> (of course, that is indeed a problem with lazarus. the dfm<->lfm and src
> conversions should get more bidirectional and reliable for that to work)

This argument is based on a (IMHO) common misconception of the Lazarus
environment:

It assumes that one and the same project should be switchable at any time
between Delphi and Lazarus.

This is not the intention of Delphi (obviously) nor of Lazarus.

Lazarus tries to be compatible to Delphi in the sense that you should be
able to take a vanilla Delphi program, and compile it - with reasonable
modifications - in Lazarus, and then possibly continue development in
Lazarus.

Any tools that Lazarus provides to convert .DFM to .lfm are one-way, and
intended to help in porting a Delphi application to Lazarus, 1 time.

Providing 2-way conversions requires help from both sides, otherwise it
will never work transparant. Somehow I don't think the Delphi devels
will assist in making the conversion easier.

So, if you want 2-way compatibility: you are on your own.

Look at OpenOffice vs MS-Office. The conversions are always far from
perfect, and you always get a message that 'Some formatting may be lost'
etc. And OpenOffice is the only one doing the conversion...

Michael.