[Lazarus] New compiler options page "Additions and Overrides"

Martin lazarus at mfriebe.de
Sat Jun 8 17:11:43 CEST 2013


On 08/06/2013 15:49, Michael Van Canneyt wrote:
> On Sat, 8 Jun 2013, Martin wrote:
>
>> I agree, it should be easier for beginners.
>>
>> Yet I disagree.
>>
>> To make it easier to learn for beginners, it should not hid build modes.
>
> Yes.
>
>>
>> It should hide almost *ALL* the other options. What does a beginner 
>> care/know about smart-linking/optimization/debug-info ......
>>
>> *INSTEAD* of all those options, there should just be "Build for 
>> debug" / "Build for release".
>
> No.
>
>>
>> Only the advanced user, then gets to see the rest.
>
> Sorry. IMHO totally the wrong approach.
>
> You think build modes must be a given. I say that they should be banned.
>
> I just want to set some compiler options. That's it.
> I do not want to care about build modes and where each option is saved 
> and whatnot.
>
> Never thought this concept would be so hard to grasp.

BUt you are not a beginner.

Maybe we should look at at least 3 groups:

- Beginners
- Advanced, that want build modes
- Advanced, that do NOT want build modes

I can understand, that within advanced users both groups exist. Both 
have good reasons...
So there is a need for build modes to be optional.

For Beginners, I think we agree: It should be as simple as possible.

Only what is more simple?

1) A user that changes no option ever, it does not matter....
But users do want to debug, yet they want small exe....

2) They need to go through a vast amount of options, to find 2 or 3 
options of interest for them (e.g. switch on/off debug info, or strip it...)
That is the current situation

3) Select from the 2 options debug/release. And they never even see the 
huge amount of options we have today.

I can not see, how for a beginner, 3 would not be mucheasier than 2.

Of course3 does not help the advanced.... but that is a different point.


4)
Maybe there is a way, with external debug info, that a beginner never 
needs to see any of the options at all.

But then build modes can be present, and experts can decide, if they 
want a defaut with no build modes (and ignore all the build mode stuff), 
or if they do use them.


> I just want to set some compiler options. That's it.

All the options are still there, so you do not need to worry.

Even if there are a default of debug and release mode, you do not worry. 
You never switch them, you only use one. You edit all options like you 
have always done.

Besides: The default for new projects can be saved. Delete the 2nd build 
mode, save as default, and you never worry again...

Deleting one build mode once, is much easier, than having to create it 
from scratch.

So providing it for those (of the experts) who want to keep it:
- saves a lot of work for those who want it
- adds very very little for those who do not.

Of course, if there was a good wizard to create it, then by default it 
could be absent.






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