C.11 Command line handling errors

This section lists errors that occur when the compiler is processing the command line or handling the configuration files.

Warning: Only one source file supported, changing source file to compile from ”arg1” into ”arg2”


You can specify only one source file on the command line. The last one will be compiled, others will be ignored. This may indicate that you forgot a ’-’ sign.

Warning: DEF file can be created only for OS/2


This option can only be specified when you’re compiling for OS/2.

Error: nested response files are not supported


You cannot nest response files with the @file command line option.

Fatal: No source file name in command line


The compiler expects a source file name on the command line.

Note: No option inside arg1 config file


The compiler didn’t find any option in that config file.

Error: Illegal parameter: arg1


You specified an unknown option.

Hint: -? writes help pages


When an unknown option is given, this message is displayed.

Fatal: Too many config files nested


You can only nest up to 16 config files.

Fatal: Unable to open file arg1


The option file cannot be found.

Reading further options from arg1


Displayed when you have notes turned on, and the compiler switches to another options file.

Warning: Target is already set to: arg1


Displayed if more than one -T option is specified.

Warning: Shared libs not supported on DOS platform, reverting to static


If you specify -CD for the dos platform, this message is displayed. The compiler supports only static libraries under dos.

Fatal: In options file arg1 at line arg2 too many #IF(N)DEFs encountered


The #IF(N)DEF statements in the options file are not balanced with the #ENDIF statements.

Fatal: In options file arg1 at line arg2 unexpected #ENDIFs encountered


The #IF(N)DEF statements in the options file are not balanced with the #ENDIF statements.

Fatal: Open conditional at the end of the options file


The #IF(N)DEF statements in the options file are not balanced with the #ENDIF statements.

Warning: Debug information generation is not supported by this executable


It is possible to have a compiler executable that doesn’t support the generation of debugging info. If you use such an executable with the -g switch, this warning will be displayed.

Hint: Try recompiling with -dGDB


It is possible to have a compiler executable that doesn’t support the generation of debugging info. If you use such an executable with the -g switch, this warning will be displayed.

Warning: You are using the obsolete switch arg1


This warns you when you use a switch that is not needed/supported anymore. It is recommended that you remove the switch to overcome problems in the future, when the meaning of the switch may change.

Warning: You are using the obsolete switch arg1, please use arg2


This warns you when you use a switch that is not supported anymore. You must now use the second switch instead. It is recommended that you change the switch to overcome problems in the future, when the meaning of the switch may change.

Note: Switching assembler to default source writing assembler


This notifies you that the assembler has been changed because you used the -a switch, which cannot be used with a binary assembler writer.

Warning: Assembler output selected ”arg1” is not compatible with ”arg2”


Warning: ”arg1” assembler use forced


The assembler output selected cannot generate object files with the correct format. Therefore, the default assembler for this target is used instead.

Reading options from file arg1


Options are also read from this file.

Reading options from environment arg1


Options are also read from this environment string.

Handling option ”arg1”


Debug info that an option is found and will be handled.

*** press enter ***


Message shown when help is shown page per page. When pressing the ENTER Key, the next page of help is shown. If you press q and then ENTER, the compiler exits.

Hint: Start of reading config file arg1


Start of configuration file parsing.

Hint: End of reading config file arg1


End of configuration file parsing.

interpreting option ”arg1”


The compiler is interpreting an option

interpreting firstpass option ”arg1”


The compiler is interpreting an option for the first time.

interpreting file option ”arg1”


The compiler is interpreting an option which it read from the configuration file.

Reading config file ”arg1”


The compiler is starting to read the configuration file.

found source file name ”arg1”


Additional information about options. Displayed when you have the debug option turned on.

Error: Unknown codepage ”arg1”


An unknown codepage for the source files was requested. The compiler is compiled with support for several codepages built-in. The requested codepage is not in that list. You will need to recompile the compiler with support for the codepage you need.

Fatal: Config file arg1 is a directory


Directories cannot be used as configuration files.

Warning: Assembler output selected ”arg1” cannot generate debug info, debugging disabled


The selected assembler output cannot generate debugging information, debugging option is therefore disabled.

Warning: Use of ppc386.cfg is deprecated, please use fpc.cfg instead


Using ppc386.cfg is still supported for historical reasons, however, for a multiplatform system the naming makes no sense anymore. Please continue to use fpc.cfg instead.

Fatal: In options file arg1 at line arg2 #ELSE directive without #IF(N)DEF found


An #ELSE statement was found in the options file without a matching #IF(N)DEF statement.

Fatal: Option ”arg1” is not, or not yet, supported on the current target platform


Not all options are supported or implemented for all target platforms. This message informs you that a chosen option is incompatible with the currently selected target platform.

Fatal: The feature ”arg1” is not, or not yet, supported on the selected target platform


Not all features are supported or implemented for all target platforms. This message informs you that a chosen feature is incompatible with the currently selected target platform.

Note: DWARF debug information cannot be used with smart linking on this target, switching to static linking


Smart linking is currently incompatible with DWARF debug information on most platforms, so smart linking is disabled in such cases.

Warning: Option ”arg1” is ignored for the current target platform.


Not all options are supported or implemented for all target platforms. This message informs you that a chosen option is ignored for the currently selected target platform.

Warning: Disabling external debug information because it is unsupported for the selected target/debug format combination.


Not all debug formats can be stored in an external file on all platforms. In particular, on Mac OS X only DWARF debug information can be stored externally.

Note: DWARF debug information cannot be used with smart linking with external assembler, disabling static library creation.


Smart linking is currently incompatble with DWARF debug information on most platforms, so smart linking is disabled in such cases.

Error: Invalid value for MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET environment variable: arg1


Error: Invalid value for IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET environment variable: arg1


On Mac OS X, the MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET/IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET environment variable can be used to set the default target OS version. In case of Mac OS X, it has to be of the format XY.Z or XY.Z.AB with X, Y,Z , A and B all digits from 0-9. In case of iOS, it has to be X.Z.A, where X, Z and A can all be either 1 or 2 digits from 0-9.

Error: You must use a FPU type of VFPV2, VFPV3 or VFPV3_D16 when using the EABIHF ABI target


The EABIHF (VFP hardfloat) ABI target can only be used with VFP FPUs.

Warning: The selected debug format is not supported on the current target, not changing the current setting


Not all targets support all debug formats (in particular, Stabs is not supported on 64 bit targets).

Error: argument to ”arg1” is missing


Displayed when parameter must be followed by an argument.

Error: malformed parameter: arg1


Given argument is not valid for parameter.

Warning: Smart linking requires external linker


Error: Creating .COM files is not supported in the current memory model. Only the tiny memory model supports making .COM files.


Do not enable experimental -gc option if -Ur option is given.

Warning: Experimental CheckPointer option not enabled because it is incomptatible with -Ur option.


The compiler binary only supports a single target architecture. Invoke the fpc binary if you wish to select a compiler binary for a different target architecture.

Error: Unsupported target architecture -Parg1, invoke the ”fpc” compiler driver instead.


The ppc¡target¿ executables support only a single target architecture. They do not support the -P switch. The compiler driver ”fpc” handles this switch, so you have to invoke compiling by using ”fpc” instead

Error: Feature switches are only supported while compiling the system unit.


To selected a certain feature, the system unit must be compiled with this feature enabled. All other units inherited the features set by the system unit through the ppu of the system unit.

Note: The selected debug format is not supported by the internal linker, switching to external linking