Name                    Last modified       Size  Description

 Parent Directory        02-Jul-2005 18:23      -  
 MD5SUMS                 26-May-2005 09:28     1k  
 NEWS                    26-May-2005 09:26     5k  
 PREP-ZIP                26-May-2005 09:33     1k  
 basis-2-synch-2.diff.gz 28-Mar-2005 20:48   216k  
 basis-3-synch-3.diff.gz 10-May-2005 17:00   213k  
 basis-4-synch-4.diff.gz 25-May-2005 19:02   136k  

Welcome

	This dir contains a work-in-progress port of GNU Emacs to VMS.
	(I don't care what they call it, to me it will always be "VMS".)

	It is "work-in-progress" along several axes, each of which we
	move along a bit at at time (trying not to regress even though
	that can be difficult to determine w/o a proper test suite):
	Code Porting, Build Methodology, Installation Methodology, and
	GNU CVS Repository Integration.

	In the end, the goal is to drop as much of the idiosyncracies of
	the current code/methodology as possible, in the process merging
	all these efforts so that future development of GNU Emacs will
	automatically include development of GNU Emacs for VMS (assuming
	there is interest).  A homecoming of sorts.  When this goal is
	achieved, this directory will be archived and deleted.

	The zipfiles and instructions to build GNU Emacs for VMS from
	them thus represent a snapshot in this n-dimensional porting
	space and are only authoritative in the sense that someone took
	the time to author them, and had the decency to offer the result
	for distribution under the terms of the GNU GPL.  Aside from the
	license, nothing else is guaranteed to remain unchanged.

	Having said that, the changes are ultimately constrained by the
	integration requirement that all code checked into the GNU repo
	must have copyright assigned to the FSF, or be very small (ten
	to fifteen lines last time I checked).  Please keep that in mind
	if you wish to contribute a patch.


Basis

	The basis for the porting work is a branch of GNU Emacs 21.2.
	In the following instructions, "basis-<N>" refers to the tree
	you get upon invoking the command:

	cvs checkout -r ttn-vms-21-2-B<N> emacs

	Note that this is a unixoid shell command.  Under VMS it may be
	similar (but I haven't checked).  The CVSROOT env var should be
	something like ":ext:anoncvs@subversions.gnu.org:/cvsroot/emacs".


Synch

	The "synch tree" is what you get after applying the patch.  Use
	basis-<N> for synch-<N> (obvious, eh?), with command:

	cd emacs
	gunzip -c ../basis-<N>-synch-<N>.diff.gz | patch -p1


Bootstrapping

	The bootstrap process involves two threads that initially start
	separately but come together upon invocation of CONFIGURE.COM.

	The first thread is creating the various DESCRIP.MMS_IN(_IN)
	files from the various Makefile.in files.  In a sane Emacs, load
	file make-mms-derivative.el, change directory to the root of the
	synch tree, and do:

	M-x make-mms-derivative <RET> Makefile.in <RET>

	This will "parse" (har har) Makefile.in and apply edits from
	Makefile.in-2mms (DO NOT read this code before eating -- you may
	lose your appetite permanently), eventually writing out the file
	DESCRIP.MMS_IN in the synch tree root directory.

	Likewise you will need to do:

	M-x make-mms-derivative <RET> [.SRC]Makefile.in <RET>

	What's that?  A VMS filename?  Yes, make-mms-derivative actually
	can work with an already-running Emacs for VMS (if you have one
	available).

	*NOTE*: All of this first part (plus a kludge for a methodology
		bug) is conveniently encapsulated in the PREP-ZIP Bourne
		shell script available in this directory -- check it
		out!

	The second thread in bootstrapping is creating CONFIGURE.COM
	from CONFIGURE.COM_IN using Autoconf for VMS, available at:

	http://www.glug.org/people/ttn/software/autoconf-for-vms/

	Make sure you use version 1.104 or later.  Like the *-2mms code,
	CONFIGURE.COM_IN is best kept away from children and small pets,
	to be processed solely by the three commands:

	$ autoconf --installvmslib
	$ autoheader
	$ autoconf

	These must be done under VMS (note the DCL prompt), so at some
	unspecified point before and/or during the bootstrapping you
	will have had to transport the tree to VMS if not already.


Configuration

	Once you have CONFIGURE.COM the best way to proceed (for now) is
	to configure the tree in place:

	$ @CONFIGURE -
	    --prefix=MY:[LOCAL] -
	    --startupdir=MY:[LOCAL.STARTUP] -
	    --with-tcpip=YES -
	    --with-x=YES

	You may wish to use the same startupdir as for Autoconf for VMS.


Build

	$ mmk/ignore=warning bootstrap

	This builds a provisionary Emacs, uses it to byte-compile the
	Lisp files, then builds the "actual" Emacs.  After the *.elc
	files are built, if you are feeling adventurous, you can go back
	to the Configuration step and repeat the process from another
	directory (but you don't have to).


Install

	To install, use the command:

	$ mmk/ignore=warning install

	Alternatively, you can run directly from the build directory,
	using PRE-INST-EMACS.COM, with something along the lines of:

	$ ue = "@" + f$search ("[.VMS]PRE-INST-EMACS.COM")

	Here, "ue" stands for "untrusted emacs" (since if you had
	trusted it, you would have installed it directly :-).


Use

	Presently, the installation methodology requires some kind of
	init for each login session (can be done automatically if you
	have the privs) using the GNU_STARTUP.COM installed in the
	startupdir you specified during configuration.  Run it like so:

	$ @MY:[LOCAL.STARTUP]GNU_STARTUP emacs-21.2

	This should provide you w/ the "emacs" command, which runs a
	"kept editor" (the image should be interruptable via `C-z' and
	resumeable w/ another "emacs" invocation).


Abuse

	You can be a silent user and suffer the bugs you encounter, or
	alternatively you can be a "power user" and still suffer the
	bugs you encounter, or alternatively you can be a "GNU Emacs on
	VMS conspirator" by noting the bugs you encounter (and/or create
	;-) and letting me know about them in such a manner that I can
	reproduce and fix them or at least try to fix them.


Investment

	If you are a flunkie who has the ear of someone in Manglement
	interested in the long-term viability of GNU Emacs for VMS,
	please encourage investment in its maintenance by way of hw/sw
	donation or a fixed-term maintenance/service contract.  On the
	other hand, if you just want to leech, that's fine, too.

	If you are in Manglement but have no clue what this "Emacs"
	thingy is, ask a flunkie -- it's never too late to learn!


Acknowledgements

	I wish to acknowledge the help of:

	- Mukesh Prasad, Richard Levitte and Roar Thronęs, for
          foundational GNU Emacs porting design and work;

	- the comp.os.vms denizens, for good-natured grumpiness;

	- Bryan Jensen, for MACRO-32 inspiration and good PHONE convos;

	- Ed Vogel of HP C Engineering, for explaining the difference
	  between COMMON_BLOCK and STRICT_REFDEF extern models;

	- Kenichi Handa, for hints on where in the Emacs function
          hierarchy to best accomodate VMS I/O quirks;

	- FactSet Research Systems Inc., for initial funding;

	- Richard Stallman and GNU, for FSF and Emacs and the myriad
          lessons these codifications of thought embody.