Error on Run in Lazarus on Sierra

[TomBacker]

I have installed Lazarus 1.6.4 with fpc 3.02 on a Mac / Sierra (version 10.12.4) I think everything was installed in the correct sequence.  The interface comes up nicely, but when I press Run, the following error appears: "Compile package FCL 1.0.1 Exit code 256". What have I done wrong?

[Thaddy]

(Do not trust me beforehand on this one, but:)
Exit codes are in the range of a byte : 0 - means no error - up to 255 of which FPC uses only up to and including 232.
So 256 looks weird. That probably means it overflowed and the real error is 1.

1 means:
" 1 Invalid function number. An invalid operating system call was attempted."
If I am right - error = 1 - you are simply missing one or more dependencies.


But either the Lazarus guys introduced error numbers in a "different  " range or one of the compiler guru's need to explain if this overflow is acceptable.
Note the byte range is a hard coded compiler definition. It can't be bigger that a byte, but the containing variable may have a larger size. 256 can not happen except on purpose (calling halt(integer sized var) or overflow.

[TomBacker]

I am not interested in the properties of the error code returned by the (assumed) FCL function.  What I would like to know is what I have done in order to avoid similar errors.  It must be added that I have tested running of several programs, and all yield the same error.  In other words my installation of the compiler is useless.

[Phil]

In other words my installation of the compiler is useless.

Does it indicate anything else? I've get this compile error (Exit code 256) on my Mac as a result of "Identifier not found" errors. If that's what you're getting, then there should be more information in the line below. Copy that info here. Control+click in the Messages window and choose a copy command from the popup menu. Then paste it here.

I'm not sure why Lazarus is even trying to compile the FCL package since the package comes compiled (.o, .ppu files) and installed with Laz. You could try compiling the package separately and maybe you'll discover more about what the problem is. Package | Open package file, then navigate to packager/registration and choose fcl.lpk.

[TomBacker]

Dear all

I am dropping the project, using Lazarus for the data preparations for a series of publications using graph theory.  A Mac with 10.12.5 (Sierra), fpc 3.0.2, and Lazarus 1.6.4 plus the gdb debugger and other stuff. was useless  I could not get the stuff to work together to make having an executable program, in spite of using several days of relatively intense activity plus several other recommended tools like fink.  Maybe there were some interactions I did not control, a lot of strange and incomprehensible messages cropped up and in spite of a large number of suggestions on the net. 

That's simply enough, nothing like the simplicity in the installation I usually get on the Mac (and other previous computers).  So, bye.  I'll use R instead and start again.  A pity, the previous efforts on the project was nice and almost finished.  Too bad.

Tom Backer Johnsen

[jwdietrich]

Dear all

I am dropping the project, using Lazarus for the data preparations for a series of publications using graph theory.  A Mac with 10.12.5 (Sierra), fpc 3.0.2, and Lazarus 1.6.4 plus the gdb debugger and other stuff. was useless  I could not get the stuff to work together to make having an executable program, in spite of using several days of relatively intense activity plus several other recommended tools like fink.  Maybe there were some interactions I did not control, a lot of strange and incomprehensible messages cropped up and in spite of a large number of suggestions on the net. 

That's simply enough, nothing like the simplicity in the installation I usually get on the Mac (and other previous computers).  So, bye.  I'll use R instead and start again.  A pity, the previous efforts on the project was nice and almost finished.  Too bad.

Tom Backer Johnsen

I am very sorry to read your message. It demonstrates the high need for more thorough work on the Mac version of Lazarus.

Although I use Lazarus and FPC in order to develop professional Mac applications for nearly ten years, I am unable to provide help in your case. For me, Lazarus works acceptably on macOS (PPC and Intel, Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger to macOS 10.12 Sierra). Therefore I cannot reproduce your problem. However, I agree that the Mac platform is a great weakness of the Lazarus project, since the Mac version is far less stable than the Windows implementation.

I am very interested in your graph theory project, anyway. I would also like to read about your implementation in R. Although I am familiar with R, I would prefer a Pascal-based solution, however.

[MISV]

The "sad" thing is that  Mac/Lazarus/LCL is an easier conversion path from Windows/Delphi/VCL than Mac/Delphi/FireMonkey - at least that was my conclusion.

I think Lazarus could grab lots of customers there. It is comparatively an easy path for old and existing Delphi developers to start targeting Mac.

I have a many hundred thousands own lines of code tool series I had o port to Mac.

Sure, I had to limit which properties I use in DFM. Write a few very thin component to "wrap" properties unknown for Lazarus vice versa with Delphi. Add some IFDEF code. (I also many years ago wrote my own string routines wrapper which made conversion easier, but I am not even sure that would be necessary for this. However, since my tool series are very heavy on string parsing it made sense.)

But in essence I have this huge project where I on Windows can open and compile in Delphi. Move folder to Mac and compile in Lazarus. Same code. Same DFM. (I currently have one withstanding problem with virtual treeview columns property where I patch DFM file myself before moving poject. I am looking into making a solution for this as well)

[DonAlfredo]

A last resort install method could be fpcupdeluxe. Use the 32 bit Darwin version.

[Ondrej Pokorny]

I think Lazarus could grab lots of customers there.

We don't sell anything. There are no customers, unfortunately Lazarus is driven by volunteers and geeks only.

[RAW]

I think everything was installed in the correct sequence.

Obviously not really ??? 

I am not interested in the properties of the error code returned by the (assumed) FCL function.

I think there is a reason for error codes, isn't it ???

...I could not get the stuff to work together to make having an executable program, ...

Use a WINDOWS PC and everything is going to be fine... 
At least I would do that if I had done a lot of work with FreePascal/Lazarus...
Or even easier.. take an old PC and install LINUX... 

There are a lot of people out there who had LAZARUS running on a MAC.
Do they use a better/smarter MAC ???

...several days of relatively intense activity...

..a lot of strange and incomprehensible messages cropped up...

That's not very precise and/or helpful... 

What about using an EDITOR or use fpGUI... 
Is CodeTyphon working on a MAC or MSE-IDE ??? Not sure.. maybe not... ???

[helmi]

My lazarus run fine on my Mac (Sierra 10.12.5). I was having this problem before I I remember correctly, it something wrong with package. What I did I just clean fresh install it again.

- lazarus 1.6.4

[MISV]

I think Lazarus could grab lots of customers there.

We don't sell anything. There are no customers, unfortunately Lazarus is driven by volunteers and geeks only.

Okay - but point remains - Converting a Delphi/Windows/VCL application to Mac is easier through Lazarus than Delphi... That... is an amazing "feature" if you ask me