Vls (Vanilla Lisp Shell) 1.2 for Emacs has been released and is available
for download at
http://www.interhack.net/projects/vls
Vls is actually an Emacs facility that allows many different kinds of
commands for running Lisp Shells (also referred to as an inferior Lisp
process). This package provides a very simple command for running any
number of Vls Lisp shells, but many different kinds of ways of invoking Vls
are possible. For example instructions are included for running Vls Lisp
Shells thought Agroups (see http://www.interhack.net/projects/agroups).
Short Overview
The Vanilla Lisp Shell (VLS) is designed to provide an Emacs
interface to a Lisp process that from the user's perspective works
basically the same way for every flavor of Lisp. For example `M-RET'
evaluates an expression and `C-c C-b' produces a back-trace regardless
of the type of Lisp. VLS will work with any Lisp specification such as
Common Lisp or Scheme and any Lisp implementation such as Allegro
Common Lisp or CMU Common Lisp.
This flexibility is achieved by Lisp type specifics files that have a
simple syntax for associating common symbols with specific Lisp command
strings. Those common symbol values are then used by VLS commands in
forming a dialog with a specific Lisp process. VLS provides a
comprehensive set of type specifics files based on current Lisp
implementations, but the user can have his own set of type specifics
files and edit them for customized effects.
VLS tries as much as possible to make the VLS commands work exactly
the same way whether in the Lisp shell buffer or in a Lisp source code
file buffer. This philosophy allows the Lisp shell buffer to work more
like a free form scratch pad rather than a sequential prompt enter
paradigm; although the user may operate that way also if that is what
they are accustomed to.
VLS tries to be as intelligent as possible. For example when
evaluating a form in a Common Lisp file VLS will search the source file
and automatically put the Lisp process in the correct package before
evaluating the form.
Along with the expected Lisp shell capabilities VLS also provides
sophisticated Lisp tools. One such tool is generalized source code
instrumenting. Conditional breakpoints are just one example of a source
code instrument. VLS provides a small useful set of instruments and a
facility to make it easy for the user to add custom instruments.
Note: Vls does not currently work correctly under XEmacs. But a group
of people will be working on the fixes and it will be posted on Interhack.
--
William P. Vrotney - ·······@earthlink.net
William Paul Vrotney <·······@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<··············@vnux.localdomain>...
> Vls (Vanilla Lisp Shell) 1.2 for Emacs has been released and is available
> for download at
>
> http://www.interhack.net/projects/vls
>
[snip snip]
Very nice! It looks kind of like an "inferior lisp mode" thingy,
akin to ILISP and SLIME, but for me is distinguished by the fact that
it A) works, and B) does not require a lot of hackery and setting up
of servers for the Lisp process. So count me as a user! I've already
played around with it, and I like it very much. It does what I want
very cleanly.
Avi Blackmore
The eternal newbie
In article <····························@posting.google.com>, Avi
Blackmore <········@cableone.net> wrote:
> Very nice! It looks kind of like an "inferior lisp mode" thingy,
> akin to ILISP and SLIME, but for me is distinguished by the fact that
> it A) works, and B) does not require a lot of hackery and setting up
> of servers for the Lisp process. So count me as a user! I've already
> played around with it, and I like it very much. It does what I want
> very cleanly.
Actually SLIME is not an inferior lisp mode at all; when I use SLIME, I
leave my lisp running in a screen session and attach/detach my emacs as
I will.
I also don't know what "a lot of hackery" is. If you're willing to let
SLIME run lisp for you, it's trivial to install it and tell it you use
SBCL. If not, you can do what I do, which works on any lisp:
* (load "/path/to/the/dir/holding/slime/swank-loader")
* (swank:create-swank-server 4005)
Then, from lisp: M-x slime-connect ENTER ENTER ENTER
You should be up and running then.
--
Brian Mastenbrook
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~bmastenb/
Brian Mastenbrook <····················@cs.indiana.edu> wrote in message news:<·······································@cs.indiana.edu>...
[snippage]
> I also don't know what "a lot of hackery" is. If you're willing to let
> SLIME run lisp for you, it's trivial to install it and tell it you use
> SBCL.
Did before, it worked out okay, up to the point when I wanted to
quit the lisp image.
Then, when I restarted, it kept trying to recompile swank. This is
nada good.
> If not, you can do what I do, which works on any lisp:
>
> * (load "/path/to/the/dir/holding/slime/swank-loader")
> * (swank:create-swank-server 4005)
>
> Then, from lisp: M-x slime-connect ENTER ENTER ENTER
>
> You should be up and running then.
Yes, but I'm up and running with VLS already, without any of this
server-side business. Just a keystroke and I have my Lisp IDE. Works
for me!
Besides, competition is good.
Avi Blackmore
(setf *newbie-status* :eternal)
On Sun, Feb 29, 2004 at 07:17:50PM -0800, Avi Blackmore wrote:
> > You should be up and running then.
> Yes, but I'm up and running with VLS already, without any of this
> server-side business. Just a keystroke and I have my Lisp IDE. Works
> for me!
That is, until you realize that the shitty way in which VLS communicates
with Lisp tends to break down, much the same problem with ILISP (which
was extrememly convenient for me to use in Debian, but SLIME is much
more worthwhile).
--
; Matthew Danish <·······@andrew.cmu.edu>
; OpenPGP public key: C24B6010 on keyring.debian.org
; Signed or encrypted mail welcome.
; "There is no dark side of the moon really; matter of fact, it's all dark."
Matthew Danish <·······@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote in message news:<······················@mapcar.org>...
> On Sun, Feb 29, 2004 at 07:17:50PM -0800, Avi Blackmore wrote:
> > > You should be up and running then.
> > Yes, but I'm up and running with VLS already, without any of this
> > server-side business. Just a keystroke and I have my Lisp IDE. Works
> > for me!
>
> That is, until you realize that the shitty way in which VLS communicates
> with Lisp tends to break down, much the same problem with ILISP (which
> was extrememly convenient for me to use in Debian, but SLIME is much
> more worthwhile).
VLS 1.21 is the first version I have tried, and I have had no trouble
with it. In fact I'm quite happy with it. I'm not sure what you mean
about "the shitty way" and "tends to break down". That's too vague to
use in any diagnosis.
This is not intended to criticize SLIME, which I've also heard good
things about. In fact, it's nice we have enough different interfaces
for everyone to find something they like.
Eric