CSci 1901: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I open my ITLabs account?

How can I connect from Offsite

Detailed information is available at the ITLabs site Connecting from Offsite. Note: you must download an SSH client on your computer. See the FAQ for more information.

Here is a link describing how you can remotely login into the ITLabs computers and work from your home Windows machine. This document also contains information about tranfserring files between your home computer and your ITLabs account.

Where can I get an SSH client? How can I transfer files between home and the ITLabs?

To download SSH for Windows, check out the ssh tools linked from the IT Labs website located at this address. There are a number of SSH clients here; one of the more popular is PuTTY which is free and relatively simple to install and use.

Is the textbook available on-line?

To get to the official book site click here.

Where can I find STk for Windows?

To download STk for Windows, click here and save the file STkwin32-4.0.1.zip. To install, use WinZip to extract the file you downloaded in a directory of your choice (an evaluation version of WinZip can be obtained here). The executable will be in "wherever-you-unzipped/STk/STk-win/MS-Win32/STk.exe". You may want to create a shortcut on your desktop.

Where can I find Emacs for Windows?

To download Emacs for Windows, click here and save the file emacs-21.3-bin-i386.tar.gz. To install, use WinZip to extract the file you downloaded and follow the directions in either INSTALL or README file (an evaluation version of WinZip can be obtained here).

How do I use Emacs?

Emacs is a text editor which can be used to run scheme. While Emacs may not appear user-friendly, you can actually use the mouse with Emacs to execute the most common commands, just as you would in Microsoft Word. At your Unix prompt type:

% emacs

Once emacs opens (in a new window) type:

Esc-x

At that prompt type:

run-scheme

*Some Common commands:

Ctrl-c Ctrl-c -- Quit! If you build up a lot of errors you will see something like error 9=> Use this command to see 1=> again.
Ctrl-x Ctrl-s -- Save your file
Ctrl-x Ctrl-f -- Find a file
Ctrl-x Ctrl-c -- Save and exit emacs

How can I run STk within Emacs

Unix/Linux users, add the following lines to your .emacs file in your home directory (you can get to your home directory by typing cd):

;; enable color syntax cues
(global-font-lock-mode)

;; we want 'stk' as our scheme interpreter
(setq scheme-program-name "stk")

;; when 'stk' is run, don't hide the program file
(add-hook 'inferior-scheme-mode-hook (lambda () (split-window)))

Esc-x run-scheme

How can I edit my scheme file and run them in scheme?

One way to edit your scheme files is to write them in a different text editor than scheme. You might want to use emacs or another text editor which allows you to save your files as a *.scm file. When you enter scheme at your Unix prompt:

% stk

For example:

You run emacs, write a program called scheme_rocks.scm and save it to

 ~yourlastname/scheme/scheme_rocks.scm

You then exit emacs

 % ^x ^c 

and you're back at your Unix prompt. You load stk scheme

% stk

and type

(load "scheme_rocks.scm")

your file is then available for execution.

How do I indent properly the next line of a Scheme expression in Emacs?

Simply hit Tab and the cursor will position at the right place. Make sure that at the bottom of Emacs you can see (Scheme Mode). This can be done by giving your file a .scm extension; or by hitting Esc followed by x and typing scheme-mode in the Emacs prompt.

How can I see color in emacs?

To see your text in color, click on

Help, go to Options, select Global Font Lock

What are some useful commands in Unix?

ls -l   

rm filename  

mkdir directorname  

cd directoryname  

cd ..  

mv filename destination   

cd  

pwd  

For additional information read this Unix tutorial

Play around with Unix! You'll learn more!!

How do I send email?

Pine is an e-mail program.

At the prompt enter:

% pine

For additional information visit: www.barnard.edu/at/training/pine/ http://naio.kcc.hawaii.edu/techprep/pinetut/pine_menu.html