[plt-scheme] Incremental development with DrScheme or MzScheme

On Oct 2, 2007, at 6:09 PM, Austin King wrote:

> Howdy,
> I would like to start a long running process and then redefine parts
> of the Scheme code, recompile, and have the long running process pick
> up these changes.
>
> My understanding is that DrScheme Run button cleans out the
> environment for the "Definitions" and "Interactions" windows. Is this
> correct? Clicking 'Run', I see it kill my running GUI and start a
> fresh copy.

That's a good thing.

>
> Should I use (load "foo.scm") from the interactions window to reload
> changed code? For partial load/compilation just copy and past s-exp
> that I want to re execute?

I do both of these, usually (load "stuff-to-change.scm").  I  
sometimes change functions which are sent via ethernet, too.  These  
might not be considered good programming practices, yet they are one  
of the reasons that I use DrScheme and MzScheme.  Another useful  
technique is reloading a file that is part of an embedded Scheme  
program, as a result of a gui in a C-program.

One thing that I don't do, though, is use these techniques on  
programs that use Scheme GUIs.  In that case, oopish software is  
used; I wouldn't know what to expect if, say, "send blah" is issued  
to an object that has recently been reloaded.  If it works: awesome.   
If it doesn't, I couldn't complain.

rac

>
> I am looking for something like SLIME+sbcl where I can compile an
> s-exp and this immediately shows up in the running environment. If
> this isn't possible, then a pointer to good workflow for DrScheme.
> Thanks.
>
> Congratulations on an excellent project.
>
> -- 
> Thanks,
> Austin King
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