I've been using Delphi Pro from version 1 thru 2006 (skipped over a few
versions).
I really like Lazarus, especially the crossplatform aspects.
Strangely, have been using Delphi Help (very well put-together) for most Lazarus
lookup. I first check on the function (easy to find) in Delphi help, then do a
file-search in the Lazarus folder to see if the name exists, and double-check to
lookup any differences which might exist from the Delphi incarnation.
But a lot of times, you have to know a little bit before you start looking in
Lazarus. Some fpc/lazarus stuff is well documented and easy to find 'on the
surface'. Other stuff is well hidden.
A trivial example-- Try doing a google search or search the fpc/lazarus websites
for documentation on PtInRect. Maybe ya'll have different search tools that
recover lots of references, but if I don't know what pas/inc file holds
PtInRect, I can't find any easy-to-retrieve info with a web search. I knew I
needed PtInRect, but didn't know if Lazarus had one, and didn't know how Lazarus
spells it.
OK, a beginner, or somebody just coming to pascal from another language-- If he
knows he's looking for a function that does what PtInRect does, but he doesn't
know how it is spelled-- Even a file-search in the Lazarus folder won't work
until you guess the magic name to search for.
Am not complaining, but it isn't realistic to expect everybody to know what to
look for in advance, or to do the first level of a lazarus function-name search
using Delphi help. Delphi is well worth the money for me, a bargain in fact. A
shame they never made a version for Macintosh and dropped the ball on unix. But
its probably not realistic to expect Delphi ownership a pre-requisite for
Lazarus users (grin).
Some kind of searchable doc that just has all the function names, and perhaps a
one-line description, sorted by 'basic purpose', would be very useful.
Especially for folks who know they need a particular function, but don't know
how the function should be spelled. If a person needs a file function that does
X and Y, then if there was a big doc, with one of the chapters containing a list
of all the file functions. That would be awfully useful.
jcjr
i usually start with these:
http://freepascal.org/docs-html/
http://lazarus-ccr.sourceforge.net/docs/
and the wiki contains a lot of useful stuff, too:
http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Lazarus_Documentation
henry
_________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe: mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] with
"unsubscribe" as the Subject
archives at http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/mailarchives
