[asdf-devel] Alternate default lisp system location

[Zach Beane]

Robert Goldman <rpgoldman at sift.net> writes:

> Zach Beane wrote:
>> The complexity of the registry configuration is one reason why I added
>> the ~/quicklisp/local-projects/ mechanism.
>
> Right, so I don't see why there's such a huge objection to having a
> similar mechanism for ASDF.  Stellian suggests using
> ~/quicklisp/local-projects/.  So why is it wrong for ASDF to have a
> local-projects directory?
>
> All I am suggesting is to have the local projects directory for ASDF be
> visible, instead of invisible.
>
> I stand corrected about using a name that the user might have already
> had (thanks, Pascal!) but I don't yet see a solution that's as easy as a
> default directory location.

I think having a similar mechanism would be good. (And the
loading-from-a-file thing could be nice too.)

I think the main problem is that giving it a nice name means that the
chance is high of it clashing with a nice name one or more users is
already using.

A while ago I was thinking it would be nice to have an API like this:

  register-system-directory directory &key permanently 

    Registers DIRECTORY as a directory to search for system files. If
    PERMANENTLY is true, make the registration persist across sessions.

But then I got hung up about how to make PERMANENTLY work -- I don't
think there's any way to ask ASDF what directory is suitable for saving
a config file.

And I am 100% in favor of a nice solution that does not involve
Quicklisp. The simpler, the better.

Zach