The Listener Window displays messages about ViSta's operation and provides a place for typing statements in the underlying Lisp language, and in ViSta's ViVa language.

There are two Listener Windows: The DeskTop Listener, which is in the main desktop window, and the XLispStat Listener, which is in the XLisp-Stat window. You need to use the WINDOW menu's XLISPSTAT WINDOW item to see the XLispStat window. Only one of these is active at a time. Both work identically.

Several items of the WINDOW menu control aspects of the DeskTop Listener Window. The MAXIMIZE LISTENER menu item lets you maximize its size, while HIDE LISTENER hides it from view. The RESTORE LAYOUT item changes the desktop back to the basic layout. The DESKTOP LAYOUT item lets you change the number of lines shown in the DeskTop Listener.

To save the information that you see in the Listener, use the OPTIONS Menu's RECORD LISTENER item. This item is a toggle which turns recording on and off. All information that appears in the window while the item is checkmarked (e.g., AFTER you use the item the first time and before you use it again) will be recorded in the file you specify in the file dialog.

For more information about using the Listener for programming, see Luke Tierney's book on Lisp-Stat.
