Subsections

- 1 About this document
- 2 About the compiler
- 3 Getting more information.

# 1 Introduction

# 1 About this document

This is the user's manual for Free Pascal. It describes the installation and use of the Free Pascal compiler on the different supported platforms. It does not attempt to give an exhaustive list of all supported commands, nor a definition of the Pascal language. Look at the Reference guide for these things. For a description of the possibilities and the inner workings of the compiler, see the Programmers' guide. In the appendices of this document you will find lists of reserved words and compiler error messages (with descriptions).

This document describes the compiler as it is/functions at the time of writing. First consult the README and FAQ files, distributed with the compiler. The README and FAQ files are, in case of conflict with this manual, authoritative.

# 2 About the compiler

Free Pascal is a 32-bit compiler for the i386 and m68k processors. Currently, it supports the following operating systems:

- DOS
- LINUX
- AMIGA (version 0.99.5 only)
- WINDOWS
- OS/2 (using the EMX package, so it also works on DOS/Windows)
- FREEBSD (usable, but still under development).
- (under development)
- (under development)
- (under development)
- (under development)

Free Pascal is designed to be, as much as possible, source compatible with Turbo Pascal 7.0 and Delphi 5 (although this goal is not yet attained), but it also enhances these languages with elements like operator overloading. And, unlike these ancestors, it supports multiple platforms.

It also differs from them in the sense that you cannot use compiled units from one system for the other.

Also, at the time of writing, there is a beta version of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) available for Free Pascal.

Free Pascal consists of three parts :

1. The compiler program itself.
2. The Run-Time Library (RTL).
3. Utility programs and units.

Of these you only need the first two, in order to be able to use the compiler. In this document, we describe the use of the compiler. The RTL is described in the Reference guide.

# 3 Getting more information.

If the documentation doesn't give an answer to your questions, you can obtain more information on the Internet, on the following addresses:

- http://www.freepascal.org/ is the main site. It contains also useful mail addresses and links to other places. It also contains the instructions for inscribing to the mailing-list.

- http://community.freepascal.org:10000/ is a forum site where questions can be posted.

Other than that, some mirrors exist.

Finally, if you think something should be added to this manual (entirely possible), please do not hesitate and contact me at michael@freepascal.org. .

Let's get on with something useful.