[fpc-pascal] Name of a var

[Rainer Stratmann]

Am Tuesday 22 November 2011 12:14:54 schrieb michael.vancanneyt at wisa.be:
> On Tue, 22 Nov 2011, Rainer Stratmann wrote:
> > Am Tuesday 22 November 2011 12:05:07 schrieb michael.vancanneyt at wisa.be:
> >> On Tue, 22 Nov 2011, Sven Barth wrote:
> >>> Am 22.11.2011 10:13, schrieb michael.vancanneyt at wisa.be:
> >>>>>> If we choose to implement such a function, yes. My response was
> >>>>>> based on the compiler as it is.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Seems like I'm not the only one that likes to have such a function.
> >>>>> Though I would extend it to convert identifiers in scope to strings
> >>>>> (such as functions names etc.)
> >>>>
> >>>> But what is the use ? As far as I can see, it forces you to type more.
> >>>>
> >>>> Typing
> >>>>
> >>>> VarName:=nameofvar( counter );
> >>>>
> >>>> is more work than
> >>>>
> >>>> VarName:='counter';
> >>>>
> >>>> So what's the point ?
> >>>
> >>> The best argument for such a feature is that the name is checked by the
> >>> compiler. If I change the declaration of the variable the compiler will
> >>> complain in the first case, but not in the second (let's assume that we
> >>> don't need to care about some kind of backwards compatibilty, just
> >>> because we wrote the identifiers to a file in different versions of the
> >>> application were the variable had different names).
> >>
> >> I beg you.... That's the most weak argument I've ever heard.
> >>
> >> The name of a variable is only used for debugging, and then you can just
> >> as well use the debug info. And the change of a name is usually done
> >> with search&replace, option whole word, so the text 'counter' should get
> >> changed as well.
> >>
> >> The name of a variable is of absolutely no use to the end user.
> >
> > No that's not correct.
> > That is in my eyes an excuse not to deal with it.
>
> That depends entirely on the cost of this function. For example the use
> Graeme wants is not possible without adding a complete run-time environment
> a la .NET.
>
> > The search&replace function in lazarus is not the best.
> > I often change the name in the declaration and then see what the compiler
> > says. The compiler does not complain with the text 'counter'. So then you
> > may feel 'secure' but it is not.
>
> Once more: the name in the debug message is totally irrelevant.
> I would fire anyone RELYING on that.
Are you sure that you are objective in this diskussion?
> And since that's all you want the function 
> for, I consider the use totally marginal...
>
> Michael.
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