Compile lisp / scheme in Notepad++

Question

Hi!

I'm pretty much into lisp at the moment, and unfortunately i'm only available to code on windows. Is is possible to let Notepad++ take care of the interpreting of my scripts, and display the output in the compiler window?

If yes, what interpreter would be the best to use?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I'd consider picking up NT EMACS instead. Does all that stuff, free, and if you get bored you can always run M-x psychoanalyze-pinhead.

If you're really doing Scheme, have a look at Drscheme.

Answer 2

I second Charlie's recommendation. Get Emacs and SLIME. On Windows, I might get CLISP if SBCL gives any trouble. Also, Lispworks Personal Edition has got a pretty cool IDE, you could try that.

Answer 3

Just install CLISP, open up a command window, go to the folder where your source files are and execute:

CLISP sourceFile

You can ease this process by creating a hotkey in notepad++ and a batch file.
(You might need something to keep the console window open too)

Answer 4

Like others, I suggest using Emacs for Common Lisp. The easiest way to get started is Lispbox, which is Emacs + Slime + some Common Lisp implementation all fully featured and already configured.

For Scheme, the easiest way to get started is DrScheme.

Answer 5

I found getting slime (superior lisp interaction mode emacs) up and running in emacs a little difficult. You do want slime, but the barrier to entry is a little high if you don't already know emacs--or even if you do!

Luckily, there's a much easier way.

Just download Lisp in a Box. It's a little tricky because they give you a table of Operating Systems and lisp implementations. My suggestion is to choose the Windows-CLISP combo in the lower right-hand corner, version 2.37--I found CLISP to be the easiest implementation to use.

Paul Graham uses Clisp too, which is good enough for me.

Once you've downloaded LispBox, just let the thing automagically install itself and then click on the BAT FILE file to run slime.

Good luck

Answer 6

I've been using Clozure very happily for a couple weeks. If it's available for Windows, it's worth a try.

Answer 7

If you really want to use Notepad++, its plugin SDK might be worth a look. You could write a small Notepad++ plugin that uses ECL to provide an on board Lisp REPL, and by defining a set of callbacks from Lisp to the plugin SDK, you can have the coziness of Notepad++ with the scriptability of Emacs. Just an idle thought.

Links:

• ECL: Its the "ECLS" sourceforge project. (StackOverflow won't let me post more than one link)
• Notepad++ plugin development