Getting Started With Lazarus

Getting Started with Lazarus
About Lazarus Project

History
Lazarus was started in February of 1999. It was primarily founded by three individuals:
Cliff Baeseman
Shane Miller
Michael A. Hess
All three had attempted to get involved with the Megido project which dissolved. In
frustration they started the Lazarus project. It has had a steady growth of supporters and
developers during the following years. The founders are not involved with the project any
more.
The next oldest member of the team is Marc Weustink. He got involved with the project in
Aug. 1999. Following him is Mattias Gaertner who got involved in Sept. 2000. Both of them
have been the major contributors to the core of what makes Lazarus tick. More about the
history in the Wiki
So just what is Lazarus?

Lazarus is a Delphi compatible cross-platform IDE for Free Pascal. It includes LCL which is
more or less compatible with Delphi's VCL. Free Pascal is a GPL'ed compiler that runs on
Linux, Win32, OS/2, 68K and more. Free Pascal is designed to be able to understand and
compile Delphi syntax, which is OOP. Lazarus is the part of the missing puzzle that will allow
you to develop Delphi like programs in all of the above platforms. Unlike Java which strives
to be a write once run anywhere, Lazarus and Free Pascal strives for write once compile
anywhere. Since the exact same compiler is available on all of the above platforms it means
you don't need to do any recoding to produce identical products for different platforms.
Yeah, but what about the GUI? What widget set are you
using?
That is the neat part. You decide. Lazarus is being developed to be totally and completely API
independent. Once you write your code you just link it against the API widget set of your
choice. If you want to use GTK+, great! If you want it to be Gnome compliant, great! As long
as the interface code for the widget set you want to use is available you can link to it. If it
isn't available, well you can write it.
For example. Let's say you are creating a product on Windows using the standard Windows
widgets. Now you want to create a Linux version. First you decide what widget set you want
to use. Let's assume you want to use gtk+. So you copy the code over to your Linux
development machine, compile, and link against the gtk+ interface unit. That's it. You've now
just created a Linux version of the Windows product without any additional coding.
At this point in the development we are using Win32, gtk2+, Carbon and QT as our API
widget set. Bindings for custom drawn components are in the works and other widget sets
are planned, too.
So is this thing really RAD like Delphi?

It sure is. Is it totally completed? No not yet.The overall IDE is complete and can be used for
most programming needs. Several aspects of the project are still in need of help. Hint. Hint.
Can I use my existing Delphi code?

Some of it yes. If the code is standard Delphi pascal and it uses the standard components
found in Delphi then the answer is yes. If it uses some specific database, OCX, or DCU then
the answer would be no. These items are specific to Windows and would only work on and
within Windows. However, if you are only looking to create a Windows product using Free
Pascal and Lazarus then the answer would be yes. This hasn't been added to the LCL yet but
it should be possible in the future.
Can I create commercial products with this?

Yes. The code for the Free Pascal compiler is licensed under the GPL. This means that it is
open source, free, whatever name you want to stick to it. You can modify the code if you
wish but you MUST distribute those changes or make them available to others if they wish to
use it.
The FCL (Free Pascal Component Libraries) and the LCL (which will eventually become part of
the FCL) are licensed under a modified LGPL. In a nut shell this means that you can write
your own proprietary software that just links to these libraries. You can sell your application
without the need to supply or make available your code. However, as with the compiler if
you make modifications to the FCL or LCL you must make those changes available to the
general public and the world.
I give up, where did the name come from?

One of the original projects that made an attempt to build a Delphi clone was Megido.
However this effort died. Lazarus as you know was the biblical figure that was raised from
the dead by Christ. Soooooo. The project is named Lazarus as it was started/raised from the
death of Megido.
Introduction
The following topics will help you to download and install Lazarus, and then use it to write a
simple "Hello World" program. You are also given advice about how to experiment to find
out more about Pascal and Lazarus.
You will type your programs into the Lazarus editor or copy them from the Programs or
Tutorials sections of the site. At a single click of a button, Lazarus will run the program in its
editor. It will translate the programs into machine code instructions that are executed by the
computer. Lazarus will provide information about any errors in the program if it is unable to
translate it. We hope you will agree that Lazarus is a great example of free software.
Click on the first topic title below, to continue:
1. Downloading Lazarus
How to download Lazarus from the web onto your PC
2. Writing your First Pascal Program using Lazarus
How to write your first Pascal program using Lazarus
3. Experimenting with Lazarus
Suggested experiments to learn more about Pascal and Lazarus.
4. Copying a Pascal Program into Lazarus
How copy a Pascal program (e.g. from this site) into Lazarus
Downloading Lazarus
Before doing this exercise you must
check the requirements (Windows 32-bits, memory, operating system, disk storage);
obtain permission from the PC owner;
consider whether to take a backup of all important material on the PC.
The following steps describe how to download Lazarus to your PC.

1. Start your Internet browser and go to http://sourceforge.net/projects/lazarus/files/
2. Read the installation requirements and ensure that your PC satisfies those
requirements before continuing.
The downloaded file has a size of about 135 MB but you will need about 2 GB of
space on your hard drive for the files (including all of the examples) after installation.
3. To download Lazarus, click on the link with text "lazarus-1.6.0-fpc-3.0.0-win64.exe
(134.8 MB)". (This is the recommended version on 28th February 2016). If necessary,
download the 119.9 MB 32-bit lazarus-1.6.0-fpc-3.0.0-win32.exe from here.
What happens next depends on what browser and operating system you are using.
Follow your normal procedure for downloading a file, and make note of where you
download the file to.
The next step is to install Lazarus. The next topic describes how to do that.
Writing your First Pascal Program using

Lazarus
Before doing this exercise you must first have Lazarus installed on your PC.
Now we will use the newly installed Lazarus to create a simple program and run it.
The programming culture demands that the first program written in any language should
output "Hello World!" to the screen. The steps to do this are as follows:
1. Start Lazarus by double-clicking on its Launch icon

button.
, or by using the Start
After Lazarus has started, you will see the following menu bar:
2. On the menu bar click on Project.

'Project' is circled in purple in the graphic above.
A drop-down menu will appear:
3. On the drop-down menu, click on New Project ....

The Create a new project dialogue appears:
4. Click on Program in the list of options, as shown above, and then click on the OK
button. If you are using a very recent version of Lazarus you should click on Simple
Program instead and you will not see the unnecessary code before begin (making
Step 16 redundant).
You may see the following Project changed dialogue:
5. If do see the above Project changed dialogue, just click on the No button.
(It was a brand new project and so nothing valuable will be lost).
If you do not see the above dialogue you do not need to do anything in this step.
You should now be able to see a new project in the Source Editor
6. Save the file in a suitable folder as 'HelloWorld' by selecting menu item Project > Save
Project As...
The name on the first line of the program should change to HelloWorld.
7. Click to the right of 'begin' to place the cursor (a vertical bar) after 'begin'.
8. Press the Return key once (to go onto a new empty line), and carefully type
"writeln('Hello World!');"
9. Press the Return key again, and carefully type "readln;"
The program should now look like this:
10. Carefully check that every character is correct. Especially check that the single quotes
and the semi-colons are there.
11. The time has come to compile and run the program! Press the green triangle
the top left of the Lazarus menu bar, OR press the F9 key.
near
In case you were wondering, the file will be saved automatically, so you do not need
to save it first.
After a small delay, you should see a mainly black window appear:
12. If it did not work, you will need to check again for errors, and correct them before
clicking on the run icon again.
a. Carefully check that every character is correct.
b. Especially check that the single quotes and the semicolons are there.
13. If it did work, there are a few things for you to notice:
The green start icon has now changed to grey
, indicating that the program is still
running, and that consequently the icon is inactive.
There is a blinking white cursor (a horizontal bar) on the black window, indicating
that the program is awaiting input (due to the readln; statement).
14. Press the Return key again, to make the program terminate.
The Execution stopped dialogue appears:
15. Press the OK button.

The dialogue disappears and Lazarus is ready for further instructions from you.
16. Delete the lines between the first line and begin.
The program should now look like this:
17. Confirm that the program runs as before.

For simple programs running in Windows this is all that you really need.
18. If you can think of anything we could have made more straightforward for you, then
please let us know. If it did not work, then please tell us what went wrong.
Features introduced:
New console program opened

Program named
Text denoted by single quotes
Text output to screen
If you want to, you can quit from Lazarus by selecting menu item File > Quit
Alternatively, you can move on to the next topic in this guide.
Installing Lazarus
Before doing this exercise you must have downloaded Lazarus onto your PC. How to do this
is described in the previous topic.
Make sure that you have permission to install the software on the PC.
If you are not an experienced PC user, it would be a good idea to obtain the help of someone
who is experienced at installing software.
The following steps describe how to install Lazarus to your PC.
1. Log onto your PC. You may need to use an admin account in order to install software.
2. Start Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder to which you downloaded the
Lazarus zip file.
Typically, you may have downloaded it to the My Documents/Downloads folder.
The setup file may appear as follows:
3. Start the installation by double-clicking on the Lazarus Setup icon.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions. Accept the default answers (e.g. install to where it
suggests, and use the standard installation, not the advanced one).
After Lazarus has finished installing, you will be ready for the next exercise.
The next step is to write your first Pascal Program, using Lazarus. The next topic describes
how to do this.
Experimenting with Lazarus

You must have Lazarus installed on your PC to carry out this exercise.
Also, you should have written the "Hello World" program, using Lazarus.
The following steps describe experiments you can do to learn more about Pascal and
Lazarus.
1. If it is not already running, start Lazarus by double-clicking on its Launch Icon

,
or by using the Start button.
2. If your "Hello World" program is not already loaded in the editor, open it by using the
menu option File > Open ... and navigate to the folder you saved it in.
3. Use the mouse to select HelloWorld.lpi (note that the extension is .lpi) and click on
the button Open.
4. Click OK to confirm that you want to open the project.
You should see the HelloWorld program in the editor.
5. Press the Run icon
to run the program.
near the top left of the Lazarus menu bar, OR press the F9 key
After a small delay, you should see a mainly black window appear and at the top, it
should say...
6. Take a look at the Run icon, and you will see that it is no longer green:
The triangle is now grey
7. Press the little red square
running.
. This signifies that the program is running.

(with tooltip Stop) to stop the program
This is very useful if a program gets stuck in a loop for some unknown reason.
The familiar Execution stopped dialogue appears. Press the OK button to continue.
8. There are several ways to stop a running program:
o
o
o
o
Press the little red square

(with tooltip Stop), as we have
just seen.
Click the Lazarus toolbar to ensure it has focus, then press Ctrl+F2.
On the console window, click the X at the top right.
On the console window, right click the icon at the top left, and select menu
item Close.
Click the green triangle to run the program again and experiment with the various
ways of stopping the program.
9. The purpose of the readln; line at the end of the program is to prevent the black
window from disappearing as soon as the rest of the program has finished. Try
commenting out the readln; statement by typing // at the start of the line, so the line
becomes //readln;. Then click on the green Run icon.
Anything on a line after // is treated as a comment to help programmers and is not
converted to machine code.
The black window will disappear before you can see what has been output to it.
10. In the editor, remove the //.
Notice that the tab at the top left of the editor now says *HelloWorld. The asterisk
signifies that the program code has changed since it was last saved. The Save icon on
the toolbar also changes from grey to its active state, again indicating that there are
unsaved changes.
11. Click on the Save icon to save the changes you have just made.
Note that the asterisk has gone, and the save icon is now in its inactive (grey) state.
Tip: Computers can crash at any time, so always remember to save your work
frequently!
12. Run the program again.
With the readln; back in action, the console window will not vanish, as before, but
will wait for your input. Press the Enter key to allow the program to end.
13. In the editor, change writeln to WRITELN and run the program again.
Pascal is not case sensitive, so the program still runs as it did before.
14. In the editor, change WRITELN to write and run the program again.
Notice that the cursor is now positioned at the end of Hello World!. The writeln
instruction performed this write instruction then positioned the cursor at the start of
the following line.
15. Amend the program to:
a. Output Hello
b. Position the cursor at the start of a new line
16. Save the program as Hello. (Accept the default file extension .lpi).
17. Run the program to test it.
Various ways of stopping a program

Use of readln to prevent application window from disappearing
Use of comment characters // to comment out the rest of a line
Presence of asterisk to signify that unsaved changes have been made to the code.
Copying a Pascal Program into Lazarus

button.


4. Click on Program in the list of options, as shown above, and then click on the OK
button.
5. If do see the above Project changed dialogue, just click on the No button.
(It was a brand new project and so nothing valuable will be lost).
You should now be able to see a new project in the Source Editor
6. In your browser, navigate to the page containing the Pascal program you want to
copy.
7. Copy the code into the clipboard by selecting it then pressing CTRL+C, as follows:
a. Use the mouse to position the cursor before the 'p' of 'program' in the first
line
b. Drag the cursor with the left mouse button down until the cursor is
positioned just after the final full stop after 'end.'
c. Press CTRL+C
8. In Lazarus, select all the text in the editor.
9. Press CTRL+V to replace all of this text with the copied Pascal code.
10. Carefully check that all the Pascal code is now in the Lazarus editor. Check that there
are neither extra, nor missing characters at the beginning and end.
11. Save the file by selecting menu item Project > Save Project As...
12. Navigate to a suitably named new folder and save the file with the name given in the
first line of the program.
The program is now available for you to edit and run. Remember that student programs may
require some adjustment before they will compile and run successfully. (We have tested all
of them, but sometimes changes to compilers necessitate minor alterations to the original
code).
Experiment with the program. See what improvements you can make.
Common Error Checklists for Lazarus and

Delphi
There are several types of error, with consequences ranging from deficiencies in the
formatting of the output to the calculation of wrong results. A compilation error (which
prevents the compiler from compiling the source code) is usually a syntax error but could be
an error in the compiler itself. A syntax error results when the source code does not obey
the rules of the language. The compiler generates error messages to help the programmer to
fix the code. The source code may compile to machine code which then fails upon execution.
A run-time error causes this situation. Potentially the most serious type of error occurs when
the program appears to be working but is performing faulty processing due to logic errors in
the source code. We classify the common errors as syntax errors, run-time errors, and logic
errors, but begin with three very common errors for beginners that do not fit neatly into any
of these categories.
Common miscellaneous errors

Description of error
File not saved
Outcome
Comment
Error message in
Delphi: Could not
create output file
Save the file with a meaningful name

before writing code.
Error message in
Lazarus: Error while
linking
Readln; statement missing Console window closes
Put a readln; statement immediately

before the final end.
Real number output in

Format of real number
scientific notation (a minor not user-friendly.
deficiency if not actually
an error)
Give the field width and number of

decimal places e.g.
writeln(radius : 6 : 2);
Common syntax errors

Do not be discouraged if your first programs generate many error messages. Often there are
cascading errors, in which a single mistake such as a misspelled identifier in a variable
declaration gives rise to several error messages. You then make one correction and several
messages disappear at once. In the following table showing extracts from error messages to
look out for, note how some messages are much more helpful than others.
Typical message
content in Delphi
Typical message
content in Lazarus
Comment
Typical message
content in Delphi
Typical message
content in Lazarus
Comment
Misspelled identifier
Undeclared identifier Identifier not found
Spelling of identifier
must be consistent
Previous statement
not separated by
semicolon
Missing operator or
semicolon
Error indicated on the

line following the
missing semicolon
";" expected but
Tip: The error

message is not always
on the line with the
error, so remember
to look at adjacent
nearby lines as well.
Semicolon
immediately before
else
';' not allowed before ";" expected but

'ELSE'
"ELSE" found
Use of = instead of := '=' expected but ':='

for simple assignment found
e.g.
Illegal expression
The if then else is

one statement and
should not have a
semicolon
immediately before
else.
Common error when
converting from
pseudo-code
Total = 0;
Use of = instead of :=
for assigning control
variable in for loop
e.g.
For loop control

variable must be
simple local variable
':=' expected but '='

found
for Count = 1 to 5 ...
Use of := instead of = Type of expression

in test of equality e.g. must be BOOLEAN
"THEN" expected but

":=" found
if Total := 10 then ...
Variable given same

identifier as the
program
Identifier redeclared
Duplicate identifier
Identifier of variable
contains space e.g.
',' or ':' expected but
":" expected but
var my num : real;
Identifier of variable
identifier/declaration "BEGIN" expected but Identifier must begin
begins with digit e.g.
Typical message
content in Delphi
Typical message
content in Lazarus
Comment
expected but number "ordinal const" found with letter or

found
underscore
var 2ndPlace : string;
Identifier of
procedure begins
with digit e.g.
identifier expected
but number found
"identifier" expected
but "ordinal const"
found
Identifier must begin

with letter or
underscore
procedure 5Times;
Use of double quotes Illegal character in

instead of single
input file ($22)
quotes to enclose a
string literal e.g.
Illegal character ($22)
Surname := "Coe";
String literal not

enclosed by quotes
e.g.
Forename := Joe;
Use of round brackets Missing operator or

to enclose array index semicolon
e.g. MyArray(63)
";" expected but "("

found
Use square brackets

to enclose array
index.
Real number starts

with decimal point
e.g.
Illegal expression
Include the leading 0

e.g.
Expression expected
but '.' found
MyReal := 0.34;
MyReal := .34;
Required unit not

included in uses
section e.g. power
function used
without including
Math unit
Argument type does Incompatible types

not match parameter
type when calling a
subroutine
Incompatible types
Expression operated
on by logical
operators not
enclosed in brackets.
Incompatible types
Operator not
applicable to this
operand type
Should be:
until (Count = MAX) or
Found;
Typical message
content in Delphi
Typical message
content in Lazarus
Comment
e.g.
until Count = MAX or
Found;
Common run-time errors

Some errors cannot be detected by the compiler and only become apparent at run time. For
example, errors which depend on the input from a user cannot be predicted by the compiler.
Description
Example
Comment
Missing type check, allowing

wrong type of data to be
entered
Letter "a" entered and

assigned to integer variable
Index of array not within

declared array bounds
Example of INCORRECT code: If the user hits a wrong key

(e.g. 5 instead of 4) there
program ArrayBounds;
could be a run-time error.
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}{$R+}
uses
SysUtils;
const
Sales : array[1..4] of integer =
(2435, 3423, 3410, 2865);
var
Index : integer;
begin
write('View sales for which
quarter? ' +
'1, 2, 3 or 4 ');
readln(Index);
writeln(Sales[Index]);
readln;
end.
Validate entered data.
The compiler directive {$R+}

enables run-time checking of
ranges. With the default
directive {$R-}, the effects of
the user's mistake are
difficult to predict.
Include validation code to
accept only the digits 1 to 4.
Overflow e.g. when a number Example of INCORRECT code: The compiler directive {$Q+}
is too large to be held in the
enables run-time checking of
program
Overflow;
type of variable used
overflow. With the default
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}{$Q+}
{$Q-}, the program runs and
uses
outputs a negative number of
SysUtils;
milliseconds in January! An
var
MillisecsPerDay, Jan_ms : integer; integer is held in two's
{Use int64 instead of integer to
complement format, which
make
represents a negative
this program work.}
number when the most
begin
significant bit is 1.
MillisecsPerDay := 24 * 60 * 60 *
1000;
Description
Example
Comment
Jan_ms := MillisecsPerDay * 31;

writeln(Jan_ms);
readln;
end.
Division by 0
Example of INCORRECT code: An entry of 0 for Time will

cause a run-time error when
program DivisionByZero;
Speed is calculated. The
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}
program needs validation to
uses
ensure that Time is greater
SysUtils;
than zero. (It also needs type
var
Distance, Time, Speed : real;
checking, perhaps using the
begin
val procedure, to accept only
write('Distance in m? ');
valid numbers for Distance
readln(Distance);
and Time).
write('Time in s? ');
readln(Time);
Speed := Distance / Time;
write('Speed in m/s: ');
writeln(Speed : 6 : 2);
readln;
end.
Infinite loop
Example of INCORRECT code: The integer Num "misses" the

end of the loop, which
Num := 0;
continues to run. Use safe
repeat
conditions such as
Num := Num + 3;
until Num = 10;
until Num >= 10
in this example.
Common logic errors

When you have removed all the syntax errors, compile-time errors and run-time errors you
may think it is time to heave a huge sigh of relief - but don't forget that there may still be
logical errors lurking in your program.
Out-by-one (or off-by-one) errors are very common, hence the emphasis on boundary
testing in computing courses. The cause of the error is often the operator used, as in the first
example below.
Description
Out-by-one
Example
Comment
Example of INCORRECT code: The >= operator should have

been used instead of >.
if Marks[i] > PassMark then
inc(NumberOfPasses);
Description
Out-by-one
Example
Comment
Example of INCORRECT code: The calculated number of

coaches may be one less than
NumCoaches := NumPeople DIV
required.
SeatingCapacity;
Example of INCORRECT code:

Missing begin and end to
group statements intended
to be run together depending if Names[i] = SearchName then
writeln('Found at position ', i);
on some condition
Found := True;
This code will assign True to

Found whether or not the
condition is true. This error is
often made when adding an
instruction to existing code. If
you always use begin and end
after then, else and do, your
programs will be safeguarded
from this type of error.
Semicolon immediately after

then, else or do
Example of INCORRECT code: In this code the for loop has

no code to execute other
for i := 1 to 10 do;
than incrementing i. After the
writeln('Line ', i);
loop, the writeln statement is
executed once using the final
value of i.
Operator precedence not

what is required to give the
right answer
Example of INCORRECT code: The operators * and / have

precedence over + and -. In
Celsius := Fahrenheit - 32 * 5 / 9
order to perform the
subtraction first, the
expression Fahrenheit - 32
should be enclosed in
brackets.
Tip: If you are unsure of the
operator precedence, use
brackets to force the order of
calculation to be the one you
require.
Avoiding mistakes
Follow these tips to reduce the number of errors in your programs:
Take frequent breaks; mistakes are more likely when you are tired.
If in doubt, check. Look at examples if you are unsure of the correct syntax. Read the
checklists above from time to time and be on the lookout for those mistakes.
Learn from your mistakes. Try to recognise the types of mistake you make most often
and concentrate on reducing those.
Do not rely on the compiler to find your mistakes; it will only find certain types of
mistake.
Check the computer output carefully to make sure it is correct. Your tests should
include normal, boundary and erroneous data. See our sample test plan in the
tutorial on testing.
Include checks in the program itself, such as validating the input and intermediate
results.
Try your hand at spotting the errors in our selection of Programs to Debug. See how
many of our deliberate errors you are
Getting Started with Form-based

Applications in Lazarus
Introduction
The following topics will help you to use Lazarus to write simple form-based applications
using buttons, edit boxes, labels and labelled edits. You will learn about the essential code
and files that comprise an application and how to create an application from existing unit
and form files. You can then follow our tutorial on form-based applications to learn how to
use further components such as the string grid, DBGrid, DBEdit, DBMemo, timer, dialogue
boxes and the form's canvas.
In the instructions we will give the key combinations for actions where possible. This table
shows ways of firing commonly used actions in the order they appear in the Lazarus menu
structure.
Menu
Action
Button (showing tooltip)
Short-cut
Key(s)
File > Open ...
Open file
Ctrl+O
File > Save All
Save all files
Shift+Ctrl+S
View > Object Inspector
Show Object Inspector
F11
View > Units ...
Open View project units

dialogue
Ctrl+F12
View > Forms...
Open View project

forms dialogue
Shift+F12
View > Toggle form/unit Swap view of form/unit

view
F12
Menu
Action
Button (showing tooltip)
Short-cut
Key(s)
Project > New Project ... Open Create a new

project dialogue
Project > Add editor file
to Project
Add file showing in

editor to project
Shift+F11
Run > Run
Run program
F9
For the screenshots in the following topics we have dragged the dialogue boxes to
convenient sizes, so do not expect yours to look exactly the same.
Click on the first topic title below, to continue:
1. Writing your First Form-based Application using Lazarus
How to write your first form-based "Hello World" application using Lazarus
2. Simple data input
How to input data to a form-based application using Lazarus
3. Using two forms
How to use more than one form in Lazarus applications
4. Creating a form-based application using existing files
How to create a Lazarus application using existing .lfm, .pas and .lpr files
5. Using a Lazarus Project Information (.lpi) File
How to use a .lpi file to save and load project information
Writing your First Form-based Application

using Lazarus
Before doing this exercise you must first have Lazarus installed on your PC.
The steps to output "Hello World!" on a form are as follows:

button.


4. Select Application if not already selected then click on the OK button.

5. If do see the above Project changed dialogue, just click on the No button if you have
made no unsaved changes to your previous project.
6. Save all files. Shift+Ctrl+S gives the Save project dialogue followed by the save unit
dialogue. Navigate to a suitable folder and save the project as HelloWorld to which
Lazarus will give the .lpi extension. Save the unit as uHelloWorld, to which Lazarus
will be give the .pas extension. (You will be given the option to change to all lower
case but you can keep the mixed case name).
7. Open the View forms dialogue (Shift+F12) then select Form1 and click on the OK
button.
8. Click on the Abc button then on the form to add a label component to the form.
The label icon is shown here with its tooltip. (Make sure that the Standard tab of
components is selected).
9. View the Object Inspector (F11) and type Hello World! as the caption of the label.
10. Press the F9 key to run the program.

The files will be saved automatically, so you do not need to save them first.
After a small delay, you should see a form appear.
(Our executable at 12.4 MB is rather large for this tiny functionality!)

11. Click on the cross at the top right of the form to make the program terminate.
Alternatively, as with console programs, you can click on the Lazarus stop icon (a red
square to the right of the start icon).
12. Open the View project units dialogue (Ctrl+F12) then select uHelloWorld.pas
The essential code is:
unit uHelloWorld;
interface
uses
Classes, SysUtils, FileUtil, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, StdCtrls;
type
TForm1 = class(TForm)
Label1: TLabel;
end;
var
Form1: TForm1;
implementation
{$R *.lfm}
end.
13. Press Ctrl+F12 again and view HelloWorld.lpr.

The essential code in HelloWorld.lpr is simply:
program HelloWorld;
uses
Interfaces, Forms, uHelloWorld;
begin
Application.Initialize;
Application.CreateForm(TForm1, Form1);
Application.Run;
end.
14. View Form1 again, right click on it and select View Source (.lfm)
The text view of our form is:

object Form1: TForm1
Left = 670
Height = 240
Top = 255
Width = 320
Caption = 'Form1'
ClientHeight = 240
ClientWidth = 320
LCLVersion = '0.9.30'
object Label1: TLabel
Left = 38
Height = 21
Top = 29
Width = 86
Caption = 'Hello World!'
ParentColor = False
end
end
15. If you can think of anything we could have made more straightforward for you, then
please let us know. If it did not work, then please tell us what went wrong.
New form-based application opened

Project and unit named
Label component used
Text output to screen using label
Alternatively, you can move on to the next topic in this guide. The next program, GreetUser
has a little more functionality.
Simple data input

You can use a simple edit box (tool-tip TEdit) to enter data, but you would need to add a
label to inform the user what to put in it. A labelled edit positions conveniently a label next
to the edit box. The steps to output the text in a labelled edit box to a separate label on a
form are as follows:
1. Create a new application and save the project as GreetUser.lpi and the unit as
uGreetUser.pas.
2. Open the form and add a label (tool-tip TLabel ) and button (tool-tip TButton) from
the Standard tab of components and a labelled edit (tool-tip TLabeledEdit) from the
Additional tab.
3. Rename the components by changing in the Object Inspector the Name properties of
the form, label, button and labelled edit to frmGreeting, lblGreeting, btnGreeting and
leForename, respectively.
4. Using the Object Inspector, change the Caption property of the form, label, and
button to Greeting, blank (by deleting the contents), and Greet me, respectively.
5. Using the Object Inspector for the labelled edit, click on the + to the left of EditLabel
then change the caption of the EditLabel to Enter forename then press button.
6. Double click on the button in the form to create the procedure
TfrmGreeting.btnGreetingClick(Sender: Tobject) then enter between begin and end
the three lines:
7.
8.
9.
lblGreeting.Font.Color := clRed;
lblGreeting.Caption := 'Hello ' + leForename.text + '!';
leForename.text := '';
10. Position the components to your satisfaction.

11. Run the program to obtain:
Labelled edit box for data input

Using string data from an edit box
Button component used
Meaningful names given to components
Using two forms

To access one form from another you need to include the unit of the accessed form in the
uses section of the other form. The next topic will have a demonstration of four forms linked
together. The steps to link a main form to a password form are given below. We keep it
simple, and do not encrypt the password (or make it difficult to guess). If you go wrong you
can look at the essential code of five files after the instructions.
1. Create a new application and save the project as Password.lpi and the unit as
uPassword.pas.
2. Open the form and add a button (tool-tip TButton) from the Standard tab of
components and two labelled edits (tool-tip TLabeledEdit) from the Additional tab.
3. Rename the components by changing in the Object Inspector the Name properties of
the form, button and labelled edits to frmPassword, btnMain, leName and
lePassword respectively.
4. Using the Object Inspector, change the Caption property of the form and button to
Password Form and Main Form, respectively.
5. Using the Object Inspector for the first labelled edit, click on the + to the left of
EditLabel then change the caption of the EditLabel to Name.
6. Using the Object Inspector for the second labelled edit, change the PasswordChar
property from #0 to *. Click on the + to the left of EditLabel then change the caption
of the EditLabel to Password.
7. Add a new form to the project using the menu item File > New Form.
8. Using the menu item File > Save As ..., save the unit of the new form as uMain.pas.
9. Using the Object Inspector, change the name of the form to frmMain and its caption
to Main Form.
10. Add a label to form frmMain and change its name to lblMain
11. At the beginning of the implementation section of the unit uMain.pas, add the code
12. uses
13. uPassword;
14. At the beginning of the implementation section of the unit uPassword.pas, add the
code
15. uses
16. uMain;
17. View frmPassword and double click on the button. In its click event procedure insert
the code:
18. if lePassword.Text = 'pp4s' then
19. frmMain.Show;
20. View frmMain and open the Object Inspector. Select the Events tab for the form,
select the OnActivate event and double click in its empty edit box to be taken to the
FormActivate procedure in the editor. Insert the code
21. lblMain.Caption:= frmPassword.leName.Text + ', this is the main form.';
22. Run the program and enter 'Mo' for the name and 'pp4s' for the password.
23. Click the button to see
The essential code for the files follows.

Project file Password.lpr
program Password;
uses
Interfaces, Forms, uPassword, uMain;
{$R *.res}
begin
Application.CreateForm(TfrmPassword, frmPassword);
Application.CreateForm(TfrmMain, frmMain);
Application.Run;
end.
uPassword.pas
unit uPassword;
interface
uses
Classes, SysUtils, FileUtil, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, ExtCtrls,
StdCtrls;
type
TfrmPassword = class(TForm)
btnMain: TButton;
leName: TLabeledEdit;
lePassword: TLabeledEdit;
procedure btnMainClick(Sender: TObject);
end;
var
frmPassword: TfrmPassword;
implementation
uses
uMain;
{$R *.lfm}
procedure TfrmPassword.btnMainClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
if lePassword.Text = 'pp4s' then
frmMain.Show;
end;
end.
uPassword.lfm
object frmPassword: TfrmPassword
Left = 504
Height = 119
Top = 303
Width = 397
Caption = 'frmPassword'
ClientHeight = 119
ClientWidth = 397
object leName: TLabeledEdit
Left = 57
Height = 28
Top = 46
Width = 80
EditLabel.AnchorSideLeft.Control = leName
EditLabel.AnchorSideBottom.Control = leName
EditLabel.Left = 57
EditLabel.Height = 21
EditLabel.Top = 22
EditLabel.Width = 41
EditLabel.Caption = 'Name'
EditLabel.ParentColor = False
TabOrder = 0
end
object lePassword: TLabeledEdit
Left = 176
Height = 28
Top = 46
Width = 80
EchoMode = emPassword
EditLabel.AnchorSideLeft.Control = lePassword
EditLabel.AnchorSideBottom.Control = lePassword
EditLabel.Left = 176
EditLabel.Height = 21
EditLabel.Top = 22
EditLabel.Width = 63
EditLabel.Caption = 'Password'
EditLabel.ParentColor = False
PasswordChar = '*'
TabOrder = 1
end
object btnMain: TButton
Left = 292
Height = 25
Top = 47
Width = 92
Caption = 'Main Form'
OnClick = btnMainClick
TabOrder = 2
end
end
uMain.pas
unit uMain;
interface
uses
type
TfrmMain = class(TForm)
lblMain: TLabel;
procedure FormActivate(Sender: TObject);
end;
var
frmMain: TfrmMain;
implementation
uses
uPassword;
{$R *.lfm}
procedure TfrmMain.FormActivate(Sender: TObject);
begin
lblMain.Caption:= frmPassword.leName.Text + ', this is the main form.';
end;
end.
uMain.lfm
object frmMain: TfrmMain
Left = 433
Height = 50
Top = 330
Width = 320
Caption = 'Main Form'

ClientHeight = 50
ClientWidth = 320
OnActivate = FormActivate
object lblMain: TLabel
Left = 8
Height = 1
Top = 8
Width = 1
ParentColor = False
end
end
New form added to project

Other form opened
Data entered into one form accessed from another
FormActivate procedure used
Creating a form-based application using

existing files
For form-based applications in our tutorials and student projects we will make available for
download a zip file containing .lfm, .pas and .lpr files. This demonstration in
form_menu_demo.zip is an example with several simple units and forms. In some cases the
set-up is more complicated and we will supply also the .lpi project information file. See the
following page for details.
1. Unzip the files to what will be the program folder. (In this case form_menu_demo
will be the default).
2. In Lazarus type Ctrl+O, navigate to the program folder then open the .lpr file (in this
case MenuDemo.lpr).
3. Select the default type of new project Application.
You can compile and run the program without further changes, but in order to view
units or forms you must add them to the project. Follow these instructions to achieve
this conveniently using the Project Inspector.
4. Select the menu item Project > Project Inspector then click on the + button in the
Project Inspector to see the Add to project dialogue box.
5. Select the Add Files tab then browse to the program folder. Select all the .pas files
and open them.
The files now appear in the Add to project dialogue box.
6. Select the same files again:
7. Click the Add files to project button.

Still in the Object Inspector, you can now double click on a filename to view the code
of that unit then press F12 to toggle between a unit and its form.
We show below the contents of MenuDemo.lpr, uMenu.pas, uMenu.lfm, uRed.pas and
uRed.lfm.
Project file MenuDemo.lpr
program MenuDemo;
uses
Interfaces, Forms, uMenu, uRed, uGreen, uBlue;
begin
Application.CreateForm(TfrmMenu, frmMenu);
Application.CreateForm(TfrmRed, frmRed);
Application.CreateForm(TfrmGreen, frmGreen);
Application.CreateForm(TfrmBlue, frmBlue);
Application.Run;
end.
uMenu.pas
unit uMenu;
interface
uses
type
TfrmMenu = class(TForm)
btnRed: TButton;
btnGreen: TButton;
btnBlue: TButton;
procedure btnBlueClick(Sender: TObject);
procedure btnGreenClick(Sender: TObject);
procedure btnRedClick(Sender: TObject);
end;
var
frmMenu: TfrmMenu;
implementation
{$R *.lfm}
uses
uRed, uGreen, uBlue;
procedure TfrmMenu.btnRedClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
frmRed.show;
end;
procedure TfrmMenu.btnGreenClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
frmGreen.show
end;
procedure TfrmMenu.btnBlueClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
frmBlue.show;
end;
end.
uMenu.lfm
object frmMenu: TfrmMenu
Left = 670
Height = 91
Top = 255
Width = 320
Caption = 'Menu Form'
ClientHeight = 91
ClientWidth = 320
object btnRed: TButton
Left = 16
Height = 25
Top = 24
Width = 75
Caption = 'Red Form'
OnClick = btnRedClick
TabOrder = 0
end
object btnGreen: TButton
Left = 120
Height = 25
Top = 24
Width = 80
Caption = 'Green Form'
OnClick = btnGreenClick
TabOrder = 1
end
object btnBlue: TButton
Left = 224
Height = 25
Top = 24
Width = 75
Caption = 'Blue Form'
OnClick = btnBlueClick
TabOrder = 2
end
end
uRed.pas
unit uRed;
interface
uses
type
TfrmRed = class(TForm)
btnMenu: TButton;
procedure btnMenuClick(Sender: TObject);
end;
var
frmRed: TfrmRed;
implementation
{$R *.lfm}
uses
uMenu;
procedure TfrmRed.btnMenuClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
hide;
frmMenu.show;
end;
end.
uRed.lfm
object frmRed: TfrmRed
Left = 795
Height = 240
Top = 270
Width = 320
Caption = 'Red Form'

ClientHeight = 240
ClientWidth = 320
Color = clRed
object btnMenu: TButton
Left = 16
Height = 25
Top = 16
Width = 75
Caption = 'Menu'
OnClick = btnMenuClick
TabOrder = 0
end
end
(The files uGreen.pas and uBlue.pas are very similar to uRed.pas and the forms uGreen.lfm
and uBlue.lfm are very similar to uRed.lfm).
Existing files unzipped to program folder

New application created using .lpr file
Units and forms added to project
Default name of executable changed
Using a Lazarus Project Information (.lpi) File

When you save a project, Lazarus stores all details of the project in the .lpi file by default.
You can open it with a text editor to see the values stored. This file has XML format and
stores information such as:
the name of the project;

the required packages (often just LCL, which is automatically included in a forms
application);
the units and associated forms;
the details of these files when you viewed them last;
the "jump history" (lines you have navigated to by CTRL-clicking in the source code).
In the previous page we showed you how to add files to a project. If you have the .lpi file of a
project in your program folder, the necessary files are already part of the project from the
outset. For example, using the same example as on the previous page, within the
ProjectOptions tag of our MenuDemo.lpi project information file is the following units tag.
<Units Count="9">
<Unit0>
<Filename Value="MenuDemo.lpr"/>
<IsPartOfProject Value="True"/>
</Unit0>
<Unit1>
<Filename Value="uRed.pas"/>
<HasResources Value="True"/>
<UnitName Value="uRed"/>
</Unit1>
<Unit2>
<Filename Value="uBlue.lfm"/>
</Unit2>
{Units 3 - 8 omitted}
</Units>
We chose the project option to save our session information in the .lps file.
Compare this entry in the .lps file for Unit 1 with the above:
<Unit1>
<Filename Value="uRed.pas"/>
<HasResources Value="True"/>
<UnitName Value="uRed"/>
<IsVisibleTab Value="True"/>
<EditorIndex Value="3"/>
<WindowIndex Value="0"/>
<TopLine Value="6"/>
<CursorPos X="16" Y="26"/>
<UsageCount Value="22"/>
<Loaded Value="True"/>
</Unit1>
By saving our session info in the .lps file, we have prevented this data from being saved in
the .lpi file. Similarly our jump history appears in the .lps file rather than the .lpi file. For
some programs we will provide the .lpi file for your use. This is particularly helpful when we
have added packages to the project. An alternative method for obtaining a suitable .lpi file
for distribution is to publish the project. Publishing strips out the details that are unhelpful
to an end user.
Carry out the following steps to save session information in the .lps file.
1. Select the menu item Project > Project Options
2. Select the Session page
3. Select the option to save session information in the .lps file in the project directory
To publish the project, select the menu item Project > Publish Project ... then select or
navigate to a suitable Destination Directory. If you want a compressed file of your project,
select the appropriate "Command after" from the combo box. Click on the Ok button to
publish.
New application created using .lpi file

Examining an .lpi file
Saving session information in the .lps file
Publishing a project
Links
Online Books and Tutorials
Learn Pascal by Tao Yue
This clearly written Pascal tutorial includes programming assignments and solutions.
Pascal Programming Tutorials by Sheepdog Software
Do not be put off by the "no frills" appearance of this site. The tutorials begin with
straightforward examples, giving plenty of detail. They cover interesting extras such
as playing sounds, and progress to advanced material. Some examples use the crt
unit, which is present in Lazarus but not in Delphi. The crt unit includes the ClrScr
procedure to clear the screen and the GoToXY procedure to position the cursor
before writing to the screen. There are useful links to resources on other websites,
often covering difficult topics.
How to Program in Pascal and Delphi by Sylvia Langfield
Google Books has put online a significant number of pages from the Pascal section of
this excellent book.
The Pascal Programming Language by Bill Catambay
These pages have links to Pascal resources for a variety of operating systems, with
many references to the Mac OS.
Online Help/Reference
DelphiBasics
This impressive site is most helpful for visual programming in Delphi because it gives
form-based rather than console-based examples. It is packed with useful information
about the Pascal language, however, and can be a useful source of help for console
programs as you become more experienced. Ignore the Show full unit code option
for viewing examples and use the writeln procedure instead of ShowMessage.
Reference Guide for Free Pascal (Free Pascal is used by Lazarus.)
These authoritative pages include plenty of examples and cover the basics through to
advanced features of the languages. Differences from Delphi and Turbo Pascal are
noted.
Pascal Dialects
The Oxygene Language
Smart Pascal
DWScript
Pascal as a Stepping Stone

CodeShow
Monitor this new site for student programs in languages other than Pascal and for
brief "Getting Started" guides to other languages and technologies. A working
knowledge of Pascal/Object-Pascal will be assumed. CodeShow also has links to
material on this site.
Online Dictionaries
FOLDOC
The Free Online Dictionary of Computing includes anything you might expect to find
in a computer dictionary.
Webopedia
Webopedia claims to be the only online dictionary and search engine you need for
computer and Internet technology definitions.
Challenges
Olympiad
The British Informatics Olympiad, sponsored by Lionhead Studios, is a programming
competition. In the first round, taken at their own school, students attempt to solve
three challenging problems in three hours. The top fifteen competitors in the nation
are invited to the final. The website has further details, past papers for download and
some of the solutions.
All Ireland Competition: Sample problems and solutions
Some of the problems are straightforward, but you are advised to solve them
completely within the time limit.
Project Euler
"Project Euler exists to encourage, challenge, and develop the skills and enjoyment of
anyone with an interest in the fascinating world of mathematics." You are able to
access a discussion thread for a particular problem once you have solved it. You may
find algorithms that are more efficient than your own and it is interesting also to
compare your code with solutions written in other languages.
Game Development
Pascal Game Development
Webmaster AthenaOfDelphi ensures that the site is a good source of news (such as
advances in Lazarus and Delphi), tutorials and discussions. She is organising the
development of the PGD Community Engine, which should allow students to produce
even better games.
Pascal Gamer Magazine
The magazine, edited by Jason McMillen, is a free, downloadable publication
covering game development and design with Pascal and Object Pascal development
tools. A section of the site provides a showcase for past PGDAnnual competitions
and, most usefully, source code for entries for Dogfight (the 2005 competition).
Freepascal meets SDL
An excellent site for learning how to use the Simple DirectMedia Layer
NeHe Productions
3D demonstrations and tutorials
Examination Board Computing Resources

(Specifications, past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports)
AQA GCE A-level Computing
AQA GCSE Computer Science Specification
CIE (University of Cambridge International Examinations) A & AS Level Computing
Edexcel GCSE Computer Science
OCR AS/A Level GCE Computing
OCR GCSE Computing
WJEC Computing GCE A/AS

Getting Started With Lazarus

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Getting Started With Lazarus

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Getting Started with Lazarus

About Lazarus Project

So just what is Lazarus?

So is this thing really RAD like Delphi?

Can I use my existing Delphi code?

Can I create commercial products with this?

I give up, where did the name come from?

The following steps describe how to download Lazarus to your PC.

Writing your First Pascal Program using

1. Start Lazarus by double-clicking on its Launch icon

, or by using the Start

2. On the menu bar click on Project.

3. On the drop-down menu, click on New Project ....

15. Press the OK button.

17. Confirm that the program runs as before.

New console program opened

3. Start the installation by double-clicking on the Lazarus Setup icon.

Experimenting with Lazarus

1. If it is not already running, start Lazarus by double-clicking on its Launch Icon

. This signifies that the program is running.

Press the little red square

Various ways of stopping a program

Copying a Pascal Program into Lazarus

, or by using the Start

2. On the menu bar click on Project.

3. On the drop-down menu, click on New Project ....

Common Error Checklists for Lazarus and

Common miscellaneous errors

Save the file with a meaningful name

Put a readln; statement immediately

Real number output in

Give the field width and number of

Common syntax errors

Undeclared identifier Identifier not found

Error indicated on the

";" expected but

Tip: The error

';' not allowed before ";" expected but

Use of = instead of := '=' expected but ':='

The if then else is

For loop control

':=' expected but '='

for Count = 1 to 5 ...

Use of := instead of = Type of expression

"THEN" expected but

if Total := 10 then ...

Variable given same

',' or ':' expected but

":" expected but

var my num : real;

identifier/declaration "BEGIN" expected but Identifier must begin

expected but number "ordinal const" found with letter or

var 2ndPlace : string;

Identifier must begin

Use of double quotes Illegal character in

Illegal character ($22)

String literal not

Undeclared identifier Identifier not found

Use of round brackets Missing operator or

";" expected but "("

Use square brackets

Real number starts

Include the leading 0

Required unit not