Opinionated guide to DrRacket scripts

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DrRacket has many great features, but one of my favourites the script capability that allows you to quickly and easily extend DrRacket. The scripts are immediately accessible and - this is the best part - DrRacket is scripted in Racket!

Here is a quick example: Open terminal here:

#lang racket/base
(require racket/system
         racket/path
         quickscript)

(script-help-string "Open a terminal in the directory of the current file.")

(define-script open-terminal
  #:label "Open terminal here"
  #:menu-path ("&Utils")
  #:os-types (unix macosx windows)
  (λ (str #:file f)
    (unless f
      (set! f (current-directory)))
    (define dir (path->string (path-only f)))
    (case (system-type 'os)
      [(unix)
       (system (string-append "gnome-terminal"
                              " --working-directory=\"" dir "\""
                              " -t \"" dir "\""
                              "&"))]
      [(macosx)
       (system
        (string-append "osascript -e 'tell app \"Terminal\" to do script \"cd \\\"" dir "\\\"\"'" ))]
      [(windows)
       (shell-execute #f "cmd.exe" "" dir 'sw_shownormal)])
    #false))

This script opens a command line / terminal session in the folder of the file in the currently selected tab.

In windows the menu looks like this:

unnamed

Menus are ok, but I want a keybinding! keybindings are fast and I want to be fast!

Lets get started:

  1. click on 'quickscript' in the require and press the F1 key - DrRacket opens a local copy of the documentation to a search
    image

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  2. click on 'Quickscript' for the full documentation

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    image1970×1622 445 KB

  3. I'll add the #:shortcut #:shortcut-prefix keywords so I can press [option]-[t] to open the command line:

(define-script open-terminal
  #:label "Open terminal here"
  #:menu-path ("&Utils")
  #:shortcut #\t
  #:shortcut-prefix (option)
  #:os-types (unix macosx windows)
  (λ (str #:file f)
  ...
  1. Save, then click Scripts>Compile scripts
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Now I can click [option]-[t], and my command line opens!

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The DrRacket plugin that makes this all possible is Quickscript, and it was created by @Laurent.O.
You don't need to install it as it is included when you download the Racket installer.

In addition to making your own scripts there is a nice set of scripts in the quickscripts-extra package, with more listed on the Racket wiki at https://github.com/racket/racket/wiki/Quickscript-Scripts-for-DrRacket.

I'd very much like to see what scripts you make.

Best regards

Stephen :beetle:

PS I didn't write Open terminal here - it was written by @Laurent.O but thanks also to @bdeket and @soapdog for working out the windows and linux specific calls. I'm sorry I can't remember who helped me with osascript - but thank you too.

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