Chapter 1
Introduction

This manual is about the Object Pascal programming language as it is used in Delphi.

What's in this manual?

The first seven chapters describe most of the language elements used in ordinary programming. Chapter 8 summarizes standard routines for file I/O and string manipulation.

The next chapters describe language extensions and restrictions for dynamic-link libraries and Delphi packages (Chapter 9), and for object interfaces and COM (Chapter 10). The final three chapters address advanced topics: memory management (Chapter 11), program control (Chapter 12), and assembly-language routines within Object Pascal programs (Chapter 13).

Delphi and Object Pascal

Most Delphi developers write and compile their code in Delphi's integrated development environment (IDE). Delphi handles many details of setting up projects and source files, such as maintenance of dependency information among units. Delphi also places constraints on program organization that are not, strictly speaking, part of the Object Pascal language specification. For example, Delphi enforces certain file- and program-naming conventions that you can avoid if you write your programs outside of the IDE and compile them from the command prompt.

This manual generally assumes that you are working in Delphi's IDE and that you are building applications that use the Visual Component Library (VCL). Occasionally, however, Delphi-specific rules are distinguished from rules that apply to all Object Pascal programming.

Typographical conventions

Identifiers--that is, names of constants, variables, types, fields, properties, procedures, functions, programs, units, libraries, and packages--appear in italics in the text. Object Pascal operators, reserved words, and directives are in boldface type. Example code and text that you would type literally (into a file or at the command prompt) are in monospaced type.

In displayed program listings, reserved words and directives appear in boldface, just as they do in the text:

function Calculate(X, Y: Integer): Integer;
begin
...
end;

This is how Delphi's Code editor displays reserved words and directives, if you have the Syntax Highlight option turned on.

Some program listings, like the example above, contain ellipsis marks (...). The ellipses represent additional code that would be included in an actual file. They are not meant to be copied literally.

In syntax descriptions, italics indicate placeholders for which, in real code, you would substitute syntactically valid constructions. For example, the heading of the function declaration above could be represented as

function functionName(argumentList): returnType;

Syntax descriptions can also contain ellipsis marks (...) and subscripts:

function functionName(arg₁, ..., arg_n): ReturnType;

Other sources of information

Delphi's online Help system provides information about the IDE and user interface as well as the most up-to-date reference material for the VCL. Many programming topics, such as database development, are covered in depth in the Developer's Guide. For an overview of the Delphi documentation set, see the Quick Start manual that came with your copy of Delphi.

Software registration and technical support

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