// count words in a string using pointers
// Pascal code used in a Delphi 3.0 program
 
function WordsCount(s: string ): integer;
var
  ps: PChar;
  nSpaces, n: integer;
begin
  n := 0;
  // make it a string that ends with value zero
  s := s + #0;
  // point to start of string s
  ps := @s[ 1 ];
  // keep loop going up to zero ending
  while( #0 <> ps^ ) do
  begin
    // checks for space = ' '
    while((' ' = ps^) and (#0 <> ps^)) do
    begin
      inc( ps );
    end;
    nSpaces := 0;
    while((' ' <> ps^) and (#0 <> ps^)) do
    begin
      inc(nSpaces);
      inc(ps);
    end;
    if (nSpaces > 0) then
    begin
      inc( n );
    end;
  end;
  Result := n;
end;