Question

Is there difference in behavior between a constructor call and a procedure call in Delphi records?
I have a D2010 code sample I want to convert to D2009 (which I am using). The sample uses a parameterless constructor, which is not permitted in Delphi 2009. If I substitute a simple parameterless procedure call, is there any functional difference for records?

I.E.

  TVector = record
  private
    FImpl: IVector;
  public
    constructor  Create;    // not allowed in D2009
  end;

becomes

  TVector = record
  private
    FImpl: IVector;
  public
    procedure  Create;    // so change to procedure
  end;

As far as I can see this should work, but I may be missing something.

Answer 1

The record constructors are absolutely unnessessary misleading syntax sugar in native Win32 code. The only difference between record constructor and procedure is syntax:

TVector = record
  constructor Create;
end;

var
  vec : TVector;

begin
  vec:= TVector.Create;

and

TVector = record
  procedure Create;
end;

var
  vec : TVector;

begin
  vec.Create;

AFAIK there is a difference in .NET code (I am not using .NET)