doc/ref/slib.texi

   1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
   2 @c This is part of the GNU Guile Reference Manual.
   3 @c Copyright (C)  1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
   4 @c   Free Software Foundation, Inc.
   5 @c See the file guile.texi for copying conditions.
   6
   7 @node SLIB
   8 @section SLIB
   9 @cindex SLIB
  10
  11 Before the SLIB facilities can be used, the following Scheme expression
  12 must be executed:
  13
  14 @lisp
  15 (use-modules (ice-9 slib))
  16 @end lisp
  17
  18 @findex require
  19 @code{require} can then be used in the usual way (@pxref{Require,,,
  20 slib, The SLIB Manual}).  For example,
  21
  22 @example
  23 (use-modules (ice-9 slib))
  24 (require 'primes)
  25 (prime? 13)
  26 @result{} #t
  27 @end example
  28
  29 A few Guile core functions are overridden by the SLIB setups; for
  30 example the SLIB version of @code{delete-file} returns a boolean
  31 indicating success or failure, whereas the Guile core version throws
  32 an error for failure.  In general (and as might be expected) when SLIB
  33 is loaded it's the SLIB specifications that are followed.
  34
  35 @menu
  36 * SLIB installation::
  37 * JACAL::
  38 @end menu
  39
  40 @node SLIB installation
  41 @subsection SLIB installation
  42
  43 The following procedure works, e.g., with SLIB version 3a3
  44 (@pxref{Installation, SLIB installation,, slib, The SLIB Portable Scheme
  45 Library}):
  46
  47 @enumerate
  48 @item
  49 Unpack SLIB and install it using @code{make install} from its directory.
  50 By default, this will install SLIB in @file{/usr/local/lib/slib/}.
  51 Running @code{make installinfo} installs its documentation, by default
  52 under @file{/usr/local/info/}.
  53
  54 @item
  55 Define the @code{SCHEME_LIBRARY_PATH} environment variable:
  56
  57 @example
  58 $ SCHEME_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib/slib/
  59 $ export SCHEME_LIBRARY_PATH
  60 @end example
  61
  62 Alternatively, you can create a symlink in the Guile directory to SLIB,
  63 e.g.:
  64
  65 @example
  66 ln -s /usr/local/lib/slib /usr/local/share/guile/@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION}/slib
  67 @end example
  68
  69 @item
  70 Use Guile to create the catalog file, e.g.,:
  71
  72 @example
  73 # guile
  74 guile> (use-modules (ice-9 slib))
  75 guile> (require 'new-catalog)
  76 guile> (quit)
  77 @end example
  78
  79 The catalog data should now be in
  80 @file{/usr/local/share/guile/@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION}/slibcat}.
  81
  82 If instead you get an error such as:
  83
  84 @example
  85 Unbound variable: scheme-implementation-type
  86 @end example
  87
  88 then a solution is to get a newer version of Guile,
  89 or to modify @file{ice-9/slib.scm} to use @code{define-public} for the
  90 offending variables.
  91
  92 @end enumerate
  93
  94 @node JACAL
  95 @subsection JACAL
  96 @cindex JACAL
  97
  98 @cindex Jaffer, Aubrey
  99 @cindex symbolic math
 100 @cindex math -- symbolic
 101 Jacal is a symbolic math package written in Scheme by Aubrey Jaffer.
 102 It is usually installed as an extra package in SLIB.
 103
 104 You can use Guile's interface to SLIB to invoke Jacal:
 105
 106 @lisp
 107 (use-modules (ice-9 slib))
 108 (slib:load "math")
 109 (math)
 110 @end lisp
 111
 112 @noindent
 113 For complete documentation on Jacal, please read the Jacal manual.  If
 114 it has been installed on line, you can look at @ref{Top, , Jacal, jacal,
 115 JACAL Symbolic Mathematics System}.  Otherwise you can find it on the web at
 116 @url{http://www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/~jaffer/JACAL.html}
 117
 118
 119 @c Local Variables:
 120 @c TeX-master: "guile.texi"
 121 @c End: