[clisp-list] "Readable" library for Common Lisp now available!

[David A. W. <dwh...@dw...>]

(I posted a longer version of this on comp.lang.lisp, but I suspect not everyone saw it there.)

FYI:

I've just released a Common Lisp library called "readable".
It adds a new abbreviations to the Common Lisp reader for data and programs
(by modifying the readtable).

It provides 3 notational tiers, which are cumulative. Here's a summary:
1. Curly-infix-expressions (c-expressions): Add a Lispy infix notation, so
   {a op b op c ...} => (op a b c...).  No precedence, by intent.
2. Neoteric-expressions (n-expressions): An e(...) maps to (e ...),
   and e{...} maps to e({...}).
3. Sweet-expressions (t-expressions): Parentheses are
   deduced from indentation.

Unlike practically all past efforts to improve Lisp readability
(such as M-expressions), these notations are general, homoiconic,
and backwards-compatible with well-formatted s-expressions.
Macros, quasiquoting, special forms, and so on work just fine.
You can mix them with traditional s-expression notation, too.

You can get the Common Lisp tutorial (which includes install instructions),
download the code (open source software using the MIT license),
and get other information from:
 http://readable.sourceforge.net

If you're a Scheme user, the first two tiers are defined in SRFI-105;
the third tier (sweet-expressions) are defined in draft SRFI-110.

If you think s-expression notation came from the gods, well, this library
isn't for you.  If you have an open mind, check it out. You might also view:
 https://sourceforge.net/p/readable/wiki/Retort/

Constructive comments welcome.


--- David A. Wheeler



P.S. Installing and enabling it looks like this, per the tutorial:
 ./configure --prefix
 make
 make install
 run_your_common_lisp_implementation
 (require 'asdf)
 (asdf:load-system :readable)
 (readable:enable-sweet) ; Or whatever tier you want 

--- David A. Wheeler