Number: 1512

Date: 27-Jun-84 13':08':29

Submitter: Sannella.PA

Source: Shrager

Subject: ProgAsst command ";" at start of line vanishes -- poof!

Assigned To: vanMelle

Attn: Release

Status: Fixed

In/By: 

Problem Type: Design - UI

Impact: Minor

Difficulty: Moderate

Frequency: Everytime

Priority: Unlikely

System: Text

Subsystem: TTYIN

Machine: 

Disk: 

Lisp Version: 

Source Files: 

Microcode Version: 

Memory Size: 

File Server: 

Server Software Version: 

Disposition: '
["vanMelle" "23-Aug-84 13':28':28" Assigned% To': Attn': Status':(Open->Fixed) Description':]

Description: '
Date': 26 Jun 84 02':30 PDT'
From': Shrager.pa'
Subject': Lisp': ";" at start of line vanishes -- poof!'
To': LispSupport.pa'
'
Lisp System Date': 19-Jun-84 14':48':49'
Machine': Dorado (Shrager)'
Microcode version': 24,4'
Memory size': 10000'
Frequency': Always'
Impact': Minor'
'
I tried to use a ";" at the start of a typin line at top level to make a marginal note for when I restarted the environment.  However, bizarrely enough, when I hit return, the line I entered was entirely wiped!  Now, this really isn''t a problem since there are at least a million other ways I could put in a marginal note. I was just curious why this might be, since it must have taken someone some programming effort to do this obscure thing.'
'
Cheers,'
	Jeff'
'
-----'
'
Subject': Re': Lisp': ";" at start of line vanishes -- poof!'
In-reply-to': Shrager''s message of 26 Jun 84 02':30 PDT'
To': Shrager'
From': LispSupport.pa'
Reply-To': LispSupport.pa'
'
I tried tracking this down, and I still don''t know why the line disappears.  ";" is defined on LISPXHISTORYMACROS as (; NIL NIL), so it makes sense that it doesn''t go on the history list, but I see no reason for it to erase the line.  I will submit an AR for someone to track this down eventually -- soulnd like a symptom of a bug.'
'
------'
Date': 23 Aug 84 12':36 PDT'
From': vanMelle.pa'
Subject': Re': AR#1512': ProgAsst command ";" at start of line vanishes'
'
Now fixed.  The problem was an age old "feature" in TTYIN wherein you could anywhere (not just at Lisp exec) type a line starting with ; and have it ignored.  I have changed this feature so it is under the control of yet another global variable, TTYINCOMMENTCHAR, initially NIL':  (Note for release)'
'
If the first character on a line of typein is eq to TTYINCOMMENTCHAR (a character code or NIL), then the line is treated as a comment, and no input function will see it.'
'


Workaround: 

Test Case: 

Edit-By: vanMelle

Edit-Date: 23-Aug-84 13':28':29