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diff --git a/README.org b/README.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..743c42b --- /dev/null +++ b/README.org @@ -0,0 +1,185 @@ +* Trident Mode + +This is an [[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][Emacs]] minor mode and collection of commands for working with +[[http://common-lisp.net/project/parenscript/][Parenscript]] code in [[http://common-lisp.net/project/slime/][SLIME]] and sending it to the browser via [[https://github.com/skeeto/skewer-mode][Skewer]]. The goal is +to create an environment for hacking Parenscript which fits as naturally as +possible into the Lisp style of interactive development. + +Note that this is very young code and there are certain to be serious problems. + +There's at least one other project with related goals, [[https://github.com/3b/slime-proxy][slime-proxy]], though at +the time of writing it's unclear whether it's still being actively developed. + +** Installation + +Trident has both [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Lisp][Common Lisp]] and Emacs dependencies. + +- Common Lisp dependencies + - Your preferred [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Lisp][Common Lisp]] implementation + - [[http://common-lisp.net/project/parenscript/][Parenscript]] + +You almost certainly want to use [[http://www.quicklisp.org/beta/][Quicklisp]] to install Parenscript. + +- Emacs dependencies + - [[http://common-lisp.net/project/slime/][SLIME]] + - [[https://github.com/skeeto/skewer-mode][Skewer]] + - [[https://github.com/magnars/dash.el][dash.el]] + +My recommendation is to install SLIME via the [[https://github.com/quicklisp/quicklisp-slime-helper][Quicklisp SLIME Helper]] and +the others through [[http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/ELPA][ELPA]]. + +** Setup + +To enable =trident-mode= in a SLIME buffer: =M-x trident-mode=. + +To have =lisp-mode=, =slime-mode=, and =trident-mode= all enable automatically +for any file with an extension of ".paren": + +#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp + (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist (cons "\\.paren\\'" 'lisp-mode)) + (add-hook 'lisp-mode-hook + #'(lambda () + (when (and buffer-file-name + (s-ends-with? ".paren" buffer-file-name)) + (unless (slime-connected-p) + (save-excursion (slime))) + (trident-mode +1)))) +#+END_SRC + +=slime-mode= must be active for both expansion and evaluation commands. For +evaluation commands, =skewer-mode= is also required. (See below for a list of +the available commands). + +Parenscript must be loaded in your Common Lisp image, and you'll probably also +want to import its symbols: + +#+BEGIN_SRC common-lisp + (ql:quickload :parenscript) + (use-package :parenscript) +#+END_SRC + +** Commands + +*** Code expansion commands + +These commands generate JavaScript from the Parenscript code and display it but +don't send it to the browser for evaluation: + + - =trident-expand-sexp= + - =trident-expand-last-expression= + - =trident-expand-defun= + - =trident-expand-region= + - =trident-expand-buffer= + - =trident-expand-dwim= + +From within an expansion buffer you can press =e= to send the JavaScript to the +browser, =w= to copy it to the kill ring, =s= to save it to a file (you'll be +prompted for the destination) or =q= to dismiss the buffer. The copy command, +=w=, acts on the region if it's active or the entire buffer otherwise. + +Additionally, you can use =M-x trident-compile-buffer-to-file= to expand the +current buffer and save the generated code directly to a file. + +*** Code evaluation commands + +These commands first compile the Parenscript code to JavaScript and then +immediately send to it the browser to be evaluated: + + - =trident-eval-sexp= + - =trident-eval-last-expression= + - =trident-eval-defun= + - =trident-eval-region= + - =trident-eval-buffer= + - =trident-eval-dwim= + +** Key bindings + +The traditional set of code evaluation key bindings is a poor fit for Trident, +since they would shadow SLIME's equivalent commands and that's probably not +what you want. That leaves us without a clear convention to follow, so by +default we don't establish any key bindings at all. However, the function +=trident-add-keys-with-prefix= will add two-key key bindings for all commands +behind a prefix of your choice. + +For example: + +#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp + (trident-add-keys-with-prefix "C-c C-e") + ;; The key sequence for trident-eval-region is "e r", so it's now bound to "C-c + ;; C-e er" +#+END_SRC + +The full list of key bindings =trident-add-keys-with-prefix= will establish is: + + - =e RET= -- =trident-eval-sexp= + - =e e= -- =trident-eval-last-expression= + - =e d= -- =trident-eval-defun= + - =e r= -- =trident-eval-region= + - =e b= -- =trident-eval-buffer= + - =e SPC= -- =trident-eval-dwim= + - =x RET= -- =trident-expand-sexp= + - =x e= -- =trident-expand-last-expression= + - =x d= -- =trident-expand-defun= + - =x r= -- =trident-expand-region= + - =x b= -- =trident-expand-buffer= + - =x SPC= -- =trident-expand-dwim= + +Evaluation commands begin with an "e", expansion commands with "x". The second +letter is generally mnemonic but not always. The =-sexp= commands use =RET= in +correspondence to =slime-expand-1=, and the =-dwim= commands use the space bar +because it's easy and comfortable to hit. + +Please consider these keys provisional, and let me know if you have any ideas +for improving the arrangement. + +If you really want to shadow SLIME's key bindings in buffers where +=trident-mode= is active you could do something like this: + +#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp + (defun steal-slime-keys-for-trident! () + ;; Don't affect all SLIME buffers, just where invoked + (make-local-variable 'slime-mode-map) + (let ((map slime-mode-map)) + (define-key map (kbd "C-x C-e") nil) + (define-key map (kbd "C-c C-r") nil) + (define-key map (kbd "C-M-x") nil) + (define-key map (kbd "C-c C-k") nil) + (define-key map (kbd "C-c C-m") nil)) + (let ((map trident-mode-map)) + (define-key map (kbd "C-x C-e") 'trident-eval-last-expression) + (define-key map (kbd "C-c C-r") 'trident-eval-region) + (define-key map (kbd "C-M-x") 'trident-eval-defun) + (define-key map (kbd "C-c C-k") 'trident-eval-buffer) + (define-key map (kbd "C-c C-m") 'trident-expand-sexp))) + + (add-hook 'trident-mode-hook 'steal-slime-keys-for-trident!) +#+END_SRC + +** Other amenities + +=slime-selector= is a great feature and Trident can optionally integrate with +it. If you call =trident-add-slime-selector-methods=, two entries related to +=trident-mode= will be added. One, invoked with =p=, will take you to the most +recently visited buffer where =trident-mode= is active (excluding buffers which +are already visible). The other, on =P=, will take you to a scratch buffer with +=trident-mode= enabled, creating the buffer if necessary. + +Speaking of the scratch buffer, the =trident-scratch= command will take you +straight there. + +** Still do be done + + - Test against a wider array of code. Are there problems with quoting? + - Better documentation. + - Look into adding a REPL. + - See if more integration with SLIME is possible. + - Command(s) for compiling to a file. + - Similar support for [[http://weitz.de/cl-who/][CL-WHO]] and/or [[https://github.com/paddymul/css-lite][CSS-LITE]]? + - Get to know ELPA and packaging. + - Add support for Customize. + +** Contributing + +Contributions are very welcome. Since I've just started working on this and +don't have everything figured out yet, please first contact me on GitHub or +send me an email so we can talk before you start working on something. |