Thank for you answers and the links
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The FPC list and wiki servers are presently not responding ; my confirmation is bouncing back.
I could read some answers with a news reader program but was not able to reply.
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With my XCode compiling configuration in MacPas mode the "class" keyword doesn't compile but need the TStringList type from Classes unit.
the "object" keyword must be used but doesn't accept TStringList type from Objects unit .
it seem to use dynamic class model with the "object" type keyword instead.
can't use class methods and class components ,
I wrongly assumed, since the installation into XCode had made it MacMode by default
target build option FPC_COMMON_OPTIONS = -Mmacpas -Sgi
that it was necessary ;I understand that ObjFPC has the most complete feature list, combining those of FPC and Delphi compatibility modes.
I could remove -MMacPas from the FPC_COMMON_OPTIONS of the target proprieties and remplace it with -Mobjfpc.
I still intend to use XCode since it's the prefered IDE to develop on Mac and that enventualy I'll want to use Carbon (baby steps) and eventualy Cocoa ; I'll probably need to learn ObjC to get there. I'm getting myself acquaint with the environment, the framework and the IDE first and get right to programming. I don't want to relearn C/C++/ OjbC on top of that but start with something I already know.
If you want to get up to speed on Carbon programming in FPC, I have some very detailed tutorial/demo programs available from Pascal Central or on my own Pascal References page.
These are strictly carbon and do not include any object or class objects. It also requires macpas mode and the MacOSAll.p unit.
I will eventualy use the Carbon framework. Is the MacPas mode still a choice or is mandatory to use the Carbon framework ?
---- the longer version of my thougth process at the end, for short, here is the conclusion -------
Then to eventualy continue to program with Carbon framework, I will need to
to interface smoothly with MacOSAll Carbon framework which is compiled MacPas mode,
encapsulate the procedural nature of the Carbon library in FPC objects or classes.
The question becomes then
Will an objFPC compiled program be able to use the MacPas compiled MacOSAll unit ?
If it can, I guess I may choose to use either FPC objects or classes. To which the answer seems yes.
But if the MacPas mode is necessary or better to interface with the MacPas compiled Carbon framework
or if Carbon does contain objects to be compatible with, or if I choose to stay in MacPas mode
the question remains : which one does the MacPas compatibility mode uses :
static FPC object or dynamic FPC class ,
with base object framework objects Unit of Classes unit so that my objects remains compatible with the Carbon framework ?
It seems to be implemented as a class type and compatible with units that uses class type but uses the object type syntax.
thank you
P.S. Is it my Mail program who send the message in HTML ?
--------- more thougths ---------------------------------
Does the Carbon framework uses objects. If Carbon uses object type, which one
static or stack allocatable, dynamicly created with NEW handle (double) reference, explicitly dereferenced record object type dynamicly created with "NEW" , implicitly (handle (double) or single ?) reference, implicitly dereferenced class type
I did read the documentation but it is not organized by mode, the information are vastly distributed in different manuals and web sites and assume prior knowledge of how the different dialects implement their objects which I don't have :
the user's manual has chapters on porting from TP or Delphi but not from Mac ; I did find the wiki page on Porting to Mac
The programer's manual has some information on modes and MacPas mode but
seems outdated : use Mac instead of MacPas
much on macros nothing on object model
The unit reference doesn't specify much which units to use on differents platforms and/or modes but the user's manual does but not for OS X
It did mention that macpas unit was automaticly used in macpas mode. A wiki page did mention that the MacOSAll and universal interfaces were available to use but I didn't find the unit. (oh yes there it is in the Packages directory)
The language reference chapters on Objects and Classes insunuate about the difference in static object vs dynamic class but doesn't indicate which is used in different dialect and platform.
the MacMode wiki page only has the cryptic mention "Object Pascal Mac style" which doesn't say much if I don't already know how Mac style object is implemented.
I even try to read the RTL units sources but I do not know where to look in this forest. I didn't find MacOSAll and Macpas has mostly static definitions.
The only indice I found is
it uses objfpc compiling mode
Function Member (Instance : TObject; AClass : TClass) : booleanwhich suggest that macpas mode uses
the dynamic class FPC model
with the base framework from Classes unit
Oh wait, there is MacOsAll in Packages directory.
It use MacPas compiling mode.
I could find any TObject or TClass nor object or class type ; it seems not object-oriented at all but totaly structured procedural style. But it uses the word "object" a lot.
I would assume that the pointer to record style used in the Carbon MacOSAll unit
translate more easily into a FPC static object type.
To summarize what I could gather
for compatibilty mode TurboPascal
only System unit automaticaly used
use static object type with Objects unit
for compatibilty mode Delphi and ObjFPC
System, objpas units automaticaly used
use static object type with TObject and base framework in Objects unit or use dynamic reference class type with TObject in System unit and base framework in Classes unit
for compatibility with Macintosh OS X and/or Carbon framework System, macpas units are automaticaly used (compiled in objfpc compatibility mode)
use MacOSAll (compiled in macpas compatibility mode) for Carbon framework (universal inteface libraries)
------- back to my conclusion ----------