The Portable LISP Translation Tool

Abstract : A manual describing the construction, syntax, operation, and deficiencies of the PORTARE interdialect LISP translation program at Rand. There are several important dialects of the LISP programming language, namely, Interlisp, Franz Lisp, Common Lisp, Portable Standard LISP (PSL), Cambridge Lisp, and Lisp 370. Programs implemented in one dialect are usually not directly transportable to another. The PORTARE program was developed to automatically translate programs from one LISP dialect to another and to support their execution in the target system. It features a pattern-directed translator coupled with a scheme for incremental translation of the individual modules of large programs. The run time environment supports deficiencies of the target LISP system. PORTARE is currently capable of translating between Interlisp and PSL (in both directions), and from Franz Lisp into PSL.