root/tags/lgt2180/QUICK_START

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Logtalk - Object oriented extension to Prolog
Release 2.18.0

Copyright (c) 1998-2004 Paulo Moura.  All Rights Reserved.
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Quick start
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1. Open the manuals/index.html file with a web browser.

2. Select the Tutorial link. This will provide you with a basic understanding
of the main Logtalk concepts.

3. Go back to the index.html file and select the User Manual link and then 
the Installing and running Logtalk links. This will provide you with a basic 
understanding of how to start Logtalk and compile and load Logtalk code.


Assuming that Logtalk supports your Prolog compiler:

1. Read the NOTES file in the configs sub-directory to check if any patch 
or workaround is needed for your compiler.

2. Start your Prolog compiler.

3. Change the current working directory of your Prolog session to the Logtalk 
installation directory. If you don't know which predicate to use, check the 
configs/NOTES file or your Prolog reference manual.

4. Compile and load the config file for your Prolog compiler.

5. Compile and load the Logtalk pre-processor/runtime found in the compiler 
sub-directory.

Note that both the configuration files and the compiler/preprocessor files 
are Prolog files. The predicate called to load these files depends on your 
Prolog compiler (consult your Prolog compiler documentation or take a look 
at the definition of the predicate $lgt_load_prolog_code/1 in the config 
file. For most command-line compilers, you could type at the Prolog prompt 
something like:

    | ?- ['configs/foo.config', 'compiler/logtalk.pl'].

Replace the file name foo.config with the appropriated config file name for 
your compiler.


Now you may try some of the included examples:

1. Change the working directory of your Prolog compiler to the library 
directory and then type at the Prolog prompt the following query:

    | ?- logtalk_load(all_loader).

This will load all the library entities that you will need in order to run 
the Logtalk examples.

2. Open the examples sub-directory. There you find several sub-directories
with ready to run examples and a NOTES file containing general instructions 
and a brief description of each example. Select and open one of the examples 
sub-directory.

3. Read the example NOTES file. Some examples are dependent on other examples 
or on library objects (already loaded on step one). You may need to load 
additional files before running the chosen example.

4. Change the working directory of your Prolog compiler to the example 
directory.

5. Compile and load the loader file for the example as described in the NOTES 
and SCRIPT files. For most examples, the loader file is named loader.lgt.
Therefore, you will need to type the query:

    | ?- logtalk_load(loader).

This will compile and load all the example files.

6. Open the example SCRIPT file, which contains sample queries that you 
may try by copying-and-pasting or draging-and-droping them on your Prolog 
interpreter top-level.


Ready to start writing your own programs?

1. Read the User Manual sections on Programming in Logtalk and Running and 
debugging Logtalk programs.

2. Take a look at the wenv sub-directory. There you will find syntax 
configuration files for popular text editors that enable syntax coloring 
when editing Logtalk source files.

3. Create a sub-directory with a suitable name to hold all the files of your 
application.

4. Copy to this sub-directory a loader file from one of the example directories 
and modify it to load your own source files.

5. Have fun!