Delphi language features missing from the Free Pascal Compiler

Note: some new Delphi features are already implemented in FPC trunk.

New since Delphi 2007

Advanced Records

http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/Structured_Types#Records_.28advanced.29

Advanced records are implemented in FPC 2.6.X without record constructors. Record constructors are implemented in FPC 2.7.1 (trunk).

New since Delphi 2009

Generics Syntax

A good delphi reference is here: http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/Generics_Index

Partially implemented in 2.5.1/2.6.x, further improved in 2.7.1 by Sven

Support for ansistrings with a definable codepage

Initial implementation available in trunk (2.7.1). Useful for small time testing, but the whole of the codebase hasn't adapted (2011-10-18)

Anonymous Methods

http://docs.embarcadero.com/products/rad_studio/delphiAndcpp2009/HelpUpdate2/EN/html/devcommon/anonymousmethods_xml.html

New since Delphi 2010

Custom Attributes

To do: description here

Enhanced RTTI

http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/RTTI_directive_(Delphi)

Delayed directive

Info is here: http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/Libraries_and_Packages#Delayed_Loading Some info about internals:

1. http://blogs.embarcadero.com/abauer/2009/08/25/38894
2. http://blogs.embarcadero.com/abauer/2009/08/29/38896
3. http://blogs.embarcadero.com/chrishesik/2009/11/02/35056

fpc wiki about that topic: http://wiki.freepascal.org/Dynamically_loading_headers

Originally I thought that delayed is similar to weakexternal which FPC has for some platforms but after reading this: http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/CodeExamples/XE3/en/DelayedLoading_(Delphi) I understand that this is simply a wrapper around LoadLibrary and GetProcessAdress with automatic loading and unloading.--Paul Ishenin 13:45, 18 January 2013 (UTC)

Misc

1. (Library) packages
2. "automated" keyword, which is like "public", but generates COM specific RTTI. Afaik this kind of COM usage is deprecated though.

Already implemented

FPC 2.7.1/trunk

Advanced records

See above.

FPC 2.6.0

AS and IS extended for interfaces

New since Delphi 2010. Info is here:

1. http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/Interface_References#Casting_Interface_References_to_Objects
2. http://blogs.embarcadero.com/abauer/2009/08/21/38893

Implemented in FPC 2.6.0.

Reference

1. http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/34324
2. http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/images/39076/New_Delphi_Coding_Styles_and_Architectures.pdf
3. http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/What's_New_in_Delphi_and_C%2B%2BBuilder_2010