LAML

LAML is a system for generation of WWW material in a broad sense. It can be used both for creation of server side CGI programs and for authoring of complex WWW material of more static nature.

LAML is based on a mirror of HTML, in terms of a number of functions with flexible parameter profiles. Thus, each HTML element is accompanied by a Scheme function. The creation of these mirror functions are entirely automated by means of a DTD parser and a synthesis module that makes both the functional HTML mirror and a documentation page. Recently, we generated mirrors of the three versions of XHTML (currenly only available from the development version). Besides the mirror stuff, a number of document styles, libraries and tools exist, for purposes such as calendar generation, course home page production based on course models, lecture note material (a HTML-rooted Powerpoint, if you like), an asynchronous distance education system, etc.

The bulk program is of the LAML software is within the functional paradigm, but you will find occasional jumps into the imperative paradigm.

See also the LAML Home Page.

LAML is best enjoyed together with the Emacs editor, although it can be used from a Scheme prompt as well as from a shell command interpreter.

Developer: Kurt Nørmark

Contact: Kurt Nørmark, Department of Computer Science, Fredrik Bajersvej 7E, Aaborg University, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark, normark@cs.auc.dk.

Number of sites: Several, but hard to say. LAML is in local use among students, and downloaded many times during the last couple of years.

Number of users: ???

In use: Since 1998

Language: Scheme

Scheme Systems: MzScheme (PLT), SCM, Guile. Based on R4RS and a few, well-documented non-standard functions.

Line Count: At least 20.000 including basic stuff and the various systems based on LAML

Availability: The core LAML system is free software available from the LAML download page. Various server-based systems are currently not released.

Publications and descriptions:

The paper "A Programmatic Approach to WWW Authoring using Functional Programming"
( postscript , pdf )
New version as of August 2001 - currenlyt prepared for publication.

The paper "Programming World Wide Web pages in Scheme" ( postscript , pdf )
Sigplan Notices, vol. 34, no. 12, 1999

The paper "Using Lisp as a Markup Language -- The LAML Approach" ( postscript , pdf , slides html )
Presented at the European Lisp User Group Meeting, Amsterdam, 1999.

The short paper"A Suite of WWW-based Tools for Advanced Course Management"
(preliminary and extended html, final pdf, final zipped postscript, slides html)
Presented at "Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education" ITiCSE, Finland, July 2000

Slide presentations of LAML (the latter being the most comprehensive):

The teaching material Functional Programming in Scheme - A WWW-oriented approach

 

 

Generated: October 22, 2001, 15:34:34