>>>Delphi is MUCH higher level than C++. Maybe you can do some mapilulation at lower levels than VFP, but you put both at the same level.
>>
>>Technically Delphi, Pascal and C/C++ are all 3GL languages. Check this one article I found on Google for definitions >>http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci211502,00.html

> Yes, David, I know. But being a 3GL doesn't mean they are at the same level respect to machine code.

Hi Martin,

After spending most of the day tracking down a Range Checking error after Daylight Savings time trashed some Data/Time stamps and having to use the Debugger in Delphi, I can tell you that a lot of the major functions written in Delphi that aren't calling the Windows API are written in INLINE ASSEMBLER. So, these functions are EXTREMELY FAST in Delphi. I had to turn off the debugging of the Delphi modules so I could trace through my code faster. It's very tedious watching Assembler loops parsing strings in Delphi! <bg> My first commercial product was a word processor I wrote ALL in Assembler back on the 6502 processor for the Apple II series and so I'm used to writing in low-level code as well as the high level stuff. I didn't even own an Assembler for about a year. I typed all my code for the programmer in as HEX Bytes! <g> Merlin Assembler was like $249 back in 1982 and I was going to college at the time.

I use Delphi for my Low-Level stuff because it has what I believe to be one of the best integrations of a High Level Language along with the easiest integrations of Low-Level stuff. I could write my own Inline Assembler code all I want with Delphi and still call Windows API calls and still call my own looping code. However, it is a STRONGLY TYPED language and you must Declare ALL Variables, Functions and Procedures prior to compiling. However, this allows the Delphi Compiler to build VERY OPTIMIZED code. You can help the Compiler even more by using INC() and DEC() statements on Integer Values so as to use the most efficent CPU calls. You even have the ability to save on memory by declaring the type of Variable by size such as BYTE, SMALLINT, INTEGER, CARDINAL, etc.. Delphi also has a great Intellisense built into the Editor and some really cool features for Locating and Jumping to declarations of Variables and Functions. Just hold down the CTRL KEY and click on the Function Name or Variable Name and it will jump to the Declaration Statement. Very cool! I asked for this exact feature in VFP which we don't have as of yet. Delphi has also had TRY/CATCH support since the beginning.

So, I would have to say that Delphi is a VERY LOW-LEVEL language on par with C/C++. But it has almost the same easy syntax as VFP on the High Level side. However, a SEMICOLON ends a statement in Delphi as opposed to a continuation in VFP. That one always bites me.

The other VERY COOL thing is that you can recompile your Delphi code in Kylix which is Delphi for Linux and they are working on OCTANE the code name for DELPHI .NET. So, soon I can use Delphi on 3 platforms. There already is a .NET PREVIEW of Delphi available and most of the .NET language extensions are already in Delphi 7. So, this makes Delphi my choice for best low-level language at the moment. Of course, this is just my opinion and my experience after having put in more than 10,000+ hours of Delphi coding time in since 1996. It's too bad all that time wasn't Billable! <bg>