# How to run interactively from terminal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Answers\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [April 23, 2022, 7:59am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918 "2022-04-23T07:59:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jkleiser](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/jkleiser/32/498_2.png) [@jkleiser](https://racket.discourse.group/u/jkleiser)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 7:59am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/1 "2022-04-23T07:59:02Z")
In my code I have a function that I would like to call while in the REPL in my macOS Terminal. I start my code like this: `racket -i my-code.rkt` However, if I try to execute my function, doing `(my-fun)`, I get this error message: my-fun: undefined; cannot reference an identifier before its definition in module: top-level When I'm in DrRacket, I can execute `(my-fun)` interactively without a problem. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![sschwarzer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/sschwarzer/32/1940_2.png) [@sschwarzer](https://racket.discourse.group/u/sschwarzer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:02am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/2 "2022-04-23T10:02:02Z")
Probably what you need is `,enter` (but maybe there are better methods). ```scheme $ grep -A4 '(define (sort-tasks' task.rkt # `task.rkt` contains the `sort-tasks` function. (define (sort-tasks tasks sort-specs) (for/fold ([sorted-tasks tasks]) ([sort-spec (reverse sort-specs)]) (sort sorted-tasks (make-task-sort-func sort-spec)))) $ racket -i task.rkt Welcome to Racket v8.4 [cs]. > sort-tasks sort-tasks: undefined; cannot reference an identifier before its definition in module: top-level [,bt for context] > ,enter "task.rkt" > sort-tasks # ``` Since `,enter` also requires the module, the `-i task.rkt` on the command line isn't necessary, so you can just start the REPL with `racket` and use `,enter` with the module name inside it: ```scheme $ racket Welcome to Racket v8.4 [cs]. > ,enter "task.rkt" > sort-tasks # ``` Edit: As shown in my other comment, in this context using the `-t` option is much more straightforward. One of my use cases for `,enter` is to enter a test module that is defined inside the module I'm working on. ---
**Author:** ![sschwarzer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/sschwarzer/32/1940_2.png) [@sschwarzer](https://racket.discourse.group/u/sschwarzer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:04am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/3 "2022-04-23T10:04:49Z")
This is simpler: ```scheme $ racket -i -t task.rkt Welcome to Racket v8.4 [cs]. > sort-tasks # ``` Edit: Another relatively straightforward approach is to use `require` interactively: ```scheme $ racket Welcome to Racket v8.4 [cs]. > (require "task.rkt") > sort-tasks # ``` ---
**Author:** ![jkleiser](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/jkleiser/32/498_2.png) [@jkleiser](https://racket.discourse.group/u/jkleiser)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/4 "2022-04-23T11:20:22Z")
Thanks a lot, sschwarzer! I prefer your `racket -i -t task.rkt` way, but it seems the code in task.rkt will also need a `(provide sort-tasks)` for that procedure to be available in the REPL. ---
**Author:** ![sschwarzer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/sschwarzer/32/1940_2.png) [@sschwarzer](https://racket.discourse.group/u/sschwarzer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 12:52pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/5 "2022-04-23T12:52:00Z")
> [@jkleiser](#): > > but it seems the code in task.rkt will also need a `(provide sort-tasks)` for that procedure to be available in the REPL. I checked that and it seems to be true. The method with `,enter` still works, though. ---
**Author:** ![jbclements](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/jbclements/32/11_2.png) [@jbclements](https://racket.discourse.group/u/jbclements)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/6 "2022-04-24T21:20:33Z")
I would say that the choice of `-t` or `,enter` depends on your situation. If this is a finished piece of code that you want to make it possible to call from the command-line, then go ahead and `provide` the function and use `-t` (it's worth noting that there is an `(all-defined-out)` form for `provide` that allows you to export all defined functions). The `,enter` form is more of a debugging-repl kind of operation. ---
**Author:** ![jkleiser](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/jkleiser/32/498_2.png) [@jkleiser](https://racket.discourse.group/u/jkleiser)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 8:00am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/7 "2022-04-26T08:00:40Z")
When using the `-i -t` options it seems to be impossible to in addition give a filename for a file from which to read data. I've tried things like this: `racket -i -t my-code.rkt --data my-data.txt` Then I just get: `racket: bad switch: --data` Is there some easy way around this? ---
**Author:** ![ryanc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/ryanc/32/71_2.png) [@ryanc](https://racket.discourse.group/u/ryanc)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 8:49am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/how-to-run-interactively-from-terminal/918/8 "2022-04-26T08:49:26Z")
Put `--` to end the arguments interpreted by `racket` and leave the rest for your program to handle. So ``` racket -i -t my-code.rkt -- --data my-data.txt ``` I think the rule is this: If the first argument to `racket` is an option (starts with `-`), then `racket` processes all of the arguments and options up to `--`, then it puts the rest in `(current-command-line-arguments)`. If the first argument to `racket` is not an option, it is assumed to be a Racket program (module), and all of the remaining arguments are put in `(current-command-line-arguments)`.