---

9.1.3 Slave Creation and Destruction

When Hemlock first starts up, there is no current eval server. If there is no a current eval server, commands that need to use the current eval server will create a slave as the current eval server.

If an eval server’s Lisp process terminates, then we say the eval server is dead. Hemlock displays a message in the echo area, interactive, and background buffers whenever an eval server dies. If the user deletes an interactive or background buffer, the associated eval server effectively becomes impotent, but Hemlock does not try to kill the process. If a command attempts to use a dead eval server, then the command will beep and display a message.

Hemlock Variable: Confirm Slave Creation (initial value t) ¶

If this variable is true, then Hemlock always prompts the user for confirmation before creating a slave.

Hemlock Variable: Ask About Old Servers (initial value t) ¶

If this variable is true, and some slave already exists, Hemlock prompts the user for the name of an existing server when there is no current server, instead of creating a new one.

Command: Editor Server Name ¶

This command echos the editor server’s name, the machine and port of the editor, which is suitable for use with the Lisp processes -slave switch. See section slave-switch.

Command: Accept Slave Connections ¶

This command cause Hemlock to accept slave connections, and it displays the editor server’s name, which is suitable for use with the Lisp processes -slave switch. See section slave-switch. Supplying an argument causes this command to inhibit slave connections.

Hemlock Variable: Slave Utility (initial value "/usr/misc/.lisp/bin/lisp") ¶

Hemlock Variable: Slave Utility Switches ¶

A slave is started by running the program Slave Utility Name with arguments specified by the list of strings Slave Utility Switches. This is useful primarily when running customized Lisp systems. For example, setting Slave Utility Switches to ("-core" "my.core") will cause "/usr/hqb/my.core" to be used instead of the default core image.

The -slave switch and the editor name are always supplied as arguments, and should remain unspecified in Slave Utility Switches.

Command: Kill Slave ¶

Command: Kill Slave and Buffers ¶

Kill Slave prompts for a slave name, aborts any operations in the slave, tells the slave to quit, and shuts down the connection to the specified eval server. This makes no attempt to assure the eval server actually dies.

Kill Slave and Buffers is the same as Kill Slave, but it also deletes the interactive and background buffers.