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5.10.1.1 Get a comfortable environment

NOTE: done only once, not once per project

1. install Quicklisp and the Quicklisp Slime Helper file and update the SBCL startup file
   • download quicklisp.lisp
   • run the following commands

     (load "quicklisp.lisp")
     (quicklisp-quickstart:install)
     (ql:add-to-init-file)
     (ql:quickload "quicklisp-slime-helper")
     

   • now, Quicklisp loads automatically every time Lisp is started
2. configure ASDF2

   a) Get a directory structure for your projects

   • By default, ASDF2 scans a directory called $HOME/.local/share/common-lisp/source/ and projects will be put there without any configuration;
   • Or make a symbolic link to your projects directory here.

     ln -s ~/path/to/my/projects ~/.local/share/common-lisp/source/
     

   • There is also a special directory in Quicklisp for local projects, e.g. $HOME/quicklisp/local-projects/
   • Alternatively set up ASDF2 to scan a particular directory tree, for example $HOME/src/lisp/ for a local system.

   b) create a config file named

   $HOME/.config/common-lisp/source-registry.conf.d/projects.conf
   

   that has this in it:

   (:tree (:home "src/lisp/"))
   

   c) With that file in place, you can

   • add new projects to that directory tree,
   • and after the command

     ~(asdf:initialize-source-registry)~
     

   • the project’s systems will be loadable with

     ~asdf:load-system~.