Tools for Functional Design and Programming

Getting Emacs and Moscow ML for Windows

• Emacs 21.2 installer
• Emacs additional packages. You only need sml-mode but there are lots of other goodies in this package.
• Moscow ML installer

If you have any problems with these packages let me know and I'll try to fix them (or get Jakob to fix them).

If you dislike the idea of re-packaged software, then here are the links to Moscow ML and Emacs web pages where you can obtain the software for yourself.

• Emacs for Windows
• Moscow ML homepage

Getting sml-mode

First, you need to download sml-mode from ftp://flint.cs.yale.edu/pub/monnier/sml-mode (get version 3.9.5).

Read the file INSTALL carefully and follow the instructions. Note, to install the package you need to know how to operate make.

Now set up Emacs to use Moscow ML.

Setting up Emacs to use Moscow ML

Emacs can be configured by a .emacs file (yes the file starts with an period). Your .emacs file should be placed in your home directory (or C:\ under Windows).

In my .emacs I have the following:

(setq sml-program-name "mosml"
      sml-default-arg "-P full"
      )

To check that everything works try the following:

1. Open a file (say firstcode.sml) and check that Emacs goes into SML mode.
2. Write some SML code in your file (for example, the fact function.
3. Press C-c C-s to start the toplevel (that is, press Control and hold it down while you press c and then (still holding Control down) s).

   Emacs should now ask you: ML command: mosml (see the buttom of the Emacs window) to acknowledge this just press Enter.

   Emacs should now ask you: Any args: -P full. Again just press Enter.

   Voila, you should now have a split screen with the toplevel at the buttom.

4. To send you SML code to the toplevel. First, bring your cursor back to the top part of the Emacs window. Then, press C-c C-b.
5. The short-cut for switching between the top and the buttom part of the Emacs window is C-x o (that is, press Control and hold it down while you press x then let go of Control and press o).

Setting up Emacs to use Moscow ML at IT-C

Here is how I got the sml-mode installed to (somewhat) work:

1. Put the following in your .emacs (if you don't have an .emacs file then make one in your home directory)

   ; Get syntax highlighting in must modes
   (global-font-lock-mode 1)
   
   ; For sml-mode 3.2
   (eval-after-load "sml-mode" '(require 'sml-font))
   
   (autoload 'sml-mosml "sml-mosml" "Set up and run Moscow ML." t)
   (autoload 'sml "sml-proc" "Run an inferior ML process." t)
   
   (setq sml-electric-semi-mode ()
         sml-dedicated-frame    nil
         sml-font-lock-auto-on  nil
         sml-hilite             nil
         )
   ; For all(?) sml-modes
   (setq sml-program-name "mosml"
         sml-default-arg "-P full"
         )
     

2. Open a file (say firstcode.sml) and check that Emacs goes into SML mode.
3. Write some SML code in your file (for example, the fact function.
4. Choose the menu-item SML -> Process -> Start default ML compiler.
5. Press C-c C-s to get a split screen with the toplevel at the buttom. (That is, press Control and hold it down while you press c and then (still holding Control down) s).
6. To send you SML code to the toplevel. First, bring your cursor back to the top part of the Emacs window. Then, press C-c C-b.
7. The short-cut for switching between the top and the buttom part of the Emacs window is C-x o (that is, press Control and hold it down while you press x then let go of Control and press o).

Tutorials for Emacs