Reusing unit paths across build modes

[Чебурашка]

Hi,
it happened to me several times that I have 2/3 Lazarus build modes, and I need to modify the unit paths (-Fu) to include additional stuff.

The problem is that I have to make it manually in each build mode every time, and of course I do mistakes almost always.

Of course it is senseful to have different unit paths depending on the build mode, for example to include extra units related to debugging, but I would like to know if is possible to "import" or "refer to" the unit path of another build mode, so that in case I need modify I can make it in the "principal" build bode, an the modification is reflected automatically in other ones.

[n7800]

Unfortunately, Lazarus does not yet support "inheritance" of build modes. But I can offer you alternatives:

1) Use conditional compilation:
https://wiki.freepascal.org/Conditional_compilation

You can define "symbols" for each build mode by clicking on the "Defines..." button in this options section:
https://wiki.freepascal.org/IDE_Window:_Compiler_Options#Custom_Options

This will allow certain parts of the code to only compile in specified build profiles:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
2. begin
3.   {$IFDEF DebugBuild}
4.   ShowMessage('This message will only be shown in debug build mode');
5.   {$ENDIF}
6. end;

2) If you want to specify different units in each build mode, then use conditional compilation directly in the "uses" section:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses
2.   Classes, SysUtils {$IFDEF DebugBuild}, MyDebugUnit{$ENDIF};

3) Or you can use the following compiler directive:
https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/prog/progsu119.html

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. {$IFDEF ReleaseBuild}
2.   {$UNITPATH ​units\release}
3. {$ELSE}
4.   {$UNITPATH ​units\debug}
5. {$ENDIF}
6.  
7. uses
8.   Classes, SysUtils, MyUnit;

4) The same link (at the end of the page) provides another method via:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses
2.   Classes, SysUtils,
3.   {$IFDEF ReleaseBuild}
4.   MyUnit in 'units\release\MyUnit.pas'
5.   {$ELSE}
6.   MyUnit in 'units\debug\MyUnit.pas'
7.   {$ENDIF}
8.   ;

Read the warnings about relative paths carefully.