8.5 Configuring the LispWorks image

Now you can configure the LispWorks image to your taste. In the distribution directory config there are two files that have been preloaded into the LispWorks image:

Take a look at the settings in configure.lisp to see if there is anything you want to change. In particular, you must change the value of *lispworks-directory* if you have chosen a location for the library which is different to that in the supplied image and moved the image away from the top-level of the installation directory.

If you already have a .lispworks personal initialization file in your home directory, examine the supplied example a-dot-lispworks.lisp file for new settings which you may wish to add. Otherwise, make a copy of a-dot-lispworks.lisp in your home directory, naming it .lispworks. This file is loaded into LispWorks when you start it up, allowing you to make personal customizations to LispWorks not in the image your fellow users see.

8.5.1 Saving a configured image

Make a copy of config/configure.lisp called /tmp/my-configuration.lisp. When you have made any desired changes in my-configuration.lisp you can save a new LispWorks image, creating a local version.

Create a configuration and saving script /tmp/config.lisp, containing:

(load-all-patches)

(load "/tmp/my-configuration.lisp")

(save-image "/usr/local/bin/lispworks")

Change directory to the top-level of the LispWorks installation directory, for example:


% cd /usr/lib/lispworks

Start the supplied image using the configuration script as the build file. For example:


% lispworks-
7-0-0
-sparc-solaris -build /tmp/config.lisp

If the image will not run at this stage, it is probably not finding a valid key. See Obtaining and Installing your license keys

The siteinit.lisp is also suppressed because this will be loaded automatically when you start the configured image. Saving the image takes some time.

You can now use the new image by starting it just as you did the supplied image. Saving a new image over the old one is not recommended. Use a unique name.

8.5.2 Testing the newly saved image

The following steps provide a basic test of your installation.

Change directory to /tmp.
Verify that your DISPLAY environment variable is correctly set and that your machine has permission to connect to the display.
Start up the new image.
Test the load-on-demand system:

CL-USER 1 > (inspect 1)

The inspector is a load-on-demand feature, so if the installation is correct you will see messages reporting that the inspector is being loaded.

Test the X interface:

CL-USER 2 > (env:start-environment :display <display>)

where <display> is the name of the machine running the X server, for example "cantor:0".