Why doesn't this compile?

[egsuh]

Why the assignment fails in the following example? every textbook and manual says it should work.

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. type
2.    RTest = record
3.      a, b: integer;
4.    end;
5.  
6. var
7.    ATest: RTest;
8.  
9. begin
10.    ATest := (a: 1; b:2);  // <-- identifier not found a
11.  

[440bx]

Where is variable ATest declared ?

[egsuh]

Haha... I deleted wrong lines. I have changed the example code above. Still, does not compile.

[egsuh]

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. type
2.    RTest = record
3.      a, b: integer;
4.    end;
5.  
6. var
7.    ATest: RTest = (a:1; b:2);  // I can write in this way here
8. begin
9.    ATest := (a:1; b:2);  // but not here.
10.    // ...
11. end;
12.  

[440bx]

The reason that doesn't compile is because an assignment, which is what := is, allows only a single item to be assigned a value and in your example two (2) values are being assigned.

The declaration allows multiple values to be initialized but an assignment (which is a different thing) does not.

The following would compile

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. ATest.a := 1;  
2.  

because only 1 variable (field in this case) is being assigned to.

A roundabout way of assigning to both fields at the same time in a single assignment can be done in this way:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. var
2.   ATest : RTest = (a:1; b:1);
3.   BTest : RTest;
4.  
5. begin
6.   BTest := ATest;  // both fields of BTest are modified
7. end;
8.  

Note that while fields a and b of BTest are modified, the assignment specifies only 1 variable not 2.

HTH.