Unsuccessfull linking but successfull finishing [Solved]

[Dany]

Hi, see the attched gif file. The project build seems to be successfull while the linking failed.
(v3.50 bèta.)

Confirmed solved in mP v3.80.

[Bryn]

I have similar errors with v2.50 when I've tried to have one procedural var call another procedural var - something that's apparently not possible with this Pascal and which is a complete project show-stopper for me.
A trivial demo example:

Code: Select all

program ProcVarTest;                                    

uses
  LibInit,LibLCD4Bit;  // set up MCU I/O and use my own LCD library

type
  tProc=procedure;

var
  ProcVar1,ProcVar2: ^tProc;

procedure Proc1;
begin
  LCDWrite('this is Proc1')
end;

procedure Proc2;
begin
  LCDWrite('this is Proc2');
// uncomment "ProcVar1^" line below and attempting to recompile
// gets the completely bogus error "Recursion or cross-calling of LCDWrite"
// (also for for Proc1), followed by "Not enough RAM for call stack"
//  ProcVar1^
end;

begin
  InitProject;
  LCDWrite('Hello World');
  ProcVar1:=@Proc1;
  ProcVar2:=@Proc2;
  ProcVar1^;
  ProcVar2^
end.

(there's nothing fancy going on in either of the used units: it's all basic stuff)
This is possible in FreePascal and Delphi, and I'm surprised it's not possible here.
The error message is bogus because there's NO cross-calling and in any case, surely the only limits in play should be those applying to the use of any procedures - whether compiled as a conventional procedure and run directly through code or when a procedure's address is assigned to a procedural var.
To do otherwise makes for an uncomfortable imbalance and I'm disappointed that I seem to have been hit by a rather strange implementation limitation. The procedure address is still the procedure address even after it's been assigned to a var, right?, and I don't understand why the stack frame should (apparently) have to be handled differently depending on whether the procedure is called through a var or directly through code.


BTW (off-topic but loosely related): could the requirement for the trailing '^' at the end of a call by procedural var be dropped?
I guess it's technically correct to write the call as SomeProcVarName^ but writing just SomeProcVarName is more intuitive. IIRC an early release of Delphi had the same requirement but it was dropped in favour of the "unadorned" procedural var name.

edit:
( oops - a brainfart. I meant v3.20 of course...)

[slavisa.zlatanovic]

Hi Dany and Bryn!

Dany:
Please, send me your project. I would like to reproduce your problem and inform our developers about it.
You can send it to my email: slavisa.zlatanovic@mikroe.com

Bryn:
I'll try to reproduce your problem and get back to you later.

Best regards
Slavisa

[Dany]

Please, send me your project. I would like to reproduce your problem and inform our developers about it.

Hi Slavisa, I can not send the actual project to you (it is not mine), but I will try to simulate a project where compiling succeeds and linking fails...
(I assume you can make this type of project as well).

[Bryn]

Bryn:
I'll try to reproduce your problem and get back to you later.

Many thanks, Slavisa.
I really hope this can be nailed ASAP and procedure calls end up being treated identically - irrespective of whether they're called directly or via their address in a variable.

[Dany]

Please, send me your project. I would like to reproduce your problem and inform our developers about it.

Hi Slavisa, I can not send the actual project to you (it is not mine), but I will try to simulate a project where compiling succeeds and linking fails...
(I assume you can make this type of project as well).

Hi Slavisa, one can force a failed linking by declaring a too large array with respect to the ram size of the PIC and try to use that array. This gives an error of the linker: "not enough Ram", but the total project succeeds as in the first post.

Extract from the logfile:

...
diagnostics: 0 134 Compiled Successfully C:\PIC Projects PRO compiler\Tests\Test Recursive Unit usage\TestRecursiveUnits.mpas
diagnostics: 0 139 All files Compiled in 120 ms
error: 5 362 Not enough RAM 'ttttt' unit3.mpas
error: 0 453 Unsuccessful linking 'TestRecursiveUnits.mpppi' Unsuccessful linking 'TestRecursiveUnits.mpppi'
diagnostics: 0 103 Finished successfully: 06 mei 2010, 20:21:03 TestRecursiveUnits.mpppi

[slavisa.zlatanovic]

Hi Bryn!

I couldn't reproduce your problem.
Please, send me your full project.
You can send it to my email: slavisa.zlatanovic@mikroe.com

Regards

[slavisa.zlatanovic]

Hi Dany!

I've reproduced the issue you're talking about. I'll inform our developers of it.
Thanks for reporting!

Regards

[Bryn]

Please, send me your full project.

Ah... problem - it's for a client so not really all mine to give.
I'll strip it down to the absolute basics that still show the problem and get back to you.

Edit:
Done - a zip file is on its way to you.
Many thanks.

[Dany]

Hi Dany!

I've reproduced the issue you're talking about. I'll inform our developers of it.
Thanks for reporting!

Regards

Confirmed solved in mP v3.80.