Installing QSIM using the Common Lisp Defsystem

This section provides information about installing QSIM on a UNIX host using the common lisp defsystem.

1.

Unpack the tar file contained on the tape. This can be performed with the following command:

                 zcat beta.tar.Z | tar xvf -

2.

A number of pathnames must be modified to reflect the location of various pieces of code at your installation site. Whenever possible we have lexically bound a special variable *qsim-root* to simplify the changes possible. The pathname for the directory in which the qsim hierarchy has been stored should be assigned to this variable wherever a binding is made. When this special variable is used, it must be set to a pathname without the trailing ``/''. The declarations for this special variable must be modified in the following files:

start-nq.lisp
clisp/defsystem-patches.lisp
xpos/xpos-system.lisp

This special variable should be set to the directory that contains the subdirectories nq and xpos.

3.

QSIM allows binary files to be located in a separate directory from the source files. This feature is helpful if QSIM is run on multiple platforms or with different versions of lisp. For each platform/lisp combination, a separate binary directory is used.

If you wish to create a separate directory for the binary files, then follow the first option below. Otherwise, follow the instructions in the second option and the binary files will be stored along with the source.

Creating Binary Directories

The QSIM binary directories are stored in nq/bins and xpos/bins. A binary directory must be created for each platform/software configuration in each of these directories.

To determine the name of the subdirectory, load the file start-nq.lisp. Respond no to the questions asked about loading and compiling QSIM. Then call the function (mk::get-bin-dir-name) from the lisp prompt. This function will return the name of the subdirectory for the binaries for the machine that you are currently using. (e.g. If you are on a Sun 4 using Lucid 4.1 the directory is named sun4_4.1.)

Create a directory by this name under nq/bins and xpos/bins.

No Binary Directories

If you do not want to use the binary directory feature, then define the special variable user::*no-bin-dirs* with a value of T. Currently, there is a declaration in start-nq.lisp that can be uncommented that will define this variable appropriately.

4.

Compile the c-code to run xbatch. This is described in more detail in the write-up on the POS system modifications for the Unix environment.

5.

Compile QSIM by loading the file start-nq.lisp and answering no when it asks if QSIM should be loaded and yes when it asks if QSIM should be compiled. Once start-nq.lisp has been loaded, qsim can be completely recompiled (if for some reason you need to do this) by executing (mk:compile-system 'nq :force :all).

6.

The installation is now complete. In the future, QSIM can be loaded by loading start-nq.lisp.