Interlisp-D Init Files at Xerox (for Internal Xerox Use Only) [Eris]releaseName>doc>initFiles.tedit This document describes roughly how to write, use, and install system init files for Interlisp-D. For information on how to install the rest of Interlisp-D, see the file [Eris]releaseName>doc>gettingStarted.tedit (or .press). General Information About Init Files Init files usually contain Lisp commands to tailor a vanilla sysout to your liking. When you first fire up a brand-new vanilla Lisp sysout, the sysout will call (GREET). GREET searches for and loads a system init file. It will first search for an init file named {DSK}INIT.LISP on your local disk; failing that it will ask you where to find one: Please enter the name of system init file (e.g. {server}INIT.extension): In response to this prompt, you can either name a (presumably remote) init file (followed by carriage-return), or you can just type a carriage-return, indicating that you don't want to bother with an init file. Lisp can run perfectly well without having found an init file; init files are provided solely as a convenience to the user. Actually, the init file is usually split into two parts: the first contains site-specific instructions, the second contains user-specific instructions, and the first automatically loads the second. Site-specific init files usually contain such things as the location of the most convenient font information and the name of the nearest printer; user-specific init files usually contain such instructions as commands to relocate windows where that particular user wants them and commands to load files that particular user always wants to have loaded. Site-specific Init Files At PARC, there are a number of site-specific init files called [Eris]releaseName>basics>init.groupName Look at these, and if there is one that suits you, pick it; if not, use them as a model to write your own. Some of the init files are INIT.ISL, INIT.KSA, and INIT.CSL. Having settled on a site-specific init file, you should copy it to your local disk. You can do this in Lisp by saying: (COPYFILE '{Eris}releaseName>basics>init.groupName '{DSK}Init.Lisp) Dandelion users note that this won't do you any good unless you have a Lisp directory on your local disk. If you don't know what that means, then read the local disk documentation on [Eris]releaseName>doc>dlionfs.tedit (or .press) or [Eris]releaseName>doc>localFile.tedit (or .press). Note that instead of putting the site-specific init file on your local disk, you could just put a tag that loads it. This has the advantage that you don't have to update the site-specific init file on your local disk whenever someone changes it on the remote file server. To do this, create a file called {DSK}INIT.LISP containing (LOAD '{Eris}releaseName>basics>init.groupName) STOP User-specific Init Files User-specific init files should be stored where the site-specific init files expect them. The site-specific init files on Eris (those mentioned above) look for your user-specific init file on your home directory in one of the following four places: [yourFileServer]Init [yourFileServer]Init.dcom [yourFileServer]lisp>Init [yourFileServer]lisp>Init.dcom So create your own personal init file and put it one of those places. Your personal init file can contain any commands you like. Presented below is a sample user-specific init file which you can modify to your taste: (SETQQ INITCOMS ((FNS MYGREETFN)(DECLARE: DONTEVAL@LOAD (P (MYGREETFN] (DEFINEQ (MYGREETFN (LAMBDA NIL (SETQ CLISPIFTRANFLG T) (ADDTOVAR INITIALISLST (YOURLASTNAME YOURFIRSTNAME YOURINITIALS:) (YOURLASTNAME.YOURREGISTRY YOURFIRSTNAME YOURINITIALS:)) (SETQQ LAFITEDEFAULTHOST&DIR {YOURFILESERVER}MAIL>) (LAFITE 'ON NIL) (FILESLOAD (SYSLOAD FROM VALUEOF LISPUSERSDIRECTORIES) BOUNCE CROCK) (CROCK (CREATEREGION (DIFFERENCE SCREENWIDTH 100) (DIFFERENCE SCREENHEIGHT 100) 100 100] $$$$R$$MODERN MODERN MODERN MODERN Ť'%T**P(@ "/ š"$N ú ŰG 5! H#$ Ŕzš