Casting Delphi 2009/2010 string literals to PAnsiChar

Question

So the question is whether or not string literals (or const strings) in Delphi 2009/2010 can be directly cast as PAnsiChar\'s or do they need an additional cast to AnsiString fi

Answer 1

To 'visualize' Barry Kelly and Mason Wheeler words:

const
  FRED = 'Fred';

var
  p: PAnsiChar;
  w: PWideChar;
begin
  w := PWideChar(Fred);
  p := PAnsiChar(Fred);

In ASM:
Unit7.pas.32: w := PWideChar(Fred);
00462146 BFA4214600       mov edi,$004621a4     
// no conversion, just a pointer to constant/"-1 RefCounted" UnicodeString

Unit7.pas.33: p := PAnsiChar(Fred);
0046214B BEB0214600       mov esi,$004621b0
// no conversion, just a pointer to constant/"-1 RefCounted" AnsiString

As you can see in both cases PWideChar/PChar(FRED) and PAnsiChar(FRED), there is no conversion and Delphi compiler make 2 constant strings, one AnsiString and one UnicodeString.