DOS ain't dead - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2

FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 (Announce)

posted by marcov, 18.07.2008, 11:38

> I downloaded it yesterday, the bugs I reported with RC1 are gone - it is
> very good!

Good to hear.

> Bravo. (btw. which switches did you use for compilation?)

I'm afraid I can't take any credit, since I didn't fix or compile anything. Giulio did most of the work I think.

> There is only one isssue with debugger in RC2. It doesn't save the output
> screen when you are in graph mode - IDE properly switches into graphics
> mode but only black screen is shown. FPC 1.0.10 did it properly. It is a
> problem of FPC or problem in LIBGDB? What happens if you use a older
> version of LIBGDB?

I suspect it is an problem in the IDE. GDB doesn't do this, and this must be fixed actively by the IDE.
It could be that this is a problem that was fixed in 1.0 after 2.x was already branched off, but not merged because proto 2.x was a mess in 2000-2003.

Please open a report for it.

> Then two very small issues are still present:
> * In example of FreeVision (TestApp): if you have no window opened (so the
> cursor is hidden) and choose from menu "Dosshell", then after returning
> into application is cursor visible (should be hidden) - is is a bug in FV

I saw you posted a report+ fix for that.

> * In IDE if you change resolution (to 80x50 for example), the mouse cursor
> disapears. To make it visible again you have to press Alt-F5 and then any
> key. It is a bug in VESAMODE.PP (or vesamode.pas? - (I am not sure I am
> writting this in work))

I saw the bugreport. I think it is a vesa implementation quirk (not properly keeping cursor style across modes, so this might not happen on all systems), but explicitely setting the last mode after a resolution change might help.

Hmm. I btw saw you also have this open:
http://bugs.freepascal.org/view.php?id=9863
can you update its status?

> * Source of INSTALL.PAS could be simplified - it contains some string
> functions which are already present in units Strings and SysUtils.

I'll ask Florian about this, and clean up if necessary. The installer is older than sysutils in the first place.

> * example for CHM reader is missing
> (I would like to write own reader for CHM help systems but it is not very
> clear to me how to use the CHM units)

Known issue. Not much I can do atm. It was a donation.

> * in documentation is missing a description how FPC passes arguments into
> procedures. It is very important for procedures in assembler.
> (in oldfpccall via stack, in default by some registers, but how exactly?)

I don't have the time to search this, but afaik this is in the manual somewhere? It might help to know that the default convention is equal to the "register" calling convention. Will check myself later.

> Not bug but a dream:
> Some good sound library for DOS.

There might be something on the contrib page (splay?) if it ever comes up again.

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Complete thread:

FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - marcov, 14.07.2008, 13:03 (Announce)
- FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Laaca, 17.07.2008, 09:51
  - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Laaca, 17.07.2008, 22:16
  - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - marcov, 18.07.2008, 11:38
    - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Laaca, 18.07.2008, 13:26
    - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Rugxulo, 18.07.2008, 13:52
      - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - marcov, 18.07.2008, 13:59
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Rugxulo, 19.07.2008, 20:23
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - FFK, 22.07.2008, 02:56
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Rugxulo, 23.07.2008, 00:28
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - FFK, 23.07.2008, 02:14
        DUGL licensing. - marcov, 23.07.2008, 20:30
        DUGL licensing. - FFK, 24.07.2008, 06:32
    - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Laaca, 18.07.2008, 23:42
      - FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Laaca, 19.07.2008, 12:51
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - marcov, 21.07.2008, 12:58
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 - Laaca, 21.07.2008, 15:47
        FreePascal 2.2.2 rc2 fun thing - marcov, 23.07.2008, 23:17