Re: Geta Browser 2.0

[Gilles.Serasset@imag.fr (Gilles Serasset)]

>I would like very much to get the Geta Brower version 2.0 to work on my system;
>however, I still do not understand packges.
>
Hopefuly, you don't need to know anything about packages to load the
geta-browser v.2.0.

>I accidentally had the previous version of the Geta Browser running on my
>system but managed to "fix" it permanently so that it no longer works.  (I now
>wish I would have saved the MCL session to a file after I got it working the
>first time.) 
>
>The documentation for the browser mentions a defunit system (which I
>downloaded) that helps load the browser.  I have no idea what the defunit
>system is supposed to do.

The defunit system (defined by Guillaume Cartier from UQAM (Montreal) is a
really cool defsystem.  &[{???!!! . OK, I'll explain:

A defsystem is more or less like a "make" under unix. It allows you to
define the files (and their relative order) that are required to define a
system or project (here called units). Then, when you say: "please, load
the :my-unit unit, oh please do, my beloved MCL". Then MCL loads the files
in order (provided that he can file the definition of the unit :my-unit).
Moreover, he compiles the files when necessary, i.e. when you first load
your unit or when you modify one of the files. All this is done completely
transparently (cool isn't it ?).

But of course, you have to tell MCL where the description of your unit is.

There is no standard for a defsystem for CL. Here at GETA, we consider that
Cartier's defunit is the best, so we use it. And you should consider to use
it also as it saves a lot of time/effort (and also, it is provided with a
lot of very cool tools (like an extended a propos, etc.)

BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO USE IT. THE GETA-BROWSER CAN BE USED WITHOUT DEFUNIT.
>
>Would someone be able to save an MCL 2.0 session for me that shows step-by-step
>how to load the defunit system and the Geta-Browser and Geta-Grapher?  I don't
>mind loading the system manually every time I load MCL.

If you are using the cartier's defunit:


INSTALLING CARTIER'S CONTRIBS:
-----------------------------

Download the iterate.lisp file and put it where you want (it is necessary
to use Cartier's contrib). 
Put the cartier's contrib folder where you wan't.


USING CARTIER'S CONTRIBs:
------------------------
Load the iterate.lisp file
Load the LOADME file located in the cartier's folder.

NOW, YOU HAVE INSTALLED THE DEFUNIT PACKAGE.
You can load some of the utilities provided with defunit. This is simply
done by evaluating the form: "cc::load-unit <unit-name>" (read the
defunit's docs for more details).

THIS SHOULD BE DONE AT INIT TIME (BTW, geta has also provided an init file
you could use (based on Ranson's init file)).

INSTALLING GETA-BROWSER:
-----------------------
You can put the geta-browser folder where you want on your disk.
However, you have to tell defunit where to find it.

Make an alias of geta-browser folder and put it in the "cartier:modules"
folder (with its original name (i.e. delete the " (alias)" part of the
name). 
Make an alias of geta-browser.defu and put it in the
"cartier:units;modules" folder (with the name: geta-browser.lisp).

As geta-browser requires the geta-grapher module, you have to install it either:

Make an alias of geta-grapher folder and put it in the "cartier:modules"
folder (with its original name (i.e. delete the " (alias)" part of the
name). 
Make an alias of geta-grapher.defu and put it in the
"cartier:units;modules" folder (with the name: geta-grapher.lisp).

LOADING GETA-BROWSER:
--------------------
Just evaluate the form:

(cc::load-unit :geta-browser)

You will have some problems due to a mistake from us in the versions of
defunit we use. The best way to correct it is to load the files located in
the "geta-grapher folder:Behaviours" just after loading the browser.

You can now use the geta-browser.

If you don't use Cartier's contribs:

Load the files in the order given by the unit definition, i.e.:
in geta-grapher folder
                "node.lisp"
                "graph.lisp"
in geta-grapher folder:Behaviours
                all the files.

in geta-browser folder
                "Class-node.lisp"
                "CLOS-Grapher.lisp"
                "Node-menu.lisp"
                "Class-leaf-node.lisp"
                "Slot&Method-node.lisp"
                "instance-node.lisp"
                "Class-browser-dialog.lisp"

in geta-browser folder:Optional features
                all the files.

You can of course create a file which will do that for you and load it at
init time.

>I have not loaded the 2.0 upgrades on my system.  Do I need these for the 2.0
>version of the browser?
>

Almost everybody has encountered problems with the new geta-browser because
we have modified the Cartier's defunit.

I will post a description of the modified defunit in order to see if these
modification are usefull for the MCL community.

Gilles,
======================================================
 Il ne suffit pas d'etre heureux. Encore faut-il que
 les autres soient malheureux.          P. Desproges
-----  Gilles.Serasset@imag.fr (Gilles Serasset)  ----
GETA IMAG, UJF et CNRS, BP 53 F-38041 GRENOBLE CEDEX 9