Learn Pascal

Preface This book is intended for both beginners and advanced users. As a beginner, you can learn the Pascal language through examples and step-by-step procedures. You start with simple programs that crunch numbers and end up with structured programs and advanced problem-solving algorithms. As an experienced programmer, you can use the book as a complete reference that covers the language and the advanced programming techniques. Historically, Pascal was developed by Niklaus Wirth (a Swiss computer scientist) in the early 1970s and was named after the French mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). A recent standard for the language was formulated in 1983 and approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). With the growing use of microcomputers, extensions and variations have been added to the language. The most popular of these variations are UCSD Pascal (developed by University of California at San Diego) and Turbo Pascal (developed by Borland International). The goal of this book is to teach you how to write a portable program in Pascal regardless of the computer you use. Mainly the standard IEEE/ANSI language is used, but the new features are discussed and their origins referred to. This book is not intended to go into the details of the nonportable areas of the language (such as graphics), but rather to make use of the powerful features of the modern implementations that help in data processing. The programs included in this book were compiled using Turbo Pascal, but you can use any compiler to run them. In a few places you may need to make minor modifications, which will be referenced. If you are using a Windows-based compiler (such as Delphi), you have to use the console mode to compile the examples of this book. For your convenience, both the source files and the executable files are included on the companion CD. Therefore, you have the option to either compile the source files or take a sneak peek at the programs' results without compiling them. Pascal is the standard structured programming language for the personal computer. The novice programmer needs a strong grounding in the fundamentals of structured programming, whether preparing to program under Microsoft Windows, DOS, or the Apple Macintosh. Pascal is also a precursor to programming languages such as C++, Java, and Delphi. Learn Pascal teaches the novice programmer the basics of Pascal through hands-on examples and easy-to-follow drills in each chapter, and guides readers from the basic fundamentals to advanced techniques needed to effectively program real-world applications. The book also includes advanced material on problem-solving algorithms, which provide the experienced Pascal user with specialized tools to solve specific programming problems. The companion CD contains the examples and drills discussed in the book, along with the drill solutions. Also included is a full retail version of Delphi 4 Standard Edition.

Author Biography: Sam Abolrous is a software engineer with an extensive background in software design and programming. He earned his electrical engineering degree from the University of Alexandria, Egypt, and is currently a programmer/writer with Microsoft Corp. Abolrous has published articles for leading programming journals and has written over 50 books on computer science ranging from C++ to COBOL programming, including Wordware's Learn C in Three Days and Learn Pascal in Three Days, Second END.