Tags: wilbowma/racket
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Racket v5.3.2 Core Libraries: * The new `math' library provides functions and data structures for working with numbers and collections of numbers. Functions include non-elementary (such as gamma, zeta, Lambert's W), number-theoretic (factorization, modular arithmetic), linear algebra (arithmetic, decompositions), and statistical (expected values, order statistics, binning). Data structures include arbitrary-precision bigfloats, probability distributions, and multidimensional arrays. * The new `file/untar', `file/untgz', and `file/unzip' libraries support unpacking widely used archive formats. * The new `lazy-require' form allows programs to delay the loading and instantiation of helper modules until they are needed. * The new `data/bit-vector' library provides an implementation of bit vectors (a mutable sequence of booleans) supporting popcount. * The `racket/generic' library allows the specification of default method implementations for core datatypes. * The `openssl' library can verify hostnames and use the operating system's certificate store to verify certificates. Package System: * A new package system is in beta release. This system will become Planet's successor. It differs significantly from the latter. For details, please read the documentation at http://docs.racket-lang.org/planet2/ and list your packages on the new index at https://pkg.racket-lang.org/. * The `raco test' command supports testing by collection and package, in addition to by directory and file, with the "-c" and "-p" options. Teaching Libraries: * batch-io: the read and write functions work on Unix-style standard input and output. DrRacket: * DrRacket's GUI is more responsive. * The automatic parenthesis insertion mode is improved. Scribble: * Scribble renders Markdown format files via the "--markdown" command-line flag. Example use case: Generate documentation hosted on GitHub or BitBucket. * Documentation cross-reference information is stored in an SQLite3 database, which means that SQLite3 is required for building Racket documentation on Unix/Linux machines (but SQLite3 is included in Racket distributions for Windows and Mac OS X). Using a database for cross-reference information significantly reduces the initial footprint of DrRacket, since DrRacket no longer needs to load all cross-reference information. Typed Racket: * Typed Racket programs can require `plot/typed' to draw plots. List- and vector-accepting functions accept general sequences. * Typed Racket supports Racket's delimited continuation and continuation mark operators. Redex: * Added more support for `define-judgment-form', including random generation for well-formed judgments and visualization of judgments. Deprecation: The following have been removed in this release: * the `planet' command-line tool; use `raco planet' instead. The following has been deprecated and will be removed in the August 2013 release: * the `mzlib/class100' library; use `racket/class' instead.
Racket v5.3.1 Racket: * The `case' form dispatches on characters, fixnums, symbols, and keywords in logarithmic time. (Thanks to Jon Zeppieri.) * The new `racket/format' library provides new and improved string-formatting functions. * Logging tools include improved filtering support based on the name of a logger. A new `define-logger' form simplifies the use of named loggers. Forms such as `log-debug' now support string formatting. * The `for' forms now support `#:break' and `#:final' clauses. * The new PLTCOMPILEDROOTS environment variable configures the search path for compiled bytecode. DrRacket: * Check Syntax now summarizes the documentation (i.e., the blue boxes) for the identifier at the insertion point in the top-right corner of the definitions window. * Check Syntax now runs continuously for programs that declare their language within the source. This mode has been available for several of the past releases, but now enabled by default. * DrRacket can spell-check string constants (enable this in the Edit menu). Typed Racket: * Typed Racket interprets the Any type as a different contract. This may signal dynamic errors in some existing mixed typed/untyped programs. The normal fix is to replace a use of Any with a more specific types. * NaN is included in all of Typed Racket's floating-point types, which makes precise floating-point types easier to use. * Typed Racket supports a `cast' operation with support for higher-order types. * Typed Racket provides the `:query-type/args' and `:query-type/result' utilities to explore types at the REPL. Miscellaneous: * The `compatibility' collection provides features from Racket relatives, such as `defmacro' and mutable lists. These features are provided to ease porting code to Racket. Avoid them in modern Racket code. * Screenshots of the widgets provided by the Racket GUI library are included in the documentation. (Thanks to Diogo F. S. Ramos.) * FrTime was ported to racket lang. (Thanks to Patrick Mahoney.) Deprecation: The following has been deprecated and will be removed in the January 2013 release: * the `planet' command-line tool; use `raco planet' instead. The following has been deprecated and will be removed in the August 2013 release: * the `mzlib/class100' library; use `racket/class' instead.
Racket v5.3
* Submodules are nested module declarations that can be loaded and
run independently from the enclosing module. For an overview of
submodules, see
http://blog.racket-lang.org/2012/06/submodules.html
* The futures visualizer is a graphical profiling tool for parallel
programs using futures. The tool shows a detailed execution
timeline depicting the migration of futures between threads, and
gives detailed information about each runtime synchronization that
occurred during program execution. In addition, `would-be-future'
is a special type of future that always executes sequentially and
records all potential barricades a regular future would encounter.
* Optimization Coach (formerly Performance Report) reports
information about Racket's inlining optimizations. Optimization
Coach can be launched in any language through the View menu.
* The new `images/flomap' library defines floating-point bitmaps and
fast image processing operations on them. It is written in Typed
Racket, so Typed Racket code may use it without the cost of
contract checks.
* The new `json' library supports parsing and generating JSON.
(Originally based on Dave Herman's planet library.)
* `racket/string' is extended with a set of simplified string
manipulation functions that are more convenient than using
regexps. `regexp-match*' and friends can now be used with new
keyword arguments to return specific matched regexp group/s and
gaps between matches.
* The new `racket/generic' library allows generic function
definitions, which dispatch to methods added to a structure type
via the new `#:methods' keyword.
* The `class' form supports declaring a method abstract. An
abstract method prevents a class from being instantiated unless it
is overridden.
* The contract library comes with support for interfaces, generics,
prompts, continuation-marks, and structs.
* Most error messages use a new multi-line format that is more
consistent with contract errors and accommodates more information.
* Typed Racket supports function definitions with keyword arguments;
the startup time of Typed Racket programs has been sharply
reduced.
* The new `ffi/com' library replaces MysterX; a compatibility
`mysterx' library remains, but without ActiveX support. The new
`ffi/unsafe/com' library offers a more primitive and direct way to
use COM classes and methods.
* There is now a very complete completion code for zsh. It is not
included in the distribution though; get it at http://goo.gl/DU8JK
(This script and the bash completions will be included in the
standard installers in future versions.)
--- DEPRECATION ----------------------------------------------------
Effective this release:
- The `tex2page' and `combinator-parser' libraries have been moved
from the Racket distribution to PLaneT:
(require (planet plt/tex2page))
(require (planet plt/combinator-parser))
The following has been deprecated and will be removed in the
January 2013 release:
- the `planet' command-line tool; use `raco planet' instead.
The following has been deprecated and will be removed in the
August 2013 release:
- the `mzlib/class100' library; use `racket/class' instead.
Racket v5.2.1
* Performance improvements include the use of epoll()/kqueue() instead
of select() for the Racket thread scheduler, cross-module inlining of
small functions, and the use of SSE instead of x87 for JIT-compiled
floating-point operations on platforms where SSE is always available
(including x86_64 platforms). A related change is the interning of
literal numbers, strings, byte strings, characters, and regexps that
appear in code and syntax objects.
* DrRacket uses a set of composable ray-traced icons available from the
new `images' library collection.
* Typed Racket's `typecheck-fail' form allows macro creators to
customize the error messages that Typed Racket produces. This is
especially useful when creating pattern matching macros.
* The performance of Redex's matcher has been substantially improved;
depending on the model you should see improvements between 2x and 50x
in the time it takes to reduce terms.
* Plots look nicer and are more correct at very small and very large
scales. New features include customizable dual axis ticks and
transforms (e.g., log axes, date and currency ticks, axis interval
collapse and stretch), stacked histograms, and 3D vector fields. The
legacy `fit' function and libfit have been removed.
* The `2htdp/universe' library's `big-bang' form supports an
experimental game pad key handler.
* The `db' library now supports nested transactions and PostgreSQL
arrays. Bugs involving MySQL authentication and memory corruption in
the SQLite bindings have been fixed.
* The Macro Stepper tool in DrRacket no longer executes a program after
expanding it.
* In the DMdA teaching languages, infinite recursive signatures
("streams", for example) with no intervening `mixed' are now
supported, and the signatures of record definitions without fields now
have generators for use with `property'.
* MysterX's ActiveX support is deprecated and will be removed in the
next release. MysterX's core COM functionality will become deprecated
in the next release, but C
DB56
OM functionality will be supported for the
foreseeable future as a compatibility layer over a forthcoming
`ffi/com' library.
Racket v5.2
Release Highlights:
* DrRacket comes with an experimental, on-line check syntax tool,
although this new tool is disabled default. See below for more
information.
* The new `db' library offers a high-level, functional interface to
popular relational database systems, including PostgreSQL, MySQL,
and SQLite, as well as other systems via ODBC.
* A new XREPL collection provides convenient commands for a plain
racket REPL. It is particularly convenient for people who prefer
console-based work and alternative editors. See also the new
chapter on command-line tools and other editors at the end of the
Racket Guide.
* The `plot' collection has been reimplemented in Racket. It now
offers PDF output, log axes, histograms, and more. Some code that
uses `plot' will still work, and some will need light porting.
The `plot/compat' module offers expedient backward compatibility.
* DrRacket uses more conventional key bindings: `C-t' creates a new
tab, `C-w' closes the current one, and `C-r' runs the definitions.
On Mac OS X, the Command key is used. See "Defining Custom
Shortcuts" in the DrRacket manual for an example that uses the old
key bindings.
* The new `raco link' command registers a directory as a collection,
which allows the collection directory to reside outside the
"collects" tree and without changing the PLTCOLLECTS environment
variable.
* Typed Racket:
- Typed Racket provides static performance debugging support to
show which code gets optimized and point out code that does not.
Use the "Performance Report" button in DrRacket.
- More intuitive types in printouts in the REPL and in error
messages. Use `:query-result-type' to explore types, or
`:print-type' for a full printout.
- Typed Racket now supports defining function with optional
arguments using the same syntax as Racket.
* Redex now supports specifying (and testing and automatically
typesetting) judgment forms including type systems and SOS-style
operational semantics.
* Fixed several GUI problems, including problems on Ubuntu 11.10
(GTK+ 3) and 64-bit Mac OS X.
* Internal-definition expansion has changed to use `let*' semantics
for sequences that contain no back references. This change
removes a performance penalty for using internal definitions
instead of `let' in common cases, and it only changes the meaning
of programs that capture continuations in internal definitions.
Internal definitions are now considered preferable in style to
`let'.
* Support for `begin-for-syntax' has been generalized; modules may
now define and export both value bindings and syntax bindings
(macros) at phase 1 and higher.
Due to a bug, phase 1 syntax (or higher) is not available in
DrRacket's `#lang'-based REPL. A simple workaround is to disable
debugging in DrRacket (see "no debugging" radio button in detailed
language dialog).
Additional Items:
* The `racket/gui' library (and Slideshow) provides more support for
multiple-screen displays.
* DrRacket remembers whether an opened file used LF or CRLF line
endings, and will continue using the same. When creating a new
file, a preference determines how it is saved.
* `net/url' can now follow HTTP redirections.
* The LNCS and JFP class files are no longer distributed with
Racket. Instead, they are downloaded on demand.
* The Algol language implementation is now available as a plain
language using `#lang algol60'.
* The Racket-to-C compiler (as accessed via `raco ctool' or `mzc')
has been removed; Racket's JIT has long provided better
performance, and the FFI provides better access to C libraries.
* Contracts can be applied to exports with the new `contract-out'
form within `provide', instead of a separate `provide/contract'
form. (The new `contract-out' form is implemented as a new kind
of "provide pre-transformer".)
* The `date*' structure type is an extension of `date' with
`nanosecond' and `time-zone-name' fields.
* New looping constructs: `for/sum' and `for/product'.
* Direct calls to keyword-accepting functions are now optimized to
eliminate the overhead of keywords. In addition, the compiler
detects and logs warnings for keyword-argument mismatches.
* The libfit interface is available from `plot/deprecated/fit', and
will be removed in the near future.
* The Unix installer has been re-done, and it is now more robust.
* The built-in reader and printer support for Honu is removed.
(This functionality is re-implemented in Racket.)
On-line Check Syntax:
DrRacket now provides an on-line version of the syntax check tool,
which means that syntax checking runs automatically while you
continue to edit a program. With this tool enabled, its annotations
(e.g., binding arrows) and actions (e.g., the renaming refactoring
and direct documentation links) are almost always available.
We have noticed that on-line syntax checking renders DrRacket
unstable on occasion, perhaps because it relies on relatively new
support for parallelism. Occurrences of the problem are rare, but
they are not rare enough, which is why we have disabled the tool by
default. At the same time, current users of the tool find it so
valuable that we felt it should be included in the release. We
expect to track down the remaining problems and enable the tool by
default in near-future release.
To enable on-line syntax checking (for `#lang'-based programs only),
click on the red dot in the bottom right of DrRacket's window. To
turn it off, click there again.
Racket v5.1.2 * The download page includes 64-bit installers for Mac OS X, Windows, and two Debian flavors. Racket now supports OS X Lion. * Racket now includes a new `racket/place' library to support parallelism, complementing `racket/future'. Racket's parallel build process is now based on places instead of multiple OS processes. Places support share-nothing parallelism and message-passing communication. Compared to futures, places are heavyweight, but they have a simpler performance model. * The syntax-certificate system has been replaced by a syntax-taint system. Both certificates and taints were designed to protect otherwise inaccessible bindings from abuse when they appear in macro expansions. Taints are simpler and lighter, and the switch closes known holes in the certificate system. Macros that are not implemented with `syntax-rules' or `define-syntax-rule', however, must explicitly use `syntax-protect' to protect their expansions from abuse. * The `net/url' library supports HTTPS connections, but beware that by default all sites are accepted (equivalent to ignoring a browser's warnings about untrusted certificates). * Error messages in the student languages use a simplified vocabulary and consistent phrasings. If you maintain curriculum material or teachpacks then please consider updating. See the "Error Message Composition Guidelines" section in the documentation for details. * Typed Racket: almost all core Racket data structures and operations are now accessible in Typed Racket (most of this work is due to prolific contributor Eric Dobson). The performance of the typechecker has been significantly improved. * The `scriblib/bibtex' library supports BibTeX-formatted citation databases in Scribble documents. BibTeX can be tricky to parse, so please report failed entries as bug reports. * The `for' forms now support an `#:unless' clause, and a nonnegative integer can be used as a sequence. The new `compose1' function creates single-valued composition functions. The `racket/function' library now provides `identity', `thunk', and `thunk*'. * The license has been clarified: we now use LGPLv2.1 uniformly. (The license file used to specify LGPLv2, contrary to the download pages.)
Racket v5.1.1
* The new `racket/stream' library provides `stream-first',
`stream-rest', a lazy `stream-cons', and so on. Streams are a
subtype of sequences, so they work in `for' forms. Some sequence
generators, such as `in-range', now produce streams. A
`racket/sequence' library replaces the old `racket/stream'
library.
* The new `racket/syntax' library contains facilities useful for
writing macros. The new `syntax/srcloc' and `syntax/location'
libraries provide support for manipulating source locations.
* The `racket/gui' library now supports multi-column list boxes and
scrolling panels.
* The new `ffi/file' library is useful for writing foreign library
bindings that cooperate with Racket's security guard mechanism.
* Generators from the `racket/generator' library can now have formal
arguments that are used when the generator is fired up.
* Single-precision floating-point support is now enabled by default.
Single-precision floats print differently from their default
double-precision counterparts, new primitives convert between the
two precisions, and new reader syntax supports single-precision
literals.
* JIT improvements include a small change to aid x86 branch
prediction on function-call returns, which can speed up some
programs significantly.
* Typed Racket:
- The numeric tower has been entirely overhauled. TR programs can
now use more precise types than before, and check more numeric
properties, such as sign or range properties.
- Fixnum optimizations have been improved and should apply more
broadly.
- The performance of the typechecker has been improved. In
particular, dispatch on large union types should typecheck much
faster than before.
* The Stepper can now step through Lazy Racket programs.
* The `racket/future' library includes `fsemaphore' values, the
`future' primitive no longer freezes futures (so a future can
spawn new futures), and `future' log messages are more
informative.
* PLaneT development links are now version-specific.
* The `2htdp/image' library now includes `overlay/align',
`underlay/align', `overlay/align/offset' and
`underlay/align/offset'.
* The network protocol for universes in `2htdp/universe' has
changed, so that v5.1.1 is incompatible with earlier versions.
* The "DrScheme" application (which simply ran DrRacket in the last
few releases) has been removed. The "MrEd" GUI executables for
Windows and Mac OS X have also been removed, although the "mred"
console executable remains for Unix and Mac OS X to support old
scripts.
Racket v5.1 The most significant change in version 5.1 is a rewrite of the GUI library: http://blog.racket-lang.org/2010/12/racket-version-5.html Unix/X users will see the biggest difference with this change, because DrRacket and all Racket GUI programs now take on the desktop theme for menus, buttons, and other GUI widgets. In the long run, Racket GUI programs on all platforms will improve as a result of the library rewrite. In the short run, beware that this first release of a new library will inevitably include a new set of bugs. Version 5.1 changes in more detail: * The `racket/draw' library -- which implements the drawing half the GUI toolkit -- can be used independent of the `racket/gui/base' library and without a graphics display (e.g., without an X11 connection). The new library has one small incompatibility with the old GUI toolbox: 'xor drawing is no longer supported. The new library has many additional features: rotation and general affine transformations, PDF and SVG drawing contexts, gradients, and alpha-channel bitmaps. * The GRacket executable is no longer strictly necessary for running GUI programs, because the `racket/gui/base' library can be used from Racket. To the degree that a platform distinguishes GUI and console applications, however, the GRacket executable still offers some additional GUI-specific functionality (e.g., single-instance support). The new `racket/gui/base' library includes small incompatibilities with the old GUI toolbox: the `send-event', `current-ps-afm-file-paths', and `current-ps-cmap-file-paths' functions have been removed. The `racket/gui/base' library re-exports `racket/draw', so it includes the same drawing functionality as before (except for 'xor drawing). * The new `racket/snip' library can be used independently of `racket/gui/base' to work with graphical editor content (e.g., images in student programs). Like `racket/draw', the `racket/snip' library is re-exported by `racket/gui/base'. * The Web Server includes a backwards incompatible change that prevents X-expressions and lists of bytes from being directly returned from servlets. This change will increase performance for those types of responses and allow easier experimentation with response types. Please see "collects/web-server/compat/0/README" in the installation to learn about porting your servlets forward. Don't worry. It's easy. * The new `raco demodularize' tool collapses a module's dependencies into a single module comprising the whole program. This transformation currently provides no performance improvement, but is the basis for cross-module optimization and dead-code elimination tools to come. The transformation is currently useful for static analysis of whole Racket programs. * The picturing-programs teachpack, formerly installed via PLaneT, is now bundled with the standard distribution. Use the teachpack with `(require picturing-programs)' instead of `(require installed-teachpacks/picturing-programs)'. The old PLaneT-based installation procedure still works, but it now merely installs a stub that invokes the bundled version. * Slideshow picts, `racket/draw' bitmaps, and images created with `2htdp/image' can now be used directly in Scribble documents. More generally, the new `file/convertible' protocol enables any value that is convertible to a PNG and/or PDF stream to be used as an image in a Scribble document. * The Same game sports a new look and an improved scoring system. (The current known high score is 12,429; can you beat that?)
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