# CLISP manual page

- Name
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options #ifdef AMIGAOS
- Workbench #endif
- Reference
- Use
- Files #ifdef HAVE_ENVIRONMENT
- Environment #endif
- See also
- Bugs
- Projects
- Authors

## Name

`clisp` - Common Lisp language interpreter and compiler

## Synopsis

`clisp` [ `-h` ] [ `-m` memsize ] #ifndef NO_SP_MALLOC [ `-s` stacksize ] #endif #ifdef MULTIMAP_MEMORY_VIA_FILE [ `-t` tempdir ] #endif [ `-W` ] [ `-M` memfile ] [ `-L` language ] [ `-N` localedir ] [ `-q` ] [ `-I` ] [ `-C` ] [ `-i` initfile ... ] [ `-c` [ `-l` ] lispfile [ `-o` outputfile ] ... ] [ `-p` packagename ] [ `-x` expression ] [ lispfile [ argument ... ] ]

## Description

Invokes the common lisp interpreter and compiler. Invoked without arguments, executes a read-eval-print loop, in which expressions are in turn read from standard input, evaluated by the lisp interpreter, and their results output to standard output. Invoked with `-c`, the specified lisp files are compiled to a bytecode that can be executed more efficiently.

## Options

`-h`
  Displays a help message on how to use `clisp`.

`-m` memsize
  Sets the amount of memory `clisp` tries to grab on startup. The amount may be given as nnnnnnn (measured in bytes), nnnn `K` or nnnn `KB` (measured in kilobytes) or n `M` or n `MB` (measured in megabytes). #ifdef WIDE Default is 4 megabytes. #else Default is 2 megabytes. #endif #if (oint_addr_len+addr_shift==24) The argument is constrained between 100 KB and 16 MB. #elif (oint_addr_len+addr_shift==26) The argument is constrained between 100 KB and 64 MB. #elif (oint_addr_len+addr_shift==28) The argument is constrained between 100 KB and 256 MB. #else The argument is constrained above 100 KB. #endif -- This version of `clisp` #if defined(SPVW_MIXED) && defined(SPVW_BLOCKS) #ifdef GENERATIONAL_GC is not likely to actually use the entire memsize since garbage collection will periodically reduce the amount of used memory. It is therefore common to specify 10 MB even if only 2 MB are going to be used. #else eventually uses the entire memsize. #endif #else allocates memory dynamically. memsize is essentially ignored. #endif #ifndef WIDE Nevertheless, the memory size is limited to 16 MB per Lisp type (cons, string, structure, etc.), unless the `-W` option is given. #endif

  #ifndef NO_SP_MALLOC

`-s` stacksize
  Sets the size of the stack `clisp` allocates for itself. The syntax is the same as for memsize. Default is one eighth of memsize. The argument is constrained between 40 KB and 8 MB.

  #endif #ifdef MULTIMAP_MEMORY_VIA_FILE

`-t` tempdir
  Specifies the directory where the temporary core file is to be held. This option takes precedence over the environment variable `TMPDIR`.

  #endif

`-W`
  Specifies to call the wide-mode version of `clisp`. It uses a 64-bit object representation instead of the usual 32-bit representation. This version of `clisp` is slower, but has no memory size limitations. #ifdef WIDE_HARD -- This flag is not needed on this architecture. #endif

`-M` memfile
  Specifies the initial memory image. This must be a memory dump produced by the saveinitmem function. #ifdef UNIX It may have been compressed using GNU gzip. memfile may have the syntax memfile32`:`memfile64 thus denoting two separate memory images, one for use without and one for use with the `-W` option. This option is normally already set by the driver program `/usr/local/bin/clisp`. #endif

`-L` language
  Specifies the language `clisp` uses to communicate with the user. This may be #ifndef GNU_GETTEXT `english`, `deutsch`, `francais`. #endif #ifdef GNU_GETTEXT `english`, `deutsch`, `francais`, `espanol`. Other languages may be specified through the environment variable `LANG`, provided the corresponding message catalog is installed. #endif

`-N` localedir
  Specifies the base directory of locale files. `clisp` will search its message catalogs in localedir`/`language`/LC_MESSAGES/clisp.`ext.

`-q`
  Quiet: `clisp` displays no banner at startup and no good-bye message when quitting.

`-I`
  ILISP friendly: `clisp` interacts in a way that ILISP (a popular Emacs LISP interface) can deal with. Currently the only effect of this is that unnecessary prompts are not suppressed. #ifdef GNU_READLINE Furthermore, the GNU readline library treats Tab as a normal self-inserting character. #endif

`-C`
  Compile when load: At startup the value of the variable `*load-compiling*` will be set to `t`. Code being `load`ed will then be compiled on the fly. This results in slower loading, but faster execution.

`-i` initfile ...
  Specifies initialization files to be `load`ed at startup. These should be lisp files (source or compiled).

`-c` lispfile ...
  Compiles the specified lispfiles to bytecode. The compiled files can then be `load`ed instead of the sources to gain efficiency.

`-o` outputfile
  Specifies the output file or directory for the compilation of the last specified lispfile.

`-l`
  A bytecode listing of the files being compiled will be produced. Useful only for debugging purposes.

`-p` packagename
  At startup the value of the variable `*package*` will be set to the package named packagename.

`-x` expressions
  Executes a series of arbitrary expressions instead of a read-eval-print loop. The values of the expressions will be output to standard output. Due to the argument processing done by the shell, the expressions must be enclosed in double quotes, and double quotes and backslashes must be preceded by backslashes.

lispfile [ argument ... ]
  Loads and executes a lispfile. There will be no read-eval-print loop. Before lispfile is loaded, the variable `*args*` will be bound to a list of strings, representing the arguments. #ifdef UNIX The first line of lispfile may start with `#!`, thus permitting `clisp` to be used as a script interpreter. #endif If lispfile is `-`, the standard input is used instead of a file. This option must be the last one.

  #ifdef EMUNIX

`@`optionfile
  substitutes the contents of optionfile as arguments. Each line of optionfile is treated as a separate argument to `clisp`.

  #endif

#ifdef AMIGAOS

## Workbench

Two kinds of tooltypes are supported:

`WINDOW=`windowspec
  `clisp` will communicate with the console window or pipe specified by windowspec.

`ARGS=`arguments
  Specifies the command line arguments for `clisp`. Within arguments the token `*` may be used to denote the project's filename. arguments defaults to `-i *` which means that the file will be `load`ed (see above).

#endif

## Reference

The language implemented conforms to

> Guy L. Steele Jr.: Common Lisp - The Language. Digital Press. 1st edition 1984, 465 pages. ("CLtL1" for short)

and to the older parts of

> Guy L. Steele Jr.: Common Lisp - The Language. Digital Press. 2nd edition 1990, 1032 pages. ("CLtL2" for short)

## Use

`help`
  to get some on-line help.

`(apropos` name`)`
  lists the symbols relating to name.

`(exit)` or `(quit)` or `(bye)`
  to quit `clisp`.

  #if defined(UNIX) || defined(MSDOS) || defined(AMIGAOS) || defined(RISCOS)

#if (defined(UNIX) && !defined(UNIX_CYGWIN32)) || defined(RISCOS) EOF (Ctrl-D) #endif #if defined(MSDOS) || defined(UNIX_CYGWIN32) EOF (Ctrl-Z) #endif #ifdef AMIGAOS EOF (Ctrl-\e) #endif
  to leave the current read-eval-print loop.

  #endif #ifdef GNU_READLINE

arrow keys
  for editing and viewing the input history.

Tab key
  to complete the symbol's name you are just typing.

  #endif

## Files

#ifdef UNIX
`clisp`
  startup script

  #endif

#if defined(UNIX) `lisp.run` #endif #if defined(MSDOS) `lisp.exe` #endif #if defined(AMIGAOS) `lisp.run` #endif #if defined(RISCOS) `lisp` #endif
  main executable

`lispinit.mem`
  initial memory image

`config.lsp`
  site-dependent configuration

`*.lsp`
  lisp source

`*.fas`
  lisp code, compiled by `clisp`

`*.lib`
  lisp source library information, generated and used by the `clisp` compiler

`*.c`
  C code, compiled from lisp source by `clisp`

#ifdef HAVE_ENVIRONMENT

## Environment

`CLISP_LANGUAGE`
  specifies the language `clisp` uses to communicate with the user. The value may be `english`, `deutsch`, `francais` and defaults to `english`. The `-L` option can be used to override this environment variable.

  #ifdef AMIGAOS

`Language`
  specifies the language `clisp` uses to communicate with the user, unless it is already specified through the environment variable `CLISP_LANGUAGE` or the `-L` option. The value may be as above.

  #endif

`LANG`
  specifies the language `clisp` uses to communicate with the user, unless it is already specified through the environment variable `CLISP_LANGUAGE` or the `-L` option. The value may begin with a two-letter ISO 639 language code, for example `en`, `de`, `fr`.

  #ifdef UNIX

`HOME` and `USER`
  are used for determining the value of the function `user-homedir-pathname`. (Unix implementation only.)

  #endif #if defined(UNIX) || defined(MSDOS)

#ifdef UNIX `SHELL` (Unix implementation only)
  is used to find the interactive command interpreter called by `(shell)`. #endif #ifdef MSDOS `COMSPEC` (DOS, OS/2 implementations only)
  is used to find the command interpreter called by the function `(shell)`. #endif

  #endif #ifdef UNIX

`TERM`
  determines the screen size recognized by the pretty printer. This environment variable is also mandatory for the built-in screen editor.

  #endif #ifdef EMUNIX_PORTABEL

`TERM`
  specifies the terminal emulation `clisp` relies on. If you have ANSI.SYS loaded, possible values are `ansi`, `ansi-color-2`, `ansi-color-3` and `mono`.

`TERMCAP`
  should be set to the slashified file name of the terminal capabilities database `termcap.dat`.

  #endif #ifdef MULTIMAP_MEMORY_VIA_FILE

`TMPDIR` (Sparc implementation only)
  specifies the directory where the temporary core file is to be held.

  #endif #endif

  ## See also

  `cmucl`(1), #ifdef UNIX `xemacs`(1). #else `emacs`(1). #endif

  ## Bugs

  - The function `inspect` is not implemented. #ifdef SPVW_MIXED_BLOCKS
  - The memory management scheme is not very flexible. #endif
  - Not all extensions from CLtL2 are supported.
  - No on-line documentation beyond `apropos` and `describe` is available. #ifdef EMUNIX
  - Stack overflow aborts the program ungracefully, with a register dump.
  - Pressing Control-C may not interrupt `clisp` in every situation.
  - Calling the function `execute` on batch files crashes the machine. #endif #ifdef UNIX_COHERENT `*keyboard-input*` does not recognize Ctrl-S and Ctrl-Q. #endif

  ## Projects

  - Writing on-line documentation.
  - Write `inspect`.
  - Enhance the compiler such that it can inline local functions.
  - Specify a portable set of window and graphics operations.

  ## Authors

  Bruno Haible `<haible@ma2s2.mathematik.uni-karlsruhe.de>` and Michael Stoll.

  Last modified: 12 June 1997.