Re: FIXNUM type checking error during install

On Nov 16, 2006, at 2:07 AM, Kambiz Darabi wrote:

> Thomas Russ wrote:
>
>> Unfortunately, you may run into problems running PowerLoom with  
>> CLISP.
>>
>> CLISP on Windows (and Unix, too) unfortunately has a very small
>> FIXNUM size.  We have been able to change that, (which is also an
>> issue for LispWorks for Windows, but not Unix).
>> ...
>> For our Stella code we need to have the empty list print as ()
>> instead of NIL, and there is no way to do that for CLISP.

Actually, not exactly true, since I found a workaround.  It is
a CLISP bug which reportedly will be fixed in their next release.

>>
>> ...
>> PowerLoom runs quite slowly in CLISP.  Other Lisp implementations
>> are much faster for PowerLoom.
>
> Thank you very much for the clarification.
>
> Would it be possible to put a note somewhere? Either on the web  
> site and/or in
> the manual? I checked the release notes and the manual before I  
> decided to
> try PL with CLISP: both say that the combination is supported and  
> successfully
> tested.

Oops.  I guess we have a minor problem with our Stella notes.
The problem was that we just tested the running of Stella and
PowerLoom code on CLISP, but didn't test TRANSLATION of code.
It was in the translation step that problems occur.

I did report the issue to the CLISP maintainers just recently.
It should be fixed in the next release.

If you want a work-around for CLISP's current, contact me directly.
([email protected])


> Is there a recommended non-commercial LISP (apart from the free  
> edition of
> Allegro) which works satisfactorily with PL on Windows?
>
> I would be glad if someone on this list who uses PL on Windows  
> could give
> me a hint.

Sorry, but I'm not a Windows user.
You may be able to try it with SBCL.  SBCL works on my Mac with  
PowerLoom.

For our windows lisp work, we use Allegro's full version.