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Closing parenthesis expected

Velox reports this error when a construct opened with ( cannot be completed because the parser does not find the required ). Parentheses are used by expressions, calls, casts, parameter declarations and some compiler-owned constructs, so inspect the complete surrounding construct.

Example​

procedure ScriptEvent(var Value: Variant);
begin
  if (Value = 'Ready' then // Error: Closing parenthesis expected
    Value := 'Processed';
end;

Balance the condition:

if (Value = 'Ready') then
  Value := 'Processed';

A malformed argument list can produce the same message:

Result := Copy(Value, 1, 3;   // Incorrect
Result := Copy(Value, 1, 3);  // Correct

How Velox detects it​

The modified PascalScript compiler emits ecCloseRoundExpected from multiple parser routines after an opening parenthesis has established a grouped expression, call, type conversion, parameter list or related construct. Velox formats the diagnostic using the current parser position.

That position is normally where ) was required, not necessarily where the mistake began. A comma, semicolon, then, do, ] or end of line can be highlighted because it is the first token that proves the parenthesised construct cannot continue.

Correction procedure​

  1. Start at the reported token and scan left to the nearest unmatched (.
  2. Check nested calls and expressions one level at a time rather than merely adding ) at the end of the line.
  3. Verify separators inside the pair: commas between arguments and semicolons between formal parameter groups.
  4. Check quoted strings and comments; punctuation inside them does not balance source parentheses.
  5. Recompile after correcting the earliest unmatched construct, because later parenthesis diagnostics can be consequential.

Common causes​

  • Omitting ) after an if or while condition.
  • Closing an inner function call but not the outer call.
  • Using ] or ; where ) is required.
  • Supplying a malformed prior argument that changes how the following comma is parsed.
  • Copying code with an extra opening parenthesis.
  • Opening parenthesis expected — constructs that require (.
  • Comma (',') expected — separating call arguments and list items.
  • Syntax error — punctuation that does not fit any current construct.

External references​