NEWS

 File.full_path). Potential INCOMPATIBILITY.
 
 
 *** System ***
 
+* SML/NJ and old versions of Poly/ML are no longer supported.
+
+* The executable "isabelle_process" has been discontinued. Tools and
+prover front-ends should use ML_Process or Isabelle_Process in
+Isabelle/Scala. Command-line usage works via "isabelle process" or
+"isabelle console". INCOMPATIBILITY.
+
+* The Isabelle system environment always ensures that the main
+executables are found within the shell search $PATH: "isabelle" and
+"isabelle_scala_script".
+
+* New command-line tool "isabelle process" supports ML evaluation of
+literal expressions (option -e) or files (option -f) in the context of a
+given heap image. Errors lead to premature exit of the ML process with
+return code 1.
+
+* Command-line tool "isabelle console" provides option -r to help to
+bootstrapping Isabelle/Pure interactively.
+
+* Command-line tool "isabelle yxml" has been discontinued.
+INCOMPATIBILITY, use operations from the modules "XML" and "YXML" in
+Isabelle/ML or Isabelle/Scala.
+
 * File.bash_string, File.bash_path etc. represent Isabelle/ML and
 Isabelle/Scala strings authentically within GNU bash. This is useful to
 produce robust shell scripts under program control, without worrying
 about spaces or special characters. Note that user output works via
 Path.print (ML) or Path.toString (Scala). INCOMPATIBILITY, the old (and
 less versatile) operations File.shell_quote, File.shell_path etc. have
 been discontinued.
 
-* The Isabelle system environment always ensures that the main
-executables are found within the PATH: isabelle, isabelle_process,
-isabelle_scala_script.
-
-* Command-line tool "isabelle_process" no longer supports writable heap
-images. INCOMPATIBILITY in exotic situations where "isabelle build"
-cannot be used: the structure ML_Heap provides operations to save the ML
-heap under program control.
-
-* Command-line tool "isabelle_process" supports ML evaluation of literal
-expressions (option -e) or files (option -f). Errors lead to premature
-exit of the ML process with return code 1.
-
-* Command-line tool "isabelle console -r" helps to bootstrap
-Isabelle/Pure interactively.
-
-* The somewhat pointless command-line tool "isabelle yxml" has been
-discontinued. INCOMPATIBILITY, use operations from the modules "XML" and
-"YXML" in Isabelle/ML or Isabelle/Scala.
-
-* SML/NJ and old versions of Poly/ML are no longer supported.
 
 
 New in Isabelle2016 (February 2016)
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