getting my stuff together

[sacros]

For me the code compiles perfectly fine. As User137 already asked - are you using command line, or Lazarus? The other thing I'd suggest is taking a look whether the SDL .pas files are not bugged somehow, or if there aren't any additional files named HelloSDL laying around that the compiler might grab.

And btw, an advice for the SDL code - it can be easier if you use TSDL_Rects, and use the @ operator to create a pointer for the BlitSurface routine.

whoa! you solved my problem, guess what the name of my file was: SDL.pas; I didnt even know stuff worked like that, i installed the library via an installation wizard - so the compiler was assuming i was talking about the library .pas. Ill also look into which kind of sorcery is that @ operator and TSDL_Rects

now everything has turned color pink! not...new error, the code above now stops in the line:

screen:=SDL_SETVIDEOMODE(423,400,32,SDL_SWSURFACE);
IF screen=NIL THEN HALT;writeln('problem with the screen');

i also get the output "problem with the screen" so maybe there is a problem with the SDL_SETVIDEOMODE procedure? why nothing ever works at this rate im nevar gon build stuf