What is Dr. Pascal?

Dr. Pascal is an integrated program development system with editor, formatter, Pascal interpreter, and visible program execution--all in a single system. Dr. Pascal can be used to write and run Pascal programs by itself without any other software--no additional compiler is needed. Dr. Pascal can also be used to develop and test programs that will later be compiled with another Pascal compiler.

For professional programmers, Dr. Pascal speeds development of new software and promotes more reliable, more portable code. For novices, visible execution facilitates learning how programs work.

For Learning Pascal

• Dr. Pascal is simple to learn; it has help within the program, an on-line manual (view in your browser) and tutorials in the manual.
• Visibility shows the inner working of a program as it runs; visibility illustrates how your program works, or shows why it is not working properly.
• Use with any textbook. Dr. Pascal defaults to only standard Pascal, so skills transfer to all other Pascal systems; no need to unlearn nonstandard features for the "real world."
• Automatic formatting makes program structure clearer.
• Comprehensive error checking, specific error messages.
• Print program with test input and output to turn in as assignment.
• Dr. Pascal is the only software needed to write, check, run, and print Pascal programs.

For Teaching Pascal

• Instructors use Dr. Pascal in visible mode for classroom demos; students use Dr. Pascal to write and run programming exercises.
• Visible execution is true to program structure: Procedures are represented by boxes containing local variables; recursion shows as a copy of the procedure box.
• Based on studies of novice programmer errors, Dr. Pascal's visibility is designed to help students discover their own misconceptions. Winner of Classroom Computer Learning's "Award of Excellence."
• Easy to learn and use: Make programs run visibly by pressing a single key--much easier and more complete display than a debugger. Tutorials in manual teach house to use the Dr. Pascal system.
• Dr. Pascal implements ANSI Standard Pascal which is compatible with major Pascal textbooks.
• Multiple options: Adopt Dr. Pascal like a textbook through your bookstore, have students download from our web site, or get a site licence for your labs.

For Professional Pascal Programming

• With Dr. Pascal's visible execution and extensive error detection, bugs are found more quickly and your software is more reliable.
• Enhanced editor: Pascal keys type whole Pascal constructs with a single keystroke; Procedure editor moves around quickly in a program; Edit declaration instantly finds and opens another editing window on the definition of any referenced identifier or procedure.
• Fastest recompilation in the known universe--only edited procedures are recompiled (to interpreted code).
• After developing and debugging source code with the Dr. Pascal interpreter, use your favorite compiler to produce a fast executable fille.
• Full ANSI Standard Pascal by default: Ideal for writing new software because a program developed in Dr. Pascal will run unchanged in all standard systems. Thus, your software does not become obsolete as new operating systems and improved compilers become available.
• Compiler directive increase compatibility of program developed in Dr. Pascal for later compilation with Borland Pascal or the powerful ANSI/ISO Extended Pascal language.
• Commercial programmers--note that Dr. Pascal is not appropriate for certain applications. Programs already written on other Pascal systems will not run unchanged with Dr. Pascal is they are larger than 64 kb of source (about 2,000 lines) or if they use nonstandard extensions of Pascal including system calls, direct hardware access, include files, or separate compilation.

More information

Click on the following for more information on Dr. Pascal:

Reports from professional Pascal programmers using Dr. Pascal.

Reports from educators and textbook authors.

Available for Macintosh, MS-DOS, VAX/VMS, and Windows; Specifications and system requirements.

To get a copy

Dr. Pascal can be purchased from this web site's ePurchase page. This includes download, license and credits for unlocking codes for three computers.

Not sure yet? You can download a shareware version that runs only limited size programs, then, if you want to keep it more than two weeks, later purchase the license and unlocking codes separately. Click here for the trial shareware Dr. Pascal, to try it out for up to two weeks.