Hello, And one more added benefit is that if you (or something using your namespace) uses IDEs that auto-load (or auto-compile) the clj files each time they are saved (such as clojuredev does), it would be impractical to have a namespace auto-execute itself. Because then, the auto-load functionality is bloated (counter performant, potentially blocking everything, etc.)
Note that if you want a solution that can auto-execute when run standalone but not auto-execute when just loaded, you can generate from your main namespace a class with a static main method : add a :gen-class directive in the ns declaration : (ns temp-converter (:gen-class) (:import (java.awt BorderLayout Event GridLayout Toolkit) (java.awt.event KeyEvent) (javax.swing AbstractAction Action BorderFactory JFrame JPanel JButton JMenu JMenuBar JTextField JLabel KeyStroke) (javax.swing.event DocumentListener))) create a -main method that will be automatically recognised as the static public void main(String[] args) classic java application start method : (defn -main (main)) suppress the explicit call to (main), or guard it by tests to see if the ns is loaded via compilation: (when-not *compiling* (main))... HTH, -- Laurent 2009/3/15 Timothy Pratley <timothyprat...@gmail.com> > > Hi Keith, > > IMO it is slightly better to use a function as you described. The > benefit being that it makes it easier to test your helper functions > without running the main application. For instance if you comment out > (main) and load the file to the REPL or call a test function instead. > It seems the defacto standard on clj files I've seen is to provide an > application function commented out at the bottom of the file. > > What might be nice is to have a check for 'included' or 'loaded' vs > 'executed'. This can almost be done by looking at *command-line-args*, > however not quite because the standard launcher does not include $0. > So you have to use a non-standard launcher which includes $0 to > achieve this: > (when *command-line-args* > (main *command-line-args*)) > > There is discussion about this previously: > > http://groups.google.com/group/clojure/browse_thread/thread/9ec09e7826992ea8/9e0085eb74061274 > > http://groups.google.com/group/clojure/browse_thread/thread/ca60d98fb4f7e71e/16b0ebb277daf5b9 > > > Regards, > Tim. > > > On Mar 15, 12:55 pm, Keith Bennett <keithrbenn...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Is it a good idea or a bad idea to provide a main() function as the > > program's entry point? > > > > As an example, I have a program athttp://is.gd/ndTV. If you look at > > the bottom you'll see (unless and until I change it) the specification > > of a main function, and then a call to it. I'm aware that I could > > just list the contents of main() outside any function, and it would > > work the same way. > > > > So which approach is better, and why? > > > > Thanks, > > Keith > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Clojure" group. To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---