Best way to convert Delphi code to C++?

Question

I have an application written in Delphi that compiles in Delphi 2007. I think it was originally written in Delphi 7.

Anyway, I need to convert all the core non-GUI code into C++ because I want to release a Mac version of the software.

What is the best way to do this? Any shortcuts I can take to speed up the process?

EDIT: The code compiles to native code, not .NET.

Answer 1

Simple answer: You simply can't port non-trivial Delphi code to C++ without a complete rewrite. C++'s object model is very different from Delphi's. It doesn't have a base class like TObject from which all other objects are derived, and it lacks support for a lot of the RTTI stuff that Delphi code often takes for granted. And there's no simple way to reimplement Delphi RTTI in C++, since a lot of it's done at the compiler level, and a lot of it's based on the fact that all Delphi classes descend from TObject.

C++ also lacks support for the concept of unit initialization and finalization sections that are so common in Delphi, and what it has instead is badly broken. (Look up the "static order initialization fiasco" for all the gory details.)

Delphi's exception handling is also much more advanced than C++'s. Part of this is the object model and part of it's compiler magic. Plus, C++ has no support for the try-finally construct.

If you want to port a Delphi project to the Mac, Free Pascal is your best solution. It's not 100% compatible with Delphi, but it's good enough for a lot of things, and you specifically mentioned that you don't need to port the Delphi GUI stuff. AFAIK the GUI area is the source of most of FPC's compatibility weaknesses, so if that's not necessary, FPC is probably pretty close to ideal for your needs, at least until CodeGear gets an OSX compiler out. (Which hasn't been officially announced, but based on various things that have been said it's not unreasonable to suppose that one will be available sometime next year.)