1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @setfilename ../info/cl
3 @settitle Common Lisp Extensions
7 * CL: (cl). Partial Common Lisp support for Emacs Lisp.
15 This file documents the GNU Emacs Common Lisp emulation package.
17 Copyright (C) 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
19 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
20 manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
21 preserved on all copies.
24 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
25 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice
26 identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this
27 paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
30 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
31 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
32 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as
33 in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is
34 distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one.
36 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
37 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
38 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
39 included in a translation approved by the author instead of in the
45 @center @titlefont{Common Lisp Extensions}
47 @center For GNU Emacs Lisp
51 @center Dave Gillespie
52 @center daveg@@synaptics.com
55 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
56 Copyright @copyright{} 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
58 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
59 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
60 are preserved on all copies.
63 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
64 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice
65 identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this
66 paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
69 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
70 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
71 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as
72 in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is
73 distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one.
75 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
76 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
77 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
78 included in a translation approved by the author instead of in the
82 @node Top, Overview,, (dir)
83 @chapter Common Lisp Extensions
86 This document describes a set of Emacs Lisp facilities borrowed from
87 Common Lisp. All the facilities are described here in detail. While
88 this document does not assume any prior knowledge of Common Lisp, it
89 does assume a basic familiarity with Emacs Lisp.
92 * Overview:: Installation, usage, etc.
93 * Program Structure:: Arglists, `eval-when', `defalias'
94 * Predicates:: `typep', `eql', and `equalp'
95 * Control Structure:: `setf', `do', `loop', etc.
96 * Macros:: Destructuring, `define-compiler-macro'
97 * Declarations:: `proclaim', `declare', etc.
98 * Symbols:: Property lists, `gensym'
99 * Numbers:: Predicates, functions, random numbers
100 * Sequences:: Mapping, functions, searching, sorting
101 * Lists:: `cadr', `sublis', `member*', `assoc*', etc.
102 * Hash Tables:: `make-hash-table', `gethash', etc.
103 * Structures:: `defstruct'
104 * Assertions:: `check-type', `assert', `ignore-errors'.
106 * Efficiency Concerns:: Hints and techniques
107 * Common Lisp Compatibility:: All known differences with Steele
108 * Old CL Compatibility:: All known differences with old cl.el
109 * Porting Common Lisp:: Hints for porting Common Lisp code
115 @node Overview, Program Structure, Top, Top
124 Common Lisp is a huge language, and Common Lisp systems tend to be
125 massive and extremely complex. Emacs Lisp, by contrast, is rather
126 minimalist in the choice of Lisp features it offers the programmer.
127 As Emacs Lisp programmers have grown in number, and the applications
128 they write have grown more ambitious, it has become clear that Emacs
129 Lisp could benefit from many of the conveniences of Common Lisp.
131 The @dfn{CL} package adds a number of Common Lisp functions and
132 control structures to Emacs Lisp. While not a 100% complete
133 implementation of Common Lisp, @dfn{CL} adds enough functionality
134 to make Emacs Lisp programming significantly more convenient.
136 Some Common Lisp features have been omitted from this package
141 Some features are too complex or bulky relative to their benefit
142 to Emacs Lisp programmers. CLOS and Common Lisp streams are fine
143 examples of this group.
146 Other features cannot be implemented without modification to the
147 Emacs Lisp interpreter itself, such as multiple return values,
148 lexical scoping, case-insensitive symbols, and complex numbers.
149 The @dfn{CL} package generally makes no attempt to emulate these
153 Some features conflict with existing things in Emacs Lisp. For
154 example, Emacs' @code{assoc} function is incompatible with the
155 Common Lisp @code{assoc}. In such cases, this package usually
156 adds the suffix @samp{*} to the function name of the Common
157 Lisp version of the function (e.g., @code{assoc*}).
160 The package described here was written by Dave Gillespie,
161 @file{daveg@@synaptics.com}. It is a total rewrite of the original
162 1986 @file{cl.el} package by Cesar Quiroz. Most features of the
163 the Quiroz package have been retained; any incompatibilities are
164 noted in the descriptions below. Care has been taken in this
165 version to ensure that each function is defined efficiently,
166 concisely, and with minimal impact on the rest of the Emacs
170 * Usage:: How to use the CL package
171 * Organization:: The package's five component files
172 * Installation:: Compiling and installing CL
173 * Naming Conventions:: Notes on CL function names
176 @node Usage, Organization, Overview, Overview
180 Lisp code that uses features from the @dfn{CL} package should
181 include at the beginning:
188 If you want to ensure that the new (Gillespie) version of @dfn{CL}
189 is the one that is present, add an additional @code{(require 'cl-19)}
198 The second call will fail (with ``@file{cl-19.el} not found'') if
199 the old @file{cl.el} package was in use.
201 It is safe to arrange to load @dfn{CL} at all times, e.g.,
202 in your @file{.emacs} file. But it's a good idea, for portability,
203 to @code{(require 'cl)} in your code even if you do this.
205 @node Organization, Installation, Usage, Overview
206 @section Organization
209 The Common Lisp package is organized into four files:
213 This is the ``main'' file, which contains basic functions
214 and information about the package. This file is relatively
215 compact---about 700 lines.
218 This file contains the larger, more complex or unusual functions.
219 It is kept separate so that packages which only want to use Common
220 Lisp fundamentals like the @code{cadr} function won't need to pay
221 the overhead of loading the more advanced functions.
224 This file contains most of the advanced functions for operating
225 on sequences or lists, such as @code{delete-if} and @code{assoc*}.
228 This file contains the features of the packages which are macros
229 instead of functions. Macros expand when the caller is compiled,
230 not when it is run, so the macros generally only need to be
231 present when the byte-compiler is running (or when the macros are
232 used in uncompiled code such as a @file{.emacs} file). Most of
233 the macros of this package are isolated in @file{cl-macs.el} so
234 that they won't take up memory unless you are compiling.
237 The file @file{cl.el} includes all necessary @code{autoload}
238 commands for the functions and macros in the other three files.
239 All you have to do is @code{(require 'cl)}, and @file{cl.el}
240 will take care of pulling in the other files when they are
243 There is another file, @file{cl-compat.el}, which defines some
244 routines from the older @file{cl.el} package that are no longer
245 present in the new package. This includes internal routines
246 like @code{setelt} and @code{zip-lists}, deprecated features
247 like @code{defkeyword}, and an emulation of the old-style
248 multiple-values feature. @xref{Old CL Compatibility}.
250 @node Installation, Naming Conventions, Organization, Overview
251 @section Installation
254 Installation of the @dfn{CL} package is simple: Just put the
255 byte-compiled files @file{cl.elc}, @file{cl-extra.elc},
256 @file{cl-seq.elc}, @file{cl-macs.elc}, and @file{cl-compat.elc}
257 into a directory on your @code{load-path}.
259 There are no special requirements to compile this package:
260 The files do not have to be loaded before they are compiled,
261 nor do they need to be compiled in any particular order.
263 You may choose to put the files into your main @file{lisp/}
264 directory, replacing the original @file{cl.el} file there. Or,
265 you could put them into a directory that comes before @file{lisp/}
266 on your @code{load-path} so that the old @file{cl.el} is
269 Also, format the @file{cl.texinfo} file and put the resulting
270 Info files in the @file{info/} directory or another suitable place.
272 You may instead wish to leave this package's components all in
273 their own directory, and then add this directory to your
274 @code{load-path} and (Emacs 19 only) @code{Info-directory-list}.
275 Add the directory to the front of the list so the old @dfn{CL}
276 package and its documentation are hidden.
278 @node Naming Conventions, , Installation, Overview
279 @section Naming Conventions
282 Except where noted, all functions defined by this package have the
283 same names and calling conventions as their Common Lisp counterparts.
285 Following is a complete list of functions whose names were changed
286 from Common Lisp, usually to avoid conflicts with Emacs. In each
287 case, a @samp{*} has been appended to the Common Lisp name to obtain
291 defun* defsubst* defmacro* function*
292 member* assoc* rassoc* get*
293 remove* delete* mapcar* sort*
294 floor* ceiling* truncate* round*
295 mod* rem* random* last*
298 Internal function and variable names in the package are prefixed
299 by @code{cl-}. Here is a complete list of functions @emph{not}
300 prefixed by @code{cl-} which were not taken from Common Lisp:
303 member delete remove remq
304 rassoc floatp-safe lexical-let lexical-let*
305 callf callf2 letf letf*
306 defsubst* defalias add-hook eval-when-compile
310 (Most of these are Emacs 19 features provided to Emacs 18 users,
311 or introduced, like @code{remq}, for reasons of symmetry
312 with similar features.)
314 The following simple functions and macros are defined in @file{cl.el};
315 they do not cause other components like @file{cl-extra} to be loaded.
318 eql floatp-safe abs endp
319 evenp oddp plusp minusp
320 butlast nbutlast caar .. cddddr
321 list* ldiff rest first .. tenth
322 member [1] copy-list subst mapcar* [2]
323 adjoin [3] acons pairlis pop [4]
324 push [4] pushnew [3,4] incf [4] decf [4]
329 [1] This is the Emacs 19-compatible function, not @code{member*}.
332 [2] Only for one sequence argument or two list arguments.
335 [3] Only if @code{:test} is @code{eq}, @code{equal}, or unspecified,
336 and @code{:key} is not used.
339 [4] Only when @var{place} is a plain variable name.
345 @node Program Structure, Predicates, Overview, Top
346 @chapter Program Structure
349 This section describes features of the @dfn{CL} package which have to
350 do with programs as a whole: advanced argument lists for functions,
351 and the @code{eval-when} construct.
354 * Argument Lists:: `&key', `&aux', `defun*', `defmacro*'.
355 * Time of Evaluation:: The `eval-when' construct.
356 * Function Aliases:: The `defalias' function.
363 @node Argument Lists, Time of Evaluation, Program Structure, Program Structure
364 @section Argument Lists
367 Emacs Lisp's notation for argument lists of functions is a subset of
368 the Common Lisp notation. As well as the familiar @code{&optional}
369 and @code{&rest} markers, Common Lisp allows you to specify default
370 values for optional arguments, and it provides the additional markers
371 @code{&key} and @code{&aux}.
373 Since argument parsing is built-in to Emacs, there is no way for
374 this package to implement Common Lisp argument lists seamlessly.
375 Instead, this package defines alternates for several Lisp forms
376 which you must use if you need Common Lisp argument lists.
378 @defspec defun* name arglist body...
379 This form is identical to the regular @code{defun} form, except
380 that @var{arglist} is allowed to be a full Common Lisp argument
381 list. Also, the function body is enclosed in an implicit block
382 called @var{name}; @pxref{Blocks and Exits}.
385 @defspec defsubst* name arglist body...
386 This is just like @code{defun*}, except that the function that
387 is defined is automatically proclaimed @code{inline}, i.e.,
388 calls to it may be expanded into in-line code by the byte compiler.
389 This is analogous to the @code{defsubst} form in Emacs 19;
390 @code{defsubst*} uses a different method (compiler macros) which
391 works in all version of Emacs, and also generates somewhat more
392 efficient inline expansions. In particular, @code{defsubst*}
393 arranges for the processing of keyword arguments, default values,
394 etc., to be done at compile-time whenever possible.
397 @defspec defmacro* name arglist body...
398 This is identical to the regular @code{defmacro} form,
399 except that @var{arglist} is allowed to be a full Common Lisp
400 argument list. The @code{&environment} keyword is supported as
401 described in Steele. The @code{&whole} keyword is supported only
402 within destructured lists (see below); top-level @code{&whole}
403 cannot be implemented with the current Emacs Lisp interpreter.
404 The macro expander body is enclosed in an implicit block called
408 @defspec function* symbol-or-lambda
409 This is identical to the regular @code{function} form,
410 except that if the argument is a @code{lambda} form then that
411 form may use a full Common Lisp argument list.
414 Also, all forms (such as @code{defsetf} and @code{flet}) defined
415 in this package that include @var{arglist}s in their syntax allow
416 full Common Lisp argument lists.
418 Note that it is @emph{not} necessary to use @code{defun*} in
419 order to have access to most @dfn{CL} features in your function.
420 These features are always present; @code{defun*}'s only
421 difference from @code{defun} is its more flexible argument
422 lists and its implicit block.
424 The full form of a Common Lisp argument list is
428 &optional (@var{var} @var{initform} @var{svar})...
430 &key ((@var{keyword} @var{var}) @var{initform} @var{svar})...
431 &aux (@var{var} @var{initform})...)
434 Each of the five argument list sections is optional. The @var{svar},
435 @var{initform}, and @var{keyword} parts are optional; if they are
436 omitted, then @samp{(@var{var})} may be written simply @samp{@var{var}}.
438 The first section consists of zero or more @dfn{required} arguments.
439 These arguments must always be specified in a call to the function;
440 there is no difference between Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp as far as
441 required arguments are concerned.
443 The second section consists of @dfn{optional} arguments. These
444 arguments may be specified in the function call; if they are not,
445 @var{initform} specifies the default value used for the argument.
446 (No @var{initform} means to use @code{nil} as the default.) The
447 @var{initform} is evaluated with the bindings for the preceding
448 arguments already established; @code{(a &optional (b (1+ a)))}
449 matches one or two arguments, with the second argument defaulting
450 to one plus the first argument. If the @var{svar} is specified,
451 it is an auxiliary variable which is bound to @code{t} if the optional
452 argument was specified, or to @code{nil} if the argument was omitted.
453 If you don't use an @var{svar}, then there will be no way for your
454 function to tell whether it was called with no argument, or with
455 the default value passed explicitly as an argument.
457 The third section consists of a single @dfn{rest} argument. If
458 more arguments were passed to the function than are accounted for
459 by the required and optional arguments, those extra arguments are
460 collected into a list and bound to the ``rest'' argument variable.
461 Common Lisp's @code{&rest} is equivalent to that of Emacs Lisp.
462 Common Lisp accepts @code{&body} as a synonym for @code{&rest} in
463 macro contexts; this package accepts it all the time.
465 The fourth section consists of @dfn{keyword} arguments. These
466 are optional arguments which are specified by name rather than
467 positionally in the argument list. For example,
470 (defun* foo (a &optional b &key c d (e 17)))
474 defines a function which may be called with one, two, or more
475 arguments. The first two arguments are bound to @code{a} and
476 @code{b} in the usual way. The remaining arguments must be
477 pairs of the form @code{:c}, @code{:d}, or @code{:e} followed
478 by the value to be bound to the corresponding argument variable.
479 (Symbols whose names begin with a colon are called @dfn{keywords},
480 and they are self-quoting in the same way as @code{nil} and
483 For example, the call @code{(foo 1 2 :d 3 :c 4)} sets the five
484 arguments to 1, 2, 4, 3, and 17, respectively. If the same keyword
485 appears more than once in the function call, the first occurrence
486 takes precedence over the later ones. Note that it is not possible
487 to specify keyword arguments without specifying the optional
488 argument @code{b} as well, since @code{(foo 1 :c 2)} would bind
489 @code{b} to the keyword @code{:c}, then signal an error because
490 @code{2} is not a valid keyword.
492 If a @var{keyword} symbol is explicitly specified in the argument
493 list as shown in the above diagram, then that keyword will be
494 used instead of just the variable name prefixed with a colon.
495 You can specify a @var{keyword} symbol which does not begin with
496 a colon at all, but such symbols will not be self-quoting; you
497 will have to quote them explicitly with an apostrophe in the
500 Ordinarily it is an error to pass an unrecognized keyword to
501 a function, e.g., @code{(foo 1 2 :c 3 :goober 4)}. You can ask
502 Lisp to ignore unrecognized keywords, either by adding the
503 marker @code{&allow-other-keys} after the keyword section
504 of the argument list, or by specifying an @code{:allow-other-keys}
505 argument in the call whose value is non-@code{nil}. If the
506 function uses both @code{&rest} and @code{&key} at the same time,
507 the ``rest'' argument is bound to the keyword list as it appears
508 in the call. For example:
511 (defun* find-thing (thing &rest rest &key need &allow-other-keys)
512 (or (apply 'member* thing thing-list :allow-other-keys t rest)
513 (if need (error "Thing not found"))))
517 This function takes a @code{:need} keyword argument, but also
518 accepts other keyword arguments which are passed on to the
519 @code{member*} function. @code{allow-other-keys} is used to
520 keep both @code{find-thing} and @code{member*} from complaining
521 about each others' keywords in the arguments.
523 As a (significant) performance optimization, this package
524 implements the scan for keyword arguments by calling @code{memq}
525 to search for keywords in a ``rest'' argument. Technically
526 speaking, this is incorrect, since @code{memq} looks at the
527 odd-numbered values as well as the even-numbered keywords.
528 The net effect is that if you happen to pass a keyword symbol
529 as the @emph{value} of another keyword argument, where that
530 keyword symbol happens to equal the name of a valid keyword
531 argument of the same function, then the keyword parser will
532 become confused. This minor bug can only affect you if you
533 use keyword symbols as general-purpose data in your program;
534 this practice is strongly discouraged in Emacs Lisp.
536 The fifth section of the argument list consists of @dfn{auxiliary
537 variables}. These are not really arguments at all, but simply
538 variables which are bound to @code{nil} or to the specified
539 @var{initforms} during execution of the function. There is no
540 difference between the following two functions, except for a
541 matter of stylistic taste:
544 (defun* foo (a b &aux (c (+ a b)) d)
552 Argument lists support @dfn{destructuring}. In Common Lisp,
553 destructuring is only allowed with @code{defmacro}; this package
554 allows it with @code{defun*} and other argument lists as well.
555 In destructuring, any argument variable (@var{var} in the above
556 diagram) can be replaced by a list of variables, or more generally,
557 a recursive argument list. The corresponding argument value must
558 be a list whose elements match this recursive argument list.
562 (defmacro* dolist ((var listform &optional resultform)
567 This says that the first argument of @code{dolist} must be a list
568 of two or three items; if there are other arguments as well as this
569 list, they are stored in @code{body}. All features allowed in
570 regular argument lists are allowed in these recursive argument lists.
571 In addition, the clause @samp{&whole @var{var}} is allowed at the
572 front of a recursive argument list. It binds @var{var} to the
573 whole list being matched; thus @code{(&whole all a b)} matches
574 a list of two things, with @code{a} bound to the first thing,
575 @code{b} bound to the second thing, and @code{all} bound to the
576 list itself. (Common Lisp allows @code{&whole} in top-level
577 @code{defmacro} argument lists as well, but Emacs Lisp does not
580 One last feature of destructuring is that the argument list may be
581 dotted, so that the argument list @code{(a b . c)} is functionally
582 equivalent to @code{(a b &rest c)}.
584 If the optimization quality @code{safety} is set to 0
585 (@pxref{Declarations}), error checking for wrong number of
586 arguments and invalid keyword arguments is disabled. By default,
587 argument lists are rigorously checked.
589 @node Time of Evaluation, Function Aliases, Argument Lists, Program Structure
590 @section Time of Evaluation
593 Normally, the byte-compiler does not actually execute the forms in
594 a file it compiles. For example, if a file contains @code{(setq foo t)},
595 the act of compiling it will not actually set @code{foo} to @code{t}.
596 This is true even if the @code{setq} was a top-level form (i.e., not
597 enclosed in a @code{defun} or other form). Sometimes, though, you
598 would like to have certain top-level forms evaluated at compile-time.
599 For example, the compiler effectively evaluates @code{defmacro} forms
600 at compile-time so that later parts of the file can refer to the
601 macros that are defined.
603 @defspec eval-when (situations...) forms...
604 This form controls when the body @var{forms} are evaluated.
605 The @var{situations} list may contain any set of the symbols
606 @code{compile}, @code{load}, and @code{eval} (or their long-winded
607 ANSI equivalents, @code{:compile-toplevel}, @code{:load-toplevel},
608 and @code{:execute}).
610 The @code{eval-when} form is handled differently depending on
611 whether or not it is being compiled as a top-level form.
612 Specifically, it gets special treatment if it is being compiled
613 by a command such as @code{byte-compile-file} which compiles files
614 or buffers of code, and it appears either literally at the
615 top level of the file or inside a top-level @code{progn}.
617 For compiled top-level @code{eval-when}s, the body @var{forms} are
618 executed at compile-time if @code{compile} is in the @var{situations}
619 list, and the @var{forms} are written out to the file (to be executed
620 at load-time) if @code{load} is in the @var{situations} list.
622 For non-compiled-top-level forms, only the @code{eval} situation is
623 relevant. (This includes forms executed by the interpreter, forms
624 compiled with @code{byte-compile} rather than @code{byte-compile-file},
625 and non-top-level forms.) The @code{eval-when} acts like a
626 @code{progn} if @code{eval} is specified, and like @code{nil}
627 (ignoring the body @var{forms}) if not.
629 The rules become more subtle when @code{eval-when}s are nested;
630 consult Steele (second edition) for the gruesome details (and
631 some gruesome examples).
633 Some simple examples:
636 ;; Top-level forms in foo.el:
637 (eval-when (compile) (setq foo1 'bar))
638 (eval-when (load) (setq foo2 'bar))
639 (eval-when (compile load) (setq foo3 'bar))
640 (eval-when (eval) (setq foo4 'bar))
641 (eval-when (eval compile) (setq foo5 'bar))
642 (eval-when (eval load) (setq foo6 'bar))
643 (eval-when (eval compile load) (setq foo7 'bar))
646 When @file{foo.el} is compiled, these variables will be set during
647 the compilation itself:
650 foo1 foo3 foo5 foo7 ; `compile'
653 When @file{foo.elc} is loaded, these variables will be set:
656 foo2 foo3 foo6 foo7 ; `load'
659 And if @file{foo.el} is loaded uncompiled, these variables will
663 foo4 foo5 foo6 foo7 ; `eval'
666 If these seven @code{eval-when}s had been, say, inside a @code{defun},
667 then the first three would have been equivalent to @code{nil} and the
668 last four would have been equivalent to the corresponding @code{setq}s.
670 Note that @code{(eval-when (load eval) @dots{})} is equivalent
671 to @code{(progn @dots{})} in all contexts. The compiler treats
672 certain top-level forms, like @code{defmacro} (sort-of) and
673 @code{require}, as if they were wrapped in @code{(eval-when
674 (compile load eval) @dots{})}.
677 Emacs 19 includes two special forms related to @code{eval-when}.
678 One of these, @code{eval-when-compile}, is not quite equivalent to
679 any @code{eval-when} construct and is described below. This package
680 defines a version of @code{eval-when-compile} for the benefit of
683 The other form, @code{(eval-and-compile @dots{})}, is exactly
684 equivalent to @samp{(eval-when (compile load eval) @dots{})} and
685 so is not itself defined by this package.
687 @defspec eval-when-compile forms...
688 The @var{forms} are evaluated at compile-time; at execution time,
689 this form acts like a quoted constant of the resulting value. Used
690 at top-level, @code{eval-when-compile} is just like @samp{eval-when
691 (compile eval)}. In other contexts, @code{eval-when-compile}
692 allows code to be evaluated once at compile-time for efficiency
695 This form is similar to the @samp{#.} syntax of true Common Lisp.
698 @defspec load-time-value form
699 The @var{form} is evaluated at load-time; at execution time,
700 this form acts like a quoted constant of the resulting value.
702 Early Common Lisp had a @samp{#,} syntax that was similar to
703 this, but ANSI Common Lisp replaced it with @code{load-time-value}
704 and gave it more well-defined semantics.
706 In a compiled file, @code{load-time-value} arranges for @var{form}
707 to be evaluated when the @file{.elc} file is loaded and then used
708 as if it were a quoted constant. In code compiled by
709 @code{byte-compile} rather than @code{byte-compile-file}, the
710 effect is identical to @code{eval-when-compile}. In uncompiled
711 code, both @code{eval-when-compile} and @code{load-time-value}
712 act exactly like @code{progn}.
716 (insert "This function was executed on: "
717 (current-time-string)
719 (eval-when-compile (current-time-string))
720 ;; or '#.(current-time-string) in real Common Lisp
722 (load-time-value (current-time-string))))
726 Byte-compiled, the above defun will result in the following code
727 (or its compiled equivalent, of course) in the @file{.elc} file:
730 (setq --temp-- (current-time-string))
732 (insert "This function was executed on: "
733 (current-time-string)
735 '"Wed Jun 23 18:33:43 1993"
741 @node Function Aliases, , Time of Evaluation, Program Structure
742 @section Function Aliases
745 This section describes a feature from GNU Emacs 19 which this
746 package makes available in other versions of Emacs.
748 @defun defalias symbol function
749 This function sets @var{symbol}'s function cell to @var{function}.
750 It is equivalent to @code{fset}, except that in GNU Emacs 19 it also
751 records the setting in @code{load-history} so that it can be undone
752 by a later @code{unload-feature}.
754 In other versions of Emacs, @code{defalias} is a synonym for
758 @node Predicates, Control Structure, Program Structure, Top
762 This section describes functions for testing whether various
763 facts are true or false.
766 * Type Predicates:: `typep', `deftype', and `coerce'
767 * Equality Predicates:: `eql' and `equalp'
770 @node Type Predicates, Equality Predicates, Predicates, Predicates
771 @section Type Predicates
774 The @dfn{CL} package defines a version of the Common Lisp @code{typep}
777 @defun typep object type
778 Check if @var{object} is of type @var{type}, where @var{type} is a
779 (quoted) type name of the sort used by Common Lisp. For example,
780 @code{(typep foo 'integer)} is equivalent to @code{(integerp foo)}.
783 The @var{type} argument to the above function is either a symbol
784 or a list beginning with a symbol.
788 If the type name is a symbol, Emacs appends @samp{-p} to the
789 symbol name to form the name of a predicate function for testing
790 the type. (Built-in predicates whose names end in @samp{p} rather
791 than @samp{-p} are used when appropriate.)
794 The type symbol @code{t} stands for the union of all types.
795 @code{(typep @var{object} t)} is always true. Likewise, the
796 type symbol @code{nil} stands for nothing at all, and
797 @code{(typep @var{object} nil)} is always false.
800 The type symbol @code{null} represents the symbol @code{nil}.
801 Thus @code{(typep @var{object} 'null)} is equivalent to
802 @code{(null @var{object})}.
805 The type symbol @code{real} is a synonym for @code{number}, and
806 @code{fixnum} is a synonym for @code{integer}.
809 The type symbols @code{character} and @code{string-char} match
810 integers in the range from 0 to 255.
813 The type symbol @code{float} uses the @code{floatp-safe} predicate
814 defined by this package rather than @code{floatp}, so it will work
815 correctly even in Emacs versions without floating-point support.
818 The type list @code{(integer @var{low} @var{high})} represents all
819 integers between @var{low} and @var{high}, inclusive. Either bound
820 may be a list of a single integer to specify an exclusive limit,
821 or a @code{*} to specify no limit. The type @code{(integer * *)}
822 is thus equivalent to @code{integer}.
825 Likewise, lists beginning with @code{float}, @code{real}, or
826 @code{number} represent numbers of that type falling in a particular
830 Lists beginning with @code{and}, @code{or}, and @code{not} form
831 combinations of types. For example, @code{(or integer (float 0 *))}
832 represents all objects that are integers or non-negative floats.
835 Lists beginning with @code{member} or @code{member*} represent
836 objects @code{eql} to any of the following values. For example,
837 @code{(member 1 2 3 4)} is equivalent to @code{(integer 1 4)},
838 and @code{(member nil)} is equivalent to @code{null}.
841 Lists of the form @code{(satisfies @var{predicate})} represent
842 all objects for which @var{predicate} returns true when called
843 with that object as an argument.
846 The following function and macro (not technically predicates) are
847 related to @code{typep}.
849 @defun coerce object type
850 This function attempts to convert @var{object} to the specified
851 @var{type}. If @var{object} is already of that type as determined by
852 @code{typep}, it is simply returned. Otherwise, certain types of
853 conversions will be made: If @var{type} is any sequence type
854 (@code{string}, @code{list}, etc.) then @var{object} will be
855 converted to that type if possible. If @var{type} is
856 @code{character}, then strings of length one and symbols with
857 one-character names can be coerced. If @var{type} is @code{float},
858 then integers can be coerced in versions of Emacs that support
859 floats. In all other circumstances, @code{coerce} signals an
863 @defspec deftype name arglist forms...
864 This macro defines a new type called @var{name}. It is similar
865 to @code{defmacro} in many ways; when @var{name} is encountered
866 as a type name, the body @var{forms} are evaluated and should
867 return a type specifier that is equivalent to the type. The
868 @var{arglist} is a Common Lisp argument list of the sort accepted
869 by @code{defmacro*}. The type specifier @samp{(@var{name} @var{args}...)}
870 is expanded by calling the expander with those arguments; the type
871 symbol @samp{@var{name}} is expanded by calling the expander with
872 no arguments. The @var{arglist} is processed the same as for
873 @code{defmacro*} except that optional arguments without explicit
874 defaults use @code{*} instead of @code{nil} as the ``default''
875 default. Some examples:
878 (deftype null () '(satisfies null)) ; predefined
879 (deftype list () '(or null cons)) ; predefined
880 (deftype unsigned-byte (&optional bits)
881 (list 'integer 0 (if (eq bits '*) bits (1- (lsh 1 bits)))))
882 (unsigned-byte 8) @equiv{} (integer 0 255)
883 (unsigned-byte) @equiv{} (integer 0 *)
884 unsigned-byte @equiv{} (integer 0 *)
888 The last example shows how the Common Lisp @code{unsigned-byte}
889 type specifier could be implemented if desired; this package does
890 not implement @code{unsigned-byte} by default.
893 The @code{typecase} and @code{check-type} macros also use type
894 names. @xref{Conditionals}. @xref{Assertions}. The @code{map},
895 @code{concatenate}, and @code{merge} functions take type-name
896 arguments to specify the type of sequence to return. @xref{Sequences}.
898 @node Equality Predicates, , Type Predicates, Predicates
899 @section Equality Predicates
902 This package defines two Common Lisp predicates, @code{eql} and
906 This function is almost the same as @code{eq}, except that if @var{a}
907 and @var{b} are numbers of the same type, it compares them for numeric
908 equality (as if by @code{equal} instead of @code{eq}). This makes a
909 difference only for versions of Emacs that are compiled with
910 floating-point support, such as Emacs 19. Emacs floats are allocated
911 objects just like cons cells, which means that @code{(eq 3.0 3.0)}
912 will not necessarily be true---if the two @code{3.0}s were allocated
913 separately, the pointers will be different even though the numbers are
914 the same. But @code{(eql 3.0 3.0)} will always be true.
916 The types of the arguments must match, so @code{(eql 3 3.0)} is
919 Note that Emacs integers are ``direct'' rather than allocated, which
920 basically means @code{(eq 3 3)} will always be true. Thus @code{eq}
921 and @code{eql} behave differently only if floating-point numbers are
922 involved, and are indistinguishable on Emacs versions that don't
925 There is a slight inconsistency with Common Lisp in the treatment of
926 positive and negative zeros. Some machines, notably those with IEEE
927 standard arithmetic, represent @code{+0} and @code{-0} as distinct
928 values. Normally this doesn't matter because the standard specifies
929 that @code{(= 0.0 -0.0)} should always be true, and this is indeed
930 what Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp do. But the Common Lisp standard
931 states that @code{(eql 0.0 -0.0)} and @code{(equal 0.0 -0.0)} should
932 be false on IEEE-like machines; Emacs Lisp does not do this, and in
933 fact the only known way to distinguish between the two zeros in Emacs
934 Lisp is to @code{format} them and check for a minus sign.
938 This function is a more flexible version of @code{equal}. In
939 particular, it compares strings case-insensitively, and it compares
940 numbers without regard to type (so that @code{(equalp 3 3.0)} is
941 true). Vectors and conses are compared recursively. All other
942 objects are compared as if by @code{equal}.
944 This function differs from Common Lisp @code{equalp} in several
945 respects. First, Common Lisp's @code{equalp} also compares
946 @emph{characters} case-insensitively, which would be impractical
947 in this package since Emacs does not distinguish between integers
948 and characters. In keeping with the idea that strings are less
949 vector-like in Emacs Lisp, this package's @code{equalp} also will
950 not compare strings against vectors of integers. Finally, Common
951 Lisp's @code{equalp} compares hash tables without regard to
952 ordering, whereas this package simply compares hash tables in
953 terms of their underlying structure (which means vectors for Lucid
954 Emacs 19 hash tables, or lists for other hash tables).
957 Also note that the Common Lisp functions @code{member} and @code{assoc}
958 use @code{eql} to compare elements, whereas Emacs Lisp follows the
959 MacLisp tradition and uses @code{equal} for these two functions.
960 In Emacs, use @code{member*} and @code{assoc*} to get functions
961 which use @code{eql} for comparisons.
963 @node Control Structure, Macros, Predicates, Top
964 @chapter Control Structure
967 The features described in the following sections implement
968 various advanced control structures, including the powerful
969 @code{setf} facility and a number of looping and conditional
973 * Assignment:: The `psetq' form
974 * Generalized Variables:: `setf', `incf', `push', etc.
975 * Variable Bindings:: `progv', `lexical-let', `flet', `macrolet'
976 * Conditionals:: `case', `typecase'
977 * Blocks and Exits:: `block', `return', `return-from'
978 * Iteration:: `do', `dotimes', `dolist', `do-symbols'
979 * Loop Facility:: The Common Lisp `loop' macro
980 * Multiple Values:: `values', `multiple-value-bind', etc.
983 @node Assignment, Generalized Variables, Control Structure, Control Structure
987 The @code{psetq} form is just like @code{setq}, except that multiple
988 assignments are done in parallel rather than sequentially.
990 @defspec psetq [symbol form]@dots{}
991 This special form (actually a macro) is used to assign to several
992 variables simultaneously. Given only one @var{symbol} and @var{form},
993 it has the same effect as @code{setq}. Given several @var{symbol}
994 and @var{form} pairs, it evaluates all the @var{form}s in advance
995 and then stores the corresponding variables afterwards.
999 (setq x (+ x y) y (* x y))
1002 y ; @r{@code{y} was computed after @code{x} was set.}
1005 (psetq x (+ x y) y (* x y))
1008 y ; @r{@code{y} was computed before @code{x} was set.}
1012 The simplest use of @code{psetq} is @code{(psetq x y y x)}, which
1013 exchanges the values of two variables. (The @code{rotatef} form
1014 provides an even more convenient way to swap two variables;
1015 @pxref{Modify Macros}.)
1017 @code{psetq} always returns @code{nil}.
1020 @node Generalized Variables, Variable Bindings, Assignment, Control Structure
1021 @section Generalized Variables
1024 A ``generalized variable'' or ``place form'' is one of the many places
1025 in Lisp memory where values can be stored. The simplest place form is
1026 a regular Lisp variable. But the cars and cdrs of lists, elements
1027 of arrays, properties of symbols, and many other locations are also
1028 places where Lisp values are stored.
1030 The @code{setf} form is like @code{setq}, except that it accepts
1031 arbitrary place forms on the left side rather than just
1032 symbols. For example, @code{(setf (car a) b)} sets the car of
1033 @code{a} to @code{b}, doing the same operation as @code{(setcar a b)}
1034 but without having to remember two separate functions for setting
1035 and accessing every type of place.
1037 Generalized variables are analogous to ``lvalues'' in the C
1038 language, where @samp{x = a[i]} gets an element from an array
1039 and @samp{a[i] = x} stores an element using the same notation.
1040 Just as certain forms like @code{a[i]} can be lvalues in C, there
1041 is a set of forms that can be generalized variables in Lisp.
1044 * Basic Setf:: `setf' and place forms
1045 * Modify Macros:: `incf', `push', `rotatef', `letf', `callf', etc.
1046 * Customizing Setf:: `define-modify-macro', `defsetf', `define-setf-method'
1049 @node Basic Setf, Modify Macros, Generalized Variables, Generalized Variables
1050 @subsection Basic Setf
1053 The @code{setf} macro is the most basic way to operate on generalized
1056 @defspec setf [place form]@dots{}
1057 This macro evaluates @var{form} and stores it in @var{place}, which
1058 must be a valid generalized variable form. If there are several
1059 @var{place} and @var{form} pairs, the assignments are done sequentially
1060 just as with @code{setq}. @code{setf} returns the value of the last
1063 The following Lisp forms will work as generalized variables, and
1064 so may legally appear in the @var{place} argument of @code{setf}:
1068 A symbol naming a variable. In other words, @code{(setf x y)} is
1069 exactly equivalent to @code{(setq x y)}, and @code{setq} itself is
1070 strictly speaking redundant now that @code{setf} exists. Many
1071 programmers continue to prefer @code{setq} for setting simple
1072 variables, though, purely for stylistic or historical reasons.
1073 The macro @code{(setf x y)} actually expands to @code{(setq x y)},
1074 so there is no performance penalty for using it in compiled code.
1077 A call to any of the following Lisp functions:
1080 car cdr caar .. cddddr
1081 nth rest first .. tenth
1083 symbol-function symbol-value symbol-plist
1089 Note that for @code{nthcdr} and @code{getf}, the list argument
1090 of the function must itself be a valid @var{place} form. For
1091 example, @code{(setf (nthcdr 0 foo) 7)} will set @code{foo} itself
1092 to 7. Note that @code{push} and @code{pop} on an @code{nthcdr}
1093 place can be used to insert or delete at any position in a list.
1094 The use of @code{nthcdr} as a @var{place} form is an extension
1095 to standard Common Lisp.
1098 The following Emacs-specific functions are also @code{setf}-able.
1099 (Some of these are defined only in Emacs 19 or only in Lucid Emacs.)
1102 buffer-file-name marker-position
1103 buffer-modified-p match-data
1104 buffer-name mouse-position
1105 buffer-string overlay-end
1106 buffer-substring overlay-get
1107 current-buffer overlay-start
1108 current-case-table point
1109 current-column point-marker
1110 current-global-map point-max
1111 current-input-mode point-min
1112 current-local-map process-buffer
1113 current-window-configuration process-filter
1114 default-file-modes process-sentinel
1115 default-value read-mouse-position
1116 documentation-property screen-height
1117 extent-data screen-menubar
1118 extent-end-position screen-width
1119 extent-start-position selected-window
1120 face-background selected-screen
1121 face-background-pixmap selected-frame
1122 face-font standard-case-table
1123 face-foreground syntax-table
1124 face-underline-p window-buffer
1125 file-modes window-dedicated-p
1126 frame-height window-display-table
1127 frame-parameters window-height
1128 frame-visible-p window-hscroll
1129 frame-width window-point
1130 get-register window-start
1132 global-key-binding x-get-cut-buffer
1133 keymap-parent x-get-cutbuffer
1134 local-key-binding x-get-secondary-selection
1135 mark x-get-selection
1139 Most of these have directly corresponding ``set'' functions, like
1140 @code{use-local-map} for @code{current-local-map}, or @code{goto-char}
1141 for @code{point}. A few, like @code{point-min}, expand to longer
1142 sequences of code when they are @code{setf}'d (@code{(narrow-to-region
1143 x (point-max))} in this case).
1146 A call of the form @code{(substring @var{subplace} @var{n} [@var{m}])},
1147 where @var{subplace} is itself a legal generalized variable whose
1148 current value is a string, and where the value stored is also a
1149 string. The new string is spliced into the specified part of the
1150 destination string. For example:
1153 (setq a (list "hello" "world"))
1154 @result{} ("hello" "world")
1157 (substring (cadr a) 2 4)
1159 (setf (substring (cadr a) 2 4) "o")
1164 @result{} ("hello" "wood")
1167 The generalized variable @code{buffer-substring}, listed above,
1168 also works in this way by replacing a portion of the current buffer.
1171 A call of the form @code{(apply '@var{func} @dots{})} or
1172 @code{(apply (function @var{func}) @dots{})}, where @var{func}
1173 is a @code{setf}-able function whose store function is ``suitable''
1174 in the sense described in Steele's book; since none of the standard
1175 Emacs place functions are suitable in this sense, this feature is
1176 only interesting when used with places you define yourself with
1177 @code{define-setf-method} or the long form of @code{defsetf}.
1180 A macro call, in which case the macro is expanded and @code{setf}
1181 is applied to the resulting form.
1184 Any form for which a @code{defsetf} or @code{define-setf-method}
1188 Using any forms other than these in the @var{place} argument to
1189 @code{setf} will signal an error.
1191 The @code{setf} macro takes care to evaluate all subforms in
1192 the proper left-to-right order; for example,
1195 (setf (aref vec (incf i)) i)
1199 looks like it will evaluate @code{(incf i)} exactly once, before the
1200 following access to @code{i}; the @code{setf} expander will insert
1201 temporary variables as necessary to ensure that it does in fact work
1202 this way no matter what setf-method is defined for @code{aref}.
1203 (In this case, @code{aset} would be used and no such steps would
1204 be necessary since @code{aset} takes its arguments in a convenient
1207 However, if the @var{place} form is a macro which explicitly
1208 evaluates its arguments in an unusual order, this unusual order
1209 will be preserved. Adapting an example from Steele, given
1212 (defmacro wrong-order (x y) (list 'aref y x))
1216 the form @code{(setf (wrong-order @var{a} @var{b}) 17)} will
1217 evaluate @var{b} first, then @var{a}, just as in an actual call
1218 to @code{wrong-order}.
1221 @node Modify Macros, Customizing Setf, Basic Setf, Generalized Variables
1222 @subsection Modify Macros
1225 This package defines a number of other macros besides @code{setf}
1226 that operate on generalized variables. Many are interesting and
1227 useful even when the @var{place} is just a variable name.
1229 @defspec psetf [place form]@dots{}
1230 This macro is to @code{setf} what @code{psetq} is to @code{setq}:
1231 When several @var{place}s and @var{form}s are involved, the
1232 assignments take place in parallel rather than sequentially.
1233 Specifically, all subforms are evaluated from left to right, then
1234 all the assignments are done (in an undefined order).
1237 @defspec incf place &optional x
1238 This macro increments the number stored in @var{place} by one, or
1239 by @var{x} if specified. The incremented value is returned. For
1240 example, @code{(incf i)} is equivalent to @code{(setq i (1+ i))}, and
1241 @code{(incf (car x) 2)} is equivalent to @code{(setcar x (+ (car x) 2))}.
1243 Once again, care is taken to preserve the ``apparent'' order of
1244 evaluation. For example,
1247 (incf (aref vec (incf i)))
1251 appears to increment @code{i} once, then increment the element of
1252 @code{vec} addressed by @code{i}; this is indeed exactly what it
1253 does, which means the above form is @emph{not} equivalent to the
1254 ``obvious'' expansion,
1257 (setf (aref vec (incf i)) (1+ (aref vec (incf i)))) ; Wrong!
1261 but rather to something more like
1264 (let ((temp (incf i)))
1265 (setf (aref vec temp) (1+ (aref vec temp))))
1269 Again, all of this is taken care of automatically by @code{incf} and
1270 the other generalized-variable macros.
1272 As a more Emacs-specific example of @code{incf}, the expression
1273 @code{(incf (point) @var{n})} is essentially equivalent to
1274 @code{(forward-char @var{n})}.
1277 @defspec decf place &optional x
1278 This macro decrements the number stored in @var{place} by one, or
1279 by @var{x} if specified.
1283 This macro removes and returns the first element of the list stored
1284 in @var{place}. It is analogous to @code{(prog1 (car @var{place})
1285 (setf @var{place} (cdr @var{place})))}, except that it takes care
1286 to evaluate all subforms only once.
1289 @defspec push x place
1290 This macro inserts @var{x} at the front of the list stored in
1291 @var{place}. It is analogous to @code{(setf @var{place} (cons
1292 @var{x} @var{place}))}, except for evaluation of the subforms.
1295 @defspec pushnew x place @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
1296 This macro inserts @var{x} at the front of the list stored in
1297 @var{place}, but only if @var{x} was not @code{eql} to any
1298 existing element of the list. The optional keyword arguments
1299 are interpreted in the same way as for @code{adjoin}.
1300 @xref{Lists as Sets}.
1303 @defspec shiftf place@dots{} newvalue
1304 This macro shifts the @var{place}s left by one, shifting in the
1305 value of @var{newvalue} (which may be any Lisp expression, not just
1306 a generalized variable), and returning the value shifted out of
1307 the first @var{place}. Thus, @code{(shiftf @var{a} @var{b} @var{c}
1308 @var{d})} is equivalent to
1313 (psetf @var{a} @var{b}
1319 except that the subforms of @var{a}, @var{b}, and @var{c} are actually
1320 evaluated only once each and in the apparent order.
1323 @defspec rotatef place@dots{}
1324 This macro rotates the @var{place}s left by one in circular fashion.
1325 Thus, @code{(rotatef @var{a} @var{b} @var{c} @var{d})} is equivalent to
1328 (psetf @var{a} @var{b}
1335 except for the evaluation of subforms. @code{rotatef} always
1336 returns @code{nil}. Note that @code{(rotatef @var{a} @var{b})}
1337 conveniently exchanges @var{a} and @var{b}.
1340 The following macros were invented for this package; they have no
1341 analogues in Common Lisp.
1343 @defspec letf (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1344 This macro is analogous to @code{let}, but for generalized variables
1345 rather than just symbols. Each @var{binding} should be of the form
1346 @code{(@var{place} @var{value})}; the original contents of the
1347 @var{place}s are saved, the @var{value}s are stored in them, and
1348 then the body @var{form}s are executed. Afterwards, the @var{places}
1349 are set back to their original saved contents. This cleanup happens
1350 even if the @var{form}s exit irregularly due to a @code{throw} or an
1356 (letf (((point) (point-min))
1362 moves ``point'' in the current buffer to the beginning of the buffer,
1363 and also binds @code{a} to 17 (as if by a normal @code{let}, since
1364 @code{a} is just a regular variable). After the body exits, @code{a}
1365 is set back to its original value and point is moved back to its
1368 Note that @code{letf} on @code{(point)} is not quite like a
1369 @code{save-excursion}, as the latter effectively saves a marker
1370 which tracks insertions and deletions in the buffer. Actually,
1371 a @code{letf} of @code{(point-marker)} is much closer to this
1372 behavior. (@code{point} and @code{point-marker} are equivalent
1373 as @code{setf} places; each will accept either an integer or a
1374 marker as the stored value.)
1376 Since generalized variables look like lists, @code{let}'s shorthand
1377 of using @samp{foo} for @samp{(foo nil)} as a @var{binding} would
1378 be ambiguous in @code{letf} and is not allowed.
1380 However, a @var{binding} specifier may be a one-element list
1381 @samp{(@var{place})}, which is similar to @samp{(@var{place}
1382 @var{place})}. In other words, the @var{place} is not disturbed
1383 on entry to the body, and the only effect of the @code{letf} is
1384 to restore the original value of @var{place} afterwards. (The
1385 redundant access-and-store suggested by the @code{(@var{place}
1386 @var{place})} example does not actually occur.)
1388 In most cases, the @var{place} must have a well-defined value on
1389 entry to the @code{letf} form. The only exceptions are plain
1390 variables and calls to @code{symbol-value} and @code{symbol-function}.
1391 If the symbol is not bound on entry, it is simply made unbound by
1392 @code{makunbound} or @code{fmakunbound} on exit.
1395 @defspec letf* (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1396 This macro is to @code{letf} what @code{let*} is to @code{let}:
1397 It does the bindings in sequential rather than parallel order.
1400 @defspec callf @var{function} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{}
1401 This is the ``generic'' modify macro. It calls @var{function},
1402 which should be an unquoted function name, macro name, or lambda.
1403 It passes @var{place} and @var{args} as arguments, and assigns the
1404 result back to @var{place}. For example, @code{(incf @var{place}
1405 @var{n})} is the same as @code{(callf + @var{place} @var{n})}.
1409 (callf abs my-number)
1410 (callf concat (buffer-name) "<" (int-to-string n) ">")
1411 (callf union happy-people (list joe bob) :test 'same-person)
1414 @xref{Customizing Setf}, for @code{define-modify-macro}, a way
1415 to create even more concise notations for modify macros. Note
1416 again that @code{callf} is an extension to standard Common Lisp.
1419 @defspec callf2 @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{}
1420 This macro is like @code{callf}, except that @var{place} is
1421 the @emph{second} argument of @var{function} rather than the
1422 first. For example, @code{(push @var{x} @var{place})} is
1423 equivalent to @code{(callf2 cons @var{x} @var{place})}.
1426 The @code{callf} and @code{callf2} macros serve as building
1427 blocks for other macros like @code{incf}, @code{pushnew}, and
1428 @code{define-modify-macro}. The @code{letf} and @code{letf*}
1429 macros are used in the processing of symbol macros;
1430 @pxref{Macro Bindings}.
1432 @node Customizing Setf, , Modify Macros, Generalized Variables
1433 @subsection Customizing Setf
1436 Common Lisp defines three macros, @code{define-modify-macro},
1437 @code{defsetf}, and @code{define-setf-method}, that allow the
1438 user to extend generalized variables in various ways.
1440 @defspec define-modify-macro name arglist function [doc-string]
1441 This macro defines a ``read-modify-write'' macro similar to
1442 @code{incf} and @code{decf}. The macro @var{name} is defined
1443 to take a @var{place} argument followed by additional arguments
1444 described by @var{arglist}. The call
1447 (@var{name} @var{place} @var{args}...)
1454 (callf @var{func} @var{place} @var{args}...)
1458 which in turn is roughly equivalent to
1461 (setf @var{place} (@var{func} @var{place} @var{args}...))
1467 (define-modify-macro incf (&optional (n 1)) +)
1468 (define-modify-macro concatf (&rest args) concat)
1471 Note that @code{&key} is not allowed in @var{arglist}, but
1472 @code{&rest} is sufficient to pass keywords on to the function.
1474 Most of the modify macros defined by Common Lisp do not exactly
1475 follow the pattern of @code{define-modify-macro}. For example,
1476 @code{push} takes its arguments in the wrong order, and @code{pop}
1477 is completely irregular. You can define these macros ``by hand''
1478 using @code{get-setf-method}, or consult the source file
1479 @file{cl-macs.el} to see how to use the internal @code{setf}
1483 @defspec defsetf access-fn update-fn
1484 This is the simpler of two @code{defsetf} forms. Where
1485 @var{access-fn} is the name of a function which accesses a place,
1486 this declares @var{update-fn} to be the corresponding store
1487 function. From now on,
1490 (setf (@var{access-fn} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3}) @var{value})
1497 (@var{update-fn} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3} @var{value})
1501 The @var{update-fn} is required to be either a true function, or
1502 a macro which evaluates its arguments in a function-like way. Also,
1503 the @var{update-fn} is expected to return @var{value} as its result.
1504 Otherwise, the above expansion would not obey the rules for the way
1505 @code{setf} is supposed to behave.
1507 As a special (non-Common-Lisp) extension, a third argument of @code{t}
1508 to @code{defsetf} says that the @code{update-fn}'s return value is
1509 not suitable, so that the above @code{setf} should be expanded to
1513 (let ((temp @var{value}))
1514 (@var{update-fn} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3} temp)
1518 Some examples of the use of @code{defsetf}, drawn from the standard
1519 suite of setf methods, are:
1522 (defsetf car setcar)
1523 (defsetf symbol-value set)
1524 (defsetf buffer-name rename-buffer t)
1528 @defspec defsetf access-fn arglist (store-var) forms@dots{}
1529 This is the second, more complex, form of @code{defsetf}. It is
1530 rather like @code{defmacro} except for the additional @var{store-var}
1531 argument. The @var{forms} should return a Lisp form which stores
1532 the value of @var{store-var} into the generalized variable formed
1533 by a call to @var{access-fn} with arguments described by @var{arglist}.
1534 The @var{forms} may begin with a string which documents the @code{setf}
1535 method (analogous to the doc string that appears at the front of a
1538 For example, the simple form of @code{defsetf} is shorthand for
1541 (defsetf @var{access-fn} (&rest args) (store)
1542 (append '(@var{update-fn}) args (list store)))
1545 The Lisp form that is returned can access the arguments from
1546 @var{arglist} and @var{store-var} in an unrestricted fashion;
1547 macros like @code{setf} and @code{incf} which invoke this
1548 setf-method will insert temporary variables as needed to make
1549 sure the apparent order of evaluation is preserved.
1551 Another example drawn from the standard package:
1554 (defsetf nth (n x) (store)
1555 (list 'setcar (list 'nthcdr n x) store))
1559 @defspec define-setf-method access-fn arglist forms@dots{}
1560 This is the most general way to create new place forms. When
1561 a @code{setf} to @var{access-fn} with arguments described by
1562 @var{arglist} is expanded, the @var{forms} are evaluated and
1563 must return a list of five items:
1567 A list of @dfn{temporary variables}.
1570 A list of @dfn{value forms} corresponding to the temporary variables
1571 above. The temporary variables will be bound to these value forms
1572 as the first step of any operation on the generalized variable.
1575 A list of exactly one @dfn{store variable} (generally obtained
1576 from a call to @code{gensym}).
1579 A Lisp form which stores the contents of the store variable into
1580 the generalized variable, assuming the temporaries have been
1581 bound as described above.
1584 A Lisp form which accesses the contents of the generalized variable,
1585 assuming the temporaries have been bound.
1588 This is exactly like the Common Lisp macro of the same name,
1589 except that the method returns a list of five values rather
1590 than the five values themselves, since Emacs Lisp does not
1591 support Common Lisp's notion of multiple return values.
1593 Once again, the @var{forms} may begin with a documentation string.
1595 A setf-method should be maximally conservative with regard to
1596 temporary variables. In the setf-methods generated by
1597 @code{defsetf}, the second return value is simply the list of
1598 arguments in the place form, and the first return value is a
1599 list of a corresponding number of temporary variables generated
1600 by @code{gensym}. Macros like @code{setf} and @code{incf} which
1601 use this setf-method will optimize away most temporaries that
1602 turn out to be unnecessary, so there is little reason for the
1603 setf-method itself to optimize.
1606 @defun get-setf-method place &optional env
1607 This function returns the setf-method for @var{place}, by
1608 invoking the definition previously recorded by @code{defsetf}
1609 or @code{define-setf-method}. The result is a list of five
1610 values as described above. You can use this function to build
1611 your own @code{incf}-like modify macros. (Actually, it is
1612 better to use the internal functions @code{cl-setf-do-modify}
1613 and @code{cl-setf-do-store}, which are a bit easier to use and
1614 which also do a number of optimizations; consult the source
1615 code for the @code{incf} function for a simple example.)
1617 The argument @var{env} specifies the ``environment'' to be
1618 passed on to @code{macroexpand} if @code{get-setf-method} should
1619 need to expand a macro in @var{place}. It should come from
1620 an @code{&environment} argument to the macro or setf-method
1621 that called @code{get-setf-method}.
1623 See also the source code for the setf-methods for @code{apply}
1624 and @code{substring}, each of which works by calling
1625 @code{get-setf-method} on a simpler case, then massaging
1626 the result in various ways.
1629 Modern Common Lisp defines a second, independent way to specify
1630 the @code{setf} behavior of a function, namely ``@code{setf}
1631 functions'' whose names are lists @code{(setf @var{name})}
1632 rather than symbols. For example, @code{(defun (setf foo) @dots{})}
1633 defines the function that is used when @code{setf} is applied to
1634 @code{foo}. This package does not currently support @code{setf}
1635 functions. In particular, it is a compile-time error to use
1636 @code{setf} on a form which has not already been @code{defsetf}'d
1637 or otherwise declared; in newer Common Lisps, this would not be
1638 an error since the function @code{(setf @var{func})} might be
1645 @node Variable Bindings, Conditionals, Generalized Variables, Control Structure
1646 @section Variable Bindings
1649 These Lisp forms make bindings to variables and function names,
1650 analogous to Lisp's built-in @code{let} form.
1652 @xref{Modify Macros}, for the @code{letf} and @code{letf*} forms which
1653 are also related to variable bindings.
1656 * Dynamic Bindings:: The `progv' form
1657 * Lexical Bindings:: `lexical-let' and lexical closures
1658 * Function Bindings:: `flet' and `labels'
1659 * Macro Bindings:: `macrolet' and `symbol-macrolet'
1662 @node Dynamic Bindings, Lexical Bindings, Variable Bindings, Variable Bindings
1663 @subsection Dynamic Bindings
1666 The standard @code{let} form binds variables whose names are known
1667 at compile-time. The @code{progv} form provides an easy way to
1668 bind variables whose names are computed at run-time.
1670 @defspec progv symbols values forms@dots{}
1671 This form establishes @code{let}-style variable bindings on a
1672 set of variables computed at run-time. The expressions
1673 @var{symbols} and @var{values} are evaluated, and must return lists
1674 of symbols and values, respectively. The symbols are bound to the
1675 corresponding values for the duration of the body @var{form}s.
1676 If @var{values} is shorter than @var{symbols}, the last few symbols
1677 are made unbound (as if by @code{makunbound}) inside the body.
1678 If @var{symbols} is shorter than @var{values}, the excess values
1682 @node Lexical Bindings, Function Bindings, Dynamic Bindings, Variable Bindings
1683 @subsection Lexical Bindings
1686 The @dfn{CL} package defines the following macro which
1687 more closely follows the Common Lisp @code{let} form:
1689 @defspec lexical-let (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1690 This form is exactly like @code{let} except that the bindings it
1691 establishes are purely lexical. Lexical bindings are similar to
1692 local variables in a language like C: Only the code physically
1693 within the body of the @code{lexical-let} (after macro expansion)
1694 may refer to the bound variables.
1698 (defun foo (b) (+ a b))
1699 (let ((a 2)) (foo a))
1701 (lexical-let ((a 2)) (foo a))
1706 In this example, a regular @code{let} binding of @code{a} actually
1707 makes a temporary change to the global variable @code{a}, so @code{foo}
1708 is able to see the binding of @code{a} to 2. But @code{lexical-let}
1709 actually creates a distinct local variable @code{a} for use within its
1710 body, without any effect on the global variable of the same name.
1712 The most important use of lexical bindings is to create @dfn{closures}.
1713 A closure is a function object that refers to an outside lexical
1714 variable. For example:
1717 (defun make-adder (n)
1718 (lexical-let ((n n))
1719 (function (lambda (m) (+ n m)))))
1720 (setq add17 (make-adder 17))
1726 The call @code{(make-adder 17)} returns a function object which adds
1727 17 to its argument. If @code{let} had been used instead of
1728 @code{lexical-let}, the function object would have referred to the
1729 global @code{n}, which would have been bound to 17 only during the
1730 call to @code{make-adder} itself.
1733 (defun make-counter ()
1734 (lexical-let ((n 0))
1735 (function* (lambda (&optional (m 1)) (incf n m)))))
1736 (setq count-1 (make-counter))
1739 (funcall count-1 14)
1741 (setq count-2 (make-counter))
1751 Here we see that each call to @code{make-counter} creates a distinct
1752 local variable @code{n}, which serves as a private counter for the
1753 function object that is returned.
1755 Closed-over lexical variables persist until the last reference to
1756 them goes away, just like all other Lisp objects. For example,
1757 @code{count-2} refers to a function object which refers to an
1758 instance of the variable @code{n}; this is the only reference
1759 to that variable, so after @code{(setq count-2 nil)} the garbage
1760 collector would be able to delete this instance of @code{n}.
1761 Of course, if a @code{lexical-let} does not actually create any
1762 closures, then the lexical variables are free as soon as the
1763 @code{lexical-let} returns.
1765 Many closures are used only during the extent of the bindings they
1766 refer to; these are known as ``downward funargs'' in Lisp parlance.
1767 When a closure is used in this way, regular Emacs Lisp dynamic
1768 bindings suffice and will be more efficient than @code{lexical-let}
1772 (defun add-to-list (x list)
1773 (mapcar (function (lambda (y) (+ x y))) list))
1774 (add-to-list 7 '(1 2 5))
1779 Since this lambda is only used while @code{x} is still bound,
1780 it is not necessary to make a true closure out of it.
1782 You can use @code{defun} or @code{flet} inside a @code{lexical-let}
1783 to create a named closure. If several closures are created in the
1784 body of a single @code{lexical-let}, they all close over the same
1785 instance of the lexical variable.
1787 The @code{lexical-let} form is an extension to Common Lisp. In
1788 true Common Lisp, all bindings are lexical unless declared otherwise.
1791 @defspec lexical-let* (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1792 This form is just like @code{lexical-let}, except that the bindings
1793 are made sequentially in the manner of @code{let*}.
1796 @node Function Bindings, Macro Bindings, Lexical Bindings, Variable Bindings
1797 @subsection Function Bindings
1800 These forms make @code{let}-like bindings to functions instead
1803 @defspec flet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1804 This form establishes @code{let}-style bindings on the function
1805 cells of symbols rather than on the value cells. Each @var{binding}
1806 must be a list of the form @samp{(@var{name} @var{arglist}
1807 @var{forms}@dots{})}, which defines a function exactly as if
1808 it were a @code{defun*} form. The function @var{name} is defined
1809 accordingly for the duration of the body of the @code{flet}; then
1810 the old function definition, or lack thereof, is restored.
1812 While @code{flet} in Common Lisp establishes a lexical binding of
1813 @var{name}, Emacs Lisp @code{flet} makes a dynamic binding. The
1814 result is that @code{flet} affects indirect calls to a function as
1815 well as calls directly inside the @code{flet} form itself.
1817 You can use @code{flet} to disable or modify the behavior of a
1818 function in a temporary fashion. This will even work on Emacs
1819 primitives, although note that some calls to primitive functions
1820 internal to Emacs are made without going through the symbol's
1821 function cell, and so will not be affected by @code{flet}. For
1825 (flet ((message (&rest args) (push args saved-msgs)))
1829 This code attempts to replace the built-in function @code{message}
1830 with a function that simply saves the messages in a list rather
1831 than displaying them. The original definition of @code{message}
1832 will be restored after @code{do-something} exits. This code will
1833 work fine on messages generated by other Lisp code, but messages
1834 generated directly inside Emacs will not be caught since they make
1835 direct C-language calls to the message routines rather than going
1836 through the Lisp @code{message} function.
1838 Functions defined by @code{flet} may use the full Common Lisp
1839 argument notation supported by @code{defun*}; also, the function
1840 body is enclosed in an implicit block as if by @code{defun*}.
1841 @xref{Program Structure}.
1844 @defspec labels (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1845 The @code{labels} form is like @code{flet}, except that it
1846 makes lexical bindings of the function names rather than
1847 dynamic bindings. (In true Common Lisp, both @code{flet} and
1848 @code{labels} make lexical bindings of slightly different sorts;
1849 since Emacs Lisp is dynamically bound by default, it seemed
1850 more appropriate for @code{flet} also to use dynamic binding.
1851 The @code{labels} form, with its lexical binding, is fully
1852 compatible with Common Lisp.)
1854 Lexical scoping means that all references to the named
1855 functions must appear physically within the body of the
1856 @code{labels} form. References may appear both in the body
1857 @var{forms} of @code{labels} itself, and in the bodies of
1858 the functions themselves. Thus, @code{labels} can define
1859 local recursive functions, or mutually-recursive sets of
1862 A ``reference'' to a function name is either a call to that
1863 function, or a use of its name quoted by @code{quote} or
1864 @code{function} to be passed on to, say, @code{mapcar}.
1867 @node Macro Bindings, , Function Bindings, Variable Bindings
1868 @subsection Macro Bindings
1871 These forms create local macros and ``symbol macros.''
1873 @defspec macrolet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1874 This form is analogous to @code{flet}, but for macros instead of
1875 functions. Each @var{binding} is a list of the same form as the
1876 arguments to @code{defmacro*} (i.e., a macro name, argument list,
1877 and macro-expander forms). The macro is defined accordingly for
1878 use within the body of the @code{macrolet}.
1880 Because of the nature of macros, @code{macrolet} is lexically
1881 scoped even in Emacs Lisp: The @code{macrolet} binding will
1882 affect only calls that appear physically within the body
1883 @var{forms}, possibly after expansion of other macros in the
1887 @defspec symbol-macrolet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1888 This form creates @dfn{symbol macros}, which are macros that look
1889 like variable references rather than function calls. Each
1890 @var{binding} is a list @samp{(@var{var} @var{expansion})};
1891 any reference to @var{var} within the body @var{forms} is
1892 replaced by @var{expansion}.
1896 (symbol-macrolet ((foo (car bar)))
1902 A @code{setq} of a symbol macro is treated the same as a @code{setf}.
1903 I.e., @code{(setq foo 4)} in the above would be equivalent to
1904 @code{(setf foo 4)}, which in turn expands to @code{(setf (car bar) 4)}.
1906 Likewise, a @code{let} or @code{let*} binding a symbol macro is
1907 treated like a @code{letf} or @code{letf*}. This differs from true
1908 Common Lisp, where the rules of lexical scoping cause a @code{let}
1909 binding to shadow a @code{symbol-macrolet} binding. In this package,
1910 only @code{lexical-let} and @code{lexical-let*} will shadow a symbol
1913 There is no analogue of @code{defmacro} for symbol macros; all symbol
1914 macros are local. A typical use of @code{symbol-macrolet} is in the
1915 expansion of another macro:
1918 (defmacro* my-dolist ((x list) &rest body)
1919 (let ((var (gensym)))
1920 (list 'loop 'for var 'on list 'do
1921 (list* 'symbol-macrolet (list (list x (list 'car var)))
1924 (setq mylist '(1 2 3 4))
1925 (my-dolist (x mylist) (incf x))
1931 In this example, the @code{my-dolist} macro is similar to @code{dolist}
1932 (@pxref{Iteration}) except that the variable @code{x} becomes a true
1933 reference onto the elements of the list. The @code{my-dolist} call
1934 shown here expands to
1937 (loop for G1234 on mylist do
1938 (symbol-macrolet ((x (car G1234)))
1943 which in turn expands to
1946 (loop for G1234 on mylist do (incf (car G1234)))
1949 @xref{Loop Facility}, for a description of the @code{loop} macro.
1950 This package defines a nonstandard @code{in-ref} loop clause that
1951 works much like @code{my-dolist}.
1954 @node Conditionals, Blocks and Exits, Variable Bindings, Control Structure
1955 @section Conditionals
1958 These conditional forms augment Emacs Lisp's simple @code{if},
1959 @code{and}, @code{or}, and @code{cond} forms.
1961 @defspec case keyform clause@dots{}
1962 This macro evaluates @var{keyform}, then compares it with the key
1963 values listed in the various @var{clause}s. Whichever clause matches
1964 the key is executed; comparison is done by @code{eql}. If no clause
1965 matches, the @code{case} form returns @code{nil}. The clauses are
1969 (@var{keylist} @var{body-forms}@dots{})
1973 where @var{keylist} is a list of key values. If there is exactly
1974 one value, and it is not a cons cell or the symbol @code{nil} or
1975 @code{t}, then it can be used by itself as a @var{keylist} without
1976 being enclosed in a list. All key values in the @code{case} form
1977 must be distinct. The final clauses may use @code{t} in place of
1978 a @var{keylist} to indicate a default clause that should be taken
1979 if none of the other clauses match. (The symbol @code{otherwise}
1980 is also recognized in place of @code{t}. To make a clause that
1981 matches the actual symbol @code{t}, @code{nil}, or @code{otherwise},
1982 enclose the symbol in a list.)
1984 For example, this expression reads a keystroke, then does one of
1985 four things depending on whether it is an @samp{a}, a @samp{b},
1986 a @key{RET} or @kbd{C-j}, or anything else.
1992 ((?\r ?\n) (do-ret-thing))
1993 (t (do-other-thing)))
1997 @defspec ecase keyform clause@dots{}
1998 This macro is just like @code{case}, except that if the key does
1999 not match any of the clauses, an error is signaled rather than
2000 simply returning @code{nil}.
2003 @defspec typecase keyform clause@dots{}
2004 This macro is a version of @code{case} that checks for types
2005 rather than values. Each @var{clause} is of the form
2006 @samp{(@var{type} @var{body}...)}. @xref{Type Predicates},
2007 for a description of type specifiers. For example,
2011 (integer (munch-integer x))
2012 (float (munch-float x))
2013 (string (munch-integer (string-to-int x)))
2014 (t (munch-anything x)))
2017 The type specifier @code{t} matches any type of object; the word
2018 @code{otherwise} is also allowed. To make one clause match any of
2019 several types, use an @code{(or ...)} type specifier.
2022 @defspec etypecase keyform clause@dots{}
2023 This macro is just like @code{typecase}, except that if the key does
2024 not match any of the clauses, an error is signaled rather than
2025 simply returning @code{nil}.
2028 @node Blocks and Exits, Iteration, Conditionals, Control Structure
2029 @section Blocks and Exits
2032 Common Lisp @dfn{blocks} provide a non-local exit mechanism very
2033 similar to @code{catch} and @code{throw}, but lexically rather than
2034 dynamically scoped. This package actually implements @code{block}
2035 in terms of @code{catch}; however, the lexical scoping allows the
2036 optimizing byte-compiler to omit the costly @code{catch} step if the
2037 body of the block does not actually @code{return-from} the block.
2039 @defspec block name forms@dots{}
2040 The @var{forms} are evaluated as if by a @code{progn}. However,
2041 if any of the @var{forms} execute @code{(return-from @var{name})},
2042 they will jump out and return directly from the @code{block} form.
2043 The @code{block} returns the result of the last @var{form} unless
2044 a @code{return-from} occurs.
2046 The @code{block}/@code{return-from} mechanism is quite similar to
2047 the @code{catch}/@code{throw} mechanism. The main differences are
2048 that block @var{name}s are unevaluated symbols, rather than forms
2049 (such as quoted symbols) which evaluate to a tag at run-time; and
2050 also that blocks are lexically scoped whereas @code{catch}/@code{throw}
2051 are dynamically scoped. This means that functions called from the
2052 body of a @code{catch} can also @code{throw} to the @code{catch},
2053 but the @code{return-from} referring to a block name must appear
2054 physically within the @var{forms} that make up the body of the block.
2055 They may not appear within other called functions, although they may
2056 appear within macro expansions or @code{lambda}s in the body. Block
2057 names and @code{catch} names form independent name-spaces.
2059 In true Common Lisp, @code{defun} and @code{defmacro} surround
2060 the function or expander bodies with implicit blocks with the
2061 same name as the function or macro. This does not occur in Emacs
2062 Lisp, but this package provides @code{defun*} and @code{defmacro*}
2063 forms which do create the implicit block.
2065 The Common Lisp looping constructs defined by this package,
2066 such as @code{loop} and @code{dolist}, also create implicit blocks
2067 just as in Common Lisp.
2069 Because they are implemented in terms of Emacs Lisp @code{catch}
2070 and @code{throw}, blocks have the same overhead as actual
2071 @code{catch} constructs (roughly two function calls). However,
2072 Zawinski and Furuseth's optimizing byte compiler (standard in
2073 Emacs 19) will optimize away the @code{catch} if the block does
2074 not in fact contain any @code{return} or @code{return-from} calls
2075 that jump to it. This means that @code{do} loops and @code{defun*}
2076 functions which don't use @code{return} don't pay the overhead to
2080 @defspec return-from name [result]
2081 This macro returns from the block named @var{name}, which must be
2082 an (unevaluated) symbol. If a @var{result} form is specified, it
2083 is evaluated to produce the result returned from the @code{block}.
2084 Otherwise, @code{nil} is returned.
2087 @defspec return [result]
2088 This macro is exactly like @code{(return-from nil @var{result})}.
2089 Common Lisp loops like @code{do} and @code{dolist} implicitly enclose
2090 themselves in @code{nil} blocks.
2093 @node Iteration, Loop Facility, Blocks and Exits, Control Structure
2097 The macros described here provide more sophisticated, high-level
2098 looping constructs to complement Emacs Lisp's basic @code{while}
2101 @defspec loop forms@dots{}
2102 The @dfn{CL} package supports both the simple, old-style meaning of
2103 @code{loop} and the extremely powerful and flexible feature known as
2104 the @dfn{Loop Facility} or @dfn{Loop Macro}. This more advanced
2105 facility is discussed in the following section; @pxref{Loop Facility}.
2106 The simple form of @code{loop} is described here.
2108 If @code{loop} is followed by zero or more Lisp expressions,
2109 then @code{(loop @var{exprs}@dots{})} simply creates an infinite
2110 loop executing the expressions over and over. The loop is
2111 enclosed in an implicit @code{nil} block. Thus,
2114 (loop (foo) (if (no-more) (return 72)) (bar))
2118 is exactly equivalent to
2121 (block nil (while t (foo) (if (no-more) (return 72)) (bar)))
2124 If any of the expressions are plain symbols, the loop is instead
2125 interpreted as a Loop Macro specification as described later.
2126 (This is not a restriction in practice, since a plain symbol
2127 in the above notation would simply access and throw away the
2128 value of a variable.)
2131 @defspec do (spec@dots{}) (end-test [result@dots{}]) forms@dots{}
2132 This macro creates a general iterative loop. Each @var{spec} is
2136 (@var{var} [@var{init} [@var{step}]])
2139 The loop works as follows: First, each @var{var} is bound to the
2140 associated @var{init} value as if by a @code{let} form. Then, in
2141 each iteration of the loop, the @var{end-test} is evaluated; if
2142 true, the loop is finished. Otherwise, the body @var{forms} are
2143 evaluated, then each @var{var} is set to the associated @var{step}
2144 expression (as if by a @code{psetq} form) and the next iteration
2145 begins. Once the @var{end-test} becomes true, the @var{result}
2146 forms are evaluated (with the @var{var}s still bound to their
2147 values) to produce the result returned by @code{do}.
2149 The entire @code{do} loop is enclosed in an implicit @code{nil}
2150 block, so that you can use @code{(return)} to break out of the
2153 If there are no @var{result} forms, the loop returns @code{nil}.
2154 If a given @var{var} has no @var{step} form, it is bound to its
2155 @var{init} value but not otherwise modified during the @code{do}
2156 loop (unless the code explicitly modifies it); this case is just
2157 a shorthand for putting a @code{(let ((@var{var} @var{init})) @dots{})}
2158 around the loop. If @var{init} is also omitted it defaults to
2159 @code{nil}, and in this case a plain @samp{@var{var}} can be used
2160 in place of @samp{(@var{var})}, again following the analogy with
2163 This example (from Steele) illustrates a loop which applies the
2164 function @code{f} to successive pairs of values from the lists
2165 @code{foo} and @code{bar}; it is equivalent to the call
2166 @code{(mapcar* 'f foo bar)}. Note that this loop has no body
2167 @var{forms} at all, performing all its work as side effects of
2168 the rest of the loop.
2171 (do ((x foo (cdr x))
2173 (z nil (cons (f (car x) (car y)) z)))
2174 ((or (null x) (null y))
2179 @defspec do* (spec@dots{}) (end-test [result@dots{}]) forms@dots{}
2180 This is to @code{do} what @code{let*} is to @code{let}. In
2181 particular, the initial values are bound as if by @code{let*}
2182 rather than @code{let}, and the steps are assigned as if by
2183 @code{setq} rather than @code{psetq}.
2185 Here is another way to write the above loop:
2188 (do* ((xp foo (cdr xp))
2190 (x (car xp) (car xp))
2191 (y (car yp) (car yp))
2193 ((or (null xp) (null yp))
2199 @defspec dolist (var list [result]) forms@dots{}
2200 This is a more specialized loop which iterates across the elements
2201 of a list. @var{list} should evaluate to a list; the body @var{forms}
2202 are executed with @var{var} bound to each element of the list in
2203 turn. Finally, the @var{result} form (or @code{nil}) is evaluated
2204 with @var{var} bound to @code{nil} to produce the result returned by
2205 the loop. The loop is surrounded by an implicit @code{nil} block.
2208 @defspec dotimes (var count [result]) forms@dots{}
2209 This is a more specialized loop which iterates a specified number
2210 of times. The body is executed with @var{var} bound to the integers
2211 from zero (inclusive) to @var{count} (exclusive), in turn. Then
2212 the @code{result} form is evaluated with @var{var} bound to the total
2213 number of iterations that were done (i.e., @code{(max 0 @var{count})})
2214 to get the return value for the loop form. The loop is surrounded
2215 by an implicit @code{nil} block.
2218 @defspec do-symbols (var [obarray [result]]) forms@dots{}
2219 This loop iterates over all interned symbols. If @var{obarray}
2220 is specified and is not @code{nil}, it loops over all symbols in
2221 that obarray. For each symbol, the body @var{forms} are evaluated
2222 with @var{var} bound to that symbol. The symbols are visited in
2223 an unspecified order. Afterward the @var{result} form, if any,
2224 is evaluated (with @var{var} bound to @code{nil}) to get the return
2225 value. The loop is surrounded by an implicit @code{nil} block.
2228 @defspec do-all-symbols (var [result]) forms@dots{}
2229 This is identical to @code{do-symbols} except that the @var{obarray}
2230 argument is omitted; it always iterates over the default obarray.
2233 @xref{Mapping over Sequences}, for some more functions for
2234 iterating over vectors or lists.
2236 @node Loop Facility, Multiple Values, Iteration, Control Structure
2237 @section Loop Facility
2240 A common complaint with Lisp's traditional looping constructs is
2241 that they are either too simple and limited, such as Common Lisp's
2242 @code{dotimes} or Emacs Lisp's @code{while}, or too unreadable and
2243 obscure, like Common Lisp's @code{do} loop.
2245 To remedy this, recent versions of Common Lisp have added a new
2246 construct called the ``Loop Facility'' or ``@code{loop} macro,''
2247 with an easy-to-use but very powerful and expressive syntax.
2250 * Loop Basics:: `loop' macro, basic clause structure
2251 * Loop Examples:: Working examples of `loop' macro
2252 * For Clauses:: Clauses introduced by `for' or `as'
2253 * Iteration Clauses:: `repeat', `while', `thereis', etc.
2254 * Accumulation Clauses:: `collect', `sum', `maximize', etc.
2255 * Other Clauses:: `with', `if', `initially', `finally'
2258 @node Loop Basics, Loop Examples, Loop Facility, Loop Facility
2259 @subsection Loop Basics
2262 The @code{loop} macro essentially creates a mini-language within
2263 Lisp that is specially tailored for describing loops. While this
2264 language is a little strange-looking by the standards of regular Lisp,
2265 it turns out to be very easy to learn and well-suited to its purpose.
2267 Since @code{loop} is a macro, all parsing of the loop language
2268 takes place at byte-compile time; compiled @code{loop}s are just
2269 as efficient as the equivalent @code{while} loops written longhand.
2271 @defspec loop clauses@dots{}
2272 A loop construct consists of a series of @var{clause}s, each
2273 introduced by a symbol like @code{for} or @code{do}. Clauses
2274 are simply strung together in the argument list of @code{loop},
2275 with minimal extra parentheses. The various types of clauses
2276 specify initializations, such as the binding of temporary
2277 variables, actions to be taken in the loop, stepping actions,
2280 Common Lisp specifies a certain general order of clauses in a
2284 (loop @var{name-clause}
2285 @var{var-clauses}@dots{}
2286 @var{action-clauses}@dots{})
2289 The @var{name-clause} optionally gives a name to the implicit
2290 block that surrounds the loop. By default, the implicit block
2291 is named @code{nil}. The @var{var-clauses} specify what
2292 variables should be bound during the loop, and how they should
2293 be modified or iterated throughout the course of the loop. The
2294 @var{action-clauses} are things to be done during the loop, such
2295 as computing, collecting, and returning values.
2297 The Emacs version of the @code{loop} macro is less restrictive about
2298 the order of clauses, but things will behave most predictably if
2299 you put the variable-binding clauses @code{with}, @code{for}, and
2300 @code{repeat} before the action clauses. As in Common Lisp,
2301 @code{initially} and @code{finally} clauses can go anywhere.
2303 Loops generally return @code{nil} by default, but you can cause
2304 them to return a value by using an accumulation clause like
2305 @code{collect}, an end-test clause like @code{always}, or an
2306 explicit @code{return} clause to jump out of the implicit block.
2307 (Because the loop body is enclosed in an implicit block, you can
2308 also use regular Lisp @code{return} or @code{return-from} to
2309 break out of the loop.)
2312 The following sections give some examples of the Loop Macro in
2313 action, and describe the particular loop clauses in great detail.
2314 Consult the second edition of Steele's @dfn{Common Lisp, the Language},
2315 for additional discussion and examples of the @code{loop} macro.
2317 @node Loop Examples, For Clauses, Loop Basics, Loop Facility
2318 @subsection Loop Examples
2321 Before listing the full set of clauses that are allowed, let's
2322 look at a few example loops just to get a feel for the @code{loop}
2326 (loop for buf in (buffer-list)
2327 collect (buffer-file-name buf))
2331 This loop iterates over all Emacs buffers, using the list
2332 returned by @code{buffer-list}. For each buffer @code{buf},
2333 it calls @code{buffer-file-name} and collects the results into
2334 a list, which is then returned from the @code{loop} construct.
2335 The result is a list of the file names of all the buffers in
2336 Emacs' memory. The words @code{for}, @code{in}, and @code{collect}
2337 are reserved words in the @code{loop} language.
2340 (loop repeat 20 do (insert "Yowsa\n"))
2344 This loop inserts the phrase ``Yowsa'' twenty times in the
2348 (loop until (eobp) do (munch-line) (forward-line 1))
2352 This loop calls @code{munch-line} on every line until the end
2353 of the buffer. If point is already at the end of the buffer,
2354 the loop exits immediately.
2357 (loop do (munch-line) until (eobp) do (forward-line 1))
2361 This loop is similar to the above one, except that @code{munch-line}
2362 is always called at least once.
2365 (loop for x from 1 to 100
2368 finally return (list x (= y 729)))
2372 This more complicated loop searches for a number @code{x} whose
2373 square is 729. For safety's sake it only examines @code{x}
2374 values up to 100; dropping the phrase @samp{to 100} would
2375 cause the loop to count upwards with no limit. The second
2376 @code{for} clause defines @code{y} to be the square of @code{x}
2377 within the loop; the expression after the @code{=} sign is
2378 reevaluated each time through the loop. The @code{until}
2379 clause gives a condition for terminating the loop, and the
2380 @code{finally} clause says what to do when the loop finishes.
2381 (This particular example was written less concisely than it
2382 could have been, just for the sake of illustration.)
2384 Note that even though this loop contains three clauses (two
2385 @code{for}s and an @code{until}) that would have been enough to
2386 define loops all by themselves, it still creates a single loop
2387 rather than some sort of triple-nested loop. You must explicitly
2388 nest your @code{loop} constructs if you want nested loops.
2390 @node For Clauses, Iteration Clauses, Loop Examples, Loop Facility
2391 @subsection For Clauses
2394 Most loops are governed by one or more @code{for} clauses.
2395 A @code{for} clause simultaneously describes variables to be
2396 bound, how those variables are to be stepped during the loop,
2397 and usually an end condition based on those variables.
2399 The word @code{as} is a synonym for the word @code{for}. This
2400 word is followed by a variable name, then a word like @code{from}
2401 or @code{across} that describes the kind of iteration desired.
2402 In Common Lisp, the phrase @code{being the} sometimes precedes
2403 the type of iteration; in this package both @code{being} and
2404 @code{the} are optional. The word @code{each} is a synonym
2405 for @code{the}, and the word that follows it may be singular
2406 or plural: @samp{for x being the elements of y} or
2407 @samp{for x being each element of y}. Which form you use
2408 is purely a matter of style.
2410 The variable is bound around the loop as if by @code{let}:
2414 (loop for i from 1 to 10 do (do-something-with i))
2420 @item for @var{var} from @var{expr1} to @var{expr2} by @var{expr3}
2421 This type of @code{for} clause creates a counting loop. Each of
2422 the three sub-terms is optional, though there must be at least one
2423 term so that the clause is marked as a counting clause.
2425 The three expressions are the starting value, the ending value, and
2426 the step value, respectively, of the variable. The loop counts
2427 upwards by default (@var{expr3} must be positive), from @var{expr1}
2428 to @var{expr2} inclusively. If you omit the @code{from} term, the
2429 loop counts from zero; if you omit the @code{to} term, the loop
2430 counts forever without stopping (unless stopped by some other
2431 loop clause, of course); if you omit the @code{by} term, the loop
2432 counts in steps of one.
2434 You can replace the word @code{from} with @code{upfrom} or
2435 @code{downfrom} to indicate the direction of the loop. Likewise,
2436 you can replace @code{to} with @code{upto} or @code{downto}.
2437 For example, @samp{for x from 5 downto 1} executes five times
2438 with @code{x} taking on the integers from 5 down to 1 in turn.
2439 Also, you can replace @code{to} with @code{below} or @code{above},
2440 which are like @code{upto} and @code{downto} respectively except
2441 that they are exclusive rather than inclusive limits:
2444 (loop for x to 10 collect x)
2445 @result{} (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10)
2446 (loop for x below 10 collect x)
2447 @result{} (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9)
2450 The @code{by} value is always positive, even for downward-counting
2451 loops. Some sort of @code{from} value is required for downward
2452 loops; @samp{for x downto 5} is not a legal loop clause all by
2455 @item for @var{var} in @var{list} by @var{function}
2456 This clause iterates @var{var} over all the elements of @var{list},
2457 in turn. If you specify the @code{by} term, then @var{function}
2458 is used to traverse the list instead of @code{cdr}; it must be a
2459 function taking one argument. For example:
2462 (loop for x in '(1 2 3 4 5 6) collect (* x x))
2463 @result{} (1 4 9 16 25 36)
2464 (loop for x in '(1 2 3 4 5 6) by 'cddr collect (* x x))
2468 @item for @var{var} on @var{list} by @var{function}
2469 This clause iterates @var{var} over all the cons cells of @var{list}.
2472 (loop for x on '(1 2 3 4) collect x)
2473 @result{} ((1 2 3 4) (2 3 4) (3 4) (4))
2476 With @code{by}, there is no real reason that the @code{on} expression
2477 must be a list. For example:
2480 (loop for x on first-animal by 'next-animal collect x)
2484 where @code{(next-animal x)} takes an ``animal'' @var{x} and returns
2485 the next in the (assumed) sequence of animals, or @code{nil} if
2486 @var{x} was the last animal in the sequence.
2488 @item for @var{var} in-ref @var{list} by @var{function}
2489 This is like a regular @code{in} clause, but @var{var} becomes
2490 a @code{setf}-able ``reference'' onto the elements of the list
2491 rather than just a temporary variable. For example,
2494 (loop for x in-ref my-list do (incf x))
2498 increments every element of @code{my-list} in place. This clause
2499 is an extension to standard Common Lisp.
2501 @item for @var{var} across @var{array}
2502 This clause iterates @var{var} over all the elements of @var{array},
2503 which may be a vector or a string.
2506 (loop for x across "aeiou"
2507 do (use-vowel (char-to-string x)))
2510 @item for @var{var} across-ref @var{array}
2511 This clause iterates over an array, with @var{var} a @code{setf}-able
2512 reference onto the elements; see @code{in-ref} above.
2514 @item for @var{var} being the elements of @var{sequence}
2515 This clause iterates over the elements of @var{sequence}, which may
2516 be a list, vector, or string. Since the type must be determined
2517 at run-time, this is somewhat less efficient than @code{in} or
2518 @code{across}. The clause may be followed by the additional term
2519 @samp{using (index @var{var2})} to cause @var{var2} to be bound to
2520 the successive indices (starting at 0) of the elements.
2522 This clause type is taken from older versions of the @code{loop} macro,
2523 and is not present in modern Common Lisp. The @samp{using (sequence ...)}
2524 term of the older macros is not supported.
2526 @item for @var{var} being the elements of-ref @var{sequence}
2527 This clause iterates over a sequence, with @var{var} a @code{setf}-able
2528 reference onto the elements; see @code{in-ref} above.
2530 @item for @var{var} being the symbols [of @var{obarray}]
2531 This clause iterates over symbols, either over all interned symbols
2532 or over all symbols in @var{obarray}. The loop is executed with
2533 @var{var} bound to each symbol in turn. The symbols are visited in
2534 an unspecified order.
2539 (loop for sym being the symbols
2541 when (string-match "^map" (symbol-name sym))
2546 returns a list of all the functions whose names begin with @samp{map}.
2548 The Common Lisp words @code{external-symbols} and @code{present-symbols}
2549 are also recognized but are equivalent to @code{symbols} in Emacs Lisp.
2551 Due to a minor implementation restriction, it will not work to have
2552 more than one @code{for} clause iterating over symbols, hash tables,
2553 keymaps, overlays, or intervals in a given @code{loop}. Fortunately,
2554 it would rarely if ever be useful to do so. It @emph{is} legal to mix
2555 one of these types of clauses with other clauses like @code{for ... to}
2558 @item for @var{var} being the hash-keys of @var{hash-table}
2559 This clause iterates over the entries in @var{hash-table}. For each
2560 hash table entry, @var{var} is bound to the entry's key. If you write
2561 @samp{the hash-values} instead, @var{var} is bound to the values
2562 of the entries. The clause may be followed by the additional
2563 term @samp{using (hash-values @var{var2})} (where @code{hash-values}
2564 is the opposite word of the word following @code{the}) to cause
2565 @var{var} and @var{var2} to be bound to the two parts of each
2568 @item for @var{var} being the key-codes of @var{keymap}
2569 This clause iterates over the entries in @var{keymap}. In GNU Emacs
2570 18 and 19, keymaps are either alists or vectors, and key-codes are
2571 integers or symbols. In Lucid Emacs 19, keymaps are a special new
2572 data type, and key-codes are symbols or lists of symbols. The
2573 iteration does not enter nested keymaps or inherited (parent) keymaps.
2574 You can use @samp{the key-bindings} to access the commands bound to
2575 the keys rather than the key codes, and you can add a @code{using}
2576 clause to access both the codes and the bindings together.
2578 @item for @var{var} being the key-seqs of @var{keymap}
2579 This clause iterates over all key sequences defined by @var{keymap}
2580 and its nested keymaps, where @var{var} takes on values which are
2581 strings in Emacs 18 or vectors in Emacs 19. The strings or vectors
2582 are reused for each iteration, so you must copy them if you wish to keep
2583 them permanently. You can add a @samp{using (key-bindings ...)}
2584 clause to get the command bindings as well.
2586 @item for @var{var} being the overlays [of @var{buffer}] @dots{}
2587 This clause iterates over the Emacs 19 ``overlays'' or Lucid
2588 Emacs ``extents'' of a buffer (the clause @code{extents} is synonymous
2589 with @code{overlays}). Under Emacs 18, this clause iterates zero
2590 times. If the @code{of} term is omitted, the current buffer is used.
2591 This clause also accepts optional @samp{from @var{pos}} and
2592 @samp{to @var{pos}} terms, limiting the clause to overlays which
2593 overlap the specified region.
2595 @item for @var{var} being the intervals [of @var{buffer}] @dots{}
2596 This clause iterates over all intervals of a buffer with constant
2597 text properties. The variable @var{var} will be bound to conses
2598 of start and end positions, where one start position is always equal
2599 to the previous end position. The clause allows @code{of},
2600 @code{from}, @code{to}, and @code{property} terms, where the latter
2601 term restricts the search to just the specified property. The
2602 @code{of} term may specify either a buffer or a string. This
2603 clause is useful only in GNU Emacs 19; in other versions, all
2604 buffers and strings consist of a single interval.
2606 @item for @var{var} being the frames
2607 This clause iterates over all frames, i.e., X window system windows
2608 open on Emacs files. This clause works only under Emacs 19. The
2609 clause @code{screens} is a synonym for @code{frames}. The frames
2610 are visited in @code{next-frame} order starting from
2611 @code{selected-frame}.
2613 @item for @var{var} being the windows [of @var{frame}]
2614 This clause iterates over the windows (in the Emacs sense) of
2615 the current frame, or of the specified @var{frame}. (In Emacs 18
2616 there is only ever one frame, and the @code{of} term is not
2619 @item for @var{var} being the buffers
2620 This clause iterates over all buffers in Emacs. It is equivalent
2621 to @samp{for @var{var} in (buffer-list)}.
2623 @item for @var{var} = @var{expr1} then @var{expr2}
2624 This clause does a general iteration. The first time through
2625 the loop, @var{var} will be bound to @var{expr1}. On the second
2626 and successive iterations it will be set by evaluating @var{expr2}
2627 (which may refer to the old value of @var{var}). For example,
2628 these two loops are effectively the same:
2631 (loop for x on my-list by 'cddr do ...)
2632 (loop for x = my-list then (cddr x) while x do ...)
2635 Note that this type of @code{for} clause does not imply any sort
2636 of terminating condition; the above example combines it with a
2637 @code{while} clause to tell when to end the loop.
2639 If you omit the @code{then} term, @var{expr1} is used both for
2640 the initial setting and for successive settings:
2643 (loop for x = (random) when (> x 0) return x)
2647 This loop keeps taking random numbers from the @code{(random)}
2648 function until it gets a positive one, which it then returns.
2651 If you include several @code{for} clauses in a row, they are
2652 treated sequentially (as if by @code{let*} and @code{setq}).
2653 You can instead use the word @code{and} to link the clauses,
2654 in which case they are processed in parallel (as if by @code{let}
2658 (loop for x below 5 for y = nil then x collect (list x y))
2659 @result{} ((0 nil) (1 1) (2 2) (3 3) (4 4))
2660 (loop for x below 5 and y = nil then x collect (list x y))
2661 @result{} ((0 nil) (1 0) (2 1) (3 2) (4 3))
2665 In the first loop, @code{y} is set based on the value of @code{x}
2666 that was just set by the previous clause; in the second loop,
2667 @code{x} and @code{y} are set simultaneously so @code{y} is set
2668 based on the value of @code{x} left over from the previous time
2671 Another feature of the @code{loop} macro is @dfn{destructuring},
2672 similar in concept to the destructuring provided by @code{defmacro}.
2673 The @var{var} part of any @code{for} clause can be given as a list
2674 of variables instead of a single variable. The values produced
2675 during loop execution must be lists; the values in the lists are
2676 stored in the corresponding variables.
2679 (loop for (x y) in '((2 3) (4 5) (6 7)) collect (+ x y))
2683 In loop destructuring, if there are more values than variables
2684 the trailing values are ignored, and if there are more variables
2685 than values the trailing variables get the value @code{nil}.
2686 If @code{nil} is used as a variable name, the corresponding
2687 values are ignored. Destructuring may be nested, and dotted
2688 lists of variables like @code{(x . y)} are allowed.
2690 @node Iteration Clauses, Accumulation Clauses, For Clauses, Loop Facility
2691 @subsection Iteration Clauses
2694 Aside from @code{for} clauses, there are several other loop clauses
2695 that control the way the loop operates. They might be used by
2696 themselves, or in conjunction with one or more @code{for} clauses.
2699 @item repeat @var{integer}
2700 This clause simply counts up to the specified number using an
2701 internal temporary variable. The loops
2704 (loop repeat n do ...)
2705 (loop for temp to n do ...)
2709 are identical except that the second one forces you to choose
2710 a name for a variable you aren't actually going to use.
2712 @item while @var{condition}
2713 This clause stops the loop when the specified condition (any Lisp
2714 expression) becomes @code{nil}. For example, the following two
2715 loops are equivalent, except for the implicit @code{nil} block
2716 that surrounds the second one:
2719 (while @var{cond} @var{forms}@dots{})
2720 (loop while @var{cond} do @var{forms}@dots{})
2723 @item until @var{condition}
2724 This clause stops the loop when the specified condition is true,
2725 i.e., non-@code{nil}.
2727 @item always @var{condition}
2728 This clause stops the loop when the specified condition is @code{nil}.
2729 Unlike @code{while}, it stops the loop using @code{return nil} so that
2730 the @code{finally} clauses are not executed. If all the conditions
2731 were non-@code{nil}, the loop returns @code{t}:
2734 (if (loop for size in size-list always (> size 10))
2739 @item never @var{condition}
2740 This clause is like @code{always}, except that the loop returns
2741 @code{t} if any conditions were false, or @code{nil} otherwise.
2743 @item thereis @var{condition}
2744 This clause stops the loop when the specified form is non-@code{nil};
2745 in this case, it returns that non-@code{nil} value. If all the
2746 values were @code{nil}, the loop returns @code{nil}.
2749 @node Accumulation Clauses, Other Clauses, Iteration Clauses, Loop Facility
2750 @subsection Accumulation Clauses
2753 These clauses cause the loop to accumulate information about the
2754 specified Lisp @var{form}. The accumulated result is returned
2755 from the loop unless overridden, say, by a @code{return} clause.
2758 @item collect @var{form}
2759 This clause collects the values of @var{form} into a list. Several
2760 examples of @code{collect} appear elsewhere in this manual.
2762 The word @code{collecting} is a synonym for @code{collect}, and
2763 likewise for the other accumulation clauses.
2765 @item append @var{form}
2766 This clause collects lists of values into a result list using
2769 @item nconc @var{form}
2770 This clause collects lists of values into a result list by
2771 destructively modifying the lists rather than copying them.
2773 @item concat @var{form}
2774 This clause concatenates the values of the specified @var{form}
2775 into a string. (It and the following clause are extensions to
2776 standard Common Lisp.)
2778 @item vconcat @var{form}
2779 This clause concatenates the values of the specified @var{form}
2782 @item count @var{form}
2783 This clause counts the number of times the specified @var{form}
2784 evaluates to a non-@code{nil} value.
2786 @item sum @var{form}
2787 This clause accumulates the sum of the values of the specified
2788 @var{form}, which must evaluate to a number.
2790 @item maximize @var{form}
2791 This clause accumulates the maximum value of the specified @var{form},
2792 which must evaluate to a number. The return value is undefined if
2793 @code{maximize} is executed zero times.
2795 @item minimize @var{form}
2796 This clause accumulates the minimum value of the specified @var{form}.
2799 Accumulation clauses can be followed by @samp{into @var{var}} to
2800 cause the data to be collected into variable @var{var} (which is
2801 automatically @code{let}-bound during the loop) rather than an
2802 unnamed temporary variable. Also, @code{into} accumulations do
2803 not automatically imply a return value. The loop must use some
2804 explicit mechanism, such as @code{finally return}, to return
2805 the accumulated result.
2807 It is legal for several accumulation clauses of the same type to
2808 accumulate into the same place. From Steele:
2811 (loop for name in '(fred sue alice joe june)
2812 for kids in '((bob ken) () () (kris sunshine) ())
2815 @result{} (fred bob ken sue alice joe kris sunshine june)
2818 @node Other Clauses, , Accumulation Clauses, Loop Facility
2819 @subsection Other Clauses
2822 This section describes the remaining loop clauses.
2825 @item with @var{var} = @var{value}
2826 This clause binds a variable to a value around the loop, but
2827 otherwise leaves the variable alone during the loop. The following
2828 loops are basically equivalent:
2831 (loop with x = 17 do ...)
2832 (let ((x 17)) (loop do ...))
2833 (loop for x = 17 then x do ...)
2836 Naturally, the variable @var{var} might be used for some purpose
2837 in the rest of the loop. For example:
2840 (loop for x in my-list with res = nil do (push x res)
2844 This loop inserts the elements of @code{my-list} at the front of
2845 a new list being accumulated in @code{res}, then returns the
2846 list @code{res} at the end of the loop. The effect is similar
2847 to that of a @code{collect} clause, but the list gets reversed
2848 by virtue of the fact that elements are being pushed onto the
2849 front of @code{res} rather than the end.
2851 If you omit the @code{=} term, the variable is initialized to
2852 @code{nil}. (Thus the @samp{= nil} in the above example is
2855 Bindings made by @code{with} are sequential by default, as if
2856 by @code{let*}. Just like @code{for} clauses, @code{with} clauses
2857 can be linked with @code{and} to cause the bindings to be made by
2860 @item if @var{condition} @var{clause}
2861 This clause executes the following loop clause only if the specified
2862 condition is true. The following @var{clause} should be an accumulation,
2863 @code{do}, @code{return}, @code{if}, or @code{unless} clause.
2864 Several clauses may be linked by separating them with @code{and}.
2865 These clauses may be followed by @code{else} and a clause or clauses
2866 to execute if the condition was false. The whole construct may
2867 optionally be followed by the word @code{end} (which may be used to
2868 disambiguate an @code{else} or @code{and} in a nested @code{if}).
2870 The actual non-@code{nil} value of the condition form is available
2871 by the name @code{it} in the ``then'' part. For example:
2874 (setq funny-numbers '(6 13 -1))
2876 (loop for x below 10
2879 and if (memq x funny-numbers) return (cdr it) end
2881 collect x into evens
2882 finally return (vector odds evens))
2883 @result{} [(1 3 5 7 9) (0 2 4 6 8)]
2884 (setq funny-numbers '(6 7 13 -1))
2885 @result{} (6 7 13 -1)
2886 (loop <@r{same thing again}>)
2890 Note the use of @code{and} to put two clauses into the ``then''
2891 part, one of which is itself an @code{if} clause. Note also that
2892 @code{end}, while normally optional, was necessary here to make
2893 it clear that the @code{else} refers to the outermost @code{if}
2894 clause. In the first case, the loop returns a vector of lists
2895 of the odd and even values of @var{x}. In the second case, the
2896 odd number 7 is one of the @code{funny-numbers} so the loop
2897 returns early; the actual returned value is based on the result
2898 of the @code{memq} call.
2900 @item when @var{condition} @var{clause}
2901 This clause is just a synonym for @code{if}.
2903 @item unless @var{condition} @var{clause}
2904 The @code{unless} clause is just like @code{if} except that the
2905 sense of the condition is reversed.
2907 @item named @var{name}
2908 This clause gives a name other than @code{nil} to the implicit
2909 block surrounding the loop. The @var{name} is the symbol to be
2910 used as the block name.
2912 @item initially [do] @var{forms}...
2913 This keyword introduces one or more Lisp forms which will be
2914 executed before the loop itself begins (but after any variables
2915 requested by @code{for} or @code{with} have been bound to their
2916 initial values). @code{initially} clauses can appear anywhere;
2917 if there are several, they are executed in the order they appear
2918 in the loop. The keyword @code{do} is optional.
2920 @item finally [do] @var{forms}...
2921 This introduces Lisp forms which will be executed after the loop
2922 finishes (say, on request of a @code{for} or @code{while}).
2923 @code{initially} and @code{finally} clauses may appear anywhere
2924 in the loop construct, but they are executed (in the specified
2925 order) at the beginning or end, respectively, of the loop.
2927 @item finally return @var{form}
2928 This says that @var{form} should be executed after the loop
2929 is done to obtain a return value. (Without this, or some other
2930 clause like @code{collect} or @code{return}, the loop will simply
2931 return @code{nil}.) Variables bound by @code{for}, @code{with},
2932 or @code{into} will still contain their final values when @var{form}
2935 @item do @var{forms}...
2936 The word @code{do} may be followed by any number of Lisp expressions
2937 which are executed as an implicit @code{progn} in the body of the
2938 loop. Many of the examples in this section illustrate the use of
2941 @item return @var{form}
2942 This clause causes the loop to return immediately. The following
2943 Lisp form is evaluated to give the return value of the @code{loop}
2944 form. The @code{finally} clauses, if any, are not executed.
2945 Of course, @code{return} is generally used inside an @code{if} or
2946 @code{unless}, as its use in a top-level loop clause would mean
2947 the loop would never get to ``loop'' more than once.
2949 The clause @samp{return @var{form}} is equivalent to
2950 @samp{do (return @var{form})} (or @code{return-from} if the loop
2951 was named). The @code{return} clause is implemented a bit more
2952 efficiently, though.
2955 While there is no high-level way to add user extensions to @code{loop}
2956 (comparable to @code{defsetf} for @code{setf}, say), this package
2957 does offer two properties called @code{cl-loop-handler} and
2958 @code{cl-loop-for-handler} which are functions to be called when
2959 a given symbol is encountered as a top-level loop clause or
2960 @code{for} clause, respectively. Consult the source code in
2961 file @file{cl-macs.el} for details.
2963 This package's @code{loop} macro is compatible with that of Common
2964 Lisp, except that a few features are not implemented: @code{loop-finish}
2965 and data-type specifiers. Naturally, the @code{for} clauses which
2966 iterate over keymaps, overlays, intervals, frames, windows, and
2967 buffers are Emacs-specific extensions.
2969 @node Multiple Values, , Loop Facility, Control Structure
2970 @section Multiple Values
2973 Common Lisp functions can return zero or more results. Emacs Lisp
2974 functions, by contrast, always return exactly one result. This
2975 package makes no attempt to emulate Common Lisp multiple return
2976 values; Emacs versions of Common Lisp functions that return more
2977 than one value either return just the first value (as in
2978 @code{compiler-macroexpand}) or return a list of values (as in
2979 @code{get-setf-method}). This package @emph{does} define placeholders
2980 for the Common Lisp functions that work with multiple values, but
2981 in Emacs Lisp these functions simply operate on lists instead.
2982 The @code{values} form, for example, is a synonym for @code{list}
2985 @defspec multiple-value-bind (var@dots{}) values-form forms@dots{}
2986 This form evaluates @var{values-form}, which must return a list of
2987 values. It then binds the @var{var}s to these respective values,
2988 as if by @code{let}, and then executes the body @var{forms}.
2989 If there are more @var{var}s than values, the extra @var{var}s
2990 are bound to @code{nil}. If there are fewer @var{var}s than
2991 values, the excess values are ignored.
2994 @defspec multiple-value-setq (var@dots{}) form
2995 This form evaluates @var{form}, which must return a list of values.
2996 It then sets the @var{var}s to these respective values, as if by
2997 @code{setq}. Extra @var{var}s or values are treated the same as
2998 in @code{multiple-value-bind}.
3001 The older Quiroz package attempted a more faithful (but still
3002 imperfect) emulation of Common Lisp multiple values. The old
3003 method ``usually'' simulated true multiple values quite well,
3004 but under certain circumstances would leave spurious return
3005 values in memory where a later, unrelated @code{multiple-value-bind}
3006 form would see them.
3008 Since a perfect emulation is not feasible in Emacs Lisp, this
3009 package opts to keep it as simple and predictable as possible.
3011 @node Macros, Declarations, Control Structure, Top
3015 This package implements the various Common Lisp features of
3016 @code{defmacro}, such as destructuring, @code{&environment},
3017 and @code{&body}. Top-level @code{&whole} is not implemented
3018 for @code{defmacro} due to technical difficulties.
3019 @xref{Argument Lists}.
3021 Destructuring is made available to the user by way of the
3024 @defspec destructuring-bind arglist expr forms@dots{}
3025 This macro expands to code which executes @var{forms}, with
3026 the variables in @var{arglist} bound to the list of values
3027 returned by @var{expr}. The @var{arglist} can include all
3028 the features allowed for @code{defmacro} argument lists,
3029 including destructuring. (The @code{&environment} keyword
3030 is not allowed.) The macro expansion will signal an error
3031 if @var{expr} returns a list of the wrong number of arguments
3032 or with incorrect keyword arguments.
3035 This package also includes the Common Lisp @code{define-compiler-macro}
3036 facility, which allows you to define compile-time expansions and
3037 optimizations for your functions.
3039 @defspec define-compiler-macro name arglist forms@dots{}
3040 This form is similar to @code{defmacro}, except that it only expands
3041 calls to @var{name} at compile-time; calls processed by the Lisp
3042 interpreter are not expanded, nor are they expanded by the
3043 @code{macroexpand} function.
3045 The argument list may begin with a @code{&whole} keyword and a
3046 variable. This variable is bound to the macro-call form itself,
3047 i.e., to a list of the form @samp{(@var{name} @var{args}@dots{})}.
3048 If the macro expander returns this form unchanged, then the
3049 compiler treats it as a normal function call. This allows
3050 compiler macros to work as optimizers for special cases of a
3051 function, leaving complicated cases alone.
3053 For example, here is a simplified version of a definition that
3054 appears as a standard part of this package:
3057 (define-compiler-macro member* (&whole form a list &rest keys)
3058 (if (and (null keys)
3059 (eq (car-safe a) 'quote)
3060 (not (floatp-safe (cadr a))))
3066 This definition causes @code{(member* @var{a} @var{list})} to change
3067 to a call to the faster @code{memq} in the common case where @var{a}
3068 is a non-floating-point constant; if @var{a} is anything else, or
3069 if there are any keyword arguments in the call, then the original
3070 @code{member*} call is left intact. (The actual compiler macro
3071 for @code{member*} optimizes a number of other cases, including
3072 common @code{:test} predicates.)
3075 @defun compiler-macroexpand form
3076 This function is analogous to @code{macroexpand}, except that it
3077 expands compiler macros rather than regular macros. It returns
3078 @var{form} unchanged if it is not a call to a function for which
3079 a compiler macro has been defined, or if that compiler macro
3080 decided to punt by returning its @code{&whole} argument. Like
3081 @code{macroexpand}, it expands repeatedly until it reaches a form
3082 for which no further expansion is possible.
3085 @xref{Macro Bindings}, for descriptions of the @code{macrolet}
3086 and @code{symbol-macrolet} forms for making ``local'' macro
3089 @node Declarations, Symbols, Macros, Top
3090 @chapter Declarations
3093 Common Lisp includes a complex and powerful ``declaration''
3094 mechanism that allows you to give the compiler special hints
3095 about the types of data that will be stored in particular variables,
3096 and about the ways those variables and functions will be used. This
3097 package defines versions of all the Common Lisp declaration forms:
3098 @code{declare}, @code{locally}, @code{proclaim}, @code{declaim},
3101 Most of the Common Lisp declarations are not currently useful in
3102 Emacs Lisp, as the byte-code system provides little opportunity
3103 to benefit from type information, and @code{special} declarations
3104 are redundant in a fully dynamically-scoped Lisp. A few
3105 declarations are meaningful when the optimizing Emacs 19 byte
3106 compiler is being used, however. Under the earlier non-optimizing
3107 compiler, these declarations will effectively be ignored.
3109 @defun proclaim decl-spec
3110 This function records a ``global'' declaration specified by
3111 @var{decl-spec}. Since @code{proclaim} is a function, @var{decl-spec}
3112 is evaluated and thus should normally be quoted.
3115 @defspec declaim decl-specs@dots{}
3116 This macro is like @code{proclaim}, except that it takes any number
3117 of @var{decl-spec} arguments, and the arguments are unevaluated and
3118 unquoted. The @code{declaim} macro also puts an @code{(eval-when
3119 (compile load eval) ...)} around the declarations so that they will
3120 be registered at compile-time as well as at run-time. (This is vital,
3121 since normally the declarations are meant to influence the way the
3122 compiler treats the rest of the file that contains the @code{declaim}
3126 @defspec declare decl-specs@dots{}
3127 This macro is used to make declarations within functions and other
3128 code. Common Lisp allows declarations in various locations, generally
3129 at the beginning of any of the many ``implicit @code{progn}s''
3130 throughout Lisp syntax, such as function bodies, @code{let} bodies,
3131 etc. Currently the only declaration understood by @code{declare}
3135 @defspec locally declarations@dots{} forms@dots{}
3136 In this package, @code{locally} is no different from @code{progn}.
3139 @defspec the type form
3140 Type information provided by @code{the} is ignored in this package;
3141 in other words, @code{(the @var{type} @var{form})} is equivalent
3142 to @var{form}. Future versions of the optimizing byte-compiler may
3143 make use of this information.
3145 For example, @code{mapcar} can map over both lists and arrays. It is
3146 hard for the compiler to expand @code{mapcar} into an in-line loop
3147 unless it knows whether the sequence will be a list or an array ahead
3148 of time. With @code{(mapcar 'car (the vector foo))}, a future
3149 compiler would have enough information to expand the loop in-line.
3150 For now, Emacs Lisp will treat the above code as exactly equivalent
3151 to @code{(mapcar 'car foo)}.
3154 Each @var{decl-spec} in a @code{proclaim}, @code{declaim}, or
3155 @code{declare} should be a list beginning with a symbol that says
3156 what kind of declaration it is. This package currently understands
3157 @code{special}, @code{inline}, @code{notinline}, @code{optimize},
3158 and @code{warn} declarations. (The @code{warn} declaration is an
3159 extension of standard Common Lisp.) Other Common Lisp declarations,
3160 such as @code{type} and @code{ftype}, are silently ignored.
3164 Since all variables in Emacs Lisp are ``special'' (in the Common
3165 Lisp sense), @code{special} declarations are only advisory. They
3166 simply tell the optimizing byte compiler that the specified
3167 variables are intentionally being referred to without being
3168 bound in the body of the function. The compiler normally emits
3169 warnings for such references, since they could be typographical
3170 errors for references to local variables.
3172 The declaration @code{(declare (special @var{var1} @var{var2}))} is
3173 equivalent to @code{(defvar @var{var1}) (defvar @var{var2})} in the
3174 optimizing compiler, or to nothing at all in older compilers (which
3175 do not warn for non-local references).
3177 In top-level contexts, it is generally better to write
3178 @code{(defvar @var{var})} than @code{(declaim (special @var{var}))},
3179 since @code{defvar} makes your intentions clearer. But the older
3180 byte compilers can not handle @code{defvar}s appearing inside of
3181 functions, while @code{(declare (special @var{var}))} takes care
3182 to work correctly with all compilers.
3185 The @code{inline} @var{decl-spec} lists one or more functions
3186 whose bodies should be expanded ``in-line'' into calling functions
3187 whenever the compiler is able to arrange for it. For example,
3188 the Common Lisp function @code{cadr} is declared @code{inline}
3189 by this package so that the form @code{(cadr @var{x})} will
3190 expand directly into @code{(car (cdr @var{x}))} when it is called
3191 in user functions, for a savings of one (relatively expensive)
3194 The following declarations are all equivalent. Note that the
3195 @code{defsubst} form is a convenient way to define a function
3196 and declare it inline all at once, but it is available only in
3200 (declaim (inline foo bar))
3201 (eval-when (compile load eval) (proclaim '(inline foo bar)))
3202 (proclaim-inline foo bar) ; Lucid Emacs only
3203 (defsubst foo (...) ...) ; instead of defun; Emacs 19 only
3206 @strong{Note:} This declaration remains in effect after the
3207 containing source file is done. It is correct to use it to
3208 request that a function you have defined should be inlined,
3209 but it is impolite to use it to request inlining of an external
3212 In Common Lisp, it is possible to use @code{(declare (inline @dots{}))}
3213 before a particular call to a function to cause just that call to
3214 be inlined; the current byte compilers provide no way to implement
3215 this, so @code{(declare (inline @dots{}))} is currently ignored by
3219 The @code{notinline} declaration lists functions which should
3220 not be inlined after all; it cancels a previous @code{inline}
3224 This declaration controls how much optimization is performed by
3225 the compiler. Naturally, it is ignored by the earlier non-optimizing
3228 The word @code{optimize} is followed by any number of lists like
3229 @code{(speed 3)} or @code{(safety 2)}. Common Lisp defines several
3230 optimization ``qualities''; this package ignores all but @code{speed}
3231 and @code{safety}. The value of a quality should be an integer from
3232 0 to 3, with 0 meaning ``unimportant'' and 3 meaning ``very important.''
3233 The default level for both qualities is 1.
3235 In this package, with the Emacs 19 optimizing compiler, the
3236 @code{speed} quality is tied to the @code{byte-compile-optimize}
3237 flag, which is set to @code{nil} for @code{(speed 0)} and to
3238 @code{t} for higher settings; and the @code{safety} quality is
3239 tied to the @code{byte-compile-delete-errors} flag, which is
3240 set to @code{t} for @code{(safety 3)} and to @code{nil} for all
3241 lower settings. (The latter flag controls whether the compiler
3242 is allowed to optimize out code whose only side-effect could
3243 be to signal an error, e.g., rewriting @code{(progn foo bar)} to
3244 @code{bar} when it is not known whether @code{foo} will be bound
3247 Note that even compiling with @code{(safety 0)}, the Emacs
3248 byte-code system provides sufficient checking to prevent real
3249 harm from being done. For example, barring serious bugs in
3250 Emacs itself, Emacs will not crash with a segmentation fault
3251 just because of an error in a fully-optimized Lisp program.
3253 The @code{optimize} declaration is normally used in a top-level
3254 @code{proclaim} or @code{declaim} in a file; Common Lisp allows
3255 it to be used with @code{declare} to set the level of optimization
3256 locally for a given form, but this will not work correctly with the
3257 current version of the optimizing compiler. (The @code{declare}
3258 will set the new optimization level, but that level will not
3259 automatically be unset after the enclosing form is done.)
3262 This declaration controls what sorts of warnings are generated
3263 by the byte compiler. Again, only the optimizing compiler
3264 generates warnings. The word @code{warn} is followed by any
3265 number of ``warning qualities,'' similar in form to optimization
3266 qualities. The currently supported warning types are
3267 @code{redefine}, @code{callargs}, @code{unresolved}, and
3268 @code{free-vars}; in the current system, a value of 0 will
3269 disable these warnings and any higher value will enable them.
3270 See the documentation for the optimizing byte compiler for details.
3273 @node Symbols, Numbers, Declarations, Top
3277 This package defines several symbol-related features that were
3278 missing from Emacs Lisp.
3281 * Property Lists:: `get*', `remprop', `getf', `remf'
3282 * Creating Symbols:: `gensym', `gentemp'
3285 @node Property Lists, Creating Symbols, Symbols, Symbols
3286 @section Property Lists
3289 These functions augment the standard Emacs Lisp functions @code{get}
3290 and @code{put} for operating on properties attached to symbols.
3291 There are also functions for working with property lists as
3292 first-class data structures not attached to particular symbols.
3294 @defun get* symbol property &optional default
3295 This function is like @code{get}, except that if the property is
3296 not found, the @var{default} argument provides the return value.
3297 (The Emacs Lisp @code{get} function always uses @code{nil} as
3298 the default; this package's @code{get*} is equivalent to Common
3301 The @code{get*} function is @code{setf}-able; when used in this
3302 fashion, the @var{default} argument is allowed but ignored.
3305 @defun remprop symbol property
3306 This function removes the entry for @var{property} from the property
3307 list of @var{symbol}. It returns a true value if the property was
3308 indeed found and removed, or @code{nil} if there was no such property.
3309 (This function was probably omitted from Emacs originally because,
3310 since @code{get} did not allow a @var{default}, it was very difficult
3311 to distinguish between a missing property and a property whose value
3312 was @code{nil}; thus, setting a property to @code{nil} was close
3313 enough to @code{remprop} for most purposes.)
3316 @defun getf place property &optional default
3317 This function scans the list @var{place} as if it were a property
3318 list, i.e., a list of alternating property names and values. If
3319 an even-numbered element of @var{place} is found which is @code{eq}
3320 to @var{property}, the following odd-numbered element is returned.
3321 Otherwise, @var{default} is returned (or @code{nil} if no default
3327 (get sym prop) @equiv{} (getf (symbol-plist sym) prop)
3330 It is legal to use @code{getf} as a @code{setf} place, in which case
3331 its @var{place} argument must itself be a legal @code{setf} place.
3332 The @var{default} argument, if any, is ignored in this context.
3333 The effect is to change (via @code{setcar}) the value cell in the
3334 list that corresponds to @var{property}, or to cons a new property-value
3335 pair onto the list if the property is not yet present.
3338 (put sym prop val) @equiv{} (setf (getf (symbol-plist sym) prop) val)
3341 The @code{get} and @code{get*} functions are also @code{setf}-able.
3342 The fact that @code{default} is ignored can sometimes be useful:
3345 (incf (get* 'foo 'usage-count 0))
3348 Here, symbol @code{foo}'s @code{usage-count} property is incremented
3349 if it exists, or set to 1 (an incremented 0) otherwise.
3351 When not used as a @code{setf} form, @code{getf} is just a regular
3352 function and its @var{place} argument can actually be any Lisp
3356 @defspec remf place property
3357 This macro removes the property-value pair for @var{property} from
3358 the property list stored at @var{place}, which is any @code{setf}-able
3359 place expression. It returns true if the property was found. Note
3360 that if @var{property} happens to be first on the list, this will
3361 effectively do a @code{(setf @var{place} (cddr @var{place}))},
3362 whereas if it occurs later, this simply uses @code{setcdr} to splice
3363 out the property and value cells.
3370 @node Creating Symbols, , Property Lists, Symbols
3371 @section Creating Symbols
3374 These functions create unique symbols, typically for use as
3375 temporary variables.
3377 @defun gensym &optional x
3378 This function creates a new, uninterned symbol (using @code{make-symbol})
3379 with a unique name. (The name of an uninterned symbol is relevant
3380 only if the symbol is printed.) By default, the name is generated
3381 from an increasing sequence of numbers, @samp{G1000}, @samp{G1001},
3382 @samp{G1002}, etc. If the optional argument @var{x} is a string, that
3383 string is used as a prefix instead of @samp{G}. Uninterned symbols
3384 are used in macro expansions for temporary variables, to ensure that
3385 their names will not conflict with ``real'' variables in the user's
3389 @defvar *gensym-counter*
3390 This variable holds the counter used to generate @code{gensym} names.
3391 It is incremented after each use by @code{gensym}. In Common Lisp
3392 this is initialized with 0, but this package initializes it with a
3393 random (time-dependent) value to avoid trouble when two files that
3394 each used @code{gensym} in their compilation are loaded together.
3395 (Uninterned symbols become interned when the compiler writes them
3396 out to a file and the Emacs loader loads them, so their names have to
3397 be treated a bit more carefully than in Common Lisp where uninterned
3398 symbols remain uninterned after loading.)
3401 @defun gentemp &optional x
3402 This function is like @code{gensym}, except that it produces a new
3403 @emph{interned} symbol. If the symbol that is generated already
3404 exists, the function keeps incrementing the counter and trying
3405 again until a new symbol is generated.
3408 The Quiroz @file{cl.el} package also defined a @code{defkeyword}
3409 form for creating self-quoting keyword symbols. This package
3410 automatically creates all keywords that are called for by
3411 @code{&key} argument specifiers, and discourages the use of
3412 keywords as data unrelated to keyword arguments, so the
3413 @code{defkeyword} form has been discontinued.
3419 @node Numbers, Sequences, Symbols, Top
3423 This section defines a few simple Common Lisp operations on numbers
3424 which were left out of Emacs Lisp.
3427 * Predicates on Numbers:: `plusp', `oddp', `floatp-safe', etc.
3428 * Numerical Functions:: `abs', `expt', `floor*', etc.
3429 * Random Numbers:: `random*', `make-random-state'
3430 * Implementation Parameters:: `most-positive-fixnum', `most-positive-float'
3437 @node Predicates on Numbers, Numerical Functions, Numbers, Numbers
3438 @section Predicates on Numbers
3441 These functions return @code{t} if the specified condition is
3442 true of the numerical argument, or @code{nil} otherwise.
3445 This predicate tests whether @var{number} is positive. It is an
3446 error if the argument is not a number.
3449 @defun minusp number
3450 This predicate tests whether @var{number} is negative. It is an
3451 error if the argument is not a number.
3455 This predicate tests whether @var{integer} is odd. It is an
3456 error if the argument is not an integer.
3459 @defun evenp integer
3460 This predicate tests whether @var{integer} is even. It is an
3461 error if the argument is not an integer.
3464 @defun floatp-safe object
3465 This predicate tests whether @var{object} is a floating-point
3466 number. On systems that support floating-point, this is equivalent
3467 to @code{floatp}. On other systems, this always returns @code{nil}.
3474 @node Numerical Functions, Random Numbers, Predicates on Numbers, Numbers
3475 @section Numerical Functions
3478 These functions perform various arithmetic operations on numbers.
3481 This function returns the absolute value of @var{number}. (Newer
3482 versions of Emacs provide this as a built-in function; this package
3483 defines @code{abs} only for Emacs 18 versions which don't provide
3487 @defun expt base power
3488 This function returns @var{base} raised to the power of @var{number}.
3489 (Newer versions of Emacs provide this as a built-in function; this
3490 package defines @code{expt} only for Emacs 18 versions which don't
3491 provide it as a primitive.)
3494 @defun gcd &rest integers
3495 This function returns the Greatest Common Divisor of the arguments.
3496 For one argument, it returns the absolute value of that argument.
3497 For zero arguments, it returns zero.
3500 @defun lcm &rest integers
3501 This function returns the Least Common Multiple of the arguments.
3502 For one argument, it returns the absolute value of that argument.
3503 For zero arguments, it returns one.
3506 @defun isqrt integer
3507 This function computes the ``integer square root'' of its integer
3508 argument, i.e., the greatest integer less than or equal to the true
3509 square root of the argument.
3512 @defun floor* number &optional divisor
3513 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{floor} function.
3514 It is called @code{floor*} to avoid name conflicts with the
3515 simpler @code{floor} function built-in to Emacs 19.
3517 With one argument, @code{floor*} returns a list of two numbers:
3518 The argument rounded down (toward minus infinity) to an integer,
3519 and the ``remainder'' which would have to be added back to the
3520 first return value to yield the argument again. If the argument
3521 is an integer @var{x}, the result is always the list @code{(@var{x} 0)}.
3522 If the argument is an Emacs 19 floating-point number, the first
3523 result is a Lisp integer and the second is a Lisp float between
3524 0 (inclusive) and 1 (exclusive).
3526 With two arguments, @code{floor*} divides @var{number} by
3527 @var{divisor}, and returns the floor of the quotient and the
3528 corresponding remainder as a list of two numbers. If
3529 @code{(floor* @var{x} @var{y})} returns @code{(@var{q} @var{r})},
3530 then @code{@var{q}*@var{y} + @var{r} = @var{x}}, with @var{r}
3531 between 0 (inclusive) and @var{r} (exclusive). Also, note
3532 that @code{(floor* @var{x})} is exactly equivalent to
3533 @code{(floor* @var{x} 1)}.
3535 This function is entirely compatible with Common Lisp's @code{floor}
3536 function, except that it returns the two results in a list since
3537 Emacs Lisp does not support multiple-valued functions.
3540 @defun ceiling* number &optional divisor
3541 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{ceiling} function,
3542 which is analogous to @code{floor} except that it rounds the
3543 argument or quotient of the arguments up toward plus infinity.
3544 The remainder will be between 0 and minus @var{r}.
3547 @defun truncate* number &optional divisor
3548 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{truncate} function,
3549 which is analogous to @code{floor} except that it rounds the
3550 argument or quotient of the arguments toward zero. Thus it is
3551 equivalent to @code{floor*} if the argument or quotient is
3552 positive, or to @code{ceiling*} otherwise. The remainder has
3553 the same sign as @var{number}.
3556 @defun round* number &optional divisor
3557 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{round} function,
3558 which is analogous to @code{floor} except that it rounds the
3559 argument or quotient of the arguments to the nearest integer.
3560 In the case of a tie (the argument or quotient is exactly
3561 halfway between two integers), it rounds to the even integer.
3564 @defun mod* number divisor
3565 This function returns the same value as the second return value
3569 @defun rem* number divisor
3570 This function returns the same value as the second return value
3574 These definitions are compatible with those in the Quiroz
3575 @file{cl.el} package, except that this package appends @samp{*}
3576 to certain function names to avoid conflicts with existing
3577 Emacs 19 functions, and that the mechanism for returning
3578 multiple values is different.
3584 @node Random Numbers, Implementation Parameters, Numerical Functions, Numbers
3585 @section Random Numbers
3588 This package also provides an implementation of the Common Lisp
3589 random number generator. It uses its own additive-congruential
3590 algorithm, which is much more likely to give statistically clean
3591 random numbers than the simple generators supplied by many
3594 @defun random* number &optional state
3595 This function returns a random nonnegative number less than
3596 @var{number}, and of the same type (either integer or floating-point).
3597 The @var{state} argument should be a @code{random-state} object
3598 which holds the state of the random number generator. The
3599 function modifies this state object as a side effect. If
3600 @var{state} is omitted, it defaults to the variable
3601 @code{*random-state*}, which contains a pre-initialized
3602 @code{random-state} object.
3605 @defvar *random-state*
3606 This variable contains the system ``default'' @code{random-state}
3607 object, used for calls to @code{random*} that do not specify an
3608 alternative state object. Since any number of programs in the
3609 Emacs process may be accessing @code{*random-state*} in interleaved
3610 fashion, the sequence generated from this variable will be
3611 irreproducible for all intents and purposes.
3614 @defun make-random-state &optional state
3615 This function creates or copies a @code{random-state} object.
3616 If @var{state} is omitted or @code{nil}, it returns a new copy of
3617 @code{*random-state*}. This is a copy in the sense that future
3618 sequences of calls to @code{(random* @var{n})} and
3619 @code{(random* @var{n} @var{s})} (where @var{s} is the new
3620 random-state object) will return identical sequences of random
3623 If @var{state} is a @code{random-state} object, this function
3624 returns a copy of that object. If @var{state} is @code{t}, this
3625 function returns a new @code{random-state} object seeded from the
3626 date and time. As an extension to Common Lisp, @var{state} may also
3627 be an integer in which case the new object is seeded from that
3628 integer; each different integer seed will result in a completely
3629 different sequence of random numbers.
3631 It is legal to print a @code{random-state} object to a buffer or
3632 file and later read it back with @code{read}. If a program wishes
3633 to use a sequence of pseudo-random numbers which can be reproduced
3634 later for debugging, it can call @code{(make-random-state t)} to
3635 get a new sequence, then print this sequence to a file. When the
3636 program is later rerun, it can read the original run's random-state
3640 @defun random-state-p object
3641 This predicate returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a
3642 @code{random-state} object, or @code{nil} otherwise.
3645 @node Implementation Parameters, , Random Numbers, Numbers
3646 @section Implementation Parameters
3649 This package defines several useful constants having to with numbers.
3651 @defvar most-positive-fixnum
3652 This constant equals the largest value a Lisp integer can hold.
3653 It is typically @code{2^23-1} or @code{2^25-1}.
3656 @defvar most-negative-fixnum
3657 This constant equals the smallest (most negative) value a Lisp
3661 The following parameters have to do with floating-point numbers.
3662 This package determines their values by exercising the computer's
3663 floating-point arithmetic in various ways. Because this operation
3664 might be slow, the code for initializing them is kept in a separate
3665 function that must be called before the parameters can be used.
3667 @defun cl-float-limits
3668 This function makes sure that the Common Lisp floating-point
3669 parameters like @code{most-positive-float} have been initialized.
3670 Until it is called, these parameters will be @code{nil}. If this
3671 version of Emacs does not support floats (e.g., most versions of
3672 Emacs 18), the parameters will remain @code{nil}. If the parameters
3673 have already been initialized, the function returns immediately.
3675 The algorithm makes assumptions that will be valid for most modern
3676 machines, but will fail if the machine's arithmetic is extremely
3677 unusual, e.g., decimal.
3680 Since true Common Lisp supports up to four different floating-point
3681 precisions, it has families of constants like
3682 @code{most-positive-single-float}, @code{most-positive-double-float},
3683 @code{most-positive-long-float}, and so on. Emacs has only one
3684 floating-point precision, so this package omits the precision word
3685 from the constants' names.
3687 @defvar most-positive-float
3688 This constant equals the largest value a Lisp float can hold.
3689 For those systems whose arithmetic supports infinities, this is
3690 the largest @emph{finite} value. For IEEE machines, the value
3691 is approximately @code{1.79e+308}.
3694 @defvar most-negative-float
3695 This constant equals the most-negative value a Lisp float can hold.
3696 (It is assumed to be equal to @code{(- most-positive-float)}.)
3699 @defvar least-positive-float
3700 This constant equals the smallest Lisp float value greater than zero.
3701 For IEEE machines, it is about @code{4.94e-324} if denormals are
3702 supported or @code{2.22e-308} if not.
3705 @defvar least-positive-normalized-float
3706 This constant equals the smallest @emph{normalized} Lisp float greater
3707 than zero, i.e., the smallest value for which IEEE denormalization
3708 will not result in a loss of precision. For IEEE machines, this
3709 value is about @code{2.22e-308}. For machines that do not support
3710 the concept of denormalization and gradual underflow, this constant
3711 will always equal @code{least-positive-float}.
3714 @defvar least-negative-float
3715 This constant is the negative counterpart of @code{least-positive-float}.
3718 @defvar least-negative-normalized-float
3719 This constant is the negative counterpart of
3720 @code{least-positive-normalized-float}.
3723 @defvar float-epsilon
3724 This constant is the smallest positive Lisp float that can be added
3725 to 1.0 to produce a distinct value. Adding a smaller number to 1.0
3726 will yield 1.0 again due to roundoff. For IEEE machines, epsilon
3727 is about @code{2.22e-16}.
3730 @defvar float-negative-epsilon
3731 This is the smallest positive value that can be subtracted from
3732 1.0 to produce a distinct value. For IEEE machines, it is about
3740 @node Sequences, Lists, Numbers, Top
3744 Common Lisp defines a number of functions that operate on
3745 @dfn{sequences}, which are either lists, strings, or vectors.
3746 Emacs Lisp includes a few of these, notably @code{elt} and
3747 @code{length}; this package defines most of the rest.
3750 * Sequence Basics:: Arguments shared by all sequence functions
3751 * Mapping over Sequences:: `mapcar*', `mapcan', `map', `every', etc.
3752 * Sequence Functions:: `subseq', `remove*', `substitute', etc.
3753 * Searching Sequences:: `find', `position', `count', `search', etc.
3754 * Sorting Sequences:: `sort*', `stable-sort', `merge'
3757 @node Sequence Basics, Mapping over Sequences, Sequences, Sequences
3758 @section Sequence Basics
3761 Many of the sequence functions take keyword arguments; @pxref{Argument
3762 Lists}. All keyword arguments are optional and, if specified,
3763 may appear in any order.
3765 The @code{:key} argument should be passed either @code{nil}, or a
3766 function of one argument. This key function is used as a filter
3767 through which the elements of the sequence are seen; for example,
3768 @code{(find x y :key 'car)} is similar to @code{(assoc* x y)}:
3769 It searches for an element of the list whose @code{car} equals
3770 @code{x}, rather than for an element which equals @code{x} itself.
3771 If @code{:key} is omitted or @code{nil}, the filter is effectively
3772 the identity function.
3774 The @code{:test} and @code{:test-not} arguments should be either
3775 @code{nil}, or functions of two arguments. The test function is
3776 used to compare two sequence elements, or to compare a search value
3777 with sequence elements. (The two values are passed to the test
3778 function in the same order as the original sequence function
3779 arguments from which they are derived, or, if they both come from
3780 the same sequence, in the same order as they appear in that sequence.)
3781 The @code{:test} argument specifies a function which must return
3782 true (non-@code{nil}) to indicate a match; instead, you may use
3783 @code{:test-not} to give a function which returns @emph{false} to
3784 indicate a match. The default test function is @code{:test 'eql}.
3786 Many functions which take @var{item} and @code{:test} or @code{:test-not}
3787 arguments also come in @code{-if} and @code{-if-not} varieties,
3788 where a @var{predicate} function is passed instead of @var{item},
3789 and sequence elements match if the predicate returns true on them
3790 (or false in the case of @code{-if-not}). For example:
3793 (remove* 0 seq :test '=) @equiv{} (remove-if 'zerop seq)
3797 to remove all zeros from sequence @code{seq}.
3799 Some operations can work on a subsequence of the argument sequence;
3800 these function take @code{:start} and @code{:end} arguments which
3801 default to zero and the length of the sequence, respectively.
3802 Only elements between @var{start} (inclusive) and @var{end}
3803 (exclusive) are affected by the operation. The @var{end} argument
3804 may be passed @code{nil} to signify the length of the sequence;
3805 otherwise, both @var{start} and @var{end} must be integers, with
3806 @code{0 <= @var{start} <= @var{end} <= (length @var{seq})}.
3807 If the function takes two sequence arguments, the limits are
3808 defined by keywords @code{:start1} and @code{:end1} for the first,
3809 and @code{:start2} and @code{:end2} for the second.
3811 A few functions accept a @code{:from-end} argument, which, if
3812 non-@code{nil}, causes the operation to go from right-to-left
3813 through the sequence instead of left-to-right, and a @code{:count}
3814 argument, which specifies an integer maximum number of elements
3815 to be removed or otherwise processed.
3817 The sequence functions make no guarantees about the order in
3818 which the @code{:test}, @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key} functions
3819 are called on various elements. Therefore, it is a bad idea to depend
3820 on side effects of these functions. For example, @code{:from-end}
3821 may cause the sequence to be scanned actually in reverse, or it may
3822 be scanned forwards but computing a result ``as if'' it were scanned
3823 backwards. (Some functions, like @code{mapcar*} and @code{every},
3824 @emph{do} specify exactly the order in which the function is called
3825 so side effects are perfectly acceptable in those cases.)
3827 Strings in GNU Emacs 19 may contain ``text properties'' as well
3828 as character data. Except as noted, it is undefined whether or
3829 not text properties are preserved by sequence functions. For
3830 example, @code{(remove* ?A @var{str})} may or may not preserve
3831 the properties of the characters copied from @var{str} into the
3834 @node Mapping over Sequences, Sequence Functions, Sequence Basics, Sequences
3835 @section Mapping over Sequences
3838 These functions ``map'' the function you specify over the elements
3839 of lists or arrays. They are all variations on the theme of the
3840 built-in function @code{mapcar}.
3842 @defun mapcar* function seq &rest more-seqs
3843 This function calls @var{function} on successive parallel sets of
3844 elements from its argument sequences. Given a single @var{seq}
3845 argument it is equivalent to @code{mapcar}; given @var{n} sequences,
3846 it calls the function with the first elements of each of the sequences
3847 as the @var{n} arguments to yield the first element of the result
3848 list, then with the second elements, and so on. The mapping stops as
3849 soon as the shortest sequence runs out. The argument sequences may
3850 be any mixture of lists, strings, and vectors; the return sequence
3853 Common Lisp's @code{mapcar} accepts multiple arguments but works
3854 only on lists; Emacs Lisp's @code{mapcar} accepts a single sequence
3855 argument. This package's @code{mapcar*} works as a compatible
3859 @defun map result-type function seq &rest more-seqs
3860 This function maps @var{function} over the argument sequences,
3861 just like @code{mapcar*}, but it returns a sequence of type
3862 @var{result-type} rather than a list. @var{result-type} must
3863 be one of the following symbols: @code{vector}, @code{string},
3864 @code{list} (in which case the effect is the same as for
3865 @code{mapcar*}), or @code{nil} (in which case the results are
3866 thrown away and @code{map} returns @code{nil}).
3869 @defun maplist function list &rest more-lists
3870 This function calls @var{function} on each of its argument lists,
3871 then on the @code{cdr}s of those lists, and so on, until the
3872 shortest list runs out. The results are returned in the form
3873 of a list. Thus, @code{maplist} is like @code{mapcar*} except
3874 that it passes in the list pointers themselves rather than the
3875 @code{car}s of the advancing pointers.
3878 @defun mapc function seq &rest more-seqs
3879 This function is like @code{mapcar*}, except that the values
3880 returned by @var{function} are ignored and thrown away rather
3881 than being collected into a list. The return value of @code{mapc}
3882 is @var{seq}, the first sequence.
3885 @defun mapl function list &rest more-lists
3886 This function is like @code{maplist}, except that it throws away
3887 the values returned by @var{function}.
3890 @defun mapcan function seq &rest more-seqs
3891 This function is like @code{mapcar*}, except that it concatenates
3892 the return values (which must be lists) using @code{nconc},
3893 rather than simply collecting them into a list.
3896 @defun mapcon function list &rest more-lists
3897 This function is like @code{maplist}, except that it concatenates
3898 the return values using @code{nconc}.
3901 @defun some predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3902 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of @var{seq}
3903 in turn; if @var{predicate} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3904 @code{some} returns that value, otherwise it returns @code{nil}.
3905 Given several sequence arguments, it steps through the sequences
3906 in parallel until the shortest one runs out, just as in
3907 @code{mapcar*}. You can rely on the left-to-right order in which
3908 the elements are visited, and on the fact that mapping stops
3909 immediately as soon as @var{predicate} returns non-@code{nil}.
3912 @defun every predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3913 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of the sequence(s)
3914 in turn; it returns @code{nil} as soon as @var{predicate} returns
3915 @code{nil} for any element, or @code{t} if the predicate was true
3919 @defun notany predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3920 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of the sequence(s)
3921 in turn; it returns @code{nil} as soon as @var{predicate} returns
3922 a non-@code{nil} value for any element, or @code{t} if the predicate
3923 was @code{nil} for all elements.
3926 @defun notevery predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3927 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of the sequence(s)
3928 in turn; it returns a non-@code{nil} value as soon as @var{predicate}
3929 returns @code{nil} for any element, or @code{t} if the predicate was
3930 true for all elements.
3933 @defun reduce function seq @t{&key :from-end :start :end :initial-value :key}
3934 This function combines the elements of @var{seq} using an associative
3935 binary operation. Suppose @var{function} is @code{*} and @var{seq} is
3936 the list @code{(2 3 4 5)}. The first two elements of the list are
3937 combined with @code{(* 2 3) = 6}; this is combined with the next
3938 element, @code{(* 6 4) = 24}, and that is combined with the final
3939 element: @code{(* 24 5) = 120}. Note that the @code{*} function happens
3940 to be self-reducing, so that @code{(* 2 3 4 5)} has the same effect as
3941 an explicit call to @code{reduce}.
3943 If @code{:from-end} is true, the reduction is right-associative instead
3944 of left-associative:
3947 (reduce '- '(1 2 3 4))
3948 @equiv{} (- (- (- 1 2) 3) 4) @result{} -8
3949 (reduce '- '(1 2 3 4) :from-end t)
3950 @equiv{} (- 1 (- 2 (- 3 4))) @result{} -2
3953 If @code{:key} is specified, it is a function of one argument which
3954 is called on each of the sequence elements in turn.
3956 If @code{:initial-value} is specified, it is effectively added to the
3957 front (or rear in the case of @code{:from-end}) of the sequence.
3958 The @code{:key} function is @emph{not} applied to the initial value.
3960 If the sequence, including the initial value, has exactly one element
3961 then that element is returned without ever calling @var{function}.
3962 If the sequence is empty (and there is no initial value), then
3963 @var{function} is called with no arguments to obtain the return value.
3966 All of these mapping operations can be expressed conveniently in
3967 terms of the @code{loop} macro. In compiled code, @code{loop} will
3968 be faster since it generates the loop as in-line code with no
3971 @node Sequence Functions, Searching Sequences, Mapping over Sequences, Sequences
3972 @section Sequence Functions
3975 This section describes a number of Common Lisp functions for
3976 operating on sequences.
3978 @defun subseq sequence start &optional end
3979 This function returns a given subsequence of the argument
3980 @var{sequence}, which may be a list, string, or vector.
3981 The indices @var{start} and @var{end} must be in range, and
3982 @var{start} must be no greater than @var{end}. If @var{end}
3983 is omitted, it defaults to the length of the sequence. The
3984 return value is always a copy; it does not share structure
3985 with @var{sequence}.
3987 As an extension to Common Lisp, @var{start} and/or @var{end}
3988 may be negative, in which case they represent a distance back
3989 from the end of the sequence. This is for compatibility with
3990 Emacs' @code{substring} function. Note that @code{subseq} is
3991 the @emph{only} sequence function that allows negative
3992 @var{start} and @var{end}.
3994 You can use @code{setf} on a @code{subseq} form to replace a
3995 specified range of elements with elements from another sequence.
3996 The replacement is done as if by @code{replace}, described below.
3999 @defun concatenate result-type &rest seqs
4000 This function concatenates the argument sequences together to
4001 form a result sequence of type @var{result-type}, one of the
4002 symbols @code{vector}, @code{string}, or @code{list}. The
4003 arguments are always copied, even in cases such as
4004 @code{(concatenate 'list '(1 2 3))} where the result is
4005 identical to an argument.
4008 @defun fill seq item @t{&key :start :end}
4009 This function fills the elements of the sequence (or the specified
4010 part of the sequence) with the value @var{item}.
4013 @defun replace seq1 seq2 @t{&key :start1 :end1 :start2 :end2}
4014 This function copies part of @var{seq2} into part of @var{seq1}.
4015 The sequence @var{seq1} is not stretched or resized; the amount
4016 of data copied is simply the shorter of the source and destination
4017 (sub)sequences. The function returns @var{seq1}.
4019 If @var{seq1} and @var{seq2} are @code{eq}, then the replacement
4020 will work correctly even if the regions indicated by the start
4021 and end arguments overlap. However, if @var{seq1} and @var{seq2}
4022 are lists which share storage but are not @code{eq}, and the
4023 start and end arguments specify overlapping regions, the effect
4027 @defun remove* item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
4028 This returns a copy of @var{seq} with all elements matching
4029 @var{item} removed. The result may share storage with or be
4030 @code{eq} to @var{seq} in some circumstances, but the original
4031 @var{seq} will not be modified. The @code{:test}, @code{:test-not},
4032 and @code{:key} arguments define the matching test that is used;
4033 by default, elements @code{eql} to @var{item} are removed. The
4034 @code{:count} argument specifies the maximum number of matching
4035 elements that can be removed (only the leftmost @var{count} matches
4036 are removed). The @code{:start} and @code{:end} arguments specify
4037 a region in @var{seq} in which elements will be removed; elements
4038 outside that region are not matched or removed. The @code{:from-end}
4039 argument, if true, says that elements should be deleted from the
4040 end of the sequence rather than the beginning (this matters only
4041 if @var{count} was also specified).
4044 @defun delete* item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
4045 This deletes all elements of @var{seq} which match @var{item}.
4046 It is a destructive operation. Since Emacs Lisp does not support
4047 stretchable strings or vectors, this is the same as @code{remove*}
4048 for those sequence types. On lists, @code{remove*} will copy the
4049 list if necessary to preserve the original list, whereas
4050 @code{delete*} will splice out parts of the argument list.
4051 Compare @code{append} and @code{nconc}, which are analogous
4052 non-destructive and destructive list operations in Emacs Lisp.
4056 @findex remove-if-not
4058 @findex delete-if-not
4059 The predicate-oriented functions @code{remove-if}, @code{remove-if-not},
4060 @code{delete-if}, and @code{delete-if-not} are defined similarly.
4062 @defun delete item list
4063 This MacLisp-compatible function deletes from @var{list} all elements
4064 which are @code{equal} to @var{item}. The @code{delete} function is
4065 built-in to Emacs 19; this package defines it equivalently in Emacs 18.
4068 @defun remove item list
4069 This function removes from @var{list} all elements which are
4070 @code{equal} to @var{item}. This package defines it for symmetry
4071 with @code{delete}, even though @code{remove} is not built-in to
4075 @defun remq item list
4076 This function removes from @var{list} all elements which are
4077 @code{eq} to @var{item}. This package defines it for symmetry
4078 with @code{delq}, even though @code{remq} is not built-in to
4082 @defun remove-duplicates seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
4083 This function returns a copy of @var{seq} with duplicate elements
4084 removed. Specifically, if two elements from the sequence match
4085 according to the @code{:test}, @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key}
4086 arguments, only the rightmost one is retained. If @code{:from-end}
4087 is true, the leftmost one is retained instead. If @code{:start} or
4088 @code{:end} is specified, only elements within that subsequence are
4089 examined or removed.
4092 @defun delete-duplicates seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
4093 This function deletes duplicate elements from @var{seq}. It is
4094 a destructive version of @code{remove-duplicates}.
4097 @defun substitute new old seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
4098 This function returns a copy of @var{seq}, with all elements
4099 matching @var{old} replaced with @var{new}. The @code{:count},
4100 @code{:start}, @code{:end}, and @code{:from-end} arguments may be
4101 used to limit the number of substitutions made.
4104 @defun nsubstitute new old seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
4105 This is a destructive version of @code{substitute}; it performs
4106 the substitution using @code{setcar} or @code{aset} rather than
4107 by returning a changed copy of the sequence.
4110 @findex substitute-if
4111 @findex substitute-if-not
4112 @findex nsubstitute-if
4113 @findex nsubstitute-if-not
4114 The @code{substitute-if}, @code{substitute-if-not}, @code{nsubstitute-if},
4115 and @code{nsubstitute-if-not} functions are defined similarly. For
4116 these, a @var{predicate} is given in place of the @var{old} argument.
4118 @node Searching Sequences, Sorting Sequences, Sequence Functions, Sequences
4119 @section Searching Sequences
4122 These functions search for elements or subsequences in a sequence.
4123 (See also @code{member*} and @code{assoc*}; @pxref{Lists}.)
4125 @defun find item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
4126 This function searches @var{seq} for an element matching @var{item}.
4127 If it finds a match, it returns the matching element. Otherwise,
4128 it returns @code{nil}. It returns the leftmost match, unless
4129 @code{:from-end} is true, in which case it returns the rightmost
4130 match. The @code{:start} and @code{:end} arguments may be used to
4131 limit the range of elements that are searched.
4134 @defun position item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
4135 This function is like @code{find}, except that it returns the
4136 integer position in the sequence of the matching item rather than
4137 the item itself. The position is relative to the start of the
4138 sequence as a whole, even if @code{:start} is non-zero. The function
4139 returns @code{nil} if no matching element was found.
4142 @defun count item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end}
4143 This function returns the number of elements of @var{seq} which
4144 match @var{item}. The result is always a nonnegative integer.
4150 @findex position-if-not
4152 @findex count-if-not
4153 The @code{find-if}, @code{find-if-not}, @code{position-if},
4154 @code{position-if-not}, @code{count-if}, and @code{count-if-not}
4155 functions are defined similarly.
4157 @defun mismatch seq1 seq2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start1 :end1 :start2 :end2 :from-end}
4158 This function compares the specified parts of @var{seq1} and
4159 @var{seq2}. If they are the same length and the corresponding
4160 elements match (according to @code{:test}, @code{:test-not},
4161 and @code{:key}), the function returns @code{nil}. If there is
4162 a mismatch, the function returns the index (relative to @var{seq1})
4163 of the first mismatching element. This will be the leftmost pair of
4164 elements which do not match, or the position at which the shorter of
4165 the two otherwise-matching sequences runs out.
4167 If @code{:from-end} is true, then the elements are compared from right
4168 to left starting at @code{(1- @var{end1})} and @code{(1- @var{end2})}.
4169 If the sequences differ, then one plus the index of the rightmost
4170 difference (relative to @var{seq1}) is returned.
4172 An interesting example is @code{(mismatch str1 str2 :key 'upcase)},
4173 which compares two strings case-insensitively.
4176 @defun search seq1 seq2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key :from-end :start1 :end1 :start2 :end2}
4177 This function searches @var{seq2} for a subsequence that matches
4178 @var{seq1} (or part of it specified by @code{:start1} and
4179 @code{:end1}.) Only matches which fall entirely within the region
4180 defined by @code{:start2} and @code{:end2} will be considered.
4181 The return value is the index of the leftmost element of the
4182 leftmost match, relative to the start of @var{seq2}, or @code{nil}
4183 if no matches were found. If @code{:from-end} is true, the
4184 function finds the @emph{rightmost} matching subsequence.
4187 @node Sorting Sequences, , Searching Sequences, Sequences
4188 @section Sorting Sequences
4190 @defun sort* seq predicate @t{&key :key}
4191 This function sorts @var{seq} into increasing order as determined
4192 by using @var{predicate} to compare pairs of elements. @var{predicate}
4193 should return true (non-@code{nil}) if and only if its first argument
4194 is less than (not equal to) its second argument. For example,
4195 @code{<} and @code{string-lessp} are suitable predicate functions
4196 for sorting numbers and strings, respectively; @code{>} would sort
4197 numbers into decreasing rather than increasing order.
4199 This function differs from Emacs' built-in @code{sort} in that it
4200 can operate on any type of sequence, not just lists. Also, it
4201 accepts a @code{:key} argument which is used to preprocess data
4202 fed to the @var{predicate} function. For example,
4205 (setq data (sort data 'string-lessp :key 'downcase))
4209 sorts @var{data}, a sequence of strings, into increasing alphabetical
4210 order without regard to case. A @code{:key} function of @code{car}
4211 would be useful for sorting association lists.
4213 The @code{sort*} function is destructive; it sorts lists by actually
4214 rearranging the @code{cdr} pointers in suitable fashion.
4217 @defun stable-sort seq predicate @t{&key :key}
4218 This function sorts @var{seq} @dfn{stably}, meaning two elements
4219 which are equal in terms of @var{predicate} are guaranteed not to
4220 be rearranged out of their original order by the sort.
4222 In practice, @code{sort*} and @code{stable-sort} are equivalent
4223 in Emacs Lisp because the underlying @code{sort} function is
4224 stable by default. However, this package reserves the right to
4225 use non-stable methods for @code{sort*} in the future.
4228 @defun merge type seq1 seq2 predicate @t{&key :key}
4229 This function merges two sequences @var{seq1} and @var{seq2} by
4230 interleaving their elements. The result sequence, of type @var{type}
4231 (in the sense of @code{concatenate}), has length equal to the sum
4232 of the lengths of the two input sequences. The sequences may be
4233 modified destructively. Order of elements within @var{seq1} and
4234 @var{seq2} is preserved in the interleaving; elements of the two
4235 sequences are compared by @var{predicate} (in the sense of
4236 @code{sort}) and the lesser element goes first in the result.
4237 When elements are equal, those from @var{seq1} precede those from
4238 @var{seq2} in the result. Thus, if @var{seq1} and @var{seq2} are
4239 both sorted according to @var{predicate}, then the result will be
4240 a merged sequence which is (stably) sorted according to
4244 @node Lists, Hash Tables, Sequences, Top
4248 The functions described here operate on lists.
4251 * List Functions:: `caddr', `first', `last*', `list*', etc.
4252 * Substitution of Expressions:: `subst', `sublis', etc.
4253 * Lists as Sets:: `member*', `adjoin', `union', etc.
4254 * Association Lists:: `assoc*', `rassoc*', `acons', `pairlis'
4257 @node List Functions, Substitution of Expressions, Lists, Lists
4258 @section List Functions
4261 This section describes a number of simple operations on lists,
4262 i.e., chains of cons cells.
4265 This function is equivalent to @code{(car (cdr (cdr @var{x})))}.
4266 Likewise, this package defines all 28 @code{c@var{xxx}r} functions
4267 where @var{xxx} is up to four @samp{a}s and/or @samp{d}s.
4268 All of these functions are @code{setf}-able, and calls to them
4269 are expanded inline by the byte-compiler for maximum efficiency.
4273 This function is a synonym for @code{(car @var{x})}. Likewise,
4274 the functions @code{second}, @code{third}, @dots{}, through
4275 @code{tenth} return the given element of the list @var{x}.
4279 This function is a synonym for @code{(cdr @var{x})}.
4283 Common Lisp defines this function to act like @code{null}, but
4284 signaling an error if @code{x} is neither a @code{nil} nor a
4285 cons cell. This package simply defines @code{endp} as a synonym
4289 @defun list-length x
4290 This function returns the length of list @var{x}, exactly like
4291 @code{(length @var{x})}, except that if @var{x} is a circular
4292 list (where the cdr-chain forms a loop rather than terminating
4293 with @code{nil}), this function returns @code{nil}. (The regular
4294 @code{length} function would get stuck if given a circular list.)
4297 @defun last* x &optional n
4298 This function returns the last cons, or the @var{n}th-to-last cons,
4299 of the list @var{x}. If @var{n} is omitted it defaults to 1.
4300 The ``last cons'' means the first cons cell of the list whose
4301 @code{cdr} is not another cons cell. (For normal lists, the
4302 @code{cdr} of the last cons will be @code{nil}.) This function
4303 returns @code{nil} if @var{x} is @code{nil} or shorter than
4304 @var{n}. Note that the last @emph{element} of the list is
4305 @code{(car (last @var{x}))}.
4307 The Emacs function @code{last} does the same thing
4308 except that it does not handle the optional argument @var{n}.
4311 @defun butlast x &optional n
4312 This function returns the list @var{x} with the last element,
4313 or the last @var{n} elements, removed. If @var{n} is greater
4314 than zero it makes a copy of the list so as not to damage the
4315 original list. In general, @code{(append (butlast @var{x} @var{n})
4316 (last @var{x} @var{n}))} will return a list equal to @var{x}.
4319 @defun nbutlast x &optional n
4320 This is a version of @code{butlast} that works by destructively
4321 modifying the @code{cdr} of the appropriate element, rather than
4322 making a copy of the list.
4325 @defun list* arg &rest others
4326 This function constructs a list of its arguments. The final
4327 argument becomes the @code{cdr} of the last cell constructed.
4328 Thus, @code{(list* @var{a} @var{b} @var{c})} is equivalent to
4329 @code{(cons @var{a} (cons @var{b} @var{c}))}, and
4330 @code{(list* @var{a} @var{b} nil)} is equivalent to
4331 @code{(list @var{a} @var{b})}.
4333 (Note that this function really is called @code{list*} in Common
4334 Lisp; it is not a name invented for this package like @code{member*}
4338 @defun ldiff list sublist
4339 If @var{sublist} is a sublist of @var{list}, i.e., is @code{eq} to
4340 one of the cons cells of @var{list}, then this function returns
4341 a copy of the part of @var{list} up to but not including
4342 @var{sublist}. For example, @code{(ldiff x (cddr x))} returns
4343 the first two elements of the list @code{x}. The result is a
4344 copy; the original @var{list} is not modified. If @var{sublist}
4345 is not a sublist of @var{list}, a copy of the entire @var{list}
4349 @defun copy-list list
4350 This function returns a copy of the list @var{list}. It copies
4351 dotted lists like @code{(1 2 . 3)} correctly.
4354 @defun copy-tree x &optional vecp
4355 This function returns a copy of the tree of cons cells @var{x}.
4356 Unlike @code{copy-sequence} (and its alias @code{copy-list}),
4357 which copies only along the @code{cdr} direction, this function
4358 copies (recursively) along both the @code{car} and the @code{cdr}
4359 directions. If @var{x} is not a cons cell, the function simply
4360 returns @var{x} unchanged. If the optional @var{vecp} argument
4361 is true, this function copies vectors (recursively) as well as
4365 @defun tree-equal x y @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4366 This function compares two trees of cons cells. If @var{x} and
4367 @var{y} are both cons cells, their @code{car}s and @code{cdr}s are
4368 compared recursively. If neither @var{x} nor @var{y} is a cons
4369 cell, they are compared by @code{eql}, or according to the
4370 specified test. The @code{:key} function, if specified, is
4371 applied to the elements of both trees. @xref{Sequences}.
4378 @node Substitution of Expressions, Lists as Sets, List Functions, Lists
4379 @section Substitution of Expressions
4382 These functions substitute elements throughout a tree of cons
4383 cells. (@xref{Sequence Functions}, for the @code{substitute}
4384 function, which works on just the top-level elements of a list.)
4386 @defun subst new old tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4387 This function substitutes occurrences of @var{old} with @var{new}
4388 in @var{tree}, a tree of cons cells. It returns a substituted
4389 tree, which will be a copy except that it may share storage with
4390 the argument @var{tree} in parts where no substitutions occurred.
4391 The original @var{tree} is not modified. This function recurses
4392 on, and compares against @var{old}, both @code{car}s and @code{cdr}s
4393 of the component cons cells. If @var{old} is itself a cons cell,
4394 then matching cells in the tree are substituted as usual without
4395 recursively substituting in that cell. Comparisons with @var{old}
4396 are done according to the specified test (@code{eql} by default).
4397 The @code{:key} function is applied to the elements of the tree
4398 but not to @var{old}.
4401 @defun nsubst new old tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4402 This function is like @code{subst}, except that it works by
4403 destructive modification (by @code{setcar} or @code{setcdr})
4404 rather than copying.
4408 @findex subst-if-not
4410 @findex nsubst-if-not
4411 The @code{subst-if}, @code{subst-if-not}, @code{nsubst-if}, and
4412 @code{nsubst-if-not} functions are defined similarly.
4414 @defun sublis alist tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4415 This function is like @code{subst}, except that it takes an
4416 association list @var{alist} of @var{old}-@var{new} pairs.
4417 Each element of the tree (after applying the @code{:key}
4418 function, if any), is compared with the @code{car}s of
4419 @var{alist}; if it matches, it is replaced by the corresponding
4423 @defun nsublis alist tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4424 This is a destructive version of @code{sublis}.
4427 @node Lists as Sets, Association Lists, Substitution of Expressions, Lists
4428 @section Lists as Sets
4431 These functions perform operations on lists which represent sets
4434 @defun member item list
4435 This MacLisp-compatible function searches @var{list} for an element
4436 which is @code{equal} to @var{item}. The @code{member} function is
4437 built-in to Emacs 19; this package defines it equivalently in Emacs 18.
4438 See the following function for a Common-Lisp compatible version.
4441 @defun member* item list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4442 This function searches @var{list} for an element matching @var{item}.
4443 If a match is found, it returns the cons cell whose @code{car} was
4444 the matching element. Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}. Elements
4445 are compared by @code{eql} by default; you can use the @code{:test},
4446 @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key} arguments to modify this behavior.
4449 Note that this function's name is suffixed by @samp{*} to avoid
4450 the incompatible @code{member} function defined in Emacs 19.
4451 (That function uses @code{equal} for comparisons; it is equivalent
4452 to @code{(member* @var{item} @var{list} :test 'equal)}.)
4456 @findex member-if-not
4457 The @code{member-if} and @code{member-if-not} functions
4458 analogously search for elements which satisfy a given predicate.
4460 @defun tailp sublist list
4461 This function returns @code{t} if @var{sublist} is a sublist of
4462 @var{list}, i.e., if @var{sublist} is @code{eql} to @var{list} or to
4463 any of its @code{cdr}s.
4466 @defun adjoin item list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4467 This function conses @var{item} onto the front of @var{list},
4468 like @code{(cons @var{item} @var{list})}, but only if @var{item}
4469 is not already present on the list (as determined by @code{member*}).
4470 If a @code{:key} argument is specified, it is applied to
4471 @var{item} as well as to the elements of @var{list} during
4472 the search, on the reasoning that @var{item} is ``about'' to
4473 become part of the list.
4476 @defun union list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4477 This function combines two lists which represent sets of items,
4478 returning a list that represents the union of those two sets.
4479 The result list will contain all items which appear in @var{list1}
4480 or @var{list2}, and no others. If an item appears in both
4481 @var{list1} and @var{list2} it will be copied only once. If
4482 an item is duplicated in @var{list1} or @var{list2}, it is
4483 undefined whether or not that duplication will survive in the
4484 result list. The order of elements in the result list is also
4488 @defun nunion list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4489 This is a destructive version of @code{union}; rather than copying,
4490 it tries to reuse the storage of the argument lists if possible.
4493 @defun intersection list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4494 This function computes the intersection of the sets represented
4495 by @var{list1} and @var{list2}. It returns the list of items
4496 which appear in both @var{list1} and @var{list2}.
4499 @defun nintersection list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4500 This is a destructive version of @code{intersection}. It
4501 tries to reuse storage of @var{list1} rather than copying.
4502 It does @emph{not} reuse the storage of @var{list2}.
4505 @defun set-difference list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4506 This function computes the ``set difference'' of @var{list1}
4507 and @var{list2}, i.e., the set of elements that appear in
4508 @var{list1} but @emph{not} in @var{list2}.
4511 @defun nset-difference list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4512 This is a destructive @code{set-difference}, which will try
4513 to reuse @var{list1} if possible.
4516 @defun set-exclusive-or list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4517 This function computes the ``set exclusive or'' of @var{list1}
4518 and @var{list2}, i.e., the set of elements that appear in
4519 exactly one of @var{list1} and @var{list2}.
4522 @defun nset-exclusive-or list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4523 This is a destructive @code{set-exclusive-or}, which will try
4524 to reuse @var{list1} and @var{list2} if possible.
4527 @defun subsetp list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4528 This function checks whether @var{list1} represents a subset
4529 of @var{list2}, i.e., whether every element of @var{list1}
4530 also appears in @var{list2}.
4533 @node Association Lists, , Lists as Sets, Lists
4534 @section Association Lists
4537 An @dfn{association list} is a list representing a mapping from
4538 one set of values to another; any list whose elements are cons
4539 cells is an association list.
4541 @defun assoc* item a-list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4542 This function searches the association list @var{a-list} for an
4543 element whose @code{car} matches (in the sense of @code{:test},
4544 @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key}, or by comparison with @code{eql})
4545 a given @var{item}. It returns the matching element, if any,
4546 otherwise @code{nil}. It ignores elements of @var{a-list} which
4547 are not cons cells. (This corresponds to the behavior of
4548 @code{assq} and @code{assoc} in Emacs Lisp; Common Lisp's
4549 @code{assoc} ignores @code{nil}s but considers any other non-cons
4550 elements of @var{a-list} to be an error.)
4553 @defun rassoc* item a-list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
4554 This function searches for an element whose @code{cdr} matches
4555 @var{item}. If @var{a-list} represents a mapping, this applies
4556 the inverse of the mapping to @var{item}.
4559 @defun rassoc item a-list
4560 This function searches like @code{rassoc*} with a @code{:test}
4561 argument of @code{equal}. It is analogous to Emacs Lisp's
4562 standard @code{assoc} function, which derives from the MacLisp
4563 rather than the Common Lisp tradition.
4567 @findex assoc-if-not
4569 @findex rassoc-if-not
4570 The @code{assoc-if}, @code{assoc-if-not}, @code{rassoc-if},
4571 and @code{rassoc-if-not} functions are defined similarly.
4573 Two simple functions for constructing association lists are:
4575 @defun acons key value alist
4576 This is equivalent to @code{(cons (cons @var{key} @var{value}) @var{alist})}.
4579 @defun pairlis keys values &optional alist
4580 This is equivalent to @code{(nconc (mapcar* 'cons @var{keys} @var{values})
4584 @node Hash Tables, Structures, Lists, Top
4585 @chapter Hash Tables
4588 A @dfn{hash table} is a data structure that maps ``keys'' onto
4589 ``values.'' Keys and values can be arbitrary Lisp data objects.
4590 Hash tables have the property that the time to search for a given
4591 key is roughly constant; simpler data structures like association
4592 lists take time proportional to the number of entries in the list.
4594 @defun make-hash-table @t{&key :test :size}
4595 This function creates and returns a hash-table object whose
4596 function for comparing elements is @code{:test} (@code{eql}
4597 by default), and which is allocated to fit about @code{:size}
4598 elements. The @code{:size} argument is purely advisory; the
4599 table will stretch automatically if you store more elements in
4600 it. If @code{:size} is omitted, a reasonable default is used.
4602 Common Lisp allows only @code{eq}, @code{eql}, @code{equal},
4603 and @code{equalp} as legal values for the @code{:test} argument.
4604 In this package, any reasonable predicate function will work,
4605 though if you use something else you should check the details of
4606 the hashing function described below to make sure it is suitable
4609 Some versions of Emacs (like Lucid Emacs 19) include a built-in
4610 hash table type; in these versions, @code{make-hash-table} with
4611 a test of @code{eq} will use these built-in hash tables. In all
4612 other cases, it will return a hash-table object which takes the
4613 form of a list with an identifying ``tag'' symbol at the front.
4614 All of the hash table functions in this package can operate on
4615 both types of hash table; normally you will never know which
4618 This function accepts the additional Common Lisp keywords
4619 @code{:rehash-size} and @code{:rehash-threshold}, but it ignores
4623 @defun gethash key table &optional default
4624 This function looks up @var{key} in @var{table}. If @var{key}
4625 exists in the table, in the sense that it matches any of the existing
4626 keys according to the table's test function, then the associated value
4627 is returned. Otherwise, @var{default} (or @code{nil}) is returned.
4629 To store new data in the hash table, use @code{setf} on a call to
4630 @code{gethash}. If @var{key} already exists in the table, the
4631 corresponding value is changed to the stored value. If @var{key}
4632 does not already exist, a new entry is added to the table and the
4633 table is reallocated to a larger size if necessary. The @var{default}
4634 argument is allowed but ignored in this case. The situation is
4635 exactly analogous to that of @code{get*}; @pxref{Property Lists}.
4638 @defun remhash key table
4639 This function removes the entry for @var{key} from @var{table}.
4640 If an entry was removed, it returns @code{t}. If @var{key} does
4641 not appear in the table, it does nothing and returns @code{nil}.
4644 @defun clrhash table
4645 This function removes all the entries from @var{table}, leaving
4646 an empty hash table.
4649 @defun maphash function table
4650 This function calls @var{function} for each entry in @var{table}.
4651 It passes two arguments to @var{function}, the key and the value
4652 of the given entry. The return value of @var{function} is ignored;
4653 @var{maphash} itself returns @code{nil}. @xref{Loop Facility}, for
4654 an alternate way of iterating over hash tables.
4657 @defun hash-table-count table
4658 This function returns the number of entries in @var{table}.
4659 @strong{Warning:} The current implementation of Lucid Emacs 19
4660 hash-tables does not decrement the stored @code{count} when
4661 @code{remhash} removes an entry. Therefore, the return value of
4662 this function is not dependable if you have used @code{remhash}
4663 on the table and the table's test is @code{eq}. A slower, but
4664 reliable, way to count the entries is @code{(loop for x being the
4665 hash-keys of @var{table} count t)}.
4668 @defun hash-table-p object
4669 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a hash table,
4670 @code{nil} otherwise. It recognizes both types of hash tables
4671 (both Lucid Emacs built-in tables and tables implemented with
4675 Sometimes when dealing with hash tables it is useful to know the
4676 exact ``hash function'' that is used. This package implements
4677 hash tables using Emacs Lisp ``obarrays,'' which are the same
4678 data structure that Emacs Lisp uses to keep track of symbols.
4679 Each hash table includes an embedded obarray. Key values given
4680 to @code{gethash} are converted by various means into strings,
4681 which are then looked up in the obarray using @code{intern} and
4682 @code{intern-soft}. The symbol, or ``bucket,'' corresponding to
4683 a given key string includes as its @code{symbol-value} an association
4684 list of all key-value pairs which hash to that string. Depending
4685 on the test function, it is possible for many entries to hash to
4686 the same bucket. For example, if the test is @code{eql}, then the
4687 symbol @code{foo} and two separately built strings @code{"foo"} will
4688 create three entries in the same bucket. Search time is linear
4689 within buckets, so hash tables will be most effective if you arrange
4690 not to store too many things that hash the same.
4692 The following algorithm is used to convert Lisp objects to hash
4697 Strings are used directly as hash strings. (However, if the test
4698 function is @code{equalp}, strings are @code{downcase}d first.)
4701 Symbols are hashed according to their @code{symbol-name}.
4704 Integers are hashed into one of 16 buckets depending on their value
4705 modulo 16. Floating-point numbers are truncated to integers and
4709 Cons cells are hashed according to their @code{car}s; nonempty vectors
4710 are hashed according to their first element.
4713 All other types of objects hash into a single bucket named @code{"*"}.
4717 Thus, for example, searching among many buffer objects in a hash table
4718 will devolve to a (still fairly fast) linear-time search through a
4719 single bucket, whereas searching for different symbols will be very
4720 fast since each symbol will, in general, hash into its own bucket.
4722 The size of the obarray in a hash table is automatically adjusted
4723 as the number of elements increases.
4725 As a special case, @code{make-hash-table} with a @code{:size} argument
4726 of 0 or 1 will create a hash-table object that uses a single association
4727 list rather than an obarray of many lists. For very small tables this
4728 structure will be more efficient since lookup does not require
4729 converting the key to a string or looking it up in an obarray.
4730 However, such tables are guaranteed to take time proportional to
4731 their size to do a search.
4737 @node Structures, Assertions, Hash Tables, Top
4741 The Common Lisp @dfn{structure} mechanism provides a general way
4742 to define data types similar to C's @code{struct} types. A
4743 structure is a Lisp object containing some number of @dfn{slots},
4744 each of which can hold any Lisp data object. Functions are
4745 provided for accessing and setting the slots, creating or copying
4746 structure objects, and recognizing objects of a particular structure
4749 In true Common Lisp, each structure type is a new type distinct
4750 from all existing Lisp types. Since the underlying Emacs Lisp
4751 system provides no way to create new distinct types, this package
4752 implements structures as vectors (or lists upon request) with a
4753 special ``tag'' symbol to identify them.
4755 @defspec defstruct name slots@dots{}
4756 The @code{defstruct} form defines a new structure type called
4757 @var{name}, with the specified @var{slots}. (The @var{slots}
4758 may begin with a string which documents the structure type.)
4759 In the simplest case, @var{name} and each of the @var{slots}
4760 are symbols. For example,
4763 (defstruct person name age sex)
4767 defines a struct type called @code{person} which contains three
4768 slots. Given a @code{person} object @var{p}, you can access those
4769 slots by calling @code{(person-name @var{p})}, @code{(person-age @var{p})},
4770 and @code{(person-sex @var{p})}. You can also change these slots by
4771 using @code{setf} on any of these place forms:
4774 (incf (person-age birthday-boy))
4777 You can create a new @code{person} by calling @code{make-person},
4778 which takes keyword arguments @code{:name}, @code{:age}, and
4779 @code{:sex} to specify the initial values of these slots in the
4780 new object. (Omitting any of these arguments leaves the corresponding
4781 slot ``undefined,'' according to the Common Lisp standard; in Emacs
4782 Lisp, such uninitialized slots are filled with @code{nil}.)
4784 Given a @code{person}, @code{(copy-person @var{p})} makes a new
4785 object of the same type whose slots are @code{eq} to those of @var{p}.
4787 Given any Lisp object @var{x}, @code{(person-p @var{x})} returns
4788 true if @var{x} looks like a @code{person}, false otherwise. (Again,
4789 in Common Lisp this predicate would be exact; in Emacs Lisp the
4790 best it can do is verify that @var{x} is a vector of the correct
4791 length which starts with the correct tag symbol.)
4793 Accessors like @code{person-name} normally check their arguments
4794 (effectively using @code{person-p}) and signal an error if the
4795 argument is the wrong type. This check is affected by
4796 @code{(optimize (safety @dots{}))} declarations. Safety level 1,
4797 the default, uses a somewhat optimized check that will detect all
4798 incorrect arguments, but may use an uninformative error message
4799 (e.g., ``expected a vector'' instead of ``expected a @code{person}'').
4800 Safety level 0 omits all checks except as provided by the underlying
4801 @code{aref} call; safety levels 2 and 3 do rigorous checking that will
4802 always print a descriptive error message for incorrect inputs.
4803 @xref{Declarations}.
4806 (setq dave (make-person :name "Dave" :sex 'male))
4807 @result{} [cl-struct-person "Dave" nil male]
4808 (setq other (copy-person dave))
4809 @result{} [cl-struct-person "Dave" nil male]
4812 (eq (person-name dave) (person-name other))
4816 (person-p [1 2 3 4])
4820 (person-p '[cl-struct-person counterfeit person object])
4824 In general, @var{name} is either a name symbol or a list of a name
4825 symbol followed by any number of @dfn{struct options}; each @var{slot}
4826 is either a slot symbol or a list of the form @samp{(@var{slot-name}
4827 @var{default-value} @var{slot-options}@dots{})}. The @var{default-value}
4828 is a Lisp form which is evaluated any time an instance of the
4829 structure type is created without specifying that slot's value.
4831 Common Lisp defines several slot options, but the only one
4832 implemented in this package is @code{:read-only}. A non-@code{nil}
4833 value for this option means the slot should not be @code{setf}-able;
4834 the slot's value is determined when the object is created and does
4835 not change afterward.
4839 (name nil :read-only t)
4844 Any slot options other than @code{:read-only} are ignored.
4846 For obscure historical reasons, structure options take a different
4847 form than slot options. A structure option is either a keyword
4848 symbol, or a list beginning with a keyword symbol possibly followed
4849 by arguments. (By contrast, slot options are key-value pairs not
4853 (defstruct (person (:constructor create-person)
4859 The following structure options are recognized.
4864 @advance@leftskip-.5@tableindent
4867 The argument is a symbol whose print name is used as the prefix for
4868 the names of slot accessor functions. The default is the name of
4869 the struct type followed by a hyphen. The option @code{(:conc-name p-)}
4870 would change this prefix to @code{p-}. Specifying @code{nil} as an
4871 argument means no prefix, so that the slot names themselves are used
4872 to name the accessor functions.
4875 In the simple case, this option takes one argument which is an
4876 alternate name to use for the constructor function. The default
4877 is @code{make-@var{name}}, e.g., @code{make-person}. The above
4878 example changes this to @code{create-person}. Specifying @code{nil}
4879 as an argument means that no standard constructor should be
4882 In the full form of this option, the constructor name is followed
4883 by an arbitrary argument list. @xref{Program Structure}, for a
4884 description of the format of Common Lisp argument lists. All
4885 options, such as @code{&rest} and @code{&key}, are supported.
4886 The argument names should match the slot names; each slot is
4887 initialized from the corresponding argument. Slots whose names
4888 do not appear in the argument list are initialized based on the
4889 @var{default-value} in their slot descriptor. Also, @code{&optional}
4890 and @code{&key} arguments which don't specify defaults take their
4891 defaults from the slot descriptor. It is legal to include arguments
4892 which don't correspond to slot names; these are useful if they are
4893 referred to in the defaults for optional, keyword, or @code{&aux}
4894 arguments which @emph{do} correspond to slots.
4896 You can specify any number of full-format @code{:constructor}
4897 options on a structure. The default constructor is still generated
4898 as well unless you disable it with a simple-format @code{:constructor}
4904 (:constructor nil) ; no default constructor
4905 (:constructor new-person (name sex &optional (age 0)))
4906 (:constructor new-hound (&key (name "Rover")
4908 &aux (age (* 7 dog-years))
4913 The first constructor here takes its arguments positionally rather
4914 than by keyword. (In official Common Lisp terminology, constructors
4915 that work By Order of Arguments instead of by keyword are called
4916 ``BOA constructors.'' No, I'm not making this up.) For example,
4917 @code{(new-person "Jane" 'female)} generates a person whose slots
4918 are @code{"Jane"}, 0, and @code{female}, respectively.
4920 The second constructor takes two keyword arguments, @code{:name},
4921 which initializes the @code{name} slot and defaults to @code{"Rover"},
4922 and @code{:dog-years}, which does not itself correspond to a slot
4923 but which is used to initialize the @code{age} slot. The @code{sex}
4924 slot is forced to the symbol @code{canine} with no syntax for
4928 The argument is an alternate name for the copier function for
4929 this type. The default is @code{copy-@var{name}}. @code{nil}
4930 means not to generate a copier function. (In this implementation,
4931 all copier functions are simply synonyms for @code{copy-sequence}.)
4934 The argument is an alternate name for the predicate which recognizes
4935 objects of this type. The default is @code{@var{name}-p}. @code{nil}
4936 means not to generate a predicate function. (If the @code{:type}
4937 option is used without the @code{:named} option, no predicate is
4940 In true Common Lisp, @code{typep} is always able to recognize a
4941 structure object even if @code{:predicate} was used. In this
4942 package, @code{typep} simply looks for a function called
4943 @code{@var{typename}-p}, so it will work for structure types
4944 only if they used the default predicate name.
4947 This option implements a very limited form of C++-style inheritance.
4948 The argument is the name of another structure type previously
4949 created with @code{defstruct}. The effect is to cause the new
4950 structure type to inherit all of the included structure's slots
4951 (plus, of course, any new slots described by this struct's slot
4952 descriptors). The new structure is considered a ``specialization''
4953 of the included one. In fact, the predicate and slot accessors
4954 for the included type will also accept objects of the new type.
4956 If there are extra arguments to the @code{:include} option after
4957 the included-structure name, these options are treated as replacement
4958 slot descriptors for slots in the included structure, possibly with
4959 modified default values. Borrowing an example from Steele:
4962 (defstruct person name (age 0) sex)
4964 (defstruct (astronaut (:include person (age 45)))
4966 (favorite-beverage 'tang))
4969 (setq joe (make-person :name "Joe"))
4970 @result{} [cl-struct-person "Joe" 0 nil]
4971 (setq buzz (make-astronaut :name "Buzz"))
4972 @result{} [cl-struct-astronaut "Buzz" 45 nil nil tang]
4974 (list (person-p joe) (person-p buzz))
4976 (list (astronaut-p joe) (astronaut-p buzz))
4981 (astronaut-name joe)
4982 @result{} error: "astronaut-name accessing a non-astronaut"
4985 Thus, if @code{astronaut} is a specialization of @code{person},
4986 then every @code{astronaut} is also a @code{person} (but not the
4987 other way around). Every @code{astronaut} includes all the slots
4988 of a @code{person}, plus extra slots that are specific to
4989 astronauts. Operations that work on people (like @code{person-name})
4990 work on astronauts just like other people.
4992 @item :print-function
4993 In full Common Lisp, this option allows you to specify a function
4994 which is called to print an instance of the structure type. The
4995 Emacs Lisp system offers no hooks into the Lisp printer which would
4996 allow for such a feature, so this package simply ignores
4997 @code{:print-function}.
5000 The argument should be one of the symbols @code{vector} or @code{list}.
5001 This tells which underlying Lisp data type should be used to implement
5002 the new structure type. Vectors are used by default, but
5003 @code{(:type list)} will cause structure objects to be stored as
5006 The vector representation for structure objects has the advantage
5007 that all structure slots can be accessed quickly, although creating
5008 vectors is a bit slower in Emacs Lisp. Lists are easier to create,
5009 but take a relatively long time accessing the later slots.
5012 This option, which takes no arguments, causes a characteristic ``tag''
5013 symbol to be stored at the front of the structure object. Using
5014 @code{:type} without also using @code{:named} will result in a
5015 structure type stored as plain vectors or lists with no identifying
5018 The default, if you don't specify @code{:type} explicitly, is to
5019 use named vectors. Therefore, @code{:named} is only useful in
5020 conjunction with @code{:type}.
5023 (defstruct (person1) name age sex)
5024 (defstruct (person2 (:type list) :named) name age sex)
5025 (defstruct (person3 (:type list)) name age sex)
5027 (setq p1 (make-person1))
5028 @result{} [cl-struct-person1 nil nil nil]
5029 (setq p2 (make-person2))
5030 @result{} (person2 nil nil nil)
5031 (setq p3 (make-person3))
5032 @result{} (nil nil nil)
5039 @result{} error: function person3-p undefined
5042 Since unnamed structures don't have tags, @code{defstruct} is not
5043 able to make a useful predicate for recognizing them. Also,
5044 accessors like @code{person3-name} will be generated but they
5045 will not be able to do any type checking. The @code{person3-name}
5046 function, for example, will simply be a synonym for @code{car} in
5047 this case. By contrast, @code{person2-name} is able to verify
5048 that its argument is indeed a @code{person2} object before
5051 @item :initial-offset
5052 The argument must be a nonnegative integer. It specifies a
5053 number of slots to be left ``empty'' at the front of the
5054 structure. If the structure is named, the tag appears at the
5055 specified position in the list or vector; otherwise, the first
5056 slot appears at that position. Earlier positions are filled
5057 with @code{nil} by the constructors and ignored otherwise. If
5058 the type @code{:include}s another type, then @code{:initial-offset}
5059 specifies a number of slots to be skipped between the last slot
5060 of the included type and the first new slot.
5064 Except as noted, the @code{defstruct} facility of this package is
5065 entirely compatible with that of Common Lisp.
5071 @node Assertions, Efficiency Concerns, Structures, Top
5072 @chapter Assertions and Errors
5075 This section describes two macros that test @dfn{assertions}, i.e.,
5076 conditions which must be true if the program is operating correctly.
5077 Assertions never add to the behavior of a Lisp program; they simply
5078 make ``sanity checks'' to make sure everything is as it should be.
5080 If the optimization property @code{speed} has been set to 3, and
5081 @code{safety} is less than 3, then the byte-compiler will optimize
5082 away the following assertions. Because assertions might be optimized
5083 away, it is a bad idea for them to include side-effects.
5085 @defspec assert test-form [show-args string args@dots{}]
5086 This form verifies that @var{test-form} is true (i.e., evaluates to
5087 a non-@code{nil} value). If so, it returns @code{nil}. If the test
5088 is not satisfied, @code{assert} signals an error.
5090 A default error message will be supplied which includes @var{test-form}.
5091 You can specify a different error message by including a @var{string}
5092 argument plus optional extra arguments. Those arguments are simply
5093 passed to @code{error} to signal the error.
5095 If the optional second argument @var{show-args} is @code{t} instead
5096 of @code{nil}, then the error message (with or without @var{string})
5097 will also include all non-constant arguments of the top-level
5098 @var{form}. For example:
5101 (assert (> x 10) t "x is too small: %d")
5104 This usage of @var{show-args} is an extension to Common Lisp. In
5105 true Common Lisp, the second argument gives a list of @var{places}
5106 which can be @code{setf}'d by the user before continuing from the
5107 error. Since Emacs Lisp does not support continuable errors, it
5108 makes no sense to specify @var{places}.
5111 @defspec check-type form type [string]
5112 This form verifies that @var{form} evaluates to a value of type
5113 @var{type}. If so, it returns @code{nil}. If not, @code{check-type}
5114 signals a @code{wrong-type-argument} error. The default error message
5115 lists the erroneous value along with @var{type} and @var{form}
5116 themselves. If @var{string} is specified, it is included in the
5117 error message in place of @var{type}. For example:
5120 (check-type x (integer 1 *) "a positive integer")
5123 @xref{Type Predicates}, for a description of the type specifiers
5124 that may be used for @var{type}.
5126 Note that in Common Lisp, the first argument to @code{check-type}
5127 must be a @var{place} suitable for use by @code{setf}, because
5128 @code{check-type} signals a continuable error that allows the
5129 user to modify @var{place}.
5132 The following error-related macro is also defined:
5134 @defspec ignore-errors forms@dots{}
5135 This executes @var{forms} exactly like a @code{progn}, except that
5136 errors are ignored during the @var{forms}. More precisely, if
5137 an error is signaled then @code{ignore-errors} immediately
5138 aborts execution of the @var{forms} and returns @code{nil}.
5139 If the @var{forms} complete successfully, @code{ignore-errors}
5140 returns the result of the last @var{form}.
5143 @node Efficiency Concerns, Common Lisp Compatibility, Assertions, Top
5144 @appendix Efficiency Concerns
5149 Many of the advanced features of this package, such as @code{defun*},
5150 @code{loop}, and @code{setf}, are implemented as Lisp macros. In
5151 byte-compiled code, these complex notations will be expanded into
5152 equivalent Lisp code which is simple and efficient. For example,
5161 are expanded at compile-time to the Lisp forms
5165 (setcar p (cons x (car p)))
5169 which are the most efficient ways of doing these respective operations
5170 in Lisp. Thus, there is no performance penalty for using the more
5171 readable @code{incf} and @code{push} forms in your compiled code.
5173 @emph{Interpreted} code, on the other hand, must expand these macros
5174 every time they are executed. For this reason it is strongly
5175 recommended that code making heavy use of macros be compiled.
5176 (The features labeled ``Special Form'' instead of ``Function'' in
5177 this manual are macros.) A loop using @code{incf} a hundred times
5178 will execute considerably faster if compiled, and will also
5179 garbage-collect less because the macro expansion will not have
5180 to be generated, used, and thrown away a hundred times.
5182 You can find out how a macro expands by using the
5183 @code{cl-prettyexpand} function.
5185 @defun cl-prettyexpand form &optional full
5186 This function takes a single Lisp form as an argument and inserts
5187 a nicely formatted copy of it in the current buffer (which must be
5188 in Lisp mode so that indentation works properly). It also expands
5189 all Lisp macros which appear in the form. The easiest way to use
5190 this function is to go to the @code{*scratch*} buffer and type, say,
5193 (cl-prettyexpand '(loop for x below 10 collect x))
5197 and type @kbd{C-x C-e} immediately after the closing parenthesis;
5205 (setq G1004 (cons x G1004))
5211 will be inserted into the buffer. (The @code{block} macro is
5212 expanded differently in the interpreter and compiler, so
5213 @code{cl-prettyexpand} just leaves it alone. The temporary
5214 variable @code{G1004} was created by @code{gensym}.)
5216 If the optional argument @var{full} is true, then @emph{all}
5217 macros are expanded, including @code{block}, @code{eval-when},
5218 and compiler macros. Expansion is done as if @var{form} were
5219 a top-level form in a file being compiled. For example,
5222 (cl-prettyexpand '(pushnew 'x list))
5223 @print{} (setq list (adjoin 'x list))
5224 (cl-prettyexpand '(pushnew 'x list) t)
5225 @print{} (setq list (if (memq 'x list) list (cons 'x list)))
5226 (cl-prettyexpand '(caddr (member* 'a list)) t)
5227 @print{} (car (cdr (cdr (memq 'a list))))
5230 Note that @code{adjoin}, @code{caddr}, and @code{member*} all
5231 have built-in compiler macros to optimize them in common cases.
5239 @appendixsec Error Checking
5242 Common Lisp compliance has in general not been sacrificed for the
5243 sake of efficiency. A few exceptions have been made for cases
5244 where substantial gains were possible at the expense of marginal
5245 incompatibility. One example is the use of @code{memq} (which is
5246 treated very efficiently by the byte-compiler) to scan for keyword
5247 arguments; this can become confused in rare cases when keyword
5248 symbols are used as both keywords and data values at once. This
5249 is extremely unlikely to occur in practical code, and the use of
5250 @code{memq} allows functions with keyword arguments to be nearly
5251 as fast as functions that use @code{&optional} arguments.
5253 The Common Lisp standard (as embodied in Steele's book) uses the
5254 phrase ``it is an error if'' to indicate a situation which is not
5255 supposed to arise in complying programs; implementations are strongly
5256 encouraged but not required to signal an error in these situations.
5257 This package sometimes omits such error checking in the interest of
5258 compactness and efficiency. For example, @code{do} variable
5259 specifiers are supposed to be lists of one, two, or three forms;
5260 extra forms are ignored by this package rather than signaling a
5261 syntax error. The @code{endp} function is simply a synonym for
5262 @code{null} in this package. Functions taking keyword arguments
5263 will accept an odd number of arguments, treating the trailing
5264 keyword as if it were followed by the value @code{nil}.
5266 Argument lists (as processed by @code{defun*} and friends)
5267 @emph{are} checked rigorously except for the minor point just
5268 mentioned; in particular, keyword arguments are checked for
5269 validity, and @code{&allow-other-keys} and @code{:allow-other-keys}
5270 are fully implemented. Keyword validity checking is slightly
5271 time consuming (though not too bad in byte-compiled code);
5272 you can use @code{&allow-other-keys} to omit this check. Functions
5273 defined in this package such as @code{find} and @code{member*}
5274 do check their keyword arguments for validity.
5281 @appendixsec Optimizing Compiler
5284 The byte-compiler that comes with Emacs 18 normally fails to expand
5285 macros that appear in top-level positions in the file (i.e., outside
5286 of @code{defun}s or other enclosing forms). This would have
5287 disastrous consequences to programs that used such top-level macros
5288 as @code{defun*}, @code{eval-when}, and @code{defstruct}. To
5289 work around this problem, the @dfn{CL} package patches the Emacs
5290 18 compiler to expand top-level macros. This patch will apply to
5291 your own macros, too, if they are used in a top-level context.
5292 The patch will not harm versions of the Emacs 18 compiler which
5293 have already had a similar patch applied, nor will it affect the
5294 optimizing Emacs 19 byte-compiler written by Jamie Zawinski and
5295 Hallvard Furuseth. The patch is applied to the byte compiler's
5296 code in Emacs' memory, @emph{not} to the @file{bytecomp.elc} file
5299 The Emacs 19 compiler (for Emacs 18) is available from various
5300 Emacs Lisp archive sites such as @code{archive.cis.ohio-state.edu}.
5301 Its use is highly recommended; many of the Common Lisp macros emit
5302 code which can be improved by optimization. In particular,
5303 @code{block}s (whether explicit or implicit in constructs like
5304 @code{defun*} and @code{loop}) carry a fair run-time penalty; the
5305 optimizing compiler removes @code{block}s which are not actually
5306 referenced by @code{return} or @code{return-from} inside the block.
5308 @node Common Lisp Compatibility, Old CL Compatibility, Efficiency Concerns, Top
5309 @appendix Common Lisp Compatibility
5312 Following is a list of all known incompatibilities between this
5313 package and Common Lisp as documented in Steele (2nd edition).
5315 Certain function names, such as @code{member}, @code{assoc}, and
5316 @code{floor}, were already taken by (incompatible) Emacs Lisp
5317 functions; this package appends @samp{*} to the names of its
5318 Common Lisp versions of these functions.
5320 The word @code{defun*} is required instead of @code{defun} in order
5321 to use extended Common Lisp argument lists in a function. Likewise,
5322 @code{defmacro*} and @code{function*} are versions of those forms
5323 which understand full-featured argument lists. The @code{&whole}
5324 keyword does not work in @code{defmacro} argument lists (except
5325 inside recursive argument lists).
5327 In order to allow an efficient implementation, keyword arguments use
5328 a slightly cheesy parser which may be confused if a keyword symbol
5329 is passed as the @emph{value} of another keyword argument.
5330 (Specifically, @code{(memq :@var{keyword} @var{rest-of-arguments})}
5331 is used to scan for @code{:@var{keyword}} among the supplied
5334 The @code{eql} and @code{equal} predicates do not distinguish
5335 between IEEE floating-point plus and minus zero. The @code{equalp}
5336 predicate has several differences with Common Lisp; @pxref{Predicates}.
5338 The @code{setf} mechanism is entirely compatible, except that
5339 setf-methods return a list of five values rather than five
5340 values directly. Also, the new ``@code{setf} function'' concept
5341 (typified by @code{(defun (setf foo) @dots{})}) is not implemented.
5343 The @code{do-all-symbols} form is the same as @code{do-symbols}
5344 with no @var{obarray} argument. In Common Lisp, this form would
5345 iterate over all symbols in all packages. Since Emacs obarrays
5346 are not a first-class package mechanism, there is no way for
5347 @code{do-all-symbols} to locate any but the default obarray.
5349 The @code{loop} macro is complete except that @code{loop-finish}
5350 and type specifiers are unimplemented.
5352 The multiple-value return facility treats lists as multiple
5353 values, since Emacs Lisp cannot support multiple return values
5354 directly. The macros will be compatible with Common Lisp if
5355 @code{values} or @code{values-list} is always used to return to
5356 a @code{multiple-value-bind} or other multiple-value receiver;
5357 if @code{values} is used without @code{multiple-value-@dots{}}
5358 or vice-versa the effect will be different from Common Lisp.
5360 Many Common Lisp declarations are ignored, and others match
5361 the Common Lisp standard in concept but not in detail. For
5362 example, local @code{special} declarations, which are purely
5363 advisory in Emacs Lisp, do not rigorously obey the scoping rules
5364 set down in Steele's book.
5366 The variable @code{*gensym-counter*} starts out with a pseudo-random
5367 value rather than with zero. This is to cope with the fact that
5368 generated symbols become interned when they are written to and
5369 loaded back from a file.
5371 The @code{defstruct} facility is compatible, except that structures
5372 are of type @code{:type vector :named} by default rather than some
5373 special, distinct type. Also, the @code{:type} slot option is ignored.
5375 The second argument of @code{check-type} is treated differently.
5377 @node Old CL Compatibility, Porting Common Lisp, Common Lisp Compatibility, Top
5378 @appendix Old CL Compatibility
5381 Following is a list of all known incompatibilities between this package
5382 and the older Quiroz @file{cl.el} package.
5384 This package's emulation of multiple return values in functions is
5385 incompatible with that of the older package. That package attempted
5386 to come as close as possible to true Common Lisp multiple return
5387 values; unfortunately, it could not be 100% reliable and so was prone
5388 to occasional surprises if used freely. This package uses a simpler
5389 method, namely replacing multiple values with lists of values, which
5390 is more predictable though more noticeably different from Common Lisp.
5392 The @code{defkeyword} form and @code{keywordp} function are not
5393 implemented in this package.
5395 The @code{member}, @code{floor}, @code{ceiling}, @code{truncate},
5396 @code{round}, @code{mod}, and @code{rem} functions are suffixed
5397 by @samp{*} in this package to avoid collision with existing
5398 functions in Emacs 18 or Emacs 19. The older package simply
5399 redefined these functions, overwriting the built-in meanings and
5400 causing serious portability problems with Emacs 19. (Some more
5401 recent versions of the Quiroz package changed the names to
5402 @code{cl-member}, etc.; this package defines the latter names as
5403 aliases for @code{member*}, etc.)
5405 Certain functions in the old package which were buggy or inconsistent
5406 with the Common Lisp standard are incompatible with the conforming
5407 versions in this package. For example, @code{eql} and @code{member}
5408 were synonyms for @code{eq} and @code{memq} in that package, @code{setf}
5409 failed to preserve correct order of evaluation of its arguments, etc.
5411 Finally, unlike the older package, this package is careful to
5412 prefix all of its internal names with @code{cl-}. Except for a
5413 few functions which are explicitly defined as additional features
5414 (such as @code{floatp-safe} and @code{letf}), this package does not
5415 export any non-@samp{cl-} symbols which are not also part of Common
5423 @appendixsec The @code{cl-compat} package
5426 The @dfn{CL} package includes emulations of some features of the
5427 old @file{cl.el}, in the form of a compatibility package
5428 @code{cl-compat}. To use it, put @code{(require 'cl-compat)} in
5431 The old package defined a number of internal routines without
5432 @code{cl-} prefixes or other annotations. Call to these routines
5433 may have crept into existing Lisp code. @code{cl-compat}
5434 provides emulations of the following internal routines:
5435 @code{pair-with-newsyms}, @code{zip-lists}, @code{unzip-lists},
5436 @code{reassemble-arglists}, @code{duplicate-symbols-p},
5439 Some @code{setf} forms translated into calls to internal
5440 functions that user code might call directly. The functions
5441 @code{setnth}, @code{setnthcdr}, and @code{setelt} fall in
5442 this category; they are defined by @code{cl-compat}, but the
5443 best fix is to change to use @code{setf} properly.
5445 The @code{cl-compat} file defines the keyword functions
5446 @code{keywordp}, @code{keyword-of}, and @code{defkeyword},
5447 which are not defined by the new @dfn{CL} package because the
5448 use of keywords as data is discouraged.
5450 The @code{build-klist} mechanism for parsing keyword arguments
5451 is emulated by @code{cl-compat}; the @code{with-keyword-args}
5452 macro is not, however, and in any case it's best to change to
5453 use the more natural keyword argument processing offered by
5456 Multiple return values are treated differently by the two
5457 Common Lisp packages. The old package's method was more
5458 compatible with true Common Lisp, though it used heuristics
5459 that caused it to report spurious multiple return values in
5460 certain cases. The @code{cl-compat} package defines a set
5461 of multiple-value macros that are compatible with the old
5462 CL package; again, they are heuristic in nature, but they
5463 are guaranteed to work in any case where the old package's
5464 macros worked. To avoid name collision with the ``official''
5465 multiple-value facilities, the ones in @code{cl-compat} have
5466 capitalized names: @code{Values}, @code{Values-list},
5467 @code{Multiple-value-bind}, etc.
5469 The functions @code{cl-floor}, @code{cl-ceiling}, @code{cl-truncate},
5470 and @code{cl-round} are defined by @code{cl-compat} to use the
5471 old-style multiple-value mechanism, just as they did in the old
5472 package. The newer @code{floor*} and friends return their two
5473 results in a list rather than as multiple values. Note that
5474 older versions of the old package used the unadorned names
5475 @code{floor}, @code{ceiling}, etc.; @code{cl-compat} cannot use
5476 these names because they conflict with Emacs 19 built-ins.
5478 @node Porting Common Lisp, Function Index, Old CL Compatibility, Top
5479 @appendix Porting Common Lisp
5482 This package is meant to be used as an extension to Emacs Lisp,
5483 not as an Emacs implementation of true Common Lisp. Some of the
5484 remaining differences between Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp make it
5485 difficult to port large Common Lisp applications to Emacs. For
5486 one, some of the features in this package are not fully compliant
5487 with ANSI or Steele; @pxref{Common Lisp Compatibility}. But there
5488 are also quite a few features that this package does not provide
5489 at all. Here are some major omissions that you will want watch out
5490 for when bringing Common Lisp code into Emacs.
5494 Case-insensitivity. Symbols in Common Lisp are case-insensitive
5495 by default. Some programs refer to a function or variable as
5496 @code{foo} in one place and @code{Foo} or @code{FOO} in another.
5497 Emacs Lisp will treat these as three distinct symbols.
5499 Some Common Lisp code is written entirely in upper case. While Emacs
5500 is happy to let the program's own functions and variables use
5501 this convention, calls to Lisp builtins like @code{if} and
5502 @code{defun} will have to be changed to lower case.
5505 Lexical scoping. In Common Lisp, function arguments and @code{let}
5506 bindings apply only to references physically within their bodies
5507 (or within macro expansions in their bodies). Emacs Lisp, by
5508 contrast, uses @dfn{dynamic scoping} wherein a binding to a
5509 variable is visible even inside functions called from the body.
5511 Variables in Common Lisp can be made dynamically scoped by
5512 declaring them @code{special} or using @code{defvar}. In Emacs
5513 Lisp it is as if all variables were declared @code{special}.
5515 Often you can use code that was written for lexical scoping
5516 even in a dynamically scoped Lisp, but not always. Here is
5517 an example of a Common Lisp code fragment that would fail in
5521 (defun map-odd-elements (func list)
5523 for flag = t then (not flag)
5524 collect (if flag x (funcall func x))))
5526 (defun add-odd-elements (list x)
5527 (map-odd-elements (function (lambda (a) (+ a x))) list))
5531 In Common Lisp, the two functions' usages of @code{x} are completely
5532 independent. In Emacs Lisp, the binding to @code{x} made by
5533 @code{add-odd-elements} will have been hidden by the binding
5534 in @code{map-odd-elements} by the time the @code{(+ a x)} function
5537 (This package avoids such problems in its own mapping functions
5538 by using names like @code{cl-x} instead of @code{x} internally;
5539 as long as you don't use the @code{cl-} prefix for your own
5540 variables no collision can occur.)
5542 @xref{Lexical Bindings}, for a description of the @code{lexical-let}
5543 form which establishes a Common Lisp-style lexical binding, and some
5544 examples of how it differs from Emacs' regular @code{let}.
5547 Reader macros. Common Lisp includes a second type of macro that
5548 works at the level of individual characters. For example, Common
5549 Lisp implements the quote notation by a reader macro called @code{'},
5550 whereas Emacs Lisp's parser just treats quote as a special case.
5551 Some Lisp packages use reader macros to create special syntaxes
5552 for themselves, which the Emacs parser is incapable of reading.
5554 The lack of reader macros, incidentally, is the reason behind
5555 Emacs Lisp's unusual backquote syntax. Since backquotes are
5556 implemented as a Lisp package and not built-in to the Emacs
5557 parser, they are forced to use a regular macro named @code{`}
5558 which is used with the standard function/macro call notation.
5561 Other syntactic features. Common Lisp provides a number of
5562 notations beginning with @code{#} that the Emacs Lisp parser
5563 won't understand. For example, @samp{#| ... |#} is an
5564 alternate comment notation, and @samp{#+lucid (foo)} tells
5565 the parser to ignore the @code{(foo)} except in Lucid Common
5569 Packages. In Common Lisp, symbols are divided into @dfn{packages}.
5570 Symbols that are Lisp built-ins are typically stored in one package;
5571 symbols that are vendor extensions are put in another, and each
5572 application program would have a package for its own symbols.
5573 Certain symbols are ``exported'' by a package and others are
5574 internal; certain packages ``use'' or import the exported symbols
5575 of other packages. To access symbols that would not normally be
5576 visible due to this importing and exporting, Common Lisp provides
5577 a syntax like @code{package:symbol} or @code{package::symbol}.
5579 Emacs Lisp has a single namespace for all interned symbols, and
5580 then uses a naming convention of putting a prefix like @code{cl-}
5581 in front of the name. Some Emacs packages adopt the Common Lisp-like
5582 convention of using @code{cl:} or @code{cl::} as the prefix.
5583 However, the Emacs parser does not understand colons and just
5584 treats them as part of the symbol name. Thus, while @code{mapcar}
5585 and @code{lisp:mapcar} may refer to the same symbol in Common
5586 Lisp, they are totally distinct in Emacs Lisp. Common Lisp
5587 programs which refer to a symbol by the full name sometimes
5588 and the short name other times will not port cleanly to Emacs.
5590 Emacs Lisp does have a concept of ``obarrays,'' which are
5591 package-like collections of symbols, but this feature is not
5592 strong enough to be used as a true package mechanism.
5595 The @code{format} function is quite different between Common
5596 Lisp and Emacs Lisp. It takes an additional ``destination''
5597 argument before the format string. A destination of @code{nil}
5598 means to format to a string as in Emacs Lisp; a destination
5599 of @code{t} means to write to the terminal (similar to
5600 @code{message} in Emacs). Also, format control strings are
5601 utterly different; @code{~} is used instead of @code{%} to
5602 introduce format codes, and the set of available codes is
5603 much richer. There are no notations like @code{\n} for
5604 string literals; instead, @code{format} is used with the
5605 ``newline'' format code, @code{~%}. More advanced formatting
5606 codes provide such features as paragraph filling, case
5607 conversion, and even loops and conditionals.
5609 While it would have been possible to implement most of Common
5610 Lisp @code{format} in this package (under the name @code{format*},
5611 of course), it was not deemed worthwhile. It would have required
5612 a huge amount of code to implement even a decent subset of
5613 @code{format*}, yet the functionality it would provide over
5614 Emacs Lisp's @code{format} would rarely be useful.
5617 Vector constants use square brackets in Emacs Lisp, but
5618 @code{#(a b c)} notation in Common Lisp. To further complicate
5619 matters, Emacs 19 introduces its own @code{#(} notation for
5620 something entirely different---strings with properties.
5623 Characters are distinct from integers in Common Lisp. The
5624 notation for character constants is also different: @code{#\A}
5625 instead of @code{?A}. Also, @code{string=} and @code{string-equal}
5626 are synonyms in Emacs Lisp whereas the latter is case-insensitive
5630 Data types. Some Common Lisp data types do not exist in Emacs
5631 Lisp. Rational numbers and complex numbers are not present,
5632 nor are large integers (all integers are ``fixnums''). All
5633 arrays are one-dimensional. There are no readtables or pathnames;
5634 streams are a set of existing data types rather than a new data
5635 type of their own. Hash tables, random-states, structures, and
5636 packages (obarrays) are built from Lisp vectors or lists rather
5637 than being distinct types.
5640 The Common Lisp Object System (CLOS) is not implemented,
5641 nor is the Common Lisp Condition System. However, the EIEIO package
5642 from @uref{ftp://ftp.ultranet.com/pub/zappo} does implement some
5646 Common Lisp features that are completely redundant with Emacs
5647 Lisp features of a different name generally have not been
5648 implemented. For example, Common Lisp writes @code{defconstant}
5649 where Emacs Lisp uses @code{defconst}. Similarly, @code{make-list}
5650 takes its arguments in different ways in the two Lisps but does
5651 exactly the same thing, so this package has not bothered to
5652 implement a Common Lisp-style @code{make-list}.
5655 A few more notable Common Lisp features not included in this
5656 package: @code{compiler-let}, @code{tagbody}, @code{prog},
5657 @code{ldb/dpb}, @code{parse-integer}, @code{cerror}.
5660 Recursion. While recursion works in Emacs Lisp just like it
5661 does in Common Lisp, various details of the Emacs Lisp system
5662 and compiler make recursion much less efficient than it is in
5663 most Lisps. Some schools of thought prefer to use recursion
5664 in Lisp over other techniques; they would sum a list of
5665 numbers using something like
5668 (defun sum-list (list)
5670 (+ (car list) (sum-list (cdr list)))
5675 where a more iteratively-minded programmer might write one of
5679 (let ((total 0)) (dolist (x my-list) (incf total x)) total)
5680 (loop for x in my-list sum x)
5683 While this would be mainly a stylistic choice in most Common Lisps,
5684 in Emacs Lisp you should be aware that the iterative forms are
5685 much faster than recursion. Also, Lisp programmers will want to
5686 note that the current Emacs Lisp compiler does not optimize tail
5690 @node Function Index, Variable Index, Porting Common Lisp, Top
5691 @unnumbered Function Index
5695 @node Variable Index, , Function Index, Top
5696 @unnumbered Variable Index