Re: IDLWAVE 4.6

[Craig Markwardt <craigmnet(at)cow.physics.wisc.edu>]

Hi Carsten and JD,

This little script, and JD's similar one, was indeed the kind of thing
I was looking for.

I am certainly comfortable in Emacs, and have tried my hand at
programming elisp.  However, as with anything very powerful and
configurable, you end up with too much power and too many
configurations!  Part of the problem is just knowing where to start.

The same goes for my IDL programming.  I look back at my early
programs and they look very arcane and kludgey by my (present day)
standards, mostly because I didn't know how to harness the power of
IDL as well.

Sometimes I need a little mothering ...  (sniff) Also, I think I'm
getting old enough that the curmudgeon factor is starting to play a
role.  If those two aren't mutually exclusive.

The current IDLWAVE documentation appears to be excellent, however
it's mostly reference material.  The IDLWAVE Nutshell documentation is
primarily a command summary.  If you could put a suitably merged
version of your tutorials in the documentation, perhaps as "Getting
Started," that would be great.

Craig



Carsten Dominik <dominik@astro.uva.nl> writes:
> But I am getting too long again.  Now here is what you and David are
> asking for (I hope).  Mini Tutorial version 1.
> 
> 1. Edit your source file (and put a syntax bug in, to be sure).
> 
> 2. Launch the shell with C-c C-l.  Emacs should pop up a new window or
>    split the current to show the shell interaction buffer.
> 
> 3. In the source buffer type C-c C-d C-c to compile it.
>    In the shell interaction buffer you see that magically 
> 
>    .run filename 
> 
>    is typed.  If your program had a syntax error, that line will be
>    highlighted and the cursor positioned so that you can fix the
>    typo.  Repeat C-c C-d C-c until this works.
> 
> 4. Move the cursor to the line where you want to have a breakpoint.
>    Type C-c C-d C-b.  The line should be highlighted in pink.  XEmacs
>    users get the familiar red dot.
> 
> 5. Switch to the shell window with C-c C-s and execute the program by
>    typing the name of the compiled procedure.  IDL should run it and
>    stop at the breakpoint.  If not, I would like to know about it.
>    This may be difficult to see since there are now two different
>    highlightings of the same line: red for the breakpoint and green
>    for the stop position.  Emacs displays only one of them.  XEmacs
>    (and Emacs 21) make this easier.
> 
> 6. Hold down the SHIFT key while you click with the middle mouse
>    button on variables in the source window you would like to check.
>    The shell prints their value.
> 
> 7. Resume execution with C-c C-d C-r or step through the program with
>    C-d C-d C-s
> 
> 8. When you are done debugging, remove the breakpoints with C-c C-d C-a.
> 
> CM> So my question is, to JD or Carsten: If there were *two* or
> CM> *three* top things to remember about IDLWAVE's shell interaction,
> CM> including debugging, what would they be?  And are there caveats to
> CM> remember?
> 
> Maybe the above was *not* after all what you wanted.  Two or three
> things to remember?  JD?
> 
> CM> Thanks, and sorry for being an idiot, Craig
> 
> I'd say, I need to improve the docs if you cannot understand how it
> works.
> 
> - Carsten
> 
> --
> Carsten Dominik <dominik@astro.uva.nl>          \ _ /
> Sterrenkundig Instituut "Anton Pannekoek"        |X|               _
> Kruislaan 403; NL-1098 SJ Amsterdam             /| |\   _  _     _/ \
> phone +31 (20) 525-7477; FAX +31 (20) 525-7484 __|o|___/ ~~ \___/    ~~~

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Craig B. Markwardt, Ph.D.         EMAIL:    craigmnet@cow.physics.wisc.edu
Astrophysics, IDL, Finance, Derivatives | Remove "net" for better response
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