CHAPTER 3. INSTALLATION GUIDE 39
If you want a system wide installation or your Linux distribution already installed the library files for you, the smartest thing is to let your DIR4TH environment variable point to the 4tH system directory, e.g. /usr/share/4th or C:\Program files\4tH.
Most people find it a lot easier to use 4tH from the prompt, so if you want to start a session, start up your favorite command line shell and navigate manually to your personal 4tH directory. When you just want to run a 4tH program, it depends on whether you want to run it as a script, a bytecode image, a shell script or a native executable. Please consult either your Operating System manual or the appropriate sections of this document.
3.3
Now what?
After you’ve installed and played around with the utilities, we suggest you either click the
4tH icon on your desktop or start an interactive session by entering:
4th m session1.scr
And start reading the Primer. When you’ve thoroughly read and understood the very first section you’re ready to go on. Start up your favourite editor (or use the built-in editor if you don’t have one) and make your own very first 4tH program. If you don’t know how to use the built-in editor, read chapter 4.
If you encounter an error during compilation or execution, refer to the ’Errors Guide’ for a detailled description what it means, what probable causes are and how you can fix it.
3.4
Pedigree
4tH is basically an original work. However, some concepts have been derived from the work of other, much smarter people.
• The pictured numeric output and flow-control routines are based on Abersoft Forth.
• The exception handler is based on the dpANS-6 implementation.
• The enumerations are based on the Swift-Forth implementation.
• The structures are based on the GForth implementation.
• The ’ASSERT(’ and ’)’ words are based on an idea implemented in GForth.
• The implementation of ’[DECIMAL]’, ’[HEX]’, ’[OCTAL]’ and ’[BINARY]’ was suggested by William Tanksley.
• The implementation of ’:REDO’ and ’DOES>’ was suggested by Astrobe.
• The implementation of unions was suggested by Tim Trussel and Bruce McFarlane.
• The HX-format was suggested by Mikael Cardell.
4tH was discussed in Volume XVIII, Number 3 of Forth Dimensions. Thank you, Marlin
Ouverson for giving me that opportunity.
