Common LispWorks User Guide, Liquid Common Lisp Version 5.0
1 Introduction
This manual gives you a complete guide to the Common LispWorks development environment. This environment comprises a large number of window-based tools which have been designed with the Common Lisp developer in mind. The following are among the features provided by the environment:- A fully functional editor specifically designed to make writing Common Lisp source code as swift as possible.
- A Common Lisp listener for evaluating Common Lisp forms interactively.
- A range of tools essential to the development process, such as a debugger, code profiler, editor, and object inspector.
- A wide range of browsers for examining different aspects of your environment, such as the generic functions or CLOS classes that have been defined.
- A tool for simplifying source code management; vital if you are involved in developing large applications.
- A tool for designing window-based interfaces to your applications. A point-and-click interface is used to design the interface itself, and all the necessary Common Lisp code is generated for you.
- Tools for sending electronic mail.
Because of the large number of tools available, consistency is a vital theme in the environment; each tool has a similar look and feel so that you need only spend a minimum amount of time learning how to use the environment. In addition, there is a high degree of integration between the tools available. This means that it is possible to transfer pieces of information throughout the environment in a logical fashion; if you create an object in the listener, you can examine it by transferring it directly to the inspector. The class of objects that it belongs to can be examined by transferring it to a class browser, and from there, the generic functions which have methods defined on it can be browsed.
To reflect these themes of consistency and integration, the earlier chapters in this manual deal with the generic aspects of the environment, while at the same time introducing you to the more important tools.
- 1.1 - Major tools
-
Common LispWorks User Guide, Liquid Common Lisp Version 5.0 - 18 OCT 1996 Generated with Harlequin WebMaker