[fpc-pascal] Static Initialisation of Arrays

[Paul Michell]

Hello All,

I am working on a program that requires some simple embedded array data.
I can get the following to compile:

Type
   TCharacterAreaData = Record
     Code: Integer;
     Name: String;
     Geometry: Array [0..3] Of Single;
   End;

Const
   Area1: TCharacterAreaData = (Code: 1;
                                Name: 'Border Moors and Forests';
                                Geometry: (1,2,3,4));

My problem is the number of elements in the Geometry Array is variable.
So if I try this:

Type
   TCharacterAreaData = Record
     Code: Integer;
     Name: String;
     Geometry: Array Of Single;
   End;

Const
   Area1: TCharacterAreaData = (Code: 1;
                                Name: 'Border Moors and Forests';
                                Geometry: (1,2,3,4));
   Area2: TCharacterAreaData = (Code: 2;
                                Name: 'Bowland Fells';
                                Geometry: (1,2,3,4,5,6));

I get this syntax error:

Areas.pas(46,42) Fatal: Syntax error, "NIL" expected but "(" found

I realise that 'Array Of Single' declares a dynamic array, but is there 
any equivalent syntax for static data arrays in the same way that 
strings litterals are in effect, variable length static declarations.

Thanks in advance,

Paul Michell

P.S. I'm using FPC 2.4.1 i386-win32-win32/win64