Append not working in one programme and working in another
lazarus / 66-Unix

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stephanos · 2026-01-03 00:05

Dear All

I am adding an append function in a large programme.  I have appended
many times before but this time it is not working.  When compiled, I
get an error message as follows:
Quote“Error: SyntaxError “;” expected ”(” found”.Below is the code

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i Var    
 fullpathfilename : Unicodestring;             testfile :
TextFile;begin// lots of stuff// iteration starts// lots of stuff    
 AssignFile(testfile, 'GetPlayTimeTest.txt');  // the file      
 Append(testfile);       Writeln(testfile, fullpathfilename);     
 CloseFile(testfile);  // closes the file {* *}  // lots of stuff//
iteration ends// lots of stuffend
The programme executable is in the same folder on the PC as
'GetPlayTimeTest.txt'.
Fullpathfilename changes its content on every iteration.  However, I
need to know the content at each iteration.  So I decided to
write/append the string to a text file, that I have already made.

However, Lazarus 4.0, 64 bit, Linux is producing the error when I
compile it.
The error is with the opening ( of: Append(testfile);
It was expecting a semicolon, which is daft, but got an opening
bracket, which is normal. 
In addition, when:
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i
AssignFile(testfile, 'GetPlayTimeTest.txt');  // the filewas before
the iteration I got the same error

Undeterred I made a new project of a simple form with one button, and
on-click the following code executed.
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i procedure
TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);var  testfile : TextFile; 
message : string;begin//Append each file and its path to a file   
AssignFile(testfile, 'GetPlayTimeTest.txt');    Append(testfile);   
//Writeln(testfile, 'a string literal');    message := 'a string';   
Writeln(testfile, message);    CloseFile(testfile);  // closes the
fileend;
I tested a string literal, a string, and I changed the string to a
unicode string.  The 4 lines of content of ‘GetPlayTimeTest.txt' are:
QuoteAppend to this file
a string literal
a string
a 2nd string, that is unicode
The new project works.  There is no compiler error.  No conflict with
a ; and (.  Moreover, I am using the same computer, the same version
of Lazarus, and wearing the same socks, and I have rebooted as well.

I have read a lot, both online and in books.  My code is right.  What
has occurred should not have.

Anyone with a solution will be honoured in tales of bravery and
intelligence until the end of time.

Thanks and wait to hear

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dseligo · 2026-01-03 01:27

Maybe you have some other procedure/function named 'Append'. Hold Ctrl
and click on Append and see where that leads you.

Or try: System.Append(testfile);

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Thaddy · 2026-01-03 09:04

Yes, posted crossed, thought the same;
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i procedure
TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);var  testfile : Text;  mess :
string;begin//Append each file and its path to a file   
System.Assign(testfile, 'GetPlayTimeTest.txt');   
System.Append(testfile);    //Writeln(testfile, 'a string literal'); 
 mess := 'a string';    Writeln(testfile, mess);   
System.Close(testfile);  // closes the fileend;Note: after append the
file is write only. You need to re-open it to read.

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Nicole · 2026-01-03 09:21

This is a working way and I used it for a long time.
I quit.

I prefer to write such things:

Var SL: TStringList;

begin
SL:= TStringList.Create;
SL.LoadFile('myFile');
...
SL.Free;
end;

TStringList offers that many built-in functions I may need as sorting,
reversing, checking for duplicates, saveToFile,...
that I personally prefer it in the meanwhle.

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Thaddy · 2026-01-03 11:34

@Nicole
The idea is to append and that can not be done with
TStringlist.LoadFromFile, because that destroys any previous stream.

What you can do is use TMemoryStream.loadFromFile and then Append to
the TStringlist with TStringlist.Append(TmemoryStream.Text);

But his old school approach should also work.

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marcov · 2026-01-03 11:41

Quote from: Thaddy on January 03, 2026, 12:34:47 pmBut his old school
approach should also work.

And can cope with larger files, and possibly less SSD wear.

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Nicole · 2026-01-03 13:15

Not sure, what about large files, my files are > 20 MB.
Sure, there are larger ones.

Not sure, if I got the task at all.
Case I did, I solve it by:
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i
SL.LoadFromFile('myFile');SL.Insert(0, 'add me as first
line');SL.SaveToFile('myFile');

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stephanos · 2026-01-04 14:20

Dear All

Thanks for prompt responses

Yes, there was a process called Append.  System.Append() worked

Thanks to all