5.5x IDE full support for 5.4x (and earlier) ascii compilers

[Damion12]

if you specify (file->preferences, Compiler->Addition Compilers) an ascii capable compiler, and then use that compiler (compiler->compiler options, Compiler Options->use compiler), the IDE should enable/display "Create Unicode executable" checkbox.

Likewise, if you use a 5.5x compiler, it should hide or disable it. (My vote is 'disabled, checked' to make it clear)

[Lunasole]

As for me what you saying is equal to not removing PB ASCII support at all ^^

Better just forget about 5.5 and use 5.44, 5.40 etc. I'm still using 5.3/5.4 as no much reasons of use newer with only loosing easy ASCII support.

[kenmo]

what you saying is equal to not removing PB ASCII support at all

No way. ASCII compilation has ended (except LTS) so the team doesn't need to support ASCII mode in the newer compilers/libraries/documentation.

Damion is just asking for an IDE feature, a checkbox to toggle the "/UNICODE" switch when using older compiler versions.


When 5.50 came out, I was surprised too that the Unicode checkbox disappeared instead of just being disabled (forced ON) for 5.50+ compilers.

If you save a project in 5.50+, does it lose all the ASCII settings? That's bad if you reopen the project in an LTS version, your build settings have silently changed.

[freak]

The focus of the IDE is always the current version. Support for old versions is just a bonus. I don't want to clutter the UI with options that don't even apply to the version that the IDE is shipped with.

If you save a project in 5.50+, does it lose all the ASCII settings? That's bad if you reopen the project in an LTS version, your build settings have silently changed.

The setting is preserved if the file was created with an earlier PB version. The 5.50+ version does not write the setting to new files.

[kenmo]

The setting is preserved if the file was created with an earlier PB version.

Ah OK, that's good. I was unable to test that when I posted.

So, if you need ASCII compilation, keep the latest ASCII IDE around (or compiler + use commandline builds).

[Mistrel]

Makefiles are your friend.

[Damion12]

As for me what you saying is equal to not removing PB ASCII support at all ^^
.

NOT at all!!! 5.50 has no ascii -- not asking for ascii in 5.5 (or later). I'm saying it would be helpful to be able to adjust (unicode or ascii) when using the 5.5 IDE, but compiling with a version that supports ascii.

Surely this can't be a hard thing to do, and would make life a lot easier when testing compatibility...

Other responses seem like "that's a bad opinion" rather than "I don't think it's helpful" -- I see a need for it, the rest don't - so if I could; I'd delete the thread as "voted useless"....