It has been around 20 years since I last had to write in Pascal. I can't seem to use the structure elements of the language correctly where I am nesting if than blocks using begin and end. For example this gets me an Compiler Error "Identifier Expected"
procedure InitializeWizard;
begin
Log('Initialize Wizard');
if IsAdminLoggedOn then begin
SetupUserGroup();
SomeOtherProcedure();
else begin (*Identifier Expected*)
Log('User is not an administrator.');
msgbox('The current user is not administrator.', mbInformation, MB_OK);
end
end;
end;
Of course if I remove the if then
block and the begin end
blocks associated with them then everything is OK.
Sometimes I get it this kind of syntax right and it works out OK, but the problems become exasperated when nesting the if then else
blocks.
Solving the problem is not enough here. I want to have a better understanding how to use these blocks. I am clearly missing a concept. Something from C++ or C# is probably creeping in from another part of my mind and messing up my understanding. I have read a few articles about it, and well I think I understand it and then I don't.
You have to match every begin
with an end
at the same level, like
if Condition then
begin
DoSomething;
end
else
begin
DoADifferentThing;
end;
You can shorten the number of lines used without affecting the placement, if you prefer. (The above might be easier when you're first getting used to the syntax, though.)
if Condition then begin
DoSomething
end else begin
DoADifferentThing;
end;
If you're executing a single statement, the begin..end
are optional. Note that the first condition does not contain a terminating ;
, as you're not yet ending the statement:
if Condition then
DoSomething
else
DoADifferentThing;
The semicolon is optional at the last statement in a block (although I typically include it even when it's optional, to avoid future issues when you add a line and forget to update the preceding line at the same time).
if Condition then
begin
DoSomething; // Semicolon required here
DoSomethingElse; // Semicolon optional here
end; // Semicolon required here unless the
// next line is another 'end'.
You can combine single and multiple statement blocks as well:
if Condition then
begin
DoSomething;
DoSomethingElse;
end
else
DoADifferentThing;
if Condition then
DoSomething
else
begin
DoADifferentThing;
DoAnotherDifferentThing;
end;
The correct use for your code would be:
procedure InitializeWizard;
begin
Log('Initialize Wizard');
if IsAdminLoggedOn then
begin
SetupUserGroup();
SomeOtherProcedure();
end
else
begin
Log('User is not an administrator.');
msgbox('The current user is not administrator.', mbInformation, MB_OK);
end;
end;