OCaml-Top
The OCaml interactive editor for education
![ocaml-top screenshot](ocaml-top-resources/screenshot_1.png)
OCaml-Top is designed for beginners and students, and specially tailored for exercises, practicals and simple projects
Features
Syntax coloring
Automatic, state-of-the-art code indentation
Makes understanding the program structure easier
Naturally avoids most beginner's syntactic mistakes
Intuitive code execution
"Run" button runs just what you would expect: the expression under cursor, and what is above if needed
Locate your errors directly in your code
Automatic type display
Put your cursor on the name of a standard library function, and the type shows up in the status bar. Non-intrusive, but here just when you need it.
Fully compatible with Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8, OSX and Linux.
Documentation
Installation
On Linux or OSX, we recommend you use the OPAM package manager:
First install opam and some gtk dependancies. For example, with Ubuntu:
add-apt-repository ppa:avsm/ppa apt-get update apt-get install m4 libgtksourceview2.0-dev opam
Then you need to install OCaml:
opam init default 4.01.0+ocp-bin
Finally install ocaml-top
opam install ocaml-top
On Microsoft Windows, download and run our binary installer. You will also need a working installation of OCaml itself, for which we recommend the installer by Jonathan Protzenko. You need no extra options besides OCaml itself.
Usage
The left pane is the code editor, while the right pane contains the OCaml process that will execute the code.
The in the left margin of the editor is
the evaluation mark, showing that the code has been
successfully executed up to that point. When pressing the
button (or Ctrl e), the
expression under the cursor is sent to the OCaml pane, and the answer
from OCaml is displayed there. In case of an error, the relevant part of
the code in the editor is highlighted.
Since programs are usually written in order, the evaluation mark
always progresses from top to bottom, and everything in-between the
current mark position and the expression to run will be sent to OCaml
first. If you happen to need execution of an expression directly, select
it before pressing .
The button runs the whole program. In case you
get confused, the
button
restarts a fresh OCaml, rewinds the evaluation mark, and clears the
right pane. And in case you got yourself in a loop, or your
program just takes too long, the
button can
interrupt the current computation.
Keyboard shortcuts
File management | |
---|---|
Ctrl n | Start with a new (blank) file |
Ctrl o | Load a file |
Ctrl s | Save the current file |
Edition | |
---|---|
Ctrl c | Copy |
Ctrl x | Cut |
Ctrl v | Paste |
Ctrl z | Undo |
Ctrl Shift z | Redo |
Execution | |
---|---|
Ctrl e | Execute the current expression |
Escape | Stop ongoing execution |
General | |
---|---|
Ctrl + | Zoom in |
Ctrl - | Zoom out |
F4 | Select font |
F5 | Switch colors |
F11 | Switch fullscreen |
Ctrl q | Quit |
Resources
OCaml-Top on Github | Latest sources in the official GIT repository |
Version 1.1.2 | Download for Linux, OSX and Windows |