In the file \lazarus\fpc\2.4.3\source\rtl\inc\systemh.inc I found the following definitions:

{ file input modes }
  fmClosed = $D7B0;
  fmInput  = $D7B1;
  fmOutput = $D7B2;
  fmInOut  = $D7B3;
  fmAppend = $D7B4;
  Filemode : byte = 2;

If I assign "Filemode := fmInOut" I get a constant range check error (at compilation time) which is clear because all constants are larger than byte.
Is this a bug?

Jürgen Hestermann wrote

If I assign "Filemode := fmInOut" I get a constant range check error (at compilation time) which is clear because all constants are larger than byte. Is this a bug?

No. See http://www.freepascal.org/faq.var#filemode for more info.

Jonas

I didn't find "fminout" and the other constants mentioned at this link. Are they not for assigning to filemode?

It describes the values you can assign to filemode and their effect.

Are they not for assigning to filemode?

No. They're mainly for internal use in the system unit. I guess the only reason they are public is that they can also be useful when you implement your own text file driver (which you're unlikely to want to do).

Jonas

> I didn't find "fminout" and the other constants mentioned at this link. It describes the values you can assign to filemode and their effect.

Does that mean, that only 3 values for filemode (0, 1 and 2) exist? Then it is quite confusing to group the filemode declaration and the other (multi byte) fmxxxx constants together if they are completely unrelated.

In the link it also says:
"For more information, consult the Free Pascal reference manual" I found filemode mentioned in the RTL manual where in section 10.5 it says: "For their defnitions consult the following table:" But there is no following table. A bug in the manual?

Yes, can you please file a bug report ?

Michael.