[Lazarus] Thread based timer vs TTimer

[Paul Breneman]

On 06/24/2015 03:57 AM, Michael Schnell wrote:
> On 06/23/2015 04:36 PM, Graeme Geldenhuys wrote:
>> I don't use TCustomApplication anywhere in fpGUI or my applications.
>> I've also never had the need for QueueAsyncCall(), sorry. ;-)
> My "easy" way to do (embedded) application for headless devices (hence
> obviously NopGUI) is to do the application first on a (Linux) PC
> including a GUI for monitoring states and introducing stimulus events,
> using a set of dedicated units for GUI stuff and another set of
> dedicated units for the "business logic". In the end, the GUI units can
> be replaced by noGUI workalikes with stripped-off debugging
> functionality, leaving the "business logic" units untouched. So if you
> face any problems with the running task, for debugging you easily can
> use the GUI enabled application, again.
>
> As such embedded application often need to communicate with multiple
> partners via TCP/IP, serial interfaces etc, and need to do complex
> timing, it does make sense to use threads and TTimers.
>
> Of course a complete cross-development with cross compiling and remote
> debugging (PC -> headless device) would be another decent option here.
> But I have not been able to make this work. (For C based project I use
> an Eclipse IDE for cross compiling and remote debugging every day.)
>
> So IMHO, an "activeNoGUI" Widget Type that automates the process of
> porting would be nice to have.
>
> In fact all this has become less priority during the last few years, as
> you rather easily at rather low additional cost you can plan your
> embedded device to be GUI enable (e.g. with a BeagleBone or an Odroid).
> But I e.g. needed to do software for a NAS device and here, no Graphic
> was available at all.
>
> Nonetheless I hope to be able to publish the "activeNoGUI" Widget Type
> for Lazarus one day soon.
>
> -Michael

As you know Michael I've been *very* interested for years with what you 
are doing.  I hope to get more going with FPC and Teensy in the next few 
weeks:
   http://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,28561.0.html

Then I hope to post more projects in the Wiki and also on this page:
   http://ControlPascal.com/

I look forward to working together with you and others...