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Starting a Dyalog Session

Note

When running a Dyalog Session through RIDE, that Session should only be accessed through RIDE. One exception to this rule is when developing or running applications that are ⎕SM/⎕SR based; access to the ⎕SM window cannot be made through RIDE.

When running a Dyalog Session through RIDE, the Session can be:

  • local to the machine on which RIDE is running.

    This requires Dyalog to be installed on the machine on which RIDE is running.

  • remote from the machine on which RIDE is running.

    The RIDE can start a Session using an interpreter installed on a remote machine irrespective of whether Dyalog is installed on the machine on which RIDE is running. In this situation:

    • The operating system on which the remote interpreter is running is irrelevant – the instructions given in this chapter apply to the operating system on which RIDE is running (the two operating systems do not have to be the same).
    • The remote machine does not need to have RIDE installed but the Dyalog Session must be RIDE-enabled.

Normally, connections between RIDE and interpreters are initialised from the New Session screen. The exception to this is zero-footprint use, which always requires Dyalog to be started first with suitable configuration parameters, after which RIDE will appear when you direct a web browser at the APL interpreter. See RIDE in the browser for details.

New Session window

The New Session screen is displayed when RIDE starts, unless "Auto-start top-most configuration when RIDE starts" has been selected from Preferences > General > Session (the default on macOS). This screen allows simple and advanced use.

Simple usage

Click the 🞂 icon for the configuartion you want to launch. Configurations for all locally installed Dyalog versions are automatically shown unless manually removed.

Advanced usage

↑/↓ select the previous/next configuration. Home/End selects the first/last configuration. Alt+↑/↓ moves the currently selected configuration up/down in the list.

You can add new custom configurations (for example for remote interpreters) by clicking NEW… or modify an existing configuration by clicking its ⚙ icon.

Either of these will open the advanced configuration pane where you can choose connection type and protocol, provide the interpreter with arguments and configuration parameters, and more.

For example:

  • If you want RIDE to connect to a remote interpreter that has been started with the configuration parameter RIDE_INIT="SERVE:*:4502" then create a new configuration of type "Connect to an interpreter", then specify IP address and port 4502.
  • If you want RIDE to await an incoming connection from a remote interpreter that will be started with the configuration parameter RIDE_INIT="CONNECT:jaypc.dyalog.bramley:4502" (where your address is jaypc.dyalog.bramley) then choose "Listen", and specify port 4502.

Click OK to connect, start, or begin listening — per the current settings.