update installation for OCaml

[lambda.git] / how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn

diff --git a/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn b/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn
index 78efd3d..e83e7ca 100644 (file)
--- a/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn
+++ b/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn
@@ -119,16 +119,14 @@ they changed their name to Racket.)
 If you're already using or comfortable with
 another Scheme implementation, though, there's no compelling reason to switch.
 
 If you're already using or comfortable with
 another Scheme implementation, though, there's no compelling reason to switch.
 

-<!-- Racket doesn't have R7RS-small, and won't anytime soon. :-( Perhaps prefer Chicken? -->

 
 Another good Scheme implementation is [Chicken](http://www.call-cc.org). For our purposes, this is in some respects
 superior to Racket, and in other respects inferior. If you have any issues with installing or using Racket, you could
 try this out instead. You might even want to install both.
 
 <!--
 
 Another good Scheme implementation is [Chicken](http://www.call-cc.org). For our purposes, this is in some respects
 superior to Racket, and in other respects inferior. If you have any issues with installing or using Racket, you could
 try this out instead. You might even want to install both.
 
 <!--

-[Gauche](http://practical-scheme.net/gauche),
-or [Chibi](https://code.google.com/p/chibi-scheme). The later in that list you go, the more likely it
-is that you'll have to compile the software yourself. (Thus Mac users will need Xcode; if you try installing the Haskell Platform, described further down this page, first, that should take care of automatically getting the pieces of Xcode you need. Then you can come back and finish installing Scheme.)
+Racket doesn't have R7RS-small, and won't anytime soon.
+Other R7RS-friendly: [Gauche](http://practical-scheme.net/gauche), [Chibi](https://code.google.com/p/chibi-scheme).

 -->
 
 Racket and Chicken stand to Scheme in something like the relation Firefox stands to HTML. They are two programs (or platforms) among others for working with the Scheme language; and many of those programs (or web browsers) permit different extensions, have small variations, and so on.
 -->
 
 Racket and Chicken stand to Scheme in something like the relation Firefox stands to HTML. They are two programs (or platforms) among others for working with the Scheme language; and many of those programs (or web browsers) permit different extensions, have small variations, and so on.


@@ -158,7 +156,7 @@ The current version of Racket is 6.1.1 (released November 2014).
 
 *   **To instead install Chicken Scheme on Mac without MacPorts**
 
 
 *   **To instead install Chicken Scheme on Mac without MacPorts**
 

-    Here are the exact steps I just verified worked. Note that I installed the Haskell Platform, described further down this page, first; that installed some developer tools that were needed to build and install Chicken.
+    Here are the exact steps I just verified worked. Note that I *first installed the Haskell Platform*, described further down this page; that installed some developer tools that were needed to build and install Chicken. If you don't know how to open a Terminal, move between directories, copy / rename / delete files and so on, then you're probably best off not doing this. You could break something.

 
     1. Go to <http://code.call-cc.org>, and click the "Source code" link near the top. Current version is 4.9.0.1, released November 2014. This should fetch a file to your download folder, and will probably automatically unpack that file into a folder, "chicken-4.9.0.1". Click on that folder and press command-C / Copy, then open a Terminal.
     2. In the terminal type `cd` followed by a space, then press command-V / Paste. Then press enter. This will move your session into the folder you just downloaded.
 
     1. Go to <http://code.call-cc.org>, and click the "Source code" link near the top. Current version is 4.9.0.1, released November 2014. This should fetch a file to your download folder, and will probably automatically unpack that file into a folder, "chicken-4.9.0.1". Click on that folder and press command-C / Copy, then open a Terminal.
     2. In the terminal type `cd` followed by a space, then press command-V / Paste. Then press enter. This will move your session into the folder you just downloaded.


@@ -166,7 +164,7 @@ The current version of Racket is 6.1.1 (released November 2014).
     4. Type `sudo mkdir -p /usr/local`
     5. Type `make PLATFORM=macosx XCODE_DEVELOPER= XCODE_TOOL_PATH=/usr/bin`
 
     4. Type `sudo mkdir -p /usr/local`
     5. Type `make PLATFORM=macosx XCODE_DEVELOPER= XCODE_TOOL_PATH=/usr/bin`
 

-    The options starting with `XCODE_` are to tell the Chicken build scripts that I've got the developer tools installed in my main system, rather than as part of Xcode. (That's where the Haskell Platform installer put them.)
+    The options starting with `XCODE_` are to tell the Chicken build scripts that I've got the developer tools installed in my main system, rather than as part of Xcode. (That's where the Haskell Platform installer put them.) Continuing:

 
     6. Wait a while while Chicken builds.
     7. If it finishes with no errors, then type `sudo make PLATFORM=macosx XCODE_TOOL_PATH=/usr/bin install`. This will prompt you for your account password, and then install Chicken underneath your `/usr/local` directory.
 
     6. Wait a while while Chicken builds.
     7. If it finishes with no errors, then type `sudo make PLATFORM=macosx XCODE_TOOL_PATH=/usr/bin install`. This will prompt you for your account password, and then install Chicken underneath your `/usr/local` directory.


@@ -231,15 +229,14 @@ Sometimes we may refer to Caml or ML
 more generally; but you can assume that what we're talking about always works more
 specifically in OCaml.
 
 more generally; but you can assume that what we're talking about always works more
 specifically in OCaml.
 

-It's helpful if in addition to OCaml you also install the Findlib add-on.
-This will make it easier to install additional add-ons further down the road.
-However, if you're not able to get that working, don't worry about it much.
+It's helpful if in addition to OCaml you also install the
+Findlib add-on and/or the [OPAM](https://opam.ocaml.org) "package manager."
+These will make it easier to install additional add-ons further down the road.
+However, if you're not able to get them working, don't worry about it much.

 
 The current version of OCaml is 4.02.1 (released October 2014).
 
 The current version of OCaml is 4.02.1 (released October 2014).

+<!-- 3.12.1 July 2011; 4.00.1 Oct 2012; 4.01.0 Sept 2013; 4.02.0 Aug 2014; 4.02.1 Oct 2014 -->

 
 

-*   *Another instruction page focuses on [OPAM](http://ocaml.org/docs/install.html), also [this](https://opam.ocaml.org).*
-
-*   *[More details about installing OCaml on Macs, if needed](http://cocan.org/getting_started_with_ocaml_on_mac_os_x)*

 
 *   In your web browser:
 
 
 *   In your web browser:
 


@@ -248,51 +245,77 @@ The current version of OCaml is 4.02.1 (released October 2014).
 
 *   **To install in Windows**
 
 
 *   **To install in Windows**
 

-    Go to <http://caml.inria.fr/download.en.html>.
+    There are *five* different strategies for installing OCaml on Windows. I don't know which works best.
+
+    1.  First, you can go to <http://caml.inria.fr/download.en.html>.

     You can probably download and install the
     "Self installer for the port based on the MinGW toolchain"
     even if you don't know what MinGW or Cygwin are.
     Some features of this require Cygwin, but it looks like
     it should mostly work even for users without Cygwin.
     You can probably download and install the
     "Self installer for the port based on the MinGW toolchain"
     even if you don't know what MinGW or Cygwin are.
     Some features of this require Cygwin, but it looks like
     it should mostly work even for users without Cygwin.

-    At the time of this writing, only an installer for the previous
-    version of OCaml (3.11.0, from January 2010) is available.
-
-    To install the Findlib add-on, you must have the
-    Cygwin system installed. We assume few of you do,
-    so we're not going to try to explain how to do this.
+    At the time of this writing, only an installer for an earlier
+    version of OCaml (4.01.0, from September 2013) is available.
+
+    2.  A second strategy uses a package called
+        [OCPWIN](http://ocaml.org/docs/install.html#OCPWINSelfContainedOCamlforWindows). This also installs only version 4.01.0.
+
+    3.  The [three remaining strategies](http://ocaml.org/docs/install.html#OCamlonCygwin) in some way
+    use the Cygwin environment, mentioned earlier on this page. At least one of
+    those three methods will automatically fetch and help you install Cygwin.
+    The first method listed on that page says it installs version 4.00.1, but
+    really it's been updated and now installs the (somewhat newer, but still
+    not the newest) version 4.01.0.
+
+    Some of these methods may automatically install Findlib for you. If not,
+    you can try installing it yourself but I think you'll need the Cygwin
+    system installed to do so. I'm not going to explain how to do this.

     If you want to figure it out yourself, go to the
     Findlib website at <http://projects.camlcity.org/projects/findlib.html>.
 
 *   **To install on Mac without MacPorts**
 
     If you want to figure it out yourself, go to the
     Findlib website at <http://projects.camlcity.org/projects/findlib.html>.
 
 *   **To install on Mac without MacPorts**
 

-    To install OCaml 3.12 (just released this summer), go to
-    <http://caml.inria.fr/download.en.html>
-    and download and install the "Binary distribution for Mac OS X"
+    The people in charge of OCaml (they're at the French research institute INRIA) have stopped making pre-built packages for Mac OS X. One option you have is to use their package for a slightly older version of OCaml, 4.01.1 from Sept. 2013. You can find that as a "Precompiled binary for Mac OS X" on [this page](http://ocaml.org/releases/4.01.0.html). If, when you attempt to install this package, you get an error about its being from an "unidentified developer," you need to control-click on the `ocaml.pkg` file and select "Open", then when the warning box appears again, this time there will be an "Open" button that you can click. Then you can continue running the Installer.
+
+    A second option is to install the OPAM package manager and use that to build and install the latest version of OCaml. Here's how to do that:
+
+    1.  Download [this file](https://raw.github.com/ocaml/opam/master/shell/opam_installer.sh) and
+    note where it gets saved to. If it opens in your browser, then type
+    command-S / Save Page and save it somewhere on your disk, again noting its
+    location.
+
+    2.  Open a terminal and type:
+        
+            sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bin
+            sudo sh /path/to/opam_installer.sh /usr/local/bin
+
+        Except replace `/path/to` with the real location, that you noted in step 1.

 
 

-    To install the Findlib add-on, you'll need the Xcode development tools
-    to compile it yourself. Once you get that far, it's probably easiest
-    for you to install MacPorts and just install things using the MacPorts
-    instructions. (Use the MacPorts version of OCaml, instead of installing
-    the package from the caml.inria.fr website, as described above)
-    However, if you do have Xcode, and want to do without MacPorts, then
-    what you need to do is download Findlib from
-    <http://download.camlcity.org/download/findlib-1.2.6.tar.gz>.
-    Unpack the download, open a Terminal and go into the folder you just
-    unpacked, and type:
+    3.  If that works, then type:

 
 

-        ./configure
-        make package-macosx
+            opan init --comp 4.01.0

 
 

-    This will build an installer package which you should be able to
-    double-click and install.
+        or whatever it was that the OPAM installer prompted you to type. This will download and install a fresh version of OCaml, and will take a bit of time.
+
+<!--
+If you do have Xcode, and want to do without MacPorts, then
+what you need to do is download Findlib from
+<http://download.camlcity.org/download/findlib-1.2.6.tar.gz>.
+Unpack the download, open a Terminal and go into the folder you just
+unpacked, and type:
+
+    ./configure
+    make package-macosx
+
+This will build an installer package which you should be able to
+double-click and install.
+-->

 
 *   **To install on Mac with MacPorts**
 
 
 *   **To install on Mac with MacPorts**
 

-    You can install the previous version of OCaml (3.11.2,
-    from January 2010), together with the Findlib add-on, by opening a Terminal
-    and typing:
+    You can install the current version of OCaml (4.02.1, from October 2014),
+    together with the Findlib add-on and OPAM package manager, by opening a Terminal and typing:

 
 

-        sudo port install ocaml caml-findlib
+        sudo port install ocaml ocaml-findlib opam

 
     As with Scheme, it's helpful to also have rlwrap installed, and to start OCaml as `rlwrap ocaml`. This gives
     you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
 
     As with Scheme, it's helpful to also have rlwrap installed, and to start OCaml as `rlwrap ocaml`. This gives
     you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your


@@ -303,20 +326,25 @@ The current version of OCaml is 4.02.1 (released October 2014).
     Use your packaging system, for example, open a Terminal and
     type:
 
     Use your packaging system, for example, open a Terminal and
     type:
 

-        sudo apt-get install ocaml ocaml-findlib
+        sudo apt-get install ocaml opam camlp4-extra ocaml-findlib
+
+    That will install a version of OCaml and the Findlib add-on and OPAM package manager.

 
 

-    That will install a version of OCaml and the Findlib add-on.
+    If you're using Ubuntu "Utopic" (14.10), there's [a note on the OPAM home page](https://opam.ocaml.org/doc/Install.html)
+    warning that its version of OPAM is broken, and not to use it. Here's how you can get (OCaml and) OPAM from a newer repository:

 
 

-    If for some reason you can't get OCaml through your
-    packaging system, you can go to
+        sudo apt-get install -y software-properties-common
+        sudo apt-apt-repository -y ppa:avsm/ppa
+        sudo apt-get update
+        sudo apt-get install ocaml opam
+
+    If for some reason you can't get OCaml through your Linux packaging system, you can go to

     <http://caml.inria.fr/download.en.html>.
     Pre-packaged binary installers are available for several Linux systems.
 
     <http://caml.inria.fr/download.en.html>.
     Pre-packaged binary installers are available for several Linux systems.
 

-    If you can't get findlib through your packaging system, you'll
-    need to download it from
-    <http://download.camlcity.org/download/findlib-1.2.6.tar.gz>.
-    and use gcc to compile it yourself. If you don't know how to
-    do that, you probably don't want to attempt this.
+    If you can't get findlib through your packaging system, you'll need to download it from
+    <http://download.camlcity.org/download/findlib-1.5.5.tar.gz>.
+    and use gcc to compile it yourself. If you don't know how to do that, you probably don't want to attempt this.

     Here are the INSTALL notes:
     <https://godirepo.camlcity.org/svn/lib-findlib/trunk/INSTALL>.
 
     Here are the INSTALL notes:
     <https://godirepo.camlcity.org/svn/lib-findlib/trunk/INSTALL>.
 


@@ -324,6 +352,10 @@ The current version of OCaml is 4.02.1 (released October 2014).
     you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
     keyboard arrows.
 
     you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
     keyboard arrows.
 

+**After using any of those methods**, if you managed to install OPAM along with OCaml, then open a Terminal and type this:
+
+    echo "will be posted shortly"
+

 
 ## Getting Haskell ##
 
 
 ## Getting Haskell ##
 


@@ -370,12 +402,33 @@ On **Ubuntu or Debian Linux**:
 *   In a Terminal, type `sudo apt-get install haskell-platform`.
 
 
 *   In a Terminal, type `sudo apt-get install haskell-platform`.
 
 

----
+It's useful to know about the general [Haskell wiki](https://wiki.haskell.org) (not restricted to just GHC). They have a [Getting Started](https://wiki.haskell.org/Haskell_in_5_steps) page, which also recommends that you install the Haskell Platform.
+
+If any of the instructions above don't work, then you can try alternative instructions for [Mac](http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads/osx) or [Windows](http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads/windows) or [Ubuntu](http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads/linux). Note that this method doesn't install all the extensions that are part of the Haskell Platform, but only the core pieces of GHC. You can use Cabal to download and manage any extra extensions you turn out to need, down the road.
+
+**After installing Haskell**, open a Terminal and type:
+
+    cabal update
+
+It may give you a message about updating your `PATH` variable. On my Mac, I first typed `echo $PATH` and verified that `/usr/local/bin` appeared somewhere in the resulting string. (The elements are divided by `:` characters.) Then I typed this:
+
+    echo 'export PATH="$HOME/Library/Haskell/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
+
+That was to update my `PATH` variable as instructed by Cabal. On a Linux machine, or if you installed Haskell differently on your Mac, you might have to type instead:
+
+    echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.cabal/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
+
+Some instructions may say to use `.bashrc` instead of `.bash_profile`. These files do similar jobs.
+
+After issuing the relevant `echo` command, I exited the Terminal and started a new Terminal session. Now if I type `echo $PATH` I should see the directory I just added in the list. Now I can contine setting up Cabal. I type:
+
+    which alex happy

 
 

-*   [Here is more info](https://github.com/pittsburgh-haskell/haskell-installation) about installing Haskell.
+If that gives me back two pathnames, one to the program `alex` and the other to the program `happy`, then I'm already finished. If not, then I type:

 
 

+    cabal install alex happy

 
 

-*   It's useful to know about the general [Haskell wiki](https://wiki.haskell.org) (not restricted to just GHC). They have a [Getting Started](https://wiki.haskell.org/Haskell_in_5_steps) page, which also recommends that you install the Haskell Platform.
+This installs those two programs. They are helpers that Cabal needs to build and install some packages.

 
 

-*   <http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads>
+<!-- https://github.com/pittsburgh-haskell/haskell-installation -->