Re: Managing large LISP code

[grant@pentagon-gw.army.mil (Pete Grant)]

In article <CFME7K.C83@festival.ed.ac.uk> jeff@festival.ed.ac.uk (J W Dalton) writes:
>clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin) writes:
>
>>   Is there any standard technique for managing large amounts
>>of Lisp code?

Jeff mentioned DEFSYSTEM in his response.  On Symbolics machines 
(Genera), DEFSYSTEM is a small part of the System Construction
Tool (SCT), which would more appropriately be named System
Maintenance Facility.  It is similar to MAKE utility on Unix
and DOS platforms in that it provides automatic checking of which
source files have been modified since last compilation.  It also
uses the file date stamps in its operation.

SCT also has a patch mechanism which permits the compilation and
installation of incremental changes consisting of only those functions
that have actually changed.  This is superior to recompiling entire
files as sometimes source files can grow large as development
continues.

SCT also almost automatically provides the means of distributing
large (or small) systems easily.  The distribution system is menu
driven and the defaults are logically set.  I find this a most
useful tool in distributing systems as well as patches and
even data.  The system almost automatically ensures that the 
distributed files are placed in correct director.

Too bad SCT is available only on the Symbolics.  But, it's just
another reason why Symbolics Genera is the "Cadillac" of Lisp
systems.  :-)

Pete.