Pascal Script Quick Guide for JavaScript Programmers

This page provides a fast introduction to the Pascal Script language for people familiar with JavaScript.
It explains the essential syntax and concepts you need to start writing and reading Pascal code.

Pascal Script is a procedural language with a strong type system and block structure.
It uses `begin ... end` blocks, requires variable declarations, and emphasizes clarity and explicit code.

General Structure

Statements end with a semicolon (`;`).
Blocks of code use `begin ... end` instead of `{ ... }`.
Programs, procedures, and functions must declare all variables before use.

Basic Types

Integer: Whole numbers (like int in JS, but strongly typed).
Boolean: True or False (not true/false lowercase).
String: Unicode text.
Double: Floating-point numbers.

Variables

Variables must be declared before use, specifying their type.
Use the var keyword before a block to declare variables.

Example:

var
  Count: Integer;
  Name: String;

Control Structures

If statements:
if Count > 0 then begin ... end;
For loops:
for i := 1 to 10 do begin ... end;
While and Repeat loops available.

Functions and Procedures

Procedure: Subroutine without return value.
Function: Returns a value, specify type after colon.

procedure SayHello(Name: String);
begin
  // code here
end;

function Add(A, B: Integer): Integer;
begin
  Result := A + B;
end;

Comments

Single-line: // This is a comment
Multi-line: { This is a block comment }

Key Differences from JavaScript

No implicit variable creation – all must be declared.
Types are checked at compile time.
Blocks use begin ... end (not curly braces).
Assignment uses := (not =).
Equality test uses = (not ==).

Sample Program Structure

program Example;
var
  Message: String;
begin
  Message := 'Hello, Pascal Script!';
  ShowMessage(Message);
end.

Essential Built-in Procedures

ShowMessage: Display a dialog box with a message.
InputBox: Get input from the user.

Tips

Indent code for clarity (recommended, not required).
Use descriptive names for variables and routines.
Remember Pascal is case-insensitive (MyVar is the same as myvar).

Pascal Script – Quick Guide for JavaScript Developers

This guide covers the core syntax and principles of base Pascal Script as used in the Hyper Scripting System.
It is intended for programmers familiar with JavaScript or similar languages.

General Syntax Principles

Each statement ends with a semicolon ;.
Assignment to variables uses the := symbol.
System procedures such as init, After_Showing, and After_Edit must be placed after your custom procedures and functions.
Line breaks do not affect code execution.

Symbols and Their Meaning

Symbol	Description
;	End of statement, procedure, or function.
:=	Assigns a value to a variable.
' '	String values use single quotes.
=	Comparison for equality in conditions (IF).
< , > , <= , >= , <>	Comparison operators: less, greater, less or equal, greater or equal, not equal.
// , { }	Comments: // for single line, { } for multi-line.

Operators

Operator	Description
+	Addition for numbers and concatenation for strings.
- , * , /	Subtraction, multiplication, division.
DIV	Integer division (no remainder).
MOD	Remainder after integer division.

Variables

Variables are declared using the keyword VAR, once at the start of each procedure or function.
Variables must be declared right after the procedure/function name.
Each variable declaration must include its name and type.
Assignment must be done in a separate statement, not during declaration.

Supported Data Types

Type	Min	Max	Description
Integers
Integer	-2147483648	2147483647	32-bit signed integer.
Int64 / LongInt	-9223372036854775808	9223372036854775807	64-bit signed integer.
Word	0	65535	16-bit unsigned integer.
Cardinal	0	4294967295	32-bit unsigned integer.
LongWord	0	4294967295 or 18446744073709551615	Unsigned, platform-dependent.
Decimals
Double	2.23e-308	1.79e+308	Double-precision floating point, up to 15 decimals.
Extended	2.23e-308 or 3.37e-4932	1.79e+308 or 1.18e+4932	Long double. Not recommended for cross-platform code.
Currency	-922337203685477.5808	922337203685477.5807	Decimal with up to 4 digits after decimal point.
Text / Booleans
String			Unicode string, unlimited length.
Char	0	16	Single Unicode character (16-bit).
Boolean	0	16	TRUE/FALSE flag.
Variant			Generic type, can store any value or object.

String Concatenation

Strings are surrounded by single quotes.
Concatenation is performed with the + operator.

Procedures and Functions

A procedure does not return a value.
A function returns a value with the result keyword.
Use the Exit statement to stop execution inside procedures or functions.

Procedure and function declarations must specify the name and parameter list.
Return type for functions must be specified.

Conditional Statements – IF

Single-statement IF: place the statement on the same or next line.
Multiple statements: use Begin ... End block.
No semicolon before Else or Else If.

Short-form IF (Ternary)

Pascal Script allows a short-form IF for single-statement assignments.
This is similar to JavaScript's ternary operator but uses boolean expressions.
Only valid for direct True/False assignments.

CASE Statements

The case statement is used for multi-branch conditions.
Works for numbers and text.
Text comparison is case-sensitive.

Loops

Declare the loop variable at the top of the procedure/function.
Continue skips to the next iteration.
Break exits the loop.

FOR loops can count up (To) or down (DownTo).
WHILE loops repeat while a condition is true.
REPEAT ... UNTIL loops always run at least once.

Exception Handling: Try ... Except

Use Try ... Except ... End for error handling in code that may fail.
No need to use Begin ... End inside the blocks.
Finally block is always executed.
Nested Try blocks are allowed.

Arrays

Declare arrays at the top of the procedure/function.
Dynamic arrays require explicit sizing with SetLength.
Array indexing starts at 1 for static arrays.