Pascal | Initializing variables

Question

The following syntax examples are incorrect ways to initialize a variable in pascal:

var current: string = '1.6';

Error message: Column 21: Semicolon (;) expected.

var current: string;
current = '1.6';

Error message: Column 1: Duplicate identifier 'current'.

Correct syntax to initialize a variable in Pascal:

var current: string;
    begin
current := '1.6';
    end

Source: https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/current/ref/refse25.html#x56-740004.5

Perhaps a text book might help. Trying to guess your way to knowledge is unlikely to yield much of use. — David Heffernan, Nov 12 '19 at 17:54
My friendly advice is to read about elementary syntax rules in the Freepascal documentation. It will save you a lot of time and prevent frustration. — Tom Brunberg, Nov 12 '19 at 17:56
Never in a million years would a programmer realize to type "void Main(void) to start a program, yet this is the magic that declares it in C. Python doesn't know how to declare the end of a function and return a value. Many languages use return, which is so much goto. Scattering variable declarations throughout a program is terrible for CPU and memory in any language, because of how computers work. First syntax is actually correct - as you would have found out, if only you had bothered to look up a single programming example to know how! — Henrik Erlandsson, Aug 31 '22 at 21:20

Miguel Cabrera · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-12T15:07:21.737

3

I haven't codified in Pascal for a long time, but the assignation of a variable uses the := operator (assigment operator), = operator is for comparisitions. Otherwise you need to add the main program block, like this:

Var
   current: string;

Begin
   current := '1.6';
End.

I hope can be useful for you.

More info here: https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/ref/refse101.html

edited Nov 12 '19 at 15:07

answered Nov 12 '19 at 14:50

Miguel Cabrera

191
1
6

Thanks, your link provided the answer: var current: string; begin current := '1.6'; end – Varest Nov 12 '19 at 14:56
1

Sorry, i didn't remember that exists a var block and a main program block. i'm gonna edit the asnwer. – Miguel Cabrera Nov 12 '19 at 15:02

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 12 '19 at 14:49

2

It's been a very long time since I wrote Pascal, but IIRC, the assignment operator is := (aka the walrus sign). = is the equality test operator.

Try this:

var current: string;
current := '1.6';

answered Nov 12 '19 at 14:49

Code Different

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Unfortunately that also leads to the "duplicate identifier" error. – Varest Nov 12 '19 at 14:54

Pascal | Initializing variables

2 Answers2