Build Configuration options 

Description 

Build Configuration  

Displays the name of the current build configuration associated with the options on this page. There are three default build configurations: Base, Debug, and Release.  

Apply Options...  

Displays the Apply Option Set dialog box to apply the options in a named option set to the current configuration.  

Common items 

Description 

Value from <parent configuration or option set>  

Indicates the value in the parent build configuration or referenced option set. If you change this value here, the change will potentially affect the Base configuration (that is, if you click OK on the Project->Options dialog and subsequently build your project).  

<any item in red print>  

Indicates that this option has secondary options available. To view the secondary options, click the + sign in front of the option in red.  

<any item in boldface print>  

Indicates that the value of this option has been changed from the value in the parent configuration or referenced option set.  

Pop-Up Button  

Appears after you click an option that has a set of available choices (such as True, False). Click to display and choose the value you want from the available choices.  

Code Generation options 

Description 

Code inlining control  

Sets or clears the Delphi compiler directive {$INLINE <ON|OFF|AUTO>. For more information, see "Using the Inline Directive" in Calling Procedures and Functions. Default = off.  

Code page  

Enter the code page for your application's language, such as 1252. Code page is a decimal number representing a specific character encoding table, and there are standard values for various languages. Default = 0  

Emit runtime type information  

Controls generation of runtime type information (Delphi compiler directive {$M}), The default value is False (no runtime type information is emitted). Default = False  

Minimum enum size  

Specifies the smallest amount of memory to be allocated for an enum. Choices are Byte {$Z1}, Word {$Z2}, Double Word {$Z4}, Quad Word. See the description of the pop-up button, above. Default = Byte  

Optimization  

Controls code optimization. When enabled (equivalent to {$O+}), the compiler performs a number of code optimizations, such as placing variables in CPU registers, eliminating common subexpressions, and generating induction variables. When disabled, (equivalent to {$O-}), all such optimizations are disabled. Other than for certain debugging situations, you should never have a need to turn optimizations off. All optimizations performed by the Delphi compiler are guaranteed not to alter the meaning of a program. In other words, the compiler performs no "unsafe" optimizations that require special awareness by the programmer.
This option can only turn optimization on or off for an entire procedure or function. You can't turn optimization on or off for a single line or group of lines within a routine. Default = True  

Pentium-safe FDIV  

Delphi for Win32 only. Controls generation of floating-point code that guards against the flawed FDIV instruction exhibited by certain early Pentium processors. Windows 95, Windows NT 3.51, and later Windows OS versions contain code that corrects the Pentium FDIV bug system-wide. When enabled (equivalent to compiler directive {$U+}), all floating-point divisions are performed using a runtime library routine. The first time the floating-point division routine is invoked, it checks whether the processor's FDIV instruction works correctly, and updates the TestFDIV variable (declared in the System unit) accordingly.
For subsequent floating-point divide operations, the value stored in TestFDIV is used to determine what action to take:
-1 means that FDIV instruction has been tested and found to be flawed.
0 means that FDIV instruction has not yet been tested.
1 means that FDIV instruction has been tested and found to be correct.
For processors that do not exhibit the FDIV flaw, enabling this option results in only a slight performance degradation. For a flawed Pentium processor, floating-point divide operations may take up to three times longer in the enabled state but always produce correct results. In the disabled (equivalent to {$U-}) state, floating-point divide operations are performed using in-line FDIV instructions. This results in optimum speed and code size, but may produce incorrect results on flawed Pentium processors. You should use the disabled state only in cases where you are certain that the code is not running on a flawed Pentium processor. Default = False  

Record field alignment  

Controls alignment of fields in Delphi record types and class structures. Click the down-arrow to select from the possible values:
If you select option Off (equivalent to {$A1}) or disable the option (equivalent to {$A-}), fields are never aligned. All record and class structures are packed.
If you select Byte (equivalent to {$A2}), fields in record types that are declared without the packed modifier and fields in class structures are aligned on byte boundaries.
If you select Word (equivalent to {$A2}), fields in record types that are declared without the packed modifier and fields in class structures are aligned on word boundaries.
If you select Double Word (equivalent to {$A4}), fields in record types that are declared without the packed modifier and fields in class structures are aligned on double-word boundaries.
If you select Quad Word (equivalent to {$A8} or {$A+}), fields in record types that are declared without the packed modifier and fields in class structures are aligned on quad word boundaries. Regardless of the state of the $A directive, variables and typed constants are always aligned for optimal access. Execution is faster if you set the option to 8 (Quad Word). This is the default.  

Stack frames  

Delphi for Win32 only. Controls the generation of stack frames for procedures and functions. When enabled, (equivalent to {$W+}), stack frames are always generated for procedures and functions, even when they're not needed. When disabled, (equivalent to {$W-}), stack frames are only generated when they're required, as determined by the routine's use of local variables. Some debugging tools require stack frames to be generated for all procedures and functions, but other than that you should never have a need to enable this option. Default = False  

Debugging items 

Description 

Assertions  

Enables or disables the generation of code for assertions in a Delphi source file. The option is enabled (equivalent to {$C+}) by default. Since assertions are not usually used at runtime in shipping versions of a product, compiler directives that disable the generation of code for assertions are provided. Uncheck this option to disable assertions.  

Debug information  

Debugging information consists of a line-number table for each procedure, which maps object-code addresses into source text line numbers. For units, the debug information is recorded in the unit file along with the unit's object code. Debug information increases the size of unit file and takes up additional memory when compiling programs that use the unit, but it does not affect the size or speed of the executable program. When a program or unit is compiled with this option enabled (equivalent to {$D+}), the integrated debugger lets you single-step and set breakpoints in that module. The Include debug info and Map file options (on the Linker page of the Project Options dialog) produce complete line information for a given module only if you've compiled that module with this option set on. This option is usually used in conjunction with the Local symbols option (the $L switch), which enables and disables the generation of local symbol information for debugging.  

Local symbols  

Enables or disables the generation of local symbol information. Click the down-arrow to select from the possible values (True, False).
Local symbol information consists of the names and types of all local variables and constants in a module, that is, the symbols in the module's implementation part and the symbols within the module's procedures and functions. For units, the local symbol information is recorded in the unit file along with the unit's object code. Local symbol information increases the size of unit files and takes up additional memory when compiling programs that use the unit, but it does not affect the size or speed of the executable program. When a program or unit is compiled with this option enabled (equivalent to {$L+}), the integrated debugger lets you examine and modify the module's local variables. Furthermore, calls to the module's procedures and functions can be examined by way of the View | Call Stack. The Include TD32 debug info and Map file options (on the Linker page of the Project Options dialog) produce local symbol information for a given module only if that module was compiled with this option set on. This option is usually used in conjunction with the Debug information option, which enables and disables the generation of line-number tables for debugging. This option is ignored if the compiler has the Debug information option disabled.  

Symbol Reference info  

Generates symbol reference information used by the Code Editor and the Project Manager. Corresponds to {$Y}. If Reference info and Definitions only are both checked ({$YD}), the compiler records information about where identifiers are defined. If Reference info is checked but Definitions only is unchecked ({$Y+}), the compiler records information about where each identifier is defined and where it is used.
This option has no effect unless Debug information and Local symbols (see above) are enabled.
Code completion and code navigation features (Ctrl-Click) work only when Symbol Reference info is set to Reference info.  

Use debug .dcus  

The debug DCUs contain debug information and are built with stack frames. When this option is checked, the compiler prepends the debug DCU path to the unit search path specified in Debug Source Path on the Directories/Conditionals page.  

Use imported data references  

Enables packaged units to reference variables in other packages. Equivalent to Delphi compiler directive {$G}.  

Other options 

Description 

Additional switches to pass to the compiler  

Enter compiler switches that you want to add to the settings controlled by the Project->Options dialog boxes. Use a hyphen as the switch symbol, and separate switches with commas.  

Generate XML Documentation  

Generates a file containing the XML representation in your project directory. Corresponds to the --doc compiler switch. Default = False  

Look for 8.3 filenames also  

Passes the —P compiler switch for DCC32.exe. Default = False  

Output unit dependency information  

Passes the —depends compiler switch for DCC32.exe. Default = False  

Runtime errors 

Description 

I/O checking  

Enables or disables the automatic code generation that checks the result of a call to an I/O procedure. If an I/O procedure returns a nonzero I/O result when this switch is on, an EInOutError exception is raised (or the program is terminated if exception handling is not enabled). When this switch is off, you must check for I/O errors by calling IOResult. Default = True  

Overflow checking  

Controls the generation of overflow checking code. When enabled (equivalent to {$Q+}), certain integer arithmetic operations (+, -, *, Abs, Sqr, Succ, Pred, Inc, and Dec) are checked for overflow. The code for each of these integer arithmetic operations is followed by additional code that verifies that the result is within the supported range. If an overflow check fails, an EIntOverflow exception is raised (or the program is terminated if exception handling is not enabled). This switch is usually used in conjunction with the range checking option ($R switch), which enables and disables the generation of range-checking code. Enabling overflow checking slows down your program and makes it somewhat larger. Default = False  

Range checking  

Enables or disables the generation of range-checking code. When enabled, (equivalent to {$R+}), all array and string-indexing expressions are verified as being within the defined bounds, and all assignments to scalar and subrange variables are checked to be within range. If a range check fails, an ERangeError exception is raised (or the program is terminated if exception handling is not enabled). Enabling range checking slows down your program and makes it somewhat larger. Default = False  

Syntax options 

Description 

Assignable typed constants  

Controls whether typed constants can be modified or not. When enabled (equivalent to {$J+}), typed constants can be modified, and are in essence initialized variables. When disabled (equivalent to {$J-}), typed constants are truly constant, and any attempt to modify a typed constant causes the compiler to report an error. Writable consts refers to the use of a typed const as a variable modifiable at runtime.
Old source code that uses writable typed constants must be compiled with this option enabled, but for new applications it is recommended that you use initialized variables and compile your code with the option disabled. Default = False  

Complete boolean evaluation  

Switches between the two different models of Delphi code generation for the AND and OR Boolean operators. When enabled (equivalent to {$B+}), the compiler generates code for complete Boolean expression evaluation. This means that every operand of a Boolean expression built from the AND and OR operators is guaranteed to be evaluated, even when the result of the entire expression is already known. When disabled (equivalent to {$B-}), the compiler generates code for short-circuit Boolean expression evaluation, which means that evaluation stops as soon as the result of the entire expression becomes evident in left to right order of evaluation. Default = False  

Extended syntax  

Provided for backward compatibility. You should not use this option (equivalent to {$X-} mode) when writing Delphi applications. This option enables or disables Delphi's extended syntax:
Function statements. In the {$X+} mode, function calls can be used as procedure calls; that is, the result of a function call can be discarded, rather than passed to another function or used in an operation or assignment. Generally, the computations performed by a function are represented through its result, so discarding the result makes little sense. Sometimes, however, a function is called because it performs a task such as setting the value of a global variable, without producing a useful result.
The Result variable. When enabled (equivalent to {$X+}, the predefined variable Result can be used within a function body to hold the function's return value.
Null-terminated strings. When enabled, Delphi strings can be assigned to zero-based character arrays (array[0..X] of Char), which are compatible with PChar types.
Default = True  

Long strings by default  

Delphi for Win32 only. This option (equivalent to the $H directive) controls the meaning of the reserved word string when used alone in a type declaration. The generic type string can represent either a long, dynamically-allocated string (the fundamental type UnicodeString) or a short, statically allocated string (the fundamental type ShortString). By default, Delphi defines the generic string type to be the long UnicodeString.
All components in the component libraries are compiled in this state. If you write components, they should also use long strings, as should any code that receives data from component library string-type properties. The disabled (equivalent to {$H-}) state is mostly useful for using code from versions of Delphi that used short strings by default. You can locally override the meaning of string-type definitions to ensure generation of short strings. You can also change declarations of short string types to string[255] or ShortString, which are unambiguous and independent of the enabled option. Default = True  

Open parameters  

Meaningful only for code compiled supporting huge strings, and is provided for backwards compatibility with early versions of Delphi and Object Pascal. This option, (equivalent to $P) controls the meaning of variable parameters declared using the string keyword in the huge strings disabled (equivalent to {$H-}) state. When disabled (equivalent to {$P-}), variable parameters declared using the string keyword are normal variable parameters, but when enabled (equivalent to {$P+}), they are open string parameters. Regardless of the setting of this option, the openstring identifier can always be used to declare open string parameters. Default = True  

Strict var-strings  

This option (equivalent to $V directive) is meaningful only for Delphi code that uses short strings, and is provided for backwards compatibility with early versions of Delphi and Object Pascal. The option controls type on short strings passed as variable parameters. When enabled (equivalent to {$V+}), strict type is performed, requiring the formal and actual parameters to be of identical string types. When disabled (equivalent to {$V-}) (relaxed), any short string type variable is allowed as an actual parameter, even if the declared maximum length is not the same as that of the formal parameter. Default = True  

Typed @ operator  

Controls the types of pointer values generated by the @ operator and the compatibility of pointer types. When disabled (equivalent to {$T-}), the result of the @ operator is always an untyped pointer (Pointer) that is compatible with all other pointer types. When @ is applied to a variable reference in the enabled (equivalent to {$T+}), the result is a typed pointer that is compatible only with Pointer and with other pointers to the type of the variable. When disabled, distinct pointer types other than Pointer are incompatible (even if they are pointers to the same type). When enabled, pointers to the same type are compatible. Default = False  

General item 

Description 

Default  

Saves the current settings as the default for each new project.