On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 07:34, Jürgen Hestermann <juergen.hesterm...@gmx.de> wrote: >> So why is it a problem, that one is a pointer, and the other not? Because >> it is easier, or more often overlooked. > > The problem is not that one is a pointer (to an array) and the other one is > the array itself. That would be fine if it is told to the programmer that > way and if it would be consistent. But then why am I not able to > derefference this pointer with MyArray^? Why can I use an index on that > pointer? In these cases it does *not* behave like a pointer but like an > array. That's what makes it ambiguous.
You do not use index on *pointer* but on *dynamic array* (as already explained). As of copying/moving array elements, why don't you use simple for loop for that, because that's what you actually want to do? I have used dynamic arrays for years, and didn't have these problems, because, when I want to say "address of the first element", I write it: "a[low(a)]". I don't *guess* nor I want compiler to *guess*. And thinking that address of dynamic array variable should be address of it's first element is plain *guess*. Unfortunately, wrong in this case. Move and Fillchar are low-level system functions, and they are perfectly logical, although little hard to understand :-) Just try to create dynamic array of dynamic arrays and used those functions on them, and you will understand. I, also, agree that FPC is far from simple Pascal language, but that fact is that FPC team needs to: 1) follow Borland/Inprise/Embercadero/... in their decisions; 2) try to add new language features which will give more power to the language; 3) maintain crossplatform-ness of the compiler (including adding platform-specific features); 4) keep RTL, FCL and other packages in a good and usable shape; ... Not really nice environment to mess around with such low level functions by adding special cases, isn't it? :-) -- Aleksa Todorovic - Lead Programmer Eipix Entertainment www eipix com _______________________________________________ fpc-pascal maillist - fpc-pascal@lists.freepascal.org http://lists.freepascal.org/mailman/listinfo/fpc-pascal
