Data files

[AthenaOfDelphi]

RE: Dynamic block sizes...

In traditional file handling using Pascal, no, dynamic block sizes aren't allowed. You have to know exactly the length of the data you are going to store. This obviously precludes the use of long strings. So every string in the records should be of the form string[ x ] (x is in the range 1 to 255). There are of course other things you can't store... dynamic arrays for example.

[noeska]

why are you doing things the 'old' way. I would suggest to look into streams as suggested by Brainer.

Also have a read on
http://delphi.about.com/od/fileio/a/fileof_delphi.htm (your 'old' way)
and
http://delphi.about.com/od/vclusing/l/aa110803a.htm (streams the 'new' way)

[AthenaOfDelphi]

I don't want to get drawn into an argument about which method is best because quite simply the choice of which mechanism you use will be (or more accurately, should be) governed by what you are using it for.

Streams have their plus sides, namely the ability to stream across different mediums and the relative ease with which they can cope with variable sized records (NOTE: I said relative ease... some things that are a breeze with standard file handling can become a real nightmare with a stream based mechanism).

Traditional files are simple to use... define the record type, declare a file variable and you're half way there. They can be a pain in the ass when you want to add or remove data from the records you've stored... but then so too can streams.

I would recommend learning about standard file handling first... you don't have to concern yourself with all the technicalities of the streaming mechanisms (like calculating record byte offsets).

Ixy:- if you are still having problems with the filehandling, then post your code. Without seeing it, it's hard to know whats going on so we can only guess at possible solutions.

[Ixy]

No, I solved my problem.

But NOW I have the craziest problem ever.
The program doesn't want to run under XP anymore.
On my Windows 7 beta it runs fine, but on XP... it just opens and closes fast...

What the hell?

EDIT:


Found the problem. I changed the path for testing purposes and forgot to change it back.