README

FPC 2.6.4irc r311

Free Pascal Compiler — IRC/BBS Toolchain Edition

What Is This

A complete Pascal development environment rebuilt from FPC 2.6.4 source, targeting retro computing: BBS systems, DOS, Win9x, and cross-platform console applications. Includes native x64 compiler, USB stack, and Lazarus IDE with LCL widgetset.

Platforms

What's Included

• ppcx64 — native 64-bit Pascal compiler (3-stage bootstrapped, ELF64)
• ppc386 — 32-bit Pascal compiler (FPC 2.6.4 core)
• ppcross8086 — 16-bit cross-compiler (DOS real mode)
• lazarus.exe — Lazarus IDE (18 MB, LCL Win32 widgetset)
• 14 FPC tools — fpcmake, fpcres, h2pas, ppudump, etc.
• USB stack — 9 units: usbcore, usbpci, usbhid, usbtrans, usbxhci, usbhub, usbmsd, libusb, usbserial
• fpGUI toolkit — lightweight alternative to LCL
• Complete source — RTL, packages, compiler, LCL, IDE

Key Features

• Native x64 compiler — 4 compiler patches fix FPC 2.6.4's x64 codegen; 1,012 Win64 PPUs from unmodified source
• USB stack — FTDI/CH340/CP2102/PL2303 serial adapters, mass storage, HID, hub, xHCI controller
• IUnknown native — const keyword works, no CORBA hack needed
• Win9x compatible — win32compat.pas ANSI backport (U-1)
• glibc 2.34+ fix — dl.o reimplemented for modern Linux
• Zero RTL workarounds — all x64 fixes are compiler-level, RTL source is unmodified

Quick Start

ppc386 -Twin32 myapp.pas        # Windows 32-bit
ppcx64 -Twin64 myapp.pas        # Windows 64-bit
ppc386 -Tlinux myapp.pas        # Linux 32-bit
ppcx64 -Tlinux myapp.pas        # Linux 64-bit
ppc386 -Tgo32v2 myapp.pas       # DOS

How the units ship

bin/units/<target>/ holds each unit as .ppu + .a (its compiled code in a smart-link archive) — no loose .o. The compiler picks up the .a by itself, with or without -XX. The only .o files left are startup objects the compiler links by name (prt0, cprt0, gprt0, dllprt0, OS/2 prt1, go32v2 exceptn/fpu, i8086 prt0*). Tested linking: i386/x86_64 Linux, Win32/Win64, go32v2, i386 FreeBSD, ptcgraph from the repo units alone. Graph on 64-bit: x86_64-linux has no graph unit (FPC builds it for Linux/i386 only) - use ptcgraph there; x86_64-darwin has none (Carbon is 32-bit). On both, uses graph stops with a message that names the fix. Per-target table (win64, linux, freebsd, darwin) in tools/graph-322-build/README.md; test: test/x64graph. i386-os2 links natively with -FD bin/tools/i386-os2 (see its README); i386-darwin and x86_64-darwin with -FD bin/tools/i386-darwin (docs/DARWIN-CROSS.md). Kit and details: tools/smartpack/README.md.

USB Stack

9 units, 3,334 lines. See docs/USB.md for full API reference.

uses USBSerial;
var Dev: TUSBSerialDevice;
begin
  USBSerialOpen($0403, $6001, Dev);   { FTDI FT232 }
  USBSerialSetBaud(Dev, 115200);
  USBSerialSetLineParams(Dev, 8, 1, 0);
  { ... read/write ... }
  USBSerialClose(Dev);
end.

More serial examples coming — see docs/USB.md.

16-bit DOS (Real Mode)

ppcross8086 compiles Pascal to 16-bit DOS .EXE files that run on original IBM PC hardware — 8086, 286, 386, no DPMI extender, no protected mode. Real mode, 640K, the way it was.

ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmSmall -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-small myapp.pas

Important: Always use -XX (smart linking) and -Fu pointing to the model-specific unit directory. Without -XX, the linker looks for .o files that don't exist — the units are stored in .a archives that only smart linking can read.

Quick reference:

# Tiny (single segment, .COM-like):
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmTiny -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-tiny myapp.pas

# Small (default, near code+data):
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmSmall -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-small myapp.pas

# Large (far code+data, bigger programs):
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmLarge -Wh -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-large myapp.pas

# Huge (no segment limits, required for classes.pp):
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmHuge -Wh -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-huge myapp.pas

113 pre-compiled units included: system, dos, crt, objects, strings, sysutils, classes, mouse, keyboard, video, and more.

Graph (BGI-style): graph unit for Medium, Large and Huge models (plus the default i8086-msdos set). CGA, EGA, VGA, mode 13h and VESA (256-colour and hi-colour) — tested in DOSBox. Not available for Tiny, Small or Compact: graph + RTL does not fit in one 64KB code segment.

ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmLarge -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-large myapp.pas

Build kit and test results: tools/i8086-graph-build/.

Works with: IBM PC/XT/AT, Tandy, PCjr, DOSBox, 86Box, real hardware. Output: 16-bit MZ .EXE (not NE, not PE, not DJGPP).

All 6 memory models supported: Tiny, Small, Medium, Compact, Large, Huge. 22 units per model including system, dos, crt, sysutils, objects, keyboard, mouse, video, printer, math, typinfo, fgl, classes, and more.

Important: Each model has its own unit directory. You MUST use the matching directory and pass -XX (smart linking) or compilation will fail with "Can't open object file" errors:

ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmTiny    -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-tiny    program.pas
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmSmall   -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-small   program.pas
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmMedium  -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-medium  program.pas
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmCompact -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-compact program.pas
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmLarge   -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-large   program.pas
ppcross8086 -Tmsdos -WmHuge    -XX -Fubin/units/i8086-msdos-huge    program.pas

Do NOT use bin/units/i8086-msdos/ directly — it contains legacy archives without individual .o files. Always use the model-specific directories above.

Choosing a model:

Small is the default and works for most serial/console programs. Use Huge if you need classes (TList, TStringList) — it exceeds 64K on all other models (hardware segment limit, same as stock FPC 3.2.2). classes compiles for all 6 models but links on Huge only — code+data exceed the 64K segment limit on smaller models (hardware limit, same as stock FPC 3.2.2). Use objects (TCollection, TStream — 17K) instead of classes (TList — 498K) on Tiny/Small/Medium/Compact/Large. Built from FPC 3.2.2 source with ppcross8086 3.2.2.

x64 Compiler Bootstrap

4 patches to src/compiler/, 3-stage build. See docs/X64-BOOTSTRAP.md.

bin/ppc386 ??? ppcx64 (i386 binary) ??? ppcx64 (native ELF64)

Tests

7 compilation tests verify the rebuilt PPU chain:

1. IUnknown native const (no CORBA hack)
2. fpjson + jsonparser
3. DOM + XMLRead
4. classes + typinfo RTTI
5. registry (Win32)
6. fphttpclient (network)
7. test_usb (USB stack)

The Crew

the crew 4free — x86 little endian

Serial Unit — Cross-Platform

9 platforms, 26 unified functions. uses Serial; works everywhere.

26 functions: SerOpen, SerClose, SerRead, SerWrite, SerFlush, SerSetParams, SerSaveState, SerRestoreState, SerSetDTR, SerSetRTS, SerGetCTS, SerGetDSR, SerGetRI, SerGetCD, SerBreak, SerDrain, SerSync, SerFlushInput, SerFlushOutput, SerReadTimeout, SerDataAvailable, SerDetectUART, SerSetFIFO, SerGetBase, SerEnableIRQ, SerDisableIRQ.

Source: src/rtl/unix/serial.pp (Unix/BSD/Mac), src/rtl/win/serial.pp (Windows), src/rtl/os2/serial.pp (OS/2), src/packages/serial/serial.pp (DOS). Full reference: docs/SERIAL.md.