Difference between revisions of "false and true"

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The [[Const|const]]ant '''false''' is used to define the false condition in a [[boolean]] variable, as opposed to its opposite, [[True|true]].  This is a [[manifest constant]] which is defined as part of the [[Standard type|standard data types]] the compiler initially knows about.
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{{false and true}}
  
This constant value must be predefined by the compiler as there is no way to define it in terms of anything else.
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The [[Constant|constants]] <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>false</syntaxhighlight> and <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>true</syntaxhighlight> are used to define the false and true conditions of a [[Boolean|<syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>boolean</syntaxhighlight>]] [[Variable|variable]].
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They are [[Manifest constant|manifest constants]] that are defined as part of the [[Standard type|standard data types]] the [[Compiler|compiler]] initially knows about.
 +
 
 +
These constant values must be predefined by the compiler as there is no way to define them in terms of anything else.
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They are defined via [https://svn.freepascal.org/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi/tags/release_3_2_0/compiler/psystem.pas?view=markup#l114 <tt>compiler/psystem.pas</tt>] as part of the [[System unit|system unit]].
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As of [[FPC]] 3.0.0 <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>false</syntaxhighlight> and <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>true</syntaxhighlight> are '''no longer''' [[Reserved words|reserved words]].
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Thus the following program is valid, compiles and is “usable”:
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<syntaxhighlight lang="pascal">
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program falseAndTrue(input, output, stderr);
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const
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true = 42;
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 +
begin
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writeLn(true);                // prints 42
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//writeLn(true and false);    // does not compile
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writeLn(system.true and false) // prints FALSE
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end.
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</syntaxhighlight>
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== Internal value ==
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<syntaxhighlight lang="pascal">
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program falseDemo(input, output, stderr);
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uses
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typInfo;
 +
 
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begin
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writeLn(false);                            // prints FALSE
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 +
// enumerative actions ------------------------------------------
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writeLn(ord(false));                      // prints 0
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writeLn(succ(false));                      // prints TRUE
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// next two statements generate out-of-range compile-time warnings
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writeLn(pred(false));                      // prints TRUE
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writeLn(succ(succ(false)));                // prints TRUE
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 +
// data type ----------------------------------------------------
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writeLn(sizeOf(false));                    // prints 1
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writeLn(bitSizeOf(false));                // prints 8
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writeLn(PTypeInfo(typeInfo(false))^.kind); // prints tkBool
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writeLn(PTypeInfo(typeInfo(false))^.name); // prints Boolean
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end.
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</syntaxhighlight>
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When [[Typecast|typecasting]] or interpreting any numeric value as a boolean value, it is important to know, that ''any'' non-zero value means <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>true</syntaxhighlight> whilst only <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>0</syntaxhighlight> (zero) is <syntaxhighlight lang="pascal" inline>false</syntaxhighlight>.
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Confer [http://pascal-central.com/iso7185.html#6.4.2.2%20Required%20simple-types ISO 7185 § “Required simple-types”].
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==Two types of True==
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(according to developer PascalDragon)
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There are two types of True in Pascal:
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* the True for '''Boolean''', '''Boolean8''', '''Boolean16''', '''Boolean32''' and '''Boolean64''' has the value 1, anything else (except 0 for False) is undefined.
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* for '''ByteBool''', '''WordBool''', '''LongBool''' (the type for the Windows API's '''BOOL''') and '''QWordBool''' any value that is not 0 is True, but if you assign True to such a type it will have the value "not 0" in the appropriate bit width.
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== See also ==
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* [[Boolean]]
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[[Category: Code]]

Revision as of 09:09, 4 May 2022

English (en)

The constants false and true are used to define the false and true conditions of a boolean variable. They are manifest constants that are defined as part of the standard data types the compiler initially knows about.

These constant values must be predefined by the compiler as there is no way to define them in terms of anything else. They are defined via compiler/psystem.pas as part of the system unit.

As of FPC 3.0.0 false and true are no longer reserved words. Thus the following program is valid, compiles and is “usable”:

program falseAndTrue(input, output, stderr);

const
	true = 42;

begin
	writeLn(true);                 // prints 42
	//writeLn(true and false);     // does not compile
	writeLn(system.true and false) // prints FALSE
end.

Internal value

program falseDemo(input, output, stderr);

uses
	typInfo;

begin
	writeLn(false);                            // prints FALSE
	
	// enumerative actions ------------------------------------------
	writeLn(ord(false));                       // prints 0
	writeLn(succ(false));                      // prints TRUE
	// next two statements generate out-of-range compile-time warnings
	writeLn(pred(false));                      // prints TRUE
	writeLn(succ(succ(false)));                // prints TRUE
	
	// data type ----------------------------------------------------
	writeLn(sizeOf(false));                    // prints 1
	writeLn(bitSizeOf(false));                 // prints 8
	writeLn(PTypeInfo(typeInfo(false))^.kind); // prints tkBool
	writeLn(PTypeInfo(typeInfo(false))^.name); // prints Boolean
end.

When typecasting or interpreting any numeric value as a boolean value, it is important to know, that any non-zero value means true whilst only 0 (zero) is false.

Confer ISO 7185 § “Required simple-types”.

Two types of True

(according to developer PascalDragon) There are two types of True in Pascal:

  • the True for Boolean, Boolean8, Boolean16, Boolean32 and Boolean64 has the value 1, anything else (except 0 for False) is undefined.
  • for ByteBool, WordBool, LongBool (the type for the Windows API's BOOL) and QWordBool any value that is not 0 is True, but if you assign True to such a type it will have the value "not 0" in the appropriate bit width.

See also