Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!uwvax!oddjob!gargoyle!ihnp4!kaiser!tla From: tla@kaiser.UUCP (T Anderson) Newsgroups: comp.emacs Subject: cursor at syntax error Message-ID: <620@kaiser.UUCP> Date: Fri, 17-Jul-87 14:43:33 EDT Article-I.D.: kaiser.620 Posted: Fri Jul 17 14:43:33 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jul-87 16:39:25 EDT Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Liberty Corner Lines: 37 One of the nice features of many compiler systems like Turbo Pascal and the old UCSD P-system is the ability to tie the compiler and an editor together, so that after the compiler finds syntax errors the editor can be called, the file loaded and the cursor automatically placed at the first error. With Turbo this can only be done with one error, but the editors under the UCSD P-system would take an error list and after correcting the first error, a couple of key strokes would move you to the next error. Such a system makes the early edit-compile-reedit cycle (when syntax errors are the most common problems) much faster. Of course, one problem, not completely solved by the P-system was that after editing the first error the line number of the later errors might have changed. Obviously it would be nice to have a more robust context reference to the error's locations rather than just a line number, but it at least gets you close, and it displays the error message at the bottom of the screen so you can usually figure it out. One of my surprises on first contact with the UNIX system was the lack of such ties between the compilers and any of the editors. After learning emacs and seeing the powerful programming features, it appeared that such a system might be possible. One would have to (1) send the compiler output to a file; (2) use a filter that would make a error list for use by emacs, preferably keeping the error message and possibly the copy of the bad line; (3) enter emacs; (4) using the error list move the cursor to the first error; (5) display the error message and copy of bad line at the bottom of the screen; (6) allow editting; and (7) add a key command to move-to-next-error. Has anyone done something like this that I have just missed? Does anyone see any insurmountable problems that explain why it has not? -- Terry L Anderson AT&T Bell Laboratories -- Liberty Corners UUCP: ...!ihnp4!kaiser!tla TeleMail: Terry.Anderson (201) 580-4428