[fpc-pascal] private type and type compatibility

[Jonas Maebe]

On 30 Oct 2013, at 15:00, Sven Barth wrote:

> Am 30.10.2013 14:37, schrieb Jonas Maebe:
>>
>> "Private" is just another way to define a scope, just like a unit  
>> interface and implementation define a scope. Neither the "private"  
>> section nor the interface of unit "u1" is in scope when the  
>> "hidden" type is used.
> Using an interface uses as the analog for private types is flawed in  
> my opinion. The analog code would more like this:
>
> === code begin ===
>
> unit u2;
>
> interface
>
> function f: tdynarray;
>
> implementation
>
> type
>  tdynarray = array of integer;
>
> function f: tdynarray;
> begin
>
> end;
>
> end.
>
> === code end ===
>
> Which of course does not compile.

This is not equivalent. A private type declaration in a class adds a  
new identifier that is visible inside that class. You then use it,  
still in that class, to declare the return type of a function. Next,  
in a scope where that type identifier is no longer visible, you call  
the function.

My example is a complete match to that scenario as far as identifier  
visibility is concerned (you use a type in a scope where it is visible  
to declare a function return type, and then call the function in a  
scope where it is not visible). In your example, the type is not  
visible in the place where the function is declared but only where it  
is defined.


Jonas