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6.1.1 The Source Structure of Programs

A generic GNU Pascal program looks like the following:

     program name (Input, Output);
     
     import_part
     
     declaration_part
     
     begin
       statement_part
     end.

The program headline may be omitted in GPC, but a warning will be given except in --borland-pascal mode.

While the program parameters (usually Input, Output) are obligatory in ISO Pascal if you want to use ReadLn and WriteLn, they are optional in GNU Pascal. GPC will warn about such missing parameters in --extended-pascal mode. However if you give parameters to the program headline, they work like ISO requires.

The import_part consists either of an ISO-style import specification or a UCSD/Borland-style uses clause. While import is intended to be used with interfaces exported by ISO 10206 Extended Pascal modules, and uses is intended to be used with units, this is not enforced. (See also uses, import.)

The declaration_part consists of label, constant, type, variable or subroutine declarations in free order. However, every identifier must be declared before it is used. The only exception are type identifiers pointing to another type identifier which may be declared below.

The statement_part consists of a sequence of statements.

As an extension, GPC supports a “declaring statement” which can be used in the statement part to declare variables (see var).