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Author Topic: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options  (Read 12040 times)

bigdormouse

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Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« on: February 24, 2015, 09:56:38 am »
Free Pascal 2.6.2 , Windows 7 Pro 32bit
User with administrator rights run Free Pascal 2.6.2 as administrator (elevated rights on)
Options, Environment, Preferences
change Auto save parameters , OK, exit
Run again Free Pascal, let's see Options, Environment, Preferences
Changes not saved  :'(
Please help - how to save changes in options,
TIA
Big Dormouse

Jonas Maebe

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2015, 02:56:53 pm »
I vaguely remember that this was indeed a bug in the 2.6.2 release. Try the latest release, 2.6.4. You can download it from http://www.freepascal.org/download.var

Nitorami

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2015, 07:18:53 pm »
I had similar problems with 2.6.4, and it is usually related to fp.dsk.

fp.dsk seems to store the latest window positions and the code complete table, but is not vitally important so the first thing I do whenever running into problems is to delete fp.dsk. The IDE will then generate a new version which usually works for a while.

Sometimes however the IDE generates an fp.dsk of exactly 100 Bytes size, and this stub does not work. For instance, the IDE will not remember the windows across sessions if this is the case. I have no solution for that, as I found that whenever I deleted fp.dsk, the IDE would always come up with a new dysfunct 100Byte version. My pragmatic way to deal with it is to keep a backup copy of fp.dsk which I know works.

bigdormouse

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2015, 08:28:47 am »
Another computer
Free Pascal 2.6.4 , Windows XP Pro SP3 32bit
User with administrator rights runs Free Pascal 2.6.4
Options, Environment, Preferences
change Auto save parameters , OK, exit
Run again Free Pascal, let's see Options, Environment, Preferences
Changes not saved  :'(

Let's try with file fp.dsk  :(

Deleted file fp.dsk - :( no - options not saved and IDE don't generate new file fp.dsk

Let's try reinstall 2.6.4 ....  full uninstall of 2.6.4.
New install, full with default settings.
First try... no success, options can't be saved.
Hm, there is file fp.dsk, delete this file, start, exit IDE, hm, Free Pascal recreated this file (1.78 KB) this time.
Maybe this is good sign.
No ........ options can't be saved :(

Where is SOLUTION?

Big Dormouse
« Last Edit: March 03, 2015, 10:02:48 am by bigdormouse »

User137

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2015, 05:49:21 pm »
Are there any weird characters in the fpc path, like spaces or non a..Z?

Nitorami

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2015, 07:57:53 pm »
And, how do you start FPC ? Do not click on the icon, I had massive problems with that. I recommend to open a command shell (cmd.exe) , go to the working directory and start the IDE from the shell.

bigdormouse

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2015, 07:43:35 am »
FPC path
C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-win32\fp.exe

Start from command shell didn't help, options not saved  :(
---------------------------------------------------------------
C:\>cd fpc

C:\FPC>cd 2.6.4

C:\FPC\2.6.4>cd bin

C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin>cd i386-win32

C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-win32>fp.exe
  Free Pascal IDE Version 1.0.12 [2014/03/06]
  Compiler Version 2.6.4
  GDB Version GDB 7.4
  Using configuration files from: C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-win32\

C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-win32>fp.exe
  Free Pascal IDE Version 1.0.12 [2014/03/06]
  Compiler Version 2.6.4
  GDB Version GDB 7.4
  Using configuration files from: C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-win32\

C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-win32>
---------------------------------------------------------------

Big Dormouse

Nitorami

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2015, 06:23:21 pm »
It's got to work. Try this:
Open a command shell.
Create a new directory and copy your sources there.
Go to this directory and start fp (should be in the windows search path anyway !)

You will be informed that fp has never started from this dir, and you'll be asked a few questions. Answer that you want to create a config file in this directory, and that it should be created from scratch.

fp creates three files in that directory, fp.ini, fp.cfg and fp.dsk. That works fine for me, options are stored, and everything is ok until the time that fp.dsk is messed up.... but that should take a while.

Something else that caused weird problems for me is if the screen settings for fp do not match the windows console settings. I usually set fp's video mode (Options/Env/Preferences) to 80x80 color, and set the shell properties to the same values (right mouse click on the title bar / properties of the cmd window).

Edit: Just because you are administrator does not I think necessarily mean that fp may write to all directories. For instance I used to read binary data files, generated by a digital data recorder, from an external drive to process them with my program. But when I changed to win7, this did not work any longer; it worked for some folders but not for others although they were all created by the same recorder. 
Then I learned that win7 introduced additional file access control (User Account Control UAC), and the consequence is that I can still access these files manually, because win7 trusts me for some reason, but fp cannot, because win7 does not trust it. The logic behind that is completely beyond me, all I want is a workaround... setting fp's system.filemode to fmOpenRead seems to satisfy win7 that my program will not do evil things to my files, jobd done for me.

Anyway, that has little to do with your problem but what I'm saying is that in general it appears to be less hassle to work in local folders and have fp create its config files there.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2015, 06:48:03 pm by Nitorami »

bigdormouse

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2015, 08:28:35 am »
Continues on Windows XP

With system variable PATH was something wrong - installations creates several fpc items and uninstallations don't delete them :(

Changed system variable PATH
from
%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Intel\DMIX;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\FPC\2.6.2\bin\i386-Win32;C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-Win32;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\;C:\FPC\2.6.4\bin\i386-Win32
to
%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Intel\DMIX;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\;C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32

After that from command prompt create new directory, copy sources, delete three fp files - fp.ini, fp.cfg, fp.dsk
Start fp, yes create config file in this directory from scratch, oki
Yes - there is something also with screen, but this we will leave to the next step

And no - options not saved after next start :(

Problem on next start fp tells about first start and asks again create configuration file?
Strange. fp creates in this directory only fp.cfg and fp.dsk (181KB - i hope file oki) , there is no new file fp.ini :(  , hmmmm
Also i found in options, environment, preferences - desktop file can be in current directory or config file directory.
At this moment - marked config file directory, maybe must be changed to current directory..... hmmmmm

fp creates fp.ini at this moment only under %appdata%\fp .... strange , hm , why not in current directory ?

Big Dormouse,
continues trying


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C:\>md fpcorg

C:\>xcopy c:\fpc\2.6.4\*.* c:\fpcorg /h /e /q
16166 File(s) copied

C:\>path
PATH=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\In
tel\DMIX;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsP
owerShell\v1.0;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone
\;C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32;C:\Java\jdk1.7.0_40\bin;

C:\>cd c:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32

C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32>del fp.ini

C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32>del fp.cfg

C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32>del fp.dsk

C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32>dir fp.*
 Volume in drive C is SYSTEM
 Volume Serial Number is 14E6-07E9

 Directory of C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32

16.05.2005.  19:37             4 515 fp.ans
06.03.2014.  16:24         9 497 088 fp.exe
               2 File(s)      9 501 603 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  18 358 579 200 bytes free

C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32>fp
■ Free Pascal IDE Version 1.0.12 [2014/03/06]
■ Compiler Version 2.6.4
■ GDB Version GDB 7.4
■ Using configuration files from: C:\Documents and Settings\skolotajs\Applicatio
n Data\fp\
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
« Last Edit: March 05, 2015, 08:36:53 am by bigdormouse »

bigdormouse

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2015, 09:40:49 am »

Ou, good news.
Options, Save as - saves and creates fp.ini file where i show (and not where fp thinks to put)  C:\fpcorg\bin\i386-win32
Bad
Fp at start don't know how to load saved options from this fp.ini - loads only part of options. I must go to options and load manualy fp.ini for fp.
Hm, how to teach fp to load this fp.ini file at start?

Big Dormouse
feels good as in old good times :)

bigdormouse

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2015, 02:12:18 pm »
And so - deleted all (uninstall fpc, registry, directory, fp.ini under %appdata%) , little cleanup of system variables about path theme.
New start, brand new edited full installation (install parameters at end of post).
Shortcuts created ok, fp. cfg and fp.ini install create in C:\FPC\bin\i386-win32
Under %appdata% no signs of fp\fp.ini
System variable PATH edited, but didn't see shanges from command prompt, must restart pc,
     after pc restart - yes from command prompt in PATH there is C:\FPC\bin\i386-Win32.
Then i start FPC from created shortcut on desktop
Yes, by default FPC saves fp.ini under %appdata% - bad for me.

And i'm doing so
- make needed changes to options
- save options as fp.ini in C:\FPC\bin\i386-win32
- exit FPC, check if under %appdata% is something like fp\fp.ini, then delete it
- start FPC, okidoki - from C:\FPC\bin\i386-win32\fp.ini has been taken saved options
So, important
- after install must be one restart
- after making changes in options they must be saved as fp.ini under i386-win32
  and from %appdata% must be deleted fp\fp.ini
- after exit and new start fpc takes saved options from i386-win32\fp.ini

This works at this moment for me.....

--- install parameters-------------------------------
Destination location:
      C:\FPC

Setup type:
      Custom installation

Selected components:
      Basic system for  win32
      GNU linker and assembler
      Documentation in PDF
      Integrated Development Environment
      Free Pascal Utilities
      GNU make
      Demos
      GNU debugger
      Units
      Examples

Start Menu folder:
      FPC

Additional tasks:
      File associations:
         Associate .pp files with Free Pascal IDE
         Associate .inc files with Free Pascal IDE
      Create a desktop icon for the Free Pascal IDE
      Create a default configuration for the Free Pascal IDE
      Create a standard configuration file for the compiler
      Create a standard configuration file for the package manager (fppkg)
----------------------------------

marcov

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2015, 02:32:47 pm »
Does your windows username (profile name) contain unicode characters?

bigdormouse

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Re: Free Pascal 2.6.2 , saving options
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2015, 01:12:30 pm »
 :-\ hm , i think no

name - skolotajs
full name - admin
C:\Documents and Settings\skolotajs

may be there, for example, letter a is in unicode character form ...

Big Dormouse

 

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