Free Pascal DOS: Is LFN required for work?

[Milsa]

I installed FP with LFN in DOSBox-x. I copied it to CF card for Pocket 386 with DOS 6.22. It is necessary LFN for work with it? Bacause I use Dos Navigator without LFN. Necromancer Dos Navigator doesn't work on this computer. Copying files may break LFN in this version of DN. I don't find any file with LFN in Free Pascal.

[marcov]

Usually FPC is considered to be usable without SFN, but it is hard to compile (bootstrap) FPC itself or build releases without LFN. Maybe older Dos users used Win9x anyway.

I haven't heard much news on the practicalities of the dos front for daily use in recent years.

[Milsa]

Thank you for your answer.

DOS is for retro projects. No for daily use.

[Milsa]

Is it possible to tell FP to also search recursively in subdirectories when looking for libraries for programs? I can't run the examples without putting the libraries all in one directory.

[marcov]

For precompiled units and unit source, yes:  Append a * to the end of the path e.g.

-Fuc:\fpc\units\i386-go32v2\*

(preferably in the similar line in fpc.cfg)

Libraries (external .a files), not that I know.

[Milsa]

I think units, yes. Thank you.

I just found out that FP doesn't work on the Pocket 386. I got a SIGILL error.

[marcov]

My guess would be that it is the floating point requirement.  So probably you need to install/configure the emu387.dxe from djgpp.

It used to be in the dos distribution iirc.

[Milsa]

I tested FP on 86Box emulator. I set 80386DX + 80387.

This is bug report during FP IDE start:

[mika]

I tested FP on 86Box emulator. I set 80386DX + 80387.

You have to build fpc by yourself (setting -Cp80386 -Op80386). By default fpc is built for Pentium processors.

Building fpc dos version is challenging to say the least (but possible). 86Box emulates actual speed of processor so you are in for a long run.

[mika]

It is necessary LFN for work with it? Bacause I use Dos Navigator without LFN.

To build fpc LFN support is required. To run fpc or fp LFN is not required.

You might check out Dos Navigator 2 that do have LFN support in it .Could be found in FreeDos packages. And you sill have to have LFN driver if you use MSDOS 6.22.

[Milsa]

Thanks