1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @setfilename ../../info/cl.info
3 @settitle Common Lisp Extensions
8 This file documents the GNU Emacs Common Lisp emulation package.
10 Copyright @copyright{} 1993, 2001--2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
13 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
14 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
15 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
16 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual'',
17 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license
18 is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
20 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and
21 modify this GNU manual.''
25 @dircategory Emacs lisp libraries
27 * CL: (cl). Partial Common Lisp support for Emacs Lisp.
34 @center @titlefont{Common Lisp Extensions}
36 @center For GNU Emacs Lisp
38 @center as distributed with Emacs @value{EMACSVER}
40 @center Dave Gillespie
41 @center daveg@@synaptics.com
43 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
51 @top GNU Emacs Common Lisp Emulation
57 * Overview:: Basics, usage, organization, naming conventions.
58 * Program Structure:: Arglists, @code{cl-eval-when}.
59 * Predicates:: Type predicates and equality predicates.
60 * Control Structure:: Assignment, conditionals, blocks, looping.
61 * Macros:: Destructuring, compiler macros.
62 * Declarations:: @code{cl-proclaim}, @code{cl-declare}, etc.
63 * Symbols:: Property lists, creating symbols.
64 * Numbers:: Predicates, functions, random numbers.
65 * Sequences:: Mapping, functions, searching, sorting.
66 * Lists:: Functions, substitution, sets, associations.
67 * Structures:: @code{cl-defstruct}.
68 * Assertions:: Assertions and type checking.
71 * Efficiency Concerns:: Hints and techniques.
72 * Common Lisp Compatibility:: All known differences with Steele.
73 * Porting Common Lisp:: Hints for porting Common Lisp code.
74 * Obsolete Features:: Obsolete features.
75 * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation.
78 * Function Index:: An entry for each documented function.
79 * Variable Index:: An entry for each documented variable.
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.
91 Common Lisp is a huge language, and Common Lisp systems tend to be
92 massive and extremely complex. Emacs Lisp, by contrast, is rather
93 minimalist in the choice of Lisp features it offers the programmer.
94 As Emacs Lisp programmers have grown in number, and the applications
95 they write have grown more ambitious, it has become clear that Emacs
96 Lisp could benefit from many of the conveniences of Common Lisp.
98 The @dfn{CL} package adds a number of Common Lisp functions and
99 control structures to Emacs Lisp. While not a 100% complete
100 implementation of Common Lisp, it adds enough functionality
101 to make Emacs Lisp programming significantly more convenient.
103 Some Common Lisp features have been omitted from this package
108 Some features are too complex or bulky relative to their benefit
109 to Emacs Lisp programmers. CLOS and Common Lisp streams are fine
110 examples of this group. (The separate package EIEIO implements
111 a subset of CLOS functionality. @xref{Top, , Introduction, eieio, EIEIO}.)
114 Other features cannot be implemented without modification to the
115 Emacs Lisp interpreter itself, such as multiple return values,
116 case-insensitive symbols, and complex numbers.
117 This package generally makes no attempt to emulate these features.
121 This package was originally written by Dave Gillespie,
122 @file{daveg@@synaptics.com}, as a total rewrite of an earlier 1986
123 @file{cl.el} package by Cesar Quiroz. Care has been taken to ensure
124 that each function is defined efficiently, concisely, and with minimal
125 impact on the rest of the Emacs environment. Stefan Monnier added the
126 file @file{cl-lib.el} and rationalized the namespace for Emacs 24.3.
129 * Usage:: How to use this package.
130 * Organization:: The package's component files.
131 * Naming Conventions:: Notes on function names.
138 This package is distributed with Emacs, so there is no need
139 to install any additional files in order to start using it. Lisp code
140 that uses features from this package should simply include at
148 You may wish to add such a statement to your init file, if you
149 make frequent use of features from this package.
152 @section Organization
155 The Common Lisp package is organized into four main files:
159 This is the main file, which contains basic functions
160 and information about the package. This file is relatively compact.
163 This file contains the larger, more complex or unusual functions.
164 It is kept separate so that packages which only want to use Common
165 Lisp fundamentals like the @code{cl-incf} function won't need to pay
166 the overhead of loading the more advanced functions.
169 This file contains most of the advanced functions for operating
170 on sequences or lists, such as @code{cl-delete-if} and @code{cl-assoc}.
173 This file contains the features that are macros instead of functions.
174 Macros expand when the caller is compiled, not when it is run, so the
175 macros generally only need to be present when the byte-compiler is
176 running (or when the macros are used in uncompiled code). Most of the
177 macros of this package are isolated in @file{cl-macs.el} so that they
178 won't take up memory unless you are compiling.
181 The file @file{cl-lib.el} includes all necessary @code{autoload}
182 commands for the functions and macros in the other three files.
183 All you have to do is @code{(require 'cl-lib)}, and @file{cl-lib.el}
184 will take care of pulling in the other files when they are
187 There is another file, @file{cl.el}, which was the main entry point to
188 this package prior to Emacs 24.3. Nowadays, it is replaced by
189 @file{cl-lib.el}. The two provide the same features (in most cases),
190 but use different function names (in fact, @file{cl.el} mainly just
191 defines aliases to the @file{cl-lib.el} definitions). Where
192 @file{cl-lib.el} defines a function called, for example,
193 @code{cl-incf}, @file{cl.el} uses the same name but without the
194 @samp{cl-} prefix, e.g., @code{incf} in this example. There are a few
195 exceptions to this. First, functions such as @code{cl-defun} where
196 the unprefixed version was already used for a standard Emacs Lisp
197 function. In such cases, the @file{cl.el} version adds a @samp{*}
198 suffix, e.g., @code{defun*}. Second, there are some obsolete features
199 that are only implemented in @file{cl.el}, not in @file{cl-lib.el},
200 because they are replaced by other standard Emacs Lisp features.
201 Finally, in a very few cases the old @file{cl.el} versions do not
202 behave in exactly the same way as the @file{cl-lib.el} versions.
203 @xref{Obsolete Features}.
204 @c There is also cl-mapc, which was called cl-mapc even before cl-lib.el.
205 @c But not autoloaded, so maybe not much used?
207 Since the old @file{cl.el} does not use a clean namespace, Emacs has a
208 policy that packages distributed with Emacs must not load @code{cl} at
209 run time. (It is ok for them to load @code{cl} at @emph{compile}
210 time, with @code{eval-when-compile}, and use the macros it provides.)
211 There is no such restriction on the use of @code{cl-lib}. New code
212 should use @code{cl-lib} rather than @code{cl}.
214 There is one more file, @file{cl-compat.el}, which defines some
215 routines from the older Quiroz @file{cl.el} package that are not otherwise
216 present in the new package. This file is obsolete and should not be
219 @node Naming Conventions
220 @section Naming Conventions
223 Except where noted, all functions defined by this package have the
224 same calling conventions as their Common Lisp counterparts, and
225 names that are those of Common Lisp plus a @samp{cl-} prefix.
227 Internal function and variable names in the package are prefixed
228 by @code{cl--}. Here is a complete list of functions prefixed by
229 @code{cl-} that were @emph{not} taken from Common Lisp:
232 cl-callf cl-callf2 cl-defsubst
236 @c This is not uninteresting I suppose, but is of zero practical relevance
237 @c to the user, and seems like a hostage to changing implementation details.
238 The following simple functions and macros are defined in @file{cl-lib.el};
239 they do not cause other components like @file{cl-extra} to be loaded.
242 cl-evenp cl-oddp cl-minusp
243 cl-plusp cl-endp cl-subst
244 cl-copy-list cl-list* cl-ldiff
245 cl-rest cl-decf [1] cl-incf [1]
246 cl-acons cl-adjoin [2] cl-pairlis
247 cl-pushnew [1,2] cl-declaim cl-proclaim
248 cl-caaar@dots{}cl-cddddr cl-first@dots{}cl-tenth
253 [1] Only when @var{place} is a plain variable name.
256 [2] Only if @code{:test} is @code{eq}, @code{equal}, or unspecified,
257 and @code{:key} is not used.
260 [3] Only for one sequence argument or two list arguments.
262 @node Program Structure
263 @chapter Program Structure
266 This section describes features of this package that have to
267 do with programs as a whole: advanced argument lists for functions,
268 and the @code{cl-eval-when} construct.
271 * Argument Lists:: @code{&key}, @code{&aux}, @code{cl-defun}, @code{cl-defmacro}.
272 * Time of Evaluation:: The @code{cl-eval-when} construct.
276 @section Argument Lists
281 Emacs Lisp's notation for argument lists of functions is a subset of
282 the Common Lisp notation. As well as the familiar @code{&optional}
283 and @code{&rest} markers, Common Lisp allows you to specify default
284 values for optional arguments, and it provides the additional markers
285 @code{&key} and @code{&aux}.
287 Since argument parsing is built-in to Emacs, there is no way for
288 this package to implement Common Lisp argument lists seamlessly.
289 Instead, this package defines alternates for several Lisp forms
290 which you must use if you need Common Lisp argument lists.
292 @defmac cl-defun name arglist body@dots{}
293 This form is identical to the regular @code{defun} form, except
294 that @var{arglist} is allowed to be a full Common Lisp argument
295 list. Also, the function body is enclosed in an implicit block
296 called @var{name}; @pxref{Blocks and Exits}.
299 @defmac cl-iter-defun name arglist body@dots{}
300 This form is identical to the regular @code{iter-defun} form, except
301 that @var{arglist} is allowed to be a full Common Lisp argument
302 list. Also, the function body is enclosed in an implicit block
303 called @var{name}; @pxref{Blocks and Exits}.
306 @defmac cl-defsubst name arglist body@dots{}
307 This is just like @code{cl-defun}, except that the function that
308 is defined is automatically proclaimed @code{inline}, i.e.,
309 calls to it may be expanded into in-line code by the byte compiler.
310 This is analogous to the @code{defsubst} form;
311 @code{cl-defsubst} uses a different method (compiler macros) which
312 works in all versions of Emacs, and also generates somewhat more
313 @c For some examples,
314 @c see http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2012-11/msg00009.html
315 efficient inline expansions. In particular, @code{cl-defsubst}
316 arranges for the processing of keyword arguments, default values,
317 etc., to be done at compile-time whenever possible.
320 @defmac cl-defmacro name arglist body@dots{}
321 This is identical to the regular @code{defmacro} form,
322 except that @var{arglist} is allowed to be a full Common Lisp
323 argument list. The @code{&environment} keyword is supported as
324 described in Steele's book @cite{Common Lisp, the Language}.
325 The @code{&whole} keyword is supported only
326 within destructured lists (see below); top-level @code{&whole}
327 cannot be implemented with the current Emacs Lisp interpreter.
328 The macro expander body is enclosed in an implicit block called
332 @defmac cl-function symbol-or-lambda
333 This is identical to the regular @code{function} form,
334 except that if the argument is a @code{lambda} form then that
335 form may use a full Common Lisp argument list.
338 Also, all forms (such as @code{cl-flet} and @code{cl-labels}) defined
339 in this package that include @var{arglist}s in their syntax allow
340 full Common Lisp argument lists.
342 Note that it is @emph{not} necessary to use @code{cl-defun} in
343 order to have access to most CL features in your function.
344 These features are always present; @code{cl-defun}'s only
345 difference from @code{defun} is its more flexible argument
346 lists and its implicit block.
348 The full form of a Common Lisp argument list is
352 &optional (@var{var} @var{initform} @var{svar})@dots{}
354 &key ((@var{keyword} @var{var}) @var{initform} @var{svar})@dots{}
355 &aux (@var{var} @var{initform})@dots{})
358 Each of the five argument list sections is optional. The @var{svar},
359 @var{initform}, and @var{keyword} parts are optional; if they are
360 omitted, then @samp{(@var{var})} may be written simply @samp{@var{var}}.
362 The first section consists of zero or more @dfn{required} arguments.
363 These arguments must always be specified in a call to the function;
364 there is no difference between Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp as far as
365 required arguments are concerned.
367 The second section consists of @dfn{optional} arguments. These
368 arguments may be specified in the function call; if they are not,
369 @var{initform} specifies the default value used for the argument.
370 (No @var{initform} means to use @code{nil} as the default.) The
371 @var{initform} is evaluated with the bindings for the preceding
372 arguments already established; @code{(a &optional (b (1+ a)))}
373 matches one or two arguments, with the second argument defaulting
374 to one plus the first argument. If the @var{svar} is specified,
375 it is an auxiliary variable which is bound to @code{t} if the optional
376 argument was specified, or to @code{nil} if the argument was omitted.
377 If you don't use an @var{svar}, then there will be no way for your
378 function to tell whether it was called with no argument, or with
379 the default value passed explicitly as an argument.
381 The third section consists of a single @dfn{rest} argument. If
382 more arguments were passed to the function than are accounted for
383 by the required and optional arguments, those extra arguments are
384 collected into a list and bound to the ``rest'' argument variable.
385 Common Lisp's @code{&rest} is equivalent to that of Emacs Lisp.
386 Common Lisp accepts @code{&body} as a synonym for @code{&rest} in
387 macro contexts; this package accepts it all the time.
389 The fourth section consists of @dfn{keyword} arguments. These
390 are optional arguments which are specified by name rather than
391 positionally in the argument list. For example,
394 (cl-defun foo (a &optional b &key c d (e 17)))
398 defines a function which may be called with one, two, or more
399 arguments. The first two arguments are bound to @code{a} and
400 @code{b} in the usual way. The remaining arguments must be
401 pairs of the form @code{:c}, @code{:d}, or @code{:e} followed
402 by the value to be bound to the corresponding argument variable.
403 (Symbols whose names begin with a colon are called @dfn{keywords},
404 and they are self-quoting in the same way as @code{nil} and
407 For example, the call @code{(foo 1 2 :d 3 :c 4)} sets the five
408 arguments to 1, 2, 4, 3, and 17, respectively. If the same keyword
409 appears more than once in the function call, the first occurrence
410 takes precedence over the later ones. Note that it is not possible
411 to specify keyword arguments without specifying the optional
412 argument @code{b} as well, since @code{(foo 1 :c 2)} would bind
413 @code{b} to the keyword @code{:c}, then signal an error because
414 @code{2} is not a valid keyword.
416 You can also explicitly specify the keyword argument; it need not be
417 simply the variable name prefixed with a colon. For example,
420 (cl-defun bar (&key (a 1) ((baz b) 4)))
425 specifies a keyword @code{:a} that sets the variable @code{a} with
426 default value 1, as well as a keyword @code{baz} that sets the
427 variable @code{b} with default value 4. In this case, because
428 @code{baz} is not self-quoting, you must quote it explicitly in the
429 function call, like this:
435 Ordinarily, it is an error to pass an unrecognized keyword to
436 a function, e.g., @code{(foo 1 2 :c 3 :goober 4)}. You can ask
437 Lisp to ignore unrecognized keywords, either by adding the
438 marker @code{&allow-other-keys} after the keyword section
439 of the argument list, or by specifying an @code{:allow-other-keys}
440 argument in the call whose value is non-@code{nil}. If the
441 function uses both @code{&rest} and @code{&key} at the same time,
442 the ``rest'' argument is bound to the keyword list as it appears
443 in the call. For example:
446 (cl-defun find-thing (thing &rest rest &key need &allow-other-keys)
447 (or (apply 'cl-member thing thing-list :allow-other-keys t rest)
448 (if need (error "Thing not found"))))
452 This function takes a @code{:need} keyword argument, but also
453 accepts other keyword arguments which are passed on to the
454 @code{cl-member} function. @code{allow-other-keys} is used to
455 keep both @code{find-thing} and @code{cl-member} from complaining
456 about each others' keywords in the arguments.
458 The fifth section of the argument list consists of @dfn{auxiliary
459 variables}. These are not really arguments at all, but simply
460 variables which are bound to @code{nil} or to the specified
461 @var{initforms} during execution of the function. There is no
462 difference between the following two functions, except for a
463 matter of stylistic taste:
466 (cl-defun foo (a b &aux (c (+ a b)) d)
474 @cindex destructuring, in argument list
475 Argument lists support @dfn{destructuring}. In Common Lisp,
476 destructuring is only allowed with @code{defmacro}; this package
477 allows it with @code{cl-defun} and other argument lists as well.
478 In destructuring, any argument variable (@var{var} in the above
479 example) can be replaced by a list of variables, or more generally,
480 a recursive argument list. The corresponding argument value must
481 be a list whose elements match this recursive argument list.
485 (cl-defmacro dolist ((var listform &optional resultform)
490 This says that the first argument of @code{dolist} must be a list
491 of two or three items; if there are other arguments as well as this
492 list, they are stored in @code{body}. All features allowed in
493 regular argument lists are allowed in these recursive argument lists.
494 In addition, the clause @samp{&whole @var{var}} is allowed at the
495 front of a recursive argument list. It binds @var{var} to the
496 whole list being matched; thus @code{(&whole all a b)} matches
497 a list of two things, with @code{a} bound to the first thing,
498 @code{b} bound to the second thing, and @code{all} bound to the
499 list itself. (Common Lisp allows @code{&whole} in top-level
500 @code{defmacro} argument lists as well, but Emacs Lisp does not
503 One last feature of destructuring is that the argument list may be
504 dotted, so that the argument list @code{(a b . c)} is functionally
505 equivalent to @code{(a b &rest c)}.
507 If the optimization quality @code{safety} is set to 0
508 (@pxref{Declarations}), error checking for wrong number of
509 arguments and invalid keyword arguments is disabled. By default,
510 argument lists are rigorously checked.
512 @node Time of Evaluation
513 @section Time of Evaluation
516 Normally, the byte-compiler does not actually execute the forms in
517 a file it compiles. For example, if a file contains @code{(setq foo t)},
518 the act of compiling it will not actually set @code{foo} to @code{t}.
519 This is true even if the @code{setq} was a top-level form (i.e., not
520 enclosed in a @code{defun} or other form). Sometimes, though, you
521 would like to have certain top-level forms evaluated at compile-time.
522 For example, the compiler effectively evaluates @code{defmacro} forms
523 at compile-time so that later parts of the file can refer to the
524 macros that are defined.
526 @defmac cl-eval-when (situations@dots{}) forms@dots{}
527 This form controls when the body @var{forms} are evaluated.
528 The @var{situations} list may contain any set of the symbols
529 @code{compile}, @code{load}, and @code{eval} (or their long-winded
530 ANSI equivalents, @code{:compile-toplevel}, @code{:load-toplevel},
531 and @code{:execute}).
533 The @code{cl-eval-when} form is handled differently depending on
534 whether or not it is being compiled as a top-level form.
535 Specifically, it gets special treatment if it is being compiled
536 by a command such as @code{byte-compile-file} which compiles files
537 or buffers of code, and it appears either literally at the
538 top level of the file or inside a top-level @code{progn}.
540 For compiled top-level @code{cl-eval-when}s, the body @var{forms} are
541 executed at compile-time if @code{compile} is in the @var{situations}
542 list, and the @var{forms} are written out to the file (to be executed
543 at load-time) if @code{load} is in the @var{situations} list.
545 For non-compiled-top-level forms, only the @code{eval} situation is
546 relevant. (This includes forms executed by the interpreter, forms
547 compiled with @code{byte-compile} rather than @code{byte-compile-file},
548 and non-top-level forms.) The @code{cl-eval-when} acts like a
549 @code{progn} if @code{eval} is specified, and like @code{nil}
550 (ignoring the body @var{forms}) if not.
552 The rules become more subtle when @code{cl-eval-when}s are nested;
553 consult Steele (second edition) for the gruesome details (and
554 some gruesome examples).
556 Some simple examples:
559 ;; Top-level forms in foo.el:
560 (cl-eval-when (compile) (setq foo1 'bar))
561 (cl-eval-when (load) (setq foo2 'bar))
562 (cl-eval-when (compile load) (setq foo3 'bar))
563 (cl-eval-when (eval) (setq foo4 'bar))
564 (cl-eval-when (eval compile) (setq foo5 'bar))
565 (cl-eval-when (eval load) (setq foo6 'bar))
566 (cl-eval-when (eval compile load) (setq foo7 'bar))
569 When @file{foo.el} is compiled, these variables will be set during
570 the compilation itself:
573 foo1 foo3 foo5 foo7 ; 'compile'
576 When @file{foo.elc} is loaded, these variables will be set:
579 foo2 foo3 foo6 foo7 ; 'load'
582 And if @file{foo.el} is loaded uncompiled, these variables will
586 foo4 foo5 foo6 foo7 ; 'eval'
589 If these seven @code{cl-eval-when}s had been, say, inside a @code{defun},
590 then the first three would have been equivalent to @code{nil} and the
591 last four would have been equivalent to the corresponding @code{setq}s.
593 Note that @code{(cl-eval-when (load eval) @dots{})} is equivalent
594 to @code{(progn @dots{})} in all contexts. The compiler treats
595 certain top-level forms, like @code{defmacro} (sort-of) and
596 @code{require}, as if they were wrapped in @code{(cl-eval-when
597 (compile load eval) @dots{})}.
600 Emacs includes two special forms related to @code{cl-eval-when}.
601 @xref{Eval During Compile,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
602 One of these, @code{eval-when-compile}, is not quite equivalent to
603 any @code{cl-eval-when} construct and is described below.
605 The other form, @code{(eval-and-compile @dots{})}, is exactly
606 equivalent to @samp{(cl-eval-when (compile load eval) @dots{})}.
608 @defmac eval-when-compile forms@dots{}
609 The @var{forms} are evaluated at compile-time; at execution time,
610 this form acts like a quoted constant of the resulting value. Used
611 at top-level, @code{eval-when-compile} is just like @samp{eval-when
612 (compile eval)}. In other contexts, @code{eval-when-compile}
613 allows code to be evaluated once at compile-time for efficiency
616 This form is similar to the @samp{#.} syntax of true Common Lisp.
619 @defmac cl-load-time-value form
620 The @var{form} is evaluated at load-time; at execution time,
621 this form acts like a quoted constant of the resulting value.
623 Early Common Lisp had a @samp{#,} syntax that was similar to
624 this, but ANSI Common Lisp replaced it with @code{load-time-value}
625 and gave it more well-defined semantics.
627 In a compiled file, @code{cl-load-time-value} arranges for @var{form}
628 to be evaluated when the @file{.elc} file is loaded and then used
629 as if it were a quoted constant. In code compiled by
630 @code{byte-compile} rather than @code{byte-compile-file}, the
631 effect is identical to @code{eval-when-compile}. In uncompiled
632 code, both @code{eval-when-compile} and @code{cl-load-time-value}
633 act exactly like @code{progn}.
637 (insert "This function was executed on: "
638 (current-time-string)
640 (eval-when-compile (current-time-string))
641 ;; or '#.(current-time-string) in real Common Lisp
643 (cl-load-time-value (current-time-string))))
647 Byte-compiled, the above defun will result in the following code
648 (or its compiled equivalent, of course) in the @file{.elc} file:
651 (setq --temp-- (current-time-string))
653 (insert "This function was executed on: "
654 (current-time-string)
656 '"Wed Oct 31 16:32:28 2012"
666 This section describes functions for testing whether various
667 facts are true or false.
670 * Type Predicates:: @code{cl-typep}, @code{cl-deftype}, and @code{cl-coerce}.
671 * Equality Predicates:: @code{cl-equalp}.
674 @node Type Predicates
675 @section Type Predicates
677 @defun cl-typep object type
678 Check if @var{object} is of type @var{type}, where @var{type} is a
679 (quoted) type name of the sort used by Common Lisp. For example,
680 @code{(cl-typep foo 'integer)} is equivalent to @code{(integerp foo)}.
683 The @var{type} argument to the above function is either a symbol
684 or a list beginning with a symbol.
688 If the type name is a symbol, Emacs appends @samp{-p} to the
689 symbol name to form the name of a predicate function for testing
690 the type. (Built-in predicates whose names end in @samp{p} rather
691 than @samp{-p} are used when appropriate.)
694 The type symbol @code{t} stands for the union of all types.
695 @code{(cl-typep @var{object} t)} is always true. Likewise, the
696 type symbol @code{nil} stands for nothing at all, and
697 @code{(cl-typep @var{object} nil)} is always false.
700 The type symbol @code{null} represents the symbol @code{nil}.
701 Thus @code{(cl-typep @var{object} 'null)} is equivalent to
702 @code{(null @var{object})}.
705 The type symbol @code{atom} represents all objects that are not cons
706 cells. Thus @code{(cl-typep @var{object} 'atom)} is equivalent to
707 @code{(atom @var{object})}.
710 The type symbol @code{real} is a synonym for @code{number}, and
711 @code{fixnum} is a synonym for @code{integer}.
714 The type symbols @code{character} and @code{string-char} match
715 integers in the range from 0 to 255.
718 The type list @code{(integer @var{low} @var{high})} represents all
719 integers between @var{low} and @var{high}, inclusive. Either bound
720 may be a list of a single integer to specify an exclusive limit,
721 or a @code{*} to specify no limit. The type @code{(integer * *)}
722 is thus equivalent to @code{integer}.
725 Likewise, lists beginning with @code{float}, @code{real}, or
726 @code{number} represent numbers of that type falling in a particular
730 Lists beginning with @code{and}, @code{or}, and @code{not} form
731 combinations of types. For example, @code{(or integer (float 0 *))}
732 represents all objects that are integers or non-negative floats.
735 Lists beginning with @code{member} or @code{cl-member} represent
736 objects @code{eql} to any of the following values. For example,
737 @code{(member 1 2 3 4)} is equivalent to @code{(integer 1 4)},
738 and @code{(member nil)} is equivalent to @code{null}.
741 Lists of the form @code{(satisfies @var{predicate})} represent
742 all objects for which @var{predicate} returns true when called
743 with that object as an argument.
746 The following function and macro (not technically predicates) are
747 related to @code{cl-typep}.
749 @defun cl-coerce object type
750 This function attempts to convert @var{object} to the specified
751 @var{type}. If @var{object} is already of that type as determined by
752 @code{cl-typep}, it is simply returned. Otherwise, certain types of
753 conversions will be made: If @var{type} is any sequence type
754 (@code{string}, @code{list}, etc.)@: then @var{object} will be
755 converted to that type if possible. If @var{type} is
756 @code{character}, then strings of length one and symbols with
757 one-character names can be coerced. If @var{type} is @code{float},
758 then integers can be coerced in versions of Emacs that support
759 floats. In all other circumstances, @code{cl-coerce} signals an
763 @defmac cl-deftype name arglist forms@dots{}
764 This macro defines a new type called @var{name}. It is similar
765 to @code{defmacro} in many ways; when @var{name} is encountered
766 as a type name, the body @var{forms} are evaluated and should
767 return a type specifier that is equivalent to the type. The
768 @var{arglist} is a Common Lisp argument list of the sort accepted
769 by @code{cl-defmacro}. The type specifier @samp{(@var{name} @var{args}@dots{})}
770 is expanded by calling the expander with those arguments; the type
771 symbol @samp{@var{name}} is expanded by calling the expander with
772 no arguments. The @var{arglist} is processed the same as for
773 @code{cl-defmacro} except that optional arguments without explicit
774 defaults use @code{*} instead of @code{nil} as the ``default''
775 default. Some examples:
778 (cl-deftype null () '(satisfies null)) ; predefined
779 (cl-deftype list () '(or null cons)) ; predefined
780 (cl-deftype unsigned-byte (&optional bits)
781 (list 'integer 0 (if (eq bits '*) bits (1- (lsh 1 bits)))))
782 (unsigned-byte 8) @equiv{} (integer 0 255)
783 (unsigned-byte) @equiv{} (integer 0 *)
784 unsigned-byte @equiv{} (integer 0 *)
788 The last example shows how the Common Lisp @code{unsigned-byte}
789 type specifier could be implemented if desired; this package does
790 not implement @code{unsigned-byte} by default.
793 The @code{cl-typecase} (@pxref{Conditionals}) and @code{cl-check-type}
794 (@pxref{Assertions}) macros also use type names. The @code{cl-map},
795 @code{cl-concatenate}, and @code{cl-merge} functions take type-name
796 arguments to specify the type of sequence to return. @xref{Sequences}.
798 @node Equality Predicates
799 @section Equality Predicates
802 This package defines the Common Lisp predicate @code{cl-equalp}.
805 This function is a more flexible version of @code{equal}. In
806 particular, it compares strings case-insensitively, and it compares
807 numbers without regard to type (so that @code{(cl-equalp 3 3.0)} is
808 true). Vectors and conses are compared recursively. All other
809 objects are compared as if by @code{equal}.
811 This function differs from Common Lisp @code{equalp} in several
812 respects. First, Common Lisp's @code{equalp} also compares
813 @emph{characters} case-insensitively, which would be impractical
814 in this package since Emacs does not distinguish between integers
815 and characters. In keeping with the idea that strings are less
816 vector-like in Emacs Lisp, this package's @code{cl-equalp} also will
817 not compare strings against vectors of integers.
820 Also note that the Common Lisp functions @code{member} and @code{assoc}
821 use @code{eql} to compare elements, whereas Emacs Lisp follows the
822 MacLisp tradition and uses @code{equal} for these two functions.
823 The functions @code{cl-member} and @code{cl-assoc} use @code{eql},
824 as in Common Lisp. The standard Emacs Lisp functions @code{memq} and
825 @code{assq} use @code{eq}, and the standard @code{memql} uses @code{eql}.
827 @node Control Structure
828 @chapter Control Structure
831 The features described in the following sections implement
832 various advanced control structures, including extensions to the
833 standard @code{setf} facility, and a number of looping and conditional
837 * Assignment:: The @code{cl-psetq} form.
838 * Generalized Variables:: Extensions to generalized variables.
839 * Variable Bindings:: @code{cl-progv}, @code{cl-flet}, @code{cl-macrolet}.
840 * Conditionals:: @code{cl-case}, @code{cl-typecase}.
841 * Blocks and Exits:: @code{cl-block}, @code{cl-return}, @code{cl-return-from}.
842 * Iteration:: @code{cl-do}, @code{cl-dotimes}, @code{cl-dolist}, @code{cl-do-symbols}.
843 * Loop Facility:: The Common Lisp @code{loop} macro.
844 * Multiple Values:: @code{cl-values}, @code{cl-multiple-value-bind}, etc.
851 The @code{cl-psetq} form is just like @code{setq}, except that multiple
852 assignments are done in parallel rather than sequentially.
854 @defmac cl-psetq [symbol form]@dots{}
855 This special form (actually a macro) is used to assign to several
856 variables simultaneously. Given only one @var{symbol} and @var{form},
857 it has the same effect as @code{setq}. Given several @var{symbol}
858 and @var{form} pairs, it evaluates all the @var{form}s in advance
859 and then stores the corresponding variables afterwards.
863 (setq x (+ x y) y (* x y))
866 y ; @r{@code{y} was computed after @code{x} was set.}
869 (cl-psetq x (+ x y) y (* x y))
872 y ; @r{@code{y} was computed before @code{x} was set.}
876 The simplest use of @code{cl-psetq} is @code{(cl-psetq x y y x)}, which
877 exchanges the values of two variables. (The @code{cl-rotatef} form
878 provides an even more convenient way to swap two variables;
879 @pxref{Modify Macros}.)
881 @code{cl-psetq} always returns @code{nil}.
884 @node Generalized Variables
885 @section Generalized Variables
887 A @dfn{generalized variable} or @dfn{place form} is one of the many
888 places in Lisp memory where values can be stored. The simplest place
889 form is a regular Lisp variable. But the @sc{car}s and @sc{cdr}s of lists,
890 elements of arrays, properties of symbols, and many other locations
891 are also places where Lisp values are stored. For basic information,
892 @pxref{Generalized Variables,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
893 This package provides several additional features related to
894 generalized variables.
897 * Setf Extensions:: Additional @code{setf} places.
898 * Modify Macros:: @code{cl-incf}, @code{cl-rotatef}, @code{cl-letf}, @code{cl-callf}, etc.
901 @node Setf Extensions
902 @subsection Setf Extensions
904 Several standard (e.g., @code{car}) and Emacs-specific
905 (e.g., @code{window-point}) Lisp functions are @code{setf}-able by default.
906 This package defines @code{setf} handlers for several additional functions:
910 Functions from this package:
912 cl-rest cl-subseq cl-get cl-getf
913 cl-caaar@dots{}cl-cddddr cl-first@dots{}cl-tenth
917 Note that for @code{cl-getf} (as for @code{nthcdr}), the list argument
918 of the function must itself be a valid @var{place} form.
921 General Emacs Lisp functions:
923 buffer-file-name getenv
924 buffer-modified-p global-key-binding
925 buffer-name local-key-binding
927 buffer-substring mark-marker
928 current-buffer marker-position
929 current-case-table mouse-position
931 current-global-map point-marker
932 current-input-mode point-max
933 current-local-map point-min
934 current-window-configuration read-mouse-position
935 default-file-modes screen-height
936 documentation-property screen-width
937 face-background selected-window
938 face-background-pixmap selected-screen
939 face-font selected-frame
940 face-foreground standard-case-table
941 face-underline-p syntax-table
942 file-modes visited-file-modtime
943 frame-height window-height
944 frame-parameters window-width
945 frame-visible-p x-get-secondary-selection
946 frame-width x-get-selection
950 Most of these have directly corresponding ``set'' functions, like
951 @code{use-local-map} for @code{current-local-map}, or @code{goto-char}
952 for @code{point}. A few, like @code{point-min}, expand to longer
953 sequences of code when they are used with @code{setf}
954 (@code{(narrow-to-region x (point-max))} in this case).
957 A call of the form @code{(substring @var{subplace} @var{n} [@var{m}])},
958 where @var{subplace} is itself a valid generalized variable whose
959 current value is a string, and where the value stored is also a
960 string. The new string is spliced into the specified part of the
961 destination string. For example:
964 (setq a (list "hello" "world"))
965 @result{} ("hello" "world")
968 (substring (cadr a) 2 4)
970 (setf (substring (cadr a) 2 4) "o")
975 @result{} ("hello" "wood")
978 The generalized variable @code{buffer-substring}, listed above,
979 also works in this way by replacing a portion of the current buffer.
981 @c FIXME? Also 'eq'? (see cl-lib.el)
983 @c Currently commented out in cl.el.
986 A call of the form @code{(apply '@var{func} @dots{})} or
987 @code{(apply (function @var{func}) @dots{})}, where @var{func}
988 is a @code{setf}-able function whose store function is ``suitable''
989 in the sense described in Steele's book; since none of the standard
990 Emacs place functions are suitable in this sense, this feature is
991 only interesting when used with places you define yourself with
992 @code{define-setf-method} or the long form of @code{defsetf}.
993 @xref{Obsolete Setf Customization}.
996 @c FIXME? Is this still true?
998 A macro call, in which case the macro is expanded and @code{setf}
999 is applied to the resulting form.
1002 @c FIXME should this be in lispref? It seems self-evident.
1003 @c Contrast with the cl-incf example later on.
1004 @c Here it really only serves as a contrast to wrong-order.
1005 The @code{setf} macro takes care to evaluate all subforms in
1006 the proper left-to-right order; for example,
1009 (setf (aref vec (cl-incf i)) i)
1013 looks like it will evaluate @code{(cl-incf i)} exactly once, before the
1014 following access to @code{i}; the @code{setf} expander will insert
1015 temporary variables as necessary to ensure that it does in fact work
1016 this way no matter what setf-method is defined for @code{aref}.
1017 (In this case, @code{aset} would be used and no such steps would
1018 be necessary since @code{aset} takes its arguments in a convenient
1021 However, if the @var{place} form is a macro which explicitly
1022 evaluates its arguments in an unusual order, this unusual order
1023 will be preserved. Adapting an example from Steele, given
1026 (defmacro wrong-order (x y) (list 'aref y x))
1030 the form @code{(setf (wrong-order @var{a} @var{b}) 17)} will
1031 evaluate @var{b} first, then @var{a}, just as in an actual call
1032 to @code{wrong-order}.
1035 @subsection Modify Macros
1038 This package defines a number of macros that operate on generalized
1039 variables. Many are interesting and useful even when the @var{place}
1040 is just a variable name.
1042 @defmac cl-psetf [place form]@dots{}
1043 This macro is to @code{setf} what @code{cl-psetq} is to @code{setq}:
1044 When several @var{place}s and @var{form}s are involved, the
1045 assignments take place in parallel rather than sequentially.
1046 Specifically, all subforms are evaluated from left to right, then
1047 all the assignments are done (in an undefined order).
1050 @defmac cl-incf place &optional x
1051 This macro increments the number stored in @var{place} by one, or
1052 by @var{x} if specified. The incremented value is returned. For
1053 example, @code{(cl-incf i)} is equivalent to @code{(setq i (1+ i))}, and
1054 @code{(cl-incf (car x) 2)} is equivalent to @code{(setcar x (+ (car x) 2))}.
1056 As with @code{setf}, care is taken to preserve the ``apparent'' order
1057 of evaluation. For example,
1060 (cl-incf (aref vec (cl-incf i)))
1064 appears to increment @code{i} once, then increment the element of
1065 @code{vec} addressed by @code{i}; this is indeed exactly what it
1066 does, which means the above form is @emph{not} equivalent to the
1067 ``obvious'' expansion,
1070 (setf (aref vec (cl-incf i))
1071 (1+ (aref vec (cl-incf i)))) ; wrong!
1075 but rather to something more like
1078 (let ((temp (cl-incf i)))
1079 (setf (aref vec temp) (1+ (aref vec temp))))
1083 Again, all of this is taken care of automatically by @code{cl-incf} and
1084 the other generalized-variable macros.
1086 As a more Emacs-specific example of @code{cl-incf}, the expression
1087 @code{(cl-incf (point) @var{n})} is essentially equivalent to
1088 @code{(forward-char @var{n})}.
1091 @defmac cl-decf place &optional x
1092 This macro decrements the number stored in @var{place} by one, or
1093 by @var{x} if specified.
1096 @defmac cl-pushnew x place @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
1097 This macro inserts @var{x} at the front of the list stored in
1098 @var{place}, but only if @var{x} was not @code{eql} to any
1099 existing element of the list. The optional keyword arguments
1100 are interpreted in the same way as for @code{cl-adjoin}.
1101 @xref{Lists as Sets}.
1104 @defmac cl-shiftf place@dots{} newvalue
1105 This macro shifts the @var{place}s left by one, shifting in the
1106 value of @var{newvalue} (which may be any Lisp expression, not just
1107 a generalized variable), and returning the value shifted out of
1108 the first @var{place}. Thus, @code{(cl-shiftf @var{a} @var{b} @var{c}
1109 @var{d})} is equivalent to
1114 (cl-psetf @var{a} @var{b}
1120 except that the subforms of @var{a}, @var{b}, and @var{c} are actually
1121 evaluated only once each and in the apparent order.
1124 @defmac cl-rotatef place@dots{}
1125 This macro rotates the @var{place}s left by one in circular fashion.
1126 Thus, @code{(cl-rotatef @var{a} @var{b} @var{c} @var{d})} is equivalent to
1129 (cl-psetf @var{a} @var{b}
1136 except for the evaluation of subforms. @code{cl-rotatef} always
1137 returns @code{nil}. Note that @code{(cl-rotatef @var{a} @var{b})}
1138 conveniently exchanges @var{a} and @var{b}.
1141 The following macros were invented for this package; they have no
1142 analogues in Common Lisp.
1144 @defmac cl-letf (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1145 This macro is analogous to @code{let}, but for generalized variables
1146 rather than just symbols. Each @var{binding} should be of the form
1147 @code{(@var{place} @var{value})}; the original contents of the
1148 @var{place}s are saved, the @var{value}s are stored in them, and
1149 then the body @var{form}s are executed. Afterwards, the @var{places}
1150 are set back to their original saved contents. This cleanup happens
1151 even if the @var{form}s exit irregularly due to a @code{throw} or an
1157 (cl-letf (((point) (point-min))
1163 moves point in the current buffer to the beginning of the buffer,
1164 and also binds @code{a} to 17 (as if by a normal @code{let}, since
1165 @code{a} is just a regular variable). After the body exits, @code{a}
1166 is set back to its original value and point is moved back to its
1169 Note that @code{cl-letf} on @code{(point)} is not quite like a
1170 @code{save-excursion}, as the latter effectively saves a marker
1171 which tracks insertions and deletions in the buffer. Actually,
1172 a @code{cl-letf} of @code{(point-marker)} is much closer to this
1173 behavior. (@code{point} and @code{point-marker} are equivalent
1174 as @code{setf} places; each will accept either an integer or a
1175 marker as the stored value.)
1177 Since generalized variables look like lists, @code{let}'s shorthand
1178 of using @samp{foo} for @samp{(foo nil)} as a @var{binding} would
1179 be ambiguous in @code{cl-letf} and is not allowed.
1181 However, a @var{binding} specifier may be a one-element list
1182 @samp{(@var{place})}, which is similar to @samp{(@var{place}
1183 @var{place})}. In other words, the @var{place} is not disturbed
1184 on entry to the body, and the only effect of the @code{cl-letf} is
1185 to restore the original value of @var{place} afterwards.
1186 @c I suspect this may no longer be true; either way it's
1187 @c implementation detail and so not essential to document.
1189 (The redundant access-and-store suggested by the @code{(@var{place}
1190 @var{place})} example does not actually occur.)
1193 Note that in this case, and in fact almost every case, @var{place}
1194 must have a well-defined value outside the @code{cl-letf} body.
1195 There is essentially only one exception to this, which is @var{place}
1196 a plain variable with a specified @var{value} (such as @code{(a 17)}
1197 in the above example).
1198 @c See http://debbugs.gnu.org/12758
1199 @c Some or all of this was true for cl.el, but not for cl-lib.el.
1201 The only exceptions are plain variables and calls to
1202 @code{symbol-value} and @code{symbol-function}. If the symbol is not
1203 bound on entry, it is simply made unbound by @code{makunbound} or
1204 @code{fmakunbound} on exit.
1208 @defmac cl-letf* (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1209 This macro is to @code{cl-letf} what @code{let*} is to @code{let}:
1210 It does the bindings in sequential rather than parallel order.
1213 @defmac cl-callf @var{function} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{}
1214 This is the ``generic'' modify macro. It calls @var{function},
1215 which should be an unquoted function name, macro name, or lambda.
1216 It passes @var{place} and @var{args} as arguments, and assigns the
1217 result back to @var{place}. For example, @code{(cl-incf @var{place}
1218 @var{n})} is the same as @code{(cl-callf + @var{place} @var{n})}.
1222 (cl-callf abs my-number)
1223 (cl-callf concat (buffer-name) "<" (number-to-string n) ">")
1224 (cl-callf cl-union happy-people (list joe bob) :test 'same-person)
1227 Note again that @code{cl-callf} is an extension to standard Common Lisp.
1230 @defmac cl-callf2 @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{}
1231 This macro is like @code{cl-callf}, except that @var{place} is
1232 the @emph{second} argument of @var{function} rather than the
1233 first. For example, @code{(push @var{x} @var{place})} is
1234 equivalent to @code{(cl-callf2 cons @var{x} @var{place})}.
1237 The @code{cl-callf} and @code{cl-callf2} macros serve as building
1238 blocks for other macros like @code{cl-incf}, and @code{cl-pushnew}.
1239 The @code{cl-letf} and @code{cl-letf*} macros are used in the processing
1240 of symbol macros; @pxref{Macro Bindings}.
1243 @node Variable Bindings
1244 @section Variable Bindings
1247 These Lisp forms make bindings to variables and function names,
1248 analogous to Lisp's built-in @code{let} form.
1250 @xref{Modify Macros}, for the @code{cl-letf} and @code{cl-letf*} forms which
1251 are also related to variable bindings.
1254 * Dynamic Bindings:: The @code{cl-progv} form.
1255 * Function Bindings:: @code{cl-flet} and @code{cl-labels}.
1256 * Macro Bindings:: @code{cl-macrolet} and @code{cl-symbol-macrolet}.
1259 @node Dynamic Bindings
1260 @subsection Dynamic Bindings
1263 The standard @code{let} form binds variables whose names are known
1264 at compile-time. The @code{cl-progv} form provides an easy way to
1265 bind variables whose names are computed at run-time.
1267 @defmac cl-progv symbols values forms@dots{}
1268 This form establishes @code{let}-style variable bindings on a
1269 set of variables computed at run-time. The expressions
1270 @var{symbols} and @var{values} are evaluated, and must return lists
1271 of symbols and values, respectively. The symbols are bound to the
1272 corresponding values for the duration of the body @var{form}s.
1273 If @var{values} is shorter than @var{symbols}, the last few symbols
1274 are bound to @code{nil}.
1275 If @var{symbols} is shorter than @var{values}, the excess values
1279 @node Function Bindings
1280 @subsection Function Bindings
1283 These forms make @code{let}-like bindings to functions instead
1286 @defmac cl-flet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1287 This form establishes @code{let}-style bindings on the function
1288 cells of symbols rather than on the value cells. Each @var{binding}
1289 must be a list of the form @samp{(@var{name} @var{arglist}
1290 @var{forms}@dots{})}, which defines a function exactly as if
1291 it were a @code{cl-defun} form. The function @var{name} is defined
1292 accordingly but only within the body of the @code{cl-flet}, hiding any external
1293 definition if applicable.
1295 The bindings are lexical in scope. This means that all references to
1296 the named functions must appear physically within the body of the
1297 @code{cl-flet} form.
1299 Functions defined by @code{cl-flet} may use the full Common Lisp
1300 argument notation supported by @code{cl-defun}; also, the function
1301 body is enclosed in an implicit block as if by @code{cl-defun}.
1302 @xref{Program Structure}.
1304 Note that the @file{cl.el} version of this macro behaves slightly
1305 differently. In particular, its binding is dynamic rather than
1306 lexical. @xref{Obsolete Macros}.
1309 @defmac cl-labels (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1310 The @code{cl-labels} form is like @code{cl-flet}, except that
1311 the function bindings can be recursive. The scoping is lexical,
1312 but you can only capture functions in closures if
1313 @code{lexical-binding} is @code{t}.
1314 @xref{Closures,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}, and
1315 @ref{Using Lexical Binding,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1317 Lexical scoping means that all references to the named
1318 functions must appear physically within the body of the
1319 @code{cl-labels} form. References may appear both in the body
1320 @var{forms} of @code{cl-labels} itself, and in the bodies of
1321 the functions themselves. Thus, @code{cl-labels} can define
1322 local recursive functions, or mutually-recursive sets of functions.
1324 A ``reference'' to a function name is either a call to that
1325 function, or a use of its name quoted by @code{quote} or
1326 @code{function} to be passed on to, say, @code{mapcar}.
1328 Note that the @file{cl.el} version of this macro behaves slightly
1329 differently. @xref{Obsolete Macros}.
1332 @node Macro Bindings
1333 @subsection Macro Bindings
1336 These forms create local macros and ``symbol macros''.
1338 @defmac cl-macrolet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1339 This form is analogous to @code{cl-flet}, but for macros instead of
1340 functions. Each @var{binding} is a list of the same form as the
1341 arguments to @code{cl-defmacro} (i.e., a macro name, argument list,
1342 and macro-expander forms). The macro is defined accordingly for
1343 use within the body of the @code{cl-macrolet}.
1345 Because of the nature of macros, @code{cl-macrolet} is always lexically
1346 scoped. The @code{cl-macrolet} binding will
1347 affect only calls that appear physically within the body
1348 @var{forms}, possibly after expansion of other macros in the
1352 @defmac cl-symbol-macrolet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
1353 This form creates @dfn{symbol macros}, which are macros that look
1354 like variable references rather than function calls. Each
1355 @var{binding} is a list @samp{(@var{var} @var{expansion})};
1356 any reference to @var{var} within the body @var{forms} is
1357 replaced by @var{expansion}.
1361 (cl-symbol-macrolet ((foo (car bar)))
1367 A @code{setq} of a symbol macro is treated the same as a @code{setf}.
1368 I.e., @code{(setq foo 4)} in the above would be equivalent to
1369 @code{(setf foo 4)}, which in turn expands to @code{(setf (car bar) 4)}.
1371 Likewise, a @code{let} or @code{let*} binding a symbol macro is
1372 treated like a @code{cl-letf} or @code{cl-letf*}. This differs from true
1373 Common Lisp, where the rules of lexical scoping cause a @code{let}
1374 binding to shadow a @code{symbol-macrolet} binding. In this package,
1375 such shadowing does not occur, even when @code{lexical-binding} is
1376 @c See http://debbugs.gnu.org/12119
1377 @code{t}. (This behavior predates the addition of lexical binding to
1378 Emacs Lisp, and may change in future to respect @code{lexical-binding}.)
1379 At present in this package, only @code{lexical-let} and
1380 @code{lexical-let*} will shadow a symbol macro. @xref{Obsolete
1383 There is no analogue of @code{defmacro} for symbol macros; all symbol
1384 macros are local. A typical use of @code{cl-symbol-macrolet} is in the
1385 expansion of another macro:
1388 (cl-defmacro my-dolist ((x list) &rest body)
1389 (let ((var (cl-gensym)))
1390 (list 'cl-loop 'for var 'on list 'do
1391 (cl-list* 'cl-symbol-macrolet
1392 (list (list x (list 'car var)))
1395 (setq mylist '(1 2 3 4))
1396 (my-dolist (x mylist) (cl-incf x))
1402 In this example, the @code{my-dolist} macro is similar to @code{dolist}
1403 (@pxref{Iteration}) except that the variable @code{x} becomes a true
1404 reference onto the elements of the list. The @code{my-dolist} call
1405 shown here expands to
1408 (cl-loop for G1234 on mylist do
1409 (cl-symbol-macrolet ((x (car G1234)))
1414 which in turn expands to
1417 (cl-loop for G1234 on mylist do (cl-incf (car G1234)))
1420 @xref{Loop Facility}, for a description of the @code{cl-loop} macro.
1421 This package defines a nonstandard @code{in-ref} loop clause that
1422 works much like @code{my-dolist}.
1426 @section Conditionals
1429 These conditional forms augment Emacs Lisp's simple @code{if},
1430 @code{and}, @code{or}, and @code{cond} forms.
1432 @defmac cl-case keyform clause@dots{}
1433 This macro evaluates @var{keyform}, then compares it with the key
1434 values listed in the various @var{clause}s. Whichever clause matches
1435 the key is executed; comparison is done by @code{eql}. If no clause
1436 matches, the @code{cl-case} form returns @code{nil}. The clauses are
1440 (@var{keylist} @var{body-forms}@dots{})
1444 where @var{keylist} is a list of key values. If there is exactly
1445 one value, and it is not a cons cell or the symbol @code{nil} or
1446 @code{t}, then it can be used by itself as a @var{keylist} without
1447 being enclosed in a list. All key values in the @code{cl-case} form
1448 must be distinct. The final clauses may use @code{t} in place of
1449 a @var{keylist} to indicate a default clause that should be taken
1450 if none of the other clauses match. (The symbol @code{otherwise}
1451 is also recognized in place of @code{t}. To make a clause that
1452 matches the actual symbol @code{t}, @code{nil}, or @code{otherwise},
1453 enclose the symbol in a list.)
1455 For example, this expression reads a keystroke, then does one of
1456 four things depending on whether it is an @samp{a}, a @samp{b},
1457 a @key{RET} or @kbd{C-j}, or anything else.
1460 (cl-case (read-char)
1463 ((?\r ?\n) (do-ret-thing))
1464 (t (do-other-thing)))
1468 @defmac cl-ecase keyform clause@dots{}
1469 This macro is just like @code{cl-case}, except that if the key does
1470 not match any of the clauses, an error is signaled rather than
1471 simply returning @code{nil}.
1474 @defmac cl-typecase keyform clause@dots{}
1475 This macro is a version of @code{cl-case} that checks for types
1476 rather than values. Each @var{clause} is of the form
1477 @samp{(@var{type} @var{body}@dots{})}. @xref{Type Predicates},
1478 for a description of type specifiers. For example,
1482 (integer (munch-integer x))
1483 (float (munch-float x))
1484 (string (munch-integer (string-to-int x)))
1485 (t (munch-anything x)))
1488 The type specifier @code{t} matches any type of object; the word
1489 @code{otherwise} is also allowed. To make one clause match any of
1490 several types, use an @code{(or @dots{})} type specifier.
1493 @defmac cl-etypecase keyform clause@dots{}
1494 This macro is just like @code{cl-typecase}, except that if the key does
1495 not match any of the clauses, an error is signaled rather than
1496 simply returning @code{nil}.
1499 @node Blocks and Exits
1500 @section Blocks and Exits
1504 Common Lisp @dfn{blocks} provide a non-local exit mechanism very
1505 similar to @code{catch} and @code{throw}, with lexical scoping.
1506 This package actually implements @code{cl-block}
1507 in terms of @code{catch}; however, the lexical scoping allows the
1508 byte-compiler to omit the costly @code{catch} step if the
1509 body of the block does not actually @code{cl-return-from} the block.
1511 @defmac cl-block name forms@dots{}
1512 The @var{forms} are evaluated as if by a @code{progn}. However,
1513 if any of the @var{forms} execute @code{(cl-return-from @var{name})},
1514 they will jump out and return directly from the @code{cl-block} form.
1515 The @code{cl-block} returns the result of the last @var{form} unless
1516 a @code{cl-return-from} occurs.
1518 The @code{cl-block}/@code{cl-return-from} mechanism is quite similar to
1519 the @code{catch}/@code{throw} mechanism. The main differences are
1520 that block @var{name}s are unevaluated symbols, rather than forms
1521 (such as quoted symbols) that evaluate to a tag at run-time; and
1522 also that blocks are always lexically scoped.
1523 In a dynamically scoped @code{catch}, functions called from the
1524 @code{catch} body can also @code{throw} to the @code{catch}. This
1525 is not an option for @code{cl-block}, where
1526 the @code{cl-return-from} referring to a block name must appear
1527 physically within the @var{forms} that make up the body of the block.
1528 They may not appear within other called functions, although they may
1529 appear within macro expansions or @code{lambda}s in the body. Block
1530 names and @code{catch} names form independent name-spaces.
1532 In true Common Lisp, @code{defun} and @code{defmacro} surround
1533 the function or expander bodies with implicit blocks with the
1534 same name as the function or macro. This does not occur in Emacs
1535 Lisp, but this package provides @code{cl-defun} and @code{cl-defmacro}
1536 forms, which do create the implicit block.
1538 The Common Lisp looping constructs defined by this package,
1539 such as @code{cl-loop} and @code{cl-dolist}, also create implicit blocks
1540 just as in Common Lisp.
1542 Because they are implemented in terms of Emacs Lisp's @code{catch}
1543 and @code{throw}, blocks have the same overhead as actual
1544 @code{catch} constructs (roughly two function calls). However,
1545 the byte compiler will optimize away the @code{catch}
1547 not in fact contain any @code{cl-return} or @code{cl-return-from} calls
1548 that jump to it. This means that @code{cl-do} loops and @code{cl-defun}
1549 functions that don't use @code{cl-return} don't pay the overhead to
1553 @defmac cl-return-from name [result]
1554 This macro returns from the block named @var{name}, which must be
1555 an (unevaluated) symbol. If a @var{result} form is specified, it
1556 is evaluated to produce the result returned from the @code{block}.
1557 Otherwise, @code{nil} is returned.
1560 @defmac cl-return [result]
1561 This macro is exactly like @code{(cl-return-from nil @var{result})}.
1562 Common Lisp loops like @code{cl-do} and @code{cl-dolist} implicitly enclose
1563 themselves in @code{nil} blocks.
1566 @c FIXME? Maybe this should be in a separate section?
1567 @defmac cl-tagbody &rest labels-or-statements
1568 This macro executes statements while allowing for control transfer to
1569 user-defined labels. Each element of @var{labels-or-statements} can
1570 be either a label (an integer or a symbol), or a cons-cell
1571 (a statement). This distinction is made before macroexpansion.
1572 Statements are executed in sequence, discarding any return value.
1573 Any statement can transfer control at any time to the statements that follow
1574 one of the labels with the special form @code{(go @var{label})}.
1575 Labels have lexical scope and dynamic extent.
1583 The macros described here provide more sophisticated, high-level
1584 looping constructs to complement Emacs Lisp's basic loop forms
1585 (@pxref{Iteration,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
1587 @defmac cl-loop forms@dots{}
1588 This package supports both the simple, old-style meaning of
1589 @code{loop} and the extremely powerful and flexible feature known as
1590 the @dfn{Loop Facility} or @dfn{Loop Macro}. This more advanced
1591 facility is discussed in the following section; @pxref{Loop Facility}.
1592 The simple form of @code{loop} is described here.
1594 If @code{cl-loop} is followed by zero or more Lisp expressions,
1595 then @code{(cl-loop @var{exprs}@dots{})} simply creates an infinite
1596 loop executing the expressions over and over. The loop is
1597 enclosed in an implicit @code{nil} block. Thus,
1600 (cl-loop (foo) (if (no-more) (return 72)) (bar))
1604 is exactly equivalent to
1607 (cl-block nil (while t (foo) (if (no-more) (return 72)) (bar)))
1610 If any of the expressions are plain symbols, the loop is instead
1611 interpreted as a Loop Macro specification as described later.
1612 (This is not a restriction in practice, since a plain symbol
1613 in the above notation would simply access and throw away the
1614 value of a variable.)
1617 @defmac cl-do (spec@dots{}) (end-test [result@dots{}]) forms@dots{}
1618 This macro creates a general iterative loop. Each @var{spec} is
1622 (@var{var} [@var{init} [@var{step}]])
1625 The loop works as follows: First, each @var{var} is bound to the
1626 associated @var{init} value as if by a @code{let} form. Then, in
1627 each iteration of the loop, the @var{end-test} is evaluated; if
1628 true, the loop is finished. Otherwise, the body @var{forms} are
1629 evaluated, then each @var{var} is set to the associated @var{step}
1630 expression (as if by a @code{cl-psetq} form) and the next iteration
1631 begins. Once the @var{end-test} becomes true, the @var{result}
1632 forms are evaluated (with the @var{var}s still bound to their
1633 values) to produce the result returned by @code{cl-do}.
1635 The entire @code{cl-do} loop is enclosed in an implicit @code{nil}
1636 block, so that you can use @code{(cl-return)} to break out of the
1639 If there are no @var{result} forms, the loop returns @code{nil}.
1640 If a given @var{var} has no @var{step} form, it is bound to its
1641 @var{init} value but not otherwise modified during the @code{cl-do}
1642 loop (unless the code explicitly modifies it); this case is just
1643 a shorthand for putting a @code{(let ((@var{var} @var{init})) @dots{})}
1644 around the loop. If @var{init} is also omitted it defaults to
1645 @code{nil}, and in this case a plain @samp{@var{var}} can be used
1646 in place of @samp{(@var{var})}, again following the analogy with
1649 This example (from Steele) illustrates a loop that applies the
1650 function @code{f} to successive pairs of values from the lists
1651 @code{foo} and @code{bar}; it is equivalent to the call
1652 @code{(cl-mapcar 'f foo bar)}. Note that this loop has no body
1653 @var{forms} at all, performing all its work as side effects of
1654 the rest of the loop.
1657 (cl-do ((x foo (cdr x))
1659 (z nil (cons (f (car x) (car y)) z)))
1660 ((or (null x) (null y))
1665 @defmac cl-do* (spec@dots{}) (end-test [result@dots{}]) forms@dots{}
1666 This is to @code{cl-do} what @code{let*} is to @code{let}. In
1667 particular, the initial values are bound as if by @code{let*}
1668 rather than @code{let}, and the steps are assigned as if by
1669 @code{setq} rather than @code{cl-psetq}.
1671 Here is another way to write the above loop:
1674 (cl-do* ((xp foo (cdr xp))
1676 (x (car xp) (car xp))
1677 (y (car yp) (car yp))
1679 ((or (null xp) (null yp))
1685 @defmac cl-dolist (var list [result]) forms@dots{}
1686 This is exactly like the standard Emacs Lisp macro @code{dolist},
1687 but surrounds the loop with an implicit @code{nil} block.
1690 @defmac cl-dotimes (var count [result]) forms@dots{}
1691 This is exactly like the standard Emacs Lisp macro @code{dotimes},
1692 but surrounds the loop with an implicit @code{nil} block.
1693 The body is executed with @var{var} bound to the integers
1694 from zero (inclusive) to @var{count} (exclusive), in turn. Then
1695 @c FIXME lispref does not state this part explicitly, could move this there.
1696 the @code{result} form is evaluated with @var{var} bound to the total
1697 number of iterations that were done (i.e., @code{(max 0 @var{count})})
1698 to get the return value for the loop form.
1701 @defmac cl-do-symbols (var [obarray [result]]) forms@dots{}
1702 This loop iterates over all interned symbols. If @var{obarray}
1703 is specified and is not @code{nil}, it loops over all symbols in
1704 that obarray. For each symbol, the body @var{forms} are evaluated
1705 with @var{var} bound to that symbol. The symbols are visited in
1706 an unspecified order. Afterward the @var{result} form, if any,
1707 is evaluated (with @var{var} bound to @code{nil}) to get the return
1708 value. The loop is surrounded by an implicit @code{nil} block.
1711 @defmac cl-do-all-symbols (var [result]) forms@dots{}
1712 This is identical to @code{cl-do-symbols} except that the @var{obarray}
1713 argument is omitted; it always iterates over the default obarray.
1716 @xref{Mapping over Sequences}, for some more functions for
1717 iterating over vectors or lists.
1720 @section Loop Facility
1723 A common complaint with Lisp's traditional looping constructs was
1724 that they were either too simple and limited, such as @code{dotimes}
1725 or @code{while}, or too unreadable and obscure, like Common Lisp's
1728 To remedy this, Common Lisp added a construct called the ``Loop
1729 Facility'' or ``@code{loop} macro'', with an easy-to-use but very
1730 powerful and expressive syntax.
1733 * Loop Basics:: The @code{cl-loop} macro, basic clause structure.
1734 * Loop Examples:: Working examples of the @code{cl-loop} macro.
1735 * For Clauses:: Clauses introduced by @code{for} or @code{as}.
1736 * Iteration Clauses:: @code{repeat}, @code{while}, @code{thereis}, etc.
1737 * Accumulation Clauses:: @code{collect}, @code{sum}, @code{maximize}, etc.
1738 * Other Clauses:: @code{with}, @code{if}, @code{initially}, @code{finally}.
1742 @subsection Loop Basics
1745 The @code{cl-loop} macro essentially creates a mini-language within
1746 Lisp that is specially tailored for describing loops. While this
1747 language is a little strange-looking by the standards of regular Lisp,
1748 it turns out to be very easy to learn and well-suited to its purpose.
1750 Since @code{cl-loop} is a macro, all parsing of the loop language
1751 takes place at byte-compile time; compiled @code{cl-loop}s are just
1752 as efficient as the equivalent @code{while} loops written longhand.
1754 @defmac cl-loop clauses@dots{}
1755 A loop construct consists of a series of @var{clause}s, each
1756 introduced by a symbol like @code{for} or @code{do}. Clauses
1757 are simply strung together in the argument list of @code{cl-loop},
1758 with minimal extra parentheses. The various types of clauses
1759 specify initializations, such as the binding of temporary
1760 variables, actions to be taken in the loop, stepping actions,
1763 Common Lisp specifies a certain general order of clauses in a
1767 (loop @var{name-clause}
1768 @var{var-clauses}@dots{}
1769 @var{action-clauses}@dots{})
1772 The @var{name-clause} optionally gives a name to the implicit
1773 block that surrounds the loop. By default, the implicit block
1774 is named @code{nil}. The @var{var-clauses} specify what
1775 variables should be bound during the loop, and how they should
1776 be modified or iterated throughout the course of the loop. The
1777 @var{action-clauses} are things to be done during the loop, such
1778 as computing, collecting, and returning values.
1780 The Emacs version of the @code{cl-loop} macro is less restrictive about
1781 the order of clauses, but things will behave most predictably if
1782 you put the variable-binding clauses @code{with}, @code{for}, and
1783 @code{repeat} before the action clauses. As in Common Lisp,
1784 @code{initially} and @code{finally} clauses can go anywhere.
1786 Loops generally return @code{nil} by default, but you can cause
1787 them to return a value by using an accumulation clause like
1788 @code{collect}, an end-test clause like @code{always}, or an
1789 explicit @code{return} clause to jump out of the implicit block.
1790 (Because the loop body is enclosed in an implicit block, you can
1791 also use regular Lisp @code{cl-return} or @code{cl-return-from} to
1792 break out of the loop.)
1795 The following sections give some examples of the loop macro in
1796 action, and describe the particular loop clauses in great detail.
1797 Consult the second edition of Steele for additional discussion
1801 @subsection Loop Examples
1804 Before listing the full set of clauses that are allowed, let's
1805 look at a few example loops just to get a feel for the @code{cl-loop}
1809 (cl-loop for buf in (buffer-list)
1810 collect (buffer-file-name buf))
1814 This loop iterates over all Emacs buffers, using the list
1815 returned by @code{buffer-list}. For each buffer @var{buf},
1816 it calls @code{buffer-file-name} and collects the results into
1817 a list, which is then returned from the @code{cl-loop} construct.
1818 The result is a list of the file names of all the buffers in
1819 Emacs's memory. The words @code{for}, @code{in}, and @code{collect}
1820 are reserved words in the @code{cl-loop} language.
1823 (cl-loop repeat 20 do (insert "Yowsa\n"))
1827 This loop inserts the phrase ``Yowsa'' twenty times in the
1831 (cl-loop until (eobp) do (munch-line) (forward-line 1))
1835 This loop calls @code{munch-line} on every line until the end
1836 of the buffer. If point is already at the end of the buffer,
1837 the loop exits immediately.
1840 (cl-loop do (munch-line) until (eobp) do (forward-line 1))
1844 This loop is similar to the above one, except that @code{munch-line}
1845 is always called at least once.
1848 (cl-loop for x from 1 to 100
1851 finally return (list x (= y 729)))
1855 This more complicated loop searches for a number @code{x} whose
1856 square is 729. For safety's sake it only examines @code{x}
1857 values up to 100; dropping the phrase @samp{to 100} would
1858 cause the loop to count upwards with no limit. The second
1859 @code{for} clause defines @code{y} to be the square of @code{x}
1860 within the loop; the expression after the @code{=} sign is
1861 reevaluated each time through the loop. The @code{until}
1862 clause gives a condition for terminating the loop, and the
1863 @code{finally} clause says what to do when the loop finishes.
1864 (This particular example was written less concisely than it
1865 could have been, just for the sake of illustration.)
1867 Note that even though this loop contains three clauses (two
1868 @code{for}s and an @code{until}) that would have been enough to
1869 define loops all by themselves, it still creates a single loop
1870 rather than some sort of triple-nested loop. You must explicitly
1871 nest your @code{cl-loop} constructs if you want nested loops.
1874 @subsection For Clauses
1877 Most loops are governed by one or more @code{for} clauses.
1878 A @code{for} clause simultaneously describes variables to be
1879 bound, how those variables are to be stepped during the loop,
1880 and usually an end condition based on those variables.
1882 The word @code{as} is a synonym for the word @code{for}. This
1883 word is followed by a variable name, then a word like @code{from}
1884 or @code{across} that describes the kind of iteration desired.
1885 In Common Lisp, the phrase @code{being the} sometimes precedes
1886 the type of iteration; in this package both @code{being} and
1887 @code{the} are optional. The word @code{each} is a synonym
1888 for @code{the}, and the word that follows it may be singular
1889 or plural: @samp{for x being the elements of y} or
1890 @samp{for x being each element of y}. Which form you use
1891 is purely a matter of style.
1893 The variable is bound around the loop as if by @code{let}:
1897 (cl-loop for i from 1 to 10 do (do-something-with i))
1903 @item for @var{var} from @var{expr1} to @var{expr2} by @var{expr3}
1904 This type of @code{for} clause creates a counting loop. Each of
1905 the three sub-terms is optional, though there must be at least one
1906 term so that the clause is marked as a counting clause.
1908 The three expressions are the starting value, the ending value, and
1909 the step value, respectively, of the variable. The loop counts
1910 upwards by default (@var{expr3} must be positive), from @var{expr1}
1911 to @var{expr2} inclusively. If you omit the @code{from} term, the
1912 loop counts from zero; if you omit the @code{to} term, the loop
1913 counts forever without stopping (unless stopped by some other
1914 loop clause, of course); if you omit the @code{by} term, the loop
1915 counts in steps of one.
1917 You can replace the word @code{from} with @code{upfrom} or
1918 @code{downfrom} to indicate the direction of the loop. Likewise,
1919 you can replace @code{to} with @code{upto} or @code{downto}.
1920 For example, @samp{for x from 5 downto 1} executes five times
1921 with @code{x} taking on the integers from 5 down to 1 in turn.
1922 Also, you can replace @code{to} with @code{below} or @code{above},
1923 which are like @code{upto} and @code{downto} respectively except
1924 that they are exclusive rather than inclusive limits:
1927 (cl-loop for x to 10 collect x)
1928 @result{} (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10)
1929 (cl-loop for x below 10 collect x)
1930 @result{} (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9)
1933 The @code{by} value is always positive, even for downward-counting
1934 loops. Some sort of @code{from} value is required for downward
1935 loops; @samp{for x downto 5} is not a valid loop clause all by
1938 @item for @var{var} in @var{list} by @var{function}
1939 This clause iterates @var{var} over all the elements of @var{list},
1940 in turn. If you specify the @code{by} term, then @var{function}
1941 is used to traverse the list instead of @code{cdr}; it must be a
1942 function taking one argument. For example:
1945 (cl-loop for x in '(1 2 3 4 5 6) collect (* x x))
1946 @result{} (1 4 9 16 25 36)
1947 (cl-loop for x in '(1 2 3 4 5 6) by 'cddr collect (* x x))
1951 @item for @var{var} on @var{list} by @var{function}
1952 This clause iterates @var{var} over all the cons cells of @var{list}.
1955 (cl-loop for x on '(1 2 3 4) collect x)
1956 @result{} ((1 2 3 4) (2 3 4) (3 4) (4))
1959 With @code{by}, there is no real reason that the @code{on} expression
1960 must be a list. For example:
1963 (cl-loop for x on first-animal by 'next-animal collect x)
1967 where @code{(next-animal x)} takes an ``animal'' @var{x} and returns
1968 the next in the (assumed) sequence of animals, or @code{nil} if
1969 @var{x} was the last animal in the sequence.
1971 @item for @var{var} in-ref @var{list} by @var{function}
1972 This is like a regular @code{in} clause, but @var{var} becomes
1973 a @code{setf}-able ``reference'' onto the elements of the list
1974 rather than just a temporary variable. For example,
1977 (cl-loop for x in-ref my-list do (cl-incf x))
1981 increments every element of @code{my-list} in place. This clause
1982 is an extension to standard Common Lisp.
1984 @item for @var{var} across @var{array}
1985 This clause iterates @var{var} over all the elements of @var{array},
1986 which may be a vector or a string.
1989 (cl-loop for x across "aeiou"
1990 do (use-vowel (char-to-string x)))
1993 @item for @var{var} across-ref @var{array}
1994 This clause iterates over an array, with @var{var} a @code{setf}-able
1995 reference onto the elements; see @code{in-ref} above.
1997 @item for @var{var} being the elements of @var{sequence}
1998 This clause iterates over the elements of @var{sequence}, which may
1999 be a list, vector, or string. Since the type must be determined
2000 at run-time, this is somewhat less efficient than @code{in} or
2001 @code{across}. The clause may be followed by the additional term
2002 @samp{using (index @var{var2})} to cause @var{var2} to be bound to
2003 the successive indices (starting at 0) of the elements.
2005 This clause type is taken from older versions of the @code{loop} macro,
2006 and is not present in modern Common Lisp. The @samp{using (sequence @dots{})}
2007 term of the older macros is not supported.
2009 @item for @var{var} being the elements of-ref @var{sequence}
2010 This clause iterates over a sequence, with @var{var} a @code{setf}-able
2011 reference onto the elements; see @code{in-ref} above.
2013 @item for @var{var} being the symbols [of @var{obarray}]
2014 This clause iterates over symbols, either over all interned symbols
2015 or over all symbols in @var{obarray}. The loop is executed with
2016 @var{var} bound to each symbol in turn. The symbols are visited in
2017 an unspecified order.
2022 (cl-loop for sym being the symbols
2024 when (string-match "^map" (symbol-name sym))
2029 returns a list of all the functions whose names begin with @samp{map}.
2031 The Common Lisp words @code{external-symbols} and @code{present-symbols}
2032 are also recognized but are equivalent to @code{symbols} in Emacs Lisp.
2034 Due to a minor implementation restriction, it will not work to have
2035 more than one @code{for} clause iterating over symbols, hash tables,
2036 keymaps, overlays, or intervals in a given @code{cl-loop}. Fortunately,
2037 it would rarely if ever be useful to do so. It @emph{is} valid to mix
2038 one of these types of clauses with other clauses like @code{for @dots{} to}
2041 @item for @var{var} being the hash-keys of @var{hash-table}
2042 @itemx for @var{var} being the hash-values of @var{hash-table}
2043 This clause iterates over the entries in @var{hash-table} with
2044 @var{var} bound to each key, or value. A @samp{using} clause can bind
2045 a second variable to the opposite part.
2048 (cl-loop for k being the hash-keys of h
2049 using (hash-values v)
2051 (message "key %S -> value %S" k v))
2054 @item for @var{var} being the key-codes of @var{keymap}
2055 @itemx for @var{var} being the key-bindings of @var{keymap}
2056 This clause iterates over the entries in @var{keymap}.
2057 The iteration does not enter nested keymaps but does enter inherited
2059 A @code{using} clause can access both the codes and the bindings
2063 (cl-loop for c being the key-codes of (current-local-map)
2064 using (key-bindings b)
2066 (message "key %S -> binding %S" c b))
2070 @item for @var{var} being the key-seqs of @var{keymap}
2071 This clause iterates over all key sequences defined by @var{keymap}
2072 and its nested keymaps, where @var{var} takes on values which are
2073 vectors. The strings or vectors
2074 are reused for each iteration, so you must copy them if you wish to keep
2075 them permanently. You can add a @samp{using (key-bindings @dots{})}
2076 clause to get the command bindings as well.
2078 @item for @var{var} being the overlays [of @var{buffer}] @dots{}
2079 This clause iterates over the ``overlays'' of a buffer
2080 (the clause @code{extents} is synonymous
2081 with @code{overlays}). If the @code{of} term is omitted, the current
2083 This clause also accepts optional @samp{from @var{pos}} and
2084 @samp{to @var{pos}} terms, limiting the clause to overlays which
2085 overlap the specified region.
2087 @item for @var{var} being the intervals [of @var{buffer}] @dots{}
2088 This clause iterates over all intervals of a buffer with constant
2089 text properties. The variable @var{var} will be bound to conses
2090 of start and end positions, where one start position is always equal
2091 to the previous end position. The clause allows @code{of},
2092 @code{from}, @code{to}, and @code{property} terms, where the latter
2093 term restricts the search to just the specified property. The
2094 @code{of} term may specify either a buffer or a string.
2096 @item for @var{var} being the frames
2097 This clause iterates over all Emacs frames. The clause @code{screens} is
2098 a synonym for @code{frames}. The frames are visited in
2099 @code{next-frame} order starting from @code{selected-frame}.
2101 @item for @var{var} being the windows [of @var{frame}]
2102 This clause iterates over the windows (in the Emacs sense) of
2103 the current frame, or of the specified @var{frame}. It visits windows
2104 in @code{next-window} order starting from @code{selected-window}
2105 (or @code{frame-selected-window} if you specify @var{frame}).
2106 This clause treats the minibuffer window in the same way as
2107 @code{next-window} does. For greater flexibility, consider using
2108 @code{walk-windows} instead.
2110 @item for @var{var} being the buffers
2111 This clause iterates over all buffers in Emacs. It is equivalent
2112 to @samp{for @var{var} in (buffer-list)}.
2114 @item for @var{var} = @var{expr1} then @var{expr2}
2115 This clause does a general iteration. The first time through
2116 the loop, @var{var} will be bound to @var{expr1}. On the second
2117 and successive iterations it will be set by evaluating @var{expr2}
2118 (which may refer to the old value of @var{var}). For example,
2119 these two loops are effectively the same:
2122 (cl-loop for x on my-list by 'cddr do @dots{})
2123 (cl-loop for x = my-list then (cddr x) while x do @dots{})
2126 Note that this type of @code{for} clause does not imply any sort
2127 of terminating condition; the above example combines it with a
2128 @code{while} clause to tell when to end the loop.
2130 If you omit the @code{then} term, @var{expr1} is used both for
2131 the initial setting and for successive settings:
2134 (cl-loop for x = (random) when (> x 0) return x)
2138 This loop keeps taking random numbers from the @code{(random)}
2139 function until it gets a positive one, which it then returns.
2142 If you include several @code{for} clauses in a row, they are
2143 treated sequentially (as if by @code{let*} and @code{setq}).
2144 You can instead use the word @code{and} to link the clauses,
2145 in which case they are processed in parallel (as if by @code{let}
2146 and @code{cl-psetq}).
2149 (cl-loop for x below 5 for y = nil then x collect (list x y))
2150 @result{} ((0 nil) (1 1) (2 2) (3 3) (4 4))
2151 (cl-loop for x below 5 and y = nil then x collect (list x y))
2152 @result{} ((0 nil) (1 0) (2 1) (3 2) (4 3))
2156 In the first loop, @code{y} is set based on the value of @code{x}
2157 that was just set by the previous clause; in the second loop,
2158 @code{x} and @code{y} are set simultaneously so @code{y} is set
2159 based on the value of @code{x} left over from the previous time
2162 @cindex destructuring, in cl-loop
2163 Another feature of the @code{cl-loop} macro is @emph{destructuring},
2164 similar in concept to the destructuring provided by @code{defmacro}
2165 (@pxref{Argument Lists}).
2166 The @var{var} part of any @code{for} clause can be given as a list
2167 of variables instead of a single variable. The values produced
2168 during loop execution must be lists; the values in the lists are
2169 stored in the corresponding variables.
2172 (cl-loop for (x y) in '((2 3) (4 5) (6 7)) collect (+ x y))
2176 In loop destructuring, if there are more values than variables
2177 the trailing values are ignored, and if there are more variables
2178 than values the trailing variables get the value @code{nil}.
2179 If @code{nil} is used as a variable name, the corresponding
2180 values are ignored. Destructuring may be nested, and dotted
2181 lists of variables like @code{(x . y)} are allowed, so for example
2185 (cl-loop for (key . value) in '((a . 1) (b . 2))
2190 @node Iteration Clauses
2191 @subsection Iteration Clauses
2194 Aside from @code{for} clauses, there are several other loop clauses
2195 that control the way the loop operates. They might be used by
2196 themselves, or in conjunction with one or more @code{for} clauses.
2199 @item repeat @var{integer}
2200 This clause simply counts up to the specified number using an
2201 internal temporary variable. The loops
2204 (cl-loop repeat (1+ n) do @dots{})
2205 (cl-loop for temp to n do @dots{})
2209 are identical except that the second one forces you to choose
2210 a name for a variable you aren't actually going to use.
2212 @item while @var{condition}
2213 This clause stops the loop when the specified condition (any Lisp
2214 expression) becomes @code{nil}. For example, the following two
2215 loops are equivalent, except for the implicit @code{nil} block
2216 that surrounds the second one:
2219 (while @var{cond} @var{forms}@dots{})
2220 (cl-loop while @var{cond} do @var{forms}@dots{})
2223 @item until @var{condition}
2224 This clause stops the loop when the specified condition is true,
2225 i.e., non-@code{nil}.
2227 @item always @var{condition}
2228 This clause stops the loop when the specified condition is @code{nil}.
2229 Unlike @code{while}, it stops the loop using @code{return nil} so that
2230 the @code{finally} clauses are not executed. If all the conditions
2231 were non-@code{nil}, the loop returns @code{t}:
2234 (if (cl-loop for size in size-list always (> size 10))
2239 @item never @var{condition}
2240 This clause is like @code{always}, except that the loop returns
2241 @code{t} if any conditions were false, or @code{nil} otherwise.
2243 @item thereis @var{condition}
2244 This clause stops the loop when the specified form is non-@code{nil};
2245 in this case, it returns that non-@code{nil} value. If all the
2246 values were @code{nil}, the loop returns @code{nil}.
2248 @item iter-by @var{iterator}
2249 This clause iterates over the values from the specified form, an
2250 iterator object. See (@pxref{Generators,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp
2254 @node Accumulation Clauses
2255 @subsection Accumulation Clauses
2258 These clauses cause the loop to accumulate information about the
2259 specified Lisp @var{form}. The accumulated result is returned
2260 from the loop unless overridden, say, by a @code{return} clause.
2263 @item collect @var{form}
2264 This clause collects the values of @var{form} into a list. Several
2265 examples of @code{collect} appear elsewhere in this manual.
2267 The word @code{collecting} is a synonym for @code{collect}, and
2268 likewise for the other accumulation clauses.
2270 @item append @var{form}
2271 This clause collects lists of values into a result list using
2274 @item nconc @var{form}
2275 This clause collects lists of values into a result list by
2276 destructively modifying the lists rather than copying them.
2278 @item concat @var{form}
2279 This clause concatenates the values of the specified @var{form}
2280 into a string. (It and the following clause are extensions to
2281 standard Common Lisp.)
2283 @item vconcat @var{form}
2284 This clause concatenates the values of the specified @var{form}
2287 @item count @var{form}
2288 This clause counts the number of times the specified @var{form}
2289 evaluates to a non-@code{nil} value.
2291 @item sum @var{form}
2292 This clause accumulates the sum of the values of the specified
2293 @var{form}, which must evaluate to a number.
2295 @item maximize @var{form}
2296 This clause accumulates the maximum value of the specified @var{form},
2297 which must evaluate to a number. The return value is undefined if
2298 @code{maximize} is executed zero times.
2300 @item minimize @var{form}
2301 This clause accumulates the minimum value of the specified @var{form}.
2304 Accumulation clauses can be followed by @samp{into @var{var}} to
2305 cause the data to be collected into variable @var{var} (which is
2306 automatically @code{let}-bound during the loop) rather than an
2307 unnamed temporary variable. Also, @code{into} accumulations do
2308 not automatically imply a return value. The loop must use some
2309 explicit mechanism, such as @code{finally return}, to return
2310 the accumulated result.
2312 It is valid for several accumulation clauses of the same type to
2313 accumulate into the same place. From Steele:
2316 (cl-loop for name in '(fred sue alice joe june)
2317 for kids in '((bob ken) () () (kris sunshine) ())
2320 @result{} (fred bob ken sue alice joe kris sunshine june)
2324 @subsection Other Clauses
2327 This section describes the remaining loop clauses.
2330 @item with @var{var} = @var{value}
2331 This clause binds a variable to a value around the loop, but
2332 otherwise leaves the variable alone during the loop. The following
2333 loops are basically equivalent:
2336 (cl-loop with x = 17 do @dots{})
2337 (let ((x 17)) (cl-loop do @dots{}))
2338 (cl-loop for x = 17 then x do @dots{})
2341 Naturally, the variable @var{var} might be used for some purpose
2342 in the rest of the loop. For example:
2345 (cl-loop for x in my-list with res = nil do (push x res)
2349 This loop inserts the elements of @code{my-list} at the front of
2350 a new list being accumulated in @code{res}, then returns the
2351 list @code{res} at the end of the loop. The effect is similar
2352 to that of a @code{collect} clause, but the list gets reversed
2353 by virtue of the fact that elements are being pushed onto the
2354 front of @code{res} rather than the end.
2356 If you omit the @code{=} term, the variable is initialized to
2357 @code{nil}. (Thus the @samp{= nil} in the above example is
2360 Bindings made by @code{with} are sequential by default, as if
2361 by @code{let*}. Just like @code{for} clauses, @code{with} clauses
2362 can be linked with @code{and} to cause the bindings to be made by
2365 @item if @var{condition} @var{clause}
2366 This clause executes the following loop clause only if the specified
2367 condition is true. The following @var{clause} should be an accumulation,
2368 @code{do}, @code{return}, @code{if}, or @code{unless} clause.
2369 Several clauses may be linked by separating them with @code{and}.
2370 These clauses may be followed by @code{else} and a clause or clauses
2371 to execute if the condition was false. The whole construct may
2372 optionally be followed by the word @code{end} (which may be used to
2373 disambiguate an @code{else} or @code{and} in a nested @code{if}).
2375 The actual non-@code{nil} value of the condition form is available
2376 by the name @code{it} in the ``then'' part. For example:
2379 (setq funny-numbers '(6 13 -1))
2381 (cl-loop for x below 10
2384 and if (memq x funny-numbers) return (cdr it) end
2386 collect x into evens
2387 finally return (vector odds evens))
2388 @result{} [(1 3 5 7 9) (0 2 4 6 8)]
2389 (setq funny-numbers '(6 7 13 -1))
2390 @result{} (6 7 13 -1)
2391 (cl-loop <@r{same thing again}>)
2395 Note the use of @code{and} to put two clauses into the ``then''
2396 part, one of which is itself an @code{if} clause. Note also that
2397 @code{end}, while normally optional, was necessary here to make
2398 it clear that the @code{else} refers to the outermost @code{if}
2399 clause. In the first case, the loop returns a vector of lists
2400 of the odd and even values of @var{x}. In the second case, the
2401 odd number 7 is one of the @code{funny-numbers} so the loop
2402 returns early; the actual returned value is based on the result
2403 of the @code{memq} call.
2405 @item when @var{condition} @var{clause}
2406 This clause is just a synonym for @code{if}.
2408 @item unless @var{condition} @var{clause}
2409 The @code{unless} clause is just like @code{if} except that the
2410 sense of the condition is reversed.
2412 @item named @var{name}
2413 This clause gives a name other than @code{nil} to the implicit
2414 block surrounding the loop. The @var{name} is the symbol to be
2415 used as the block name.
2417 @item initially [do] @var{forms}@dots{}
2418 This keyword introduces one or more Lisp forms which will be
2419 executed before the loop itself begins (but after any variables
2420 requested by @code{for} or @code{with} have been bound to their
2421 initial values). @code{initially} clauses can appear anywhere;
2422 if there are several, they are executed in the order they appear
2423 in the loop. The keyword @code{do} is optional.
2425 @item finally [do] @var{forms}@dots{}
2426 This introduces Lisp forms which will be executed after the loop
2427 finishes (say, on request of a @code{for} or @code{while}).
2428 @code{initially} and @code{finally} clauses may appear anywhere
2429 in the loop construct, but they are executed (in the specified
2430 order) at the beginning or end, respectively, of the loop.
2432 @item finally return @var{form}
2433 This says that @var{form} should be executed after the loop
2434 is done to obtain a return value. (Without this, or some other
2435 clause like @code{collect} or @code{return}, the loop will simply
2436 return @code{nil}.) Variables bound by @code{for}, @code{with},
2437 or @code{into} will still contain their final values when @var{form}
2440 @item do @var{forms}@dots{}
2441 The word @code{do} may be followed by any number of Lisp expressions
2442 which are executed as an implicit @code{progn} in the body of the
2443 loop. Many of the examples in this section illustrate the use of
2446 @item return @var{form}
2447 This clause causes the loop to return immediately. The following
2448 Lisp form is evaluated to give the return value of the loop
2449 form. The @code{finally} clauses, if any, are not executed.
2450 Of course, @code{return} is generally used inside an @code{if} or
2451 @code{unless}, as its use in a top-level loop clause would mean
2452 the loop would never get to ``loop'' more than once.
2454 The clause @samp{return @var{form}} is equivalent to
2455 @samp{do (cl-return @var{form})} (or @code{cl-return-from} if the loop
2456 was named). The @code{return} clause is implemented a bit more
2457 efficiently, though.
2460 While there is no high-level way to add user extensions to @code{cl-loop},
2461 this package does offer two properties called @code{cl-loop-handler}
2462 and @code{cl-loop-for-handler} which are functions to be called when a
2463 given symbol is encountered as a top-level loop clause or @code{for}
2464 clause, respectively. Consult the source code in file
2465 @file{cl-macs.el} for details.
2467 This package's @code{cl-loop} macro is compatible with that of Common
2468 Lisp, except that a few features are not implemented: @code{loop-finish}
2469 and data-type specifiers. Naturally, the @code{for} clauses that
2470 iterate over keymaps, overlays, intervals, frames, windows, and
2471 buffers are Emacs-specific extensions.
2473 @node Multiple Values
2474 @section Multiple Values
2477 Common Lisp functions can return zero or more results. Emacs Lisp
2478 functions, by contrast, always return exactly one result. This
2479 package makes no attempt to emulate Common Lisp multiple return
2480 values; Emacs versions of Common Lisp functions that return more
2481 than one value either return just the first value (as in
2482 @code{cl-compiler-macroexpand}) or return a list of values.
2483 This package @emph{does} define placeholders
2484 for the Common Lisp functions that work with multiple values, but
2485 in Emacs Lisp these functions simply operate on lists instead.
2486 The @code{cl-values} form, for example, is a synonym for @code{list}
2489 @defmac cl-multiple-value-bind (var@dots{}) values-form forms@dots{}
2490 This form evaluates @var{values-form}, which must return a list of
2491 values. It then binds the @var{var}s to these respective values,
2492 as if by @code{let}, and then executes the body @var{forms}.
2493 If there are more @var{var}s than values, the extra @var{var}s
2494 are bound to @code{nil}. If there are fewer @var{var}s than
2495 values, the excess values are ignored.
2498 @defmac cl-multiple-value-setq (var@dots{}) form
2499 This form evaluates @var{form}, which must return a list of values.
2500 It then sets the @var{var}s to these respective values, as if by
2501 @code{setq}. Extra @var{var}s or values are treated the same as
2502 in @code{cl-multiple-value-bind}.
2505 Since a perfect emulation is not feasible in Emacs Lisp, this
2506 package opts to keep it as simple and predictable as possible.
2512 This package implements the various Common Lisp features of
2513 @code{defmacro}, such as destructuring, @code{&environment},
2514 and @code{&body}. Top-level @code{&whole} is not implemented
2515 for @code{defmacro} due to technical difficulties.
2516 @xref{Argument Lists}.
2518 Destructuring is made available to the user by way of the
2521 @defmac cl-destructuring-bind arglist expr forms@dots{}
2522 This macro expands to code that executes @var{forms}, with
2523 the variables in @var{arglist} bound to the list of values
2524 returned by @var{expr}. The @var{arglist} can include all
2525 the features allowed for @code{cl-defmacro} argument lists,
2526 including destructuring. (The @code{&environment} keyword
2527 is not allowed.) The macro expansion will signal an error
2528 if @var{expr} returns a list of the wrong number of arguments
2529 or with incorrect keyword arguments.
2532 @cindex compiler macros
2533 @cindex define compiler macros
2534 This package also includes the Common Lisp @code{define-compiler-macro}
2535 facility, which allows you to define compile-time expansions and
2536 optimizations for your functions.
2538 @defmac cl-define-compiler-macro name arglist forms@dots{}
2539 This form is similar to @code{defmacro}, except that it only expands
2540 calls to @var{name} at compile-time; calls processed by the Lisp
2541 interpreter are not expanded, nor are they expanded by the
2542 @code{macroexpand} function.
2544 The argument list may begin with a @code{&whole} keyword and a
2545 variable. This variable is bound to the macro-call form itself,
2546 i.e., to a list of the form @samp{(@var{name} @var{args}@dots{})}.
2547 If the macro expander returns this form unchanged, then the
2548 compiler treats it as a normal function call. This allows
2549 compiler macros to work as optimizers for special cases of a
2550 function, leaving complicated cases alone.
2552 For example, here is a simplified version of a definition that
2553 appears as a standard part of this package:
2556 (cl-define-compiler-macro cl-member (&whole form a list &rest keys)
2557 (if (and (null keys)
2558 (eq (car-safe a) 'quote)
2559 (not (floatp (cadr a))))
2565 This definition causes @code{(cl-member @var{a} @var{list})} to change
2566 to a call to the faster @code{memq} in the common case where @var{a}
2567 is a non-floating-point constant; if @var{a} is anything else, or
2568 if there are any keyword arguments in the call, then the original
2569 @code{cl-member} call is left intact. (The actual compiler macro
2570 for @code{cl-member} optimizes a number of other cases, including
2571 common @code{:test} predicates.)
2574 @defun cl-compiler-macroexpand form
2575 This function is analogous to @code{macroexpand}, except that it
2576 expands compiler macros rather than regular macros. It returns
2577 @var{form} unchanged if it is not a call to a function for which
2578 a compiler macro has been defined, or if that compiler macro
2579 decided to punt by returning its @code{&whole} argument. Like
2580 @code{macroexpand}, it expands repeatedly until it reaches a form
2581 for which no further expansion is possible.
2584 @xref{Macro Bindings}, for descriptions of the @code{cl-macrolet}
2585 and @code{cl-symbol-macrolet} forms for making ``local'' macro
2589 @chapter Declarations
2592 Common Lisp includes a complex and powerful ``declaration''
2593 mechanism that allows you to give the compiler special hints
2594 about the types of data that will be stored in particular variables,
2595 and about the ways those variables and functions will be used. This
2596 package defines versions of all the Common Lisp declaration forms:
2597 @code{declare}, @code{locally}, @code{proclaim}, @code{declaim},
2600 Most of the Common Lisp declarations are not currently useful in Emacs
2601 Lisp. For example, the byte-code system provides little
2602 opportunity to benefit from type information.
2604 and @code{special} declarations are redundant in a fully
2605 dynamically-scoped Lisp.
2607 A few declarations are meaningful when byte compiler optimizations
2608 are enabled, as they are by the default. Otherwise these
2609 declarations will effectively be ignored.
2611 @defun cl-proclaim decl-spec
2612 This function records a ``global'' declaration specified by
2613 @var{decl-spec}. Since @code{cl-proclaim} is a function, @var{decl-spec}
2614 is evaluated and thus should normally be quoted.
2617 @defmac cl-declaim decl-specs@dots{}
2618 This macro is like @code{cl-proclaim}, except that it takes any number
2619 of @var{decl-spec} arguments, and the arguments are unevaluated and
2620 unquoted. The @code{cl-declaim} macro also puts @code{(cl-eval-when
2621 (compile load eval) @dots{})} around the declarations so that they will
2622 be registered at compile-time as well as at run-time. (This is vital,
2623 since normally the declarations are meant to influence the way the
2624 compiler treats the rest of the file that contains the @code{cl-declaim}
2628 @defmac cl-declare decl-specs@dots{}
2629 This macro is used to make declarations within functions and other
2630 code. Common Lisp allows declarations in various locations, generally
2631 at the beginning of any of the many ``implicit @code{progn}s''
2632 throughout Lisp syntax, such as function bodies, @code{let} bodies,
2633 etc. Currently the only declaration understood by @code{cl-declare}
2637 @defmac cl-locally declarations@dots{} forms@dots{}
2638 In this package, @code{cl-locally} is no different from @code{progn}.
2641 @defmac cl-the type form
2642 @code{cl-the} returns the value of @code{form}, first checking (if
2643 optimization settings permit) that it is of type @code{type}. Future
2644 byte-compiler optimizations may also make use of this information to
2645 improve runtime efficiency.
2647 For example, @code{mapcar} can map over both lists and arrays. It is
2648 hard for the compiler to expand @code{mapcar} into an in-line loop
2649 unless it knows whether the sequence will be a list or an array ahead
2650 of time. With @code{(mapcar 'car (cl-the vector foo))}, a future
2651 compiler would have enough information to expand the loop in-line.
2652 For now, Emacs Lisp will treat the above code as exactly equivalent
2653 to @code{(mapcar 'car foo)}.
2656 Each @var{decl-spec} in a @code{cl-proclaim}, @code{cl-declaim}, or
2657 @code{cl-declare} should be a list beginning with a symbol that says
2658 what kind of declaration it is. This package currently understands
2659 @code{special}, @code{inline}, @code{notinline}, @code{optimize},
2660 and @code{warn} declarations. (The @code{warn} declaration is an
2661 extension of standard Common Lisp.) Other Common Lisp declarations,
2662 such as @code{type} and @code{ftype}, are silently ignored.
2667 Since all variables in Emacs Lisp are ``special'' (in the Common
2668 Lisp sense), @code{special} declarations are only advisory. They
2669 simply tell the byte compiler that the specified
2670 variables are intentionally being referred to without being
2671 bound in the body of the function. The compiler normally emits
2672 warnings for such references, since they could be typographical
2673 errors for references to local variables.
2675 The declaration @code{(cl-declare (special @var{var1} @var{var2}))} is
2676 equivalent to @code{(defvar @var{var1}) (defvar @var{var2})}.
2678 In top-level contexts, it is generally better to write
2679 @code{(defvar @var{var})} than @code{(cl-declaim (special @var{var}))},
2680 since @code{defvar} makes your intentions clearer.
2683 The @code{inline} @var{decl-spec} lists one or more functions
2684 whose bodies should be expanded ``in-line'' into calling functions
2685 whenever the compiler is able to arrange for it. For example,
2686 the function @code{cl-acons} is declared @code{inline}
2687 by this package so that the form @code{(cl-acons @var{key} @var{value}
2689 expand directly into @code{(cons (cons @var{key} @var{value}) @var{alist})}
2690 when it is called in user functions, so as to save function calls.
2692 The following declarations are all equivalent. Note that the
2693 @code{defsubst} form is a convenient way to define a function
2694 and declare it inline all at once.
2697 (cl-declaim (inline foo bar))
2698 (cl-eval-when (compile load eval)
2699 (cl-proclaim '(inline foo bar)))
2700 (defsubst foo (@dots{}) @dots{}) ; instead of defun
2703 @strong{Please note:} this declaration remains in effect after the
2704 containing source file is done. It is correct to use it to
2705 request that a function you have defined should be inlined,
2706 but it is impolite to use it to request inlining of an external
2709 In Common Lisp, it is possible to use @code{(declare (inline @dots{}))}
2710 before a particular call to a function to cause just that call to
2711 be inlined; the current byte compilers provide no way to implement
2712 this, so @code{(cl-declare (inline @dots{}))} is currently ignored by
2716 The @code{notinline} declaration lists functions which should
2717 not be inlined after all; it cancels a previous @code{inline}
2721 This declaration controls how much optimization is performed by
2724 The word @code{optimize} is followed by any number of lists like
2725 @code{(speed 3)} or @code{(safety 2)}. Common Lisp defines several
2726 optimization ``qualities''; this package ignores all but @code{speed}
2727 and @code{safety}. The value of a quality should be an integer from
2728 0 to 3, with 0 meaning ``unimportant'' and 3 meaning ``very important''.
2729 The default level for both qualities is 1.
2731 In this package, the @code{speed} quality is tied to the @code{byte-optimize}
2732 flag, which is set to @code{nil} for @code{(speed 0)} and to
2733 @code{t} for higher settings; and the @code{safety} quality is
2734 tied to the @code{byte-compile-delete-errors} flag, which is
2735 set to @code{nil} for @code{(safety 3)} and to @code{t} for all
2736 lower settings. (The latter flag controls whether the compiler
2737 is allowed to optimize out code whose only side-effect could
2738 be to signal an error, e.g., rewriting @code{(progn foo bar)} to
2739 @code{bar} when it is not known whether @code{foo} will be bound
2742 Note that even compiling with @code{(safety 0)}, the Emacs
2743 byte-code system provides sufficient checking to prevent real
2744 harm from being done. For example, barring serious bugs in
2745 Emacs itself, Emacs will not crash with a segmentation fault
2746 just because of an error in a fully-optimized Lisp program.
2748 The @code{optimize} declaration is normally used in a top-level
2749 @code{cl-proclaim} or @code{cl-declaim} in a file; Common Lisp allows
2750 it to be used with @code{declare} to set the level of optimization
2751 locally for a given form, but this will not work correctly with the
2752 current byte-compiler. (The @code{cl-declare}
2753 will set the new optimization level, but that level will not
2754 automatically be unset after the enclosing form is done.)
2757 This declaration controls what sorts of warnings are generated
2758 by the byte compiler. The word @code{warn} is followed by any
2759 number of ``warning qualities'', similar in form to optimization
2760 qualities. The currently supported warning types are
2761 @code{redefine}, @code{callargs}, @code{unresolved}, and
2762 @code{free-vars}; in the current system, a value of 0 will
2763 disable these warnings and any higher value will enable them.
2764 See the documentation of the variable @code{byte-compile-warnings}
2772 This package defines several symbol-related features that were
2773 missing from Emacs Lisp.
2776 * Property Lists:: @code{cl-get}, @code{cl-remprop}, @code{cl-getf}, @code{cl-remf}.
2777 * Creating Symbols:: @code{cl-gensym}, @code{cl-gentemp}.
2780 @node Property Lists
2781 @section Property Lists
2784 These functions augment the standard Emacs Lisp functions @code{get}
2785 and @code{put} for operating on properties attached to symbols.
2786 There are also functions for working with property lists as
2787 first-class data structures not attached to particular symbols.
2789 @defun cl-get symbol property &optional default
2790 This function is like @code{get}, except that if the property is
2791 not found, the @var{default} argument provides the return value.
2792 (The Emacs Lisp @code{get} function always uses @code{nil} as
2793 the default; this package's @code{cl-get} is equivalent to Common
2796 The @code{cl-get} function is @code{setf}-able; when used in this
2797 fashion, the @var{default} argument is allowed but ignored.
2800 @defun cl-remprop symbol property
2801 This function removes the entry for @var{property} from the property
2802 list of @var{symbol}. It returns a true value if the property was
2803 indeed found and removed, or @code{nil} if there was no such property.
2804 (This function was probably omitted from Emacs originally because,
2805 since @code{get} did not allow a @var{default}, it was very difficult
2806 to distinguish between a missing property and a property whose value
2807 was @code{nil}; thus, setting a property to @code{nil} was close
2808 enough to @code{cl-remprop} for most purposes.)
2811 @defun cl-getf place property &optional default
2812 This function scans the list @var{place} as if it were a property
2813 list, i.e., a list of alternating property names and values. If
2814 an even-numbered element of @var{place} is found which is @code{eq}
2815 to @var{property}, the following odd-numbered element is returned.
2816 Otherwise, @var{default} is returned (or @code{nil} if no default
2822 (get sym prop) @equiv{} (cl-getf (symbol-plist sym) prop)
2825 It is valid to use @code{cl-getf} as a @code{setf} place, in which case
2826 its @var{place} argument must itself be a valid @code{setf} place.
2827 The @var{default} argument, if any, is ignored in this context.
2828 The effect is to change (via @code{setcar}) the value cell in the
2829 list that corresponds to @var{property}, or to cons a new property-value
2830 pair onto the list if the property is not yet present.
2833 (put sym prop val) @equiv{} (setf (cl-getf (symbol-plist sym) prop) val)
2836 The @code{get} and @code{cl-get} functions are also @code{setf}-able.
2837 The fact that @code{default} is ignored can sometimes be useful:
2840 (cl-incf (cl-get 'foo 'usage-count 0))
2843 Here, symbol @code{foo}'s @code{usage-count} property is incremented
2844 if it exists, or set to 1 (an incremented 0) otherwise.
2846 When not used as a @code{setf} form, @code{cl-getf} is just a regular
2847 function and its @var{place} argument can actually be any Lisp
2851 @defmac cl-remf place property
2852 This macro removes the property-value pair for @var{property} from
2853 the property list stored at @var{place}, which is any @code{setf}-able
2854 place expression. It returns true if the property was found. Note
2855 that if @var{property} happens to be first on the list, this will
2856 effectively do a @code{(setf @var{place} (cddr @var{place}))},
2857 whereas if it occurs later, this simply uses @code{setcdr} to splice
2858 out the property and value cells.
2861 @node Creating Symbols
2862 @section Creating Symbols
2865 These functions create unique symbols, typically for use as
2866 temporary variables.
2868 @defun cl-gensym &optional x
2869 This function creates a new, uninterned symbol (using @code{make-symbol})
2870 with a unique name. (The name of an uninterned symbol is relevant
2871 only if the symbol is printed.) By default, the name is generated
2872 from an increasing sequence of numbers, @samp{G1000}, @samp{G1001},
2873 @samp{G1002}, etc. If the optional argument @var{x} is a string, that
2874 string is used as a prefix instead of @samp{G}. Uninterned symbols
2875 are used in macro expansions for temporary variables, to ensure that
2876 their names will not conflict with ``real'' variables in the user's
2879 (Internally, the variable @code{cl--gensym-counter} holds the counter
2880 used to generate names. It is initialized with zero and incremented
2884 @defun cl-gentemp &optional x
2885 This function is like @code{cl-gensym}, except that it produces a new
2886 @emph{interned} symbol. If the symbol that is generated already
2887 exists, the function keeps incrementing the counter and trying
2888 again until a new symbol is generated.
2891 This package automatically creates all keywords that are called for by
2892 @code{&key} argument specifiers, and discourages the use of keywords
2893 as data unrelated to keyword arguments, so the related function
2894 @code{defkeyword} (to create self-quoting keyword symbols) is not
2901 This section defines a few simple Common Lisp operations on numbers
2902 that were left out of Emacs Lisp.
2905 * Predicates on Numbers:: @code{cl-plusp}, @code{cl-oddp}, etc.
2906 * Numerical Functions:: @code{cl-floor}, @code{cl-ceiling}, etc.
2907 * Random Numbers:: @code{cl-random}, @code{cl-make-random-state}.
2908 * Implementation Parameters:: @code{cl-most-positive-float}, etc.
2911 @node Predicates on Numbers
2912 @section Predicates on Numbers
2915 These functions return @code{t} if the specified condition is
2916 true of the numerical argument, or @code{nil} otherwise.
2918 @defun cl-plusp number
2919 This predicate tests whether @var{number} is positive. It is an
2920 error if the argument is not a number.
2923 @defun cl-minusp number
2924 This predicate tests whether @var{number} is negative. It is an
2925 error if the argument is not a number.
2928 @defun cl-oddp integer
2929 This predicate tests whether @var{integer} is odd. It is an
2930 error if the argument is not an integer.
2933 @defun cl-evenp integer
2934 This predicate tests whether @var{integer} is even. It is an
2935 error if the argument is not an integer.
2938 @defun cl-digit-char-p char radix
2939 Test if @var{char} is a digit in the specified @var{radix} (default is
2940 10). If it is, return the numerical value of digit @var{char} in
2944 @node Numerical Functions
2945 @section Numerical Functions
2948 These functions perform various arithmetic operations on numbers.
2950 @defun cl-gcd &rest integers
2951 This function returns the Greatest Common Divisor of the arguments.
2952 For one argument, it returns the absolute value of that argument.
2953 For zero arguments, it returns zero.
2956 @defun cl-lcm &rest integers
2957 This function returns the Least Common Multiple of the arguments.
2958 For one argument, it returns the absolute value of that argument.
2959 For zero arguments, it returns one.
2962 @defun cl-isqrt integer
2963 This function computes the ``integer square root'' of its integer
2964 argument, i.e., the greatest integer less than or equal to the true
2965 square root of the argument.
2968 @defun cl-floor number &optional divisor
2969 With one argument, @code{cl-floor} returns a list of two numbers:
2970 The argument rounded down (toward minus infinity) to an integer,
2971 and the ``remainder'' which would have to be added back to the
2972 first return value to yield the argument again. If the argument
2973 is an integer @var{x}, the result is always the list @code{(@var{x} 0)}.
2974 If the argument is a floating-point number, the first
2975 result is a Lisp integer and the second is a Lisp float between
2976 0 (inclusive) and 1 (exclusive).
2978 With two arguments, @code{cl-floor} divides @var{number} by
2979 @var{divisor}, and returns the floor of the quotient and the
2980 corresponding remainder as a list of two numbers. If
2981 @code{(cl-floor @var{x} @var{y})} returns @code{(@var{q} @var{r})},
2982 then @code{@var{q}*@var{y} + @var{r} = @var{x}}, with @var{r}
2983 between 0 (inclusive) and @var{r} (exclusive). Also, note
2984 that @code{(cl-floor @var{x})} is exactly equivalent to
2985 @code{(cl-floor @var{x} 1)}.
2987 This function is entirely compatible with Common Lisp's @code{floor}
2988 function, except that it returns the two results in a list since
2989 Emacs Lisp does not support multiple-valued functions.
2992 @defun cl-ceiling number &optional divisor
2993 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{ceiling} function,
2994 which is analogous to @code{floor} except that it rounds the
2995 argument or quotient of the arguments up toward plus infinity.
2996 The remainder will be between 0 and minus @var{r}.
2999 @defun cl-truncate number &optional divisor
3000 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{truncate} function,
3001 which is analogous to @code{floor} except that it rounds the
3002 argument or quotient of the arguments toward zero. Thus it is
3003 equivalent to @code{cl-floor} if the argument or quotient is
3004 positive, or to @code{cl-ceiling} otherwise. The remainder has
3005 the same sign as @var{number}.
3008 @defun cl-round number &optional divisor
3009 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{round} function,
3010 which is analogous to @code{floor} except that it rounds the
3011 argument or quotient of the arguments to the nearest integer.
3012 In the case of a tie (the argument or quotient is exactly
3013 halfway between two integers), it rounds to the even integer.
3016 @defun cl-mod number divisor
3017 This function returns the same value as the second return value
3021 @defun cl-rem number divisor
3022 This function returns the same value as the second return value
3023 of @code{cl-truncate}.
3026 @defun cl-parse-integer string &key start end radix junk-allowed
3027 This function implements the Common Lisp @code{parse-integer}
3028 function. It parses an integer in the specified @var{radix} from the
3029 substring of @var{string} between @var{start} and @var{end}. Any
3030 leading and trailing whitespace chars are ignored. The function
3031 signals an error if the substring between @var{start} and @var{end}
3032 cannot be parsed as an integer, unless @var{junk-allowed} is
3036 @node Random Numbers
3037 @section Random Numbers
3040 This package also provides an implementation of the Common Lisp
3041 random number generator. It uses its own additive-congruential
3042 algorithm, which is much more likely to give statistically clean
3043 @c FIXME? Still true?
3044 random numbers than the simple generators supplied by many
3047 @defun cl-random number &optional state
3048 This function returns a random nonnegative number less than
3049 @var{number}, and of the same type (either integer or floating-point).
3050 The @var{state} argument should be a @code{random-state} object
3051 that holds the state of the random number generator. The
3052 function modifies this state object as a side effect. If
3053 @var{state} is omitted, it defaults to the internal variable
3054 @code{cl--random-state}, which contains a pre-initialized
3055 default @code{random-state} object. (Since any number of programs in
3056 the Emacs process may be accessing @code{cl--random-state} in
3057 interleaved fashion, the sequence generated from this will be
3058 irreproducible for all intents and purposes.)
3061 @defun cl-make-random-state &optional state
3062 This function creates or copies a @code{random-state} object.
3063 If @var{state} is omitted or @code{nil}, it returns a new copy of
3064 @code{cl--random-state}. This is a copy in the sense that future
3065 sequences of calls to @code{(cl-random @var{n})} and
3066 @code{(cl-random @var{n} @var{s})} (where @var{s} is the new
3067 random-state object) will return identical sequences of random
3070 If @var{state} is a @code{random-state} object, this function
3071 returns a copy of that object. If @var{state} is @code{t}, this
3072 function returns a new @code{random-state} object seeded from the
3073 date and time. As an extension to Common Lisp, @var{state} may also
3074 be an integer in which case the new object is seeded from that
3075 integer; each different integer seed will result in a completely
3076 different sequence of random numbers.
3078 It is valid to print a @code{random-state} object to a buffer or
3079 file and later read it back with @code{read}. If a program wishes
3080 to use a sequence of pseudo-random numbers which can be reproduced
3081 later for debugging, it can call @code{(cl-make-random-state t)} to
3082 get a new sequence, then print this sequence to a file. When the
3083 program is later rerun, it can read the original run's random-state
3087 @defun cl-random-state-p object
3088 This predicate returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a
3089 @code{random-state} object, or @code{nil} otherwise.
3092 @node Implementation Parameters
3093 @section Implementation Parameters
3096 This package defines several useful constants having to do with
3097 floating-point numbers.
3099 It determines their values by exercising the computer's
3100 floating-point arithmetic in various ways. Because this operation
3101 might be slow, the code for initializing them is kept in a separate
3102 function that must be called before the parameters can be used.
3104 @defun cl-float-limits
3105 This function makes sure that the Common Lisp floating-point parameters
3106 like @code{cl-most-positive-float} have been initialized. Until it is
3107 called, these parameters will be @code{nil}.
3108 @c If this version of Emacs does not support floats, the parameters will
3109 @c remain @code{nil}.
3110 If the parameters have already been initialized, the function returns
3113 The algorithm makes assumptions that will be valid for almost all
3114 machines, but will fail if the machine's arithmetic is extremely
3115 unusual, e.g., decimal.
3118 Since true Common Lisp supports up to four different floating-point
3119 precisions, it has families of constants like
3120 @code{most-positive-single-float}, @code{most-positive-double-float},
3121 @code{most-positive-long-float}, and so on. Emacs has only one
3122 floating-point precision, so this package omits the precision word
3123 from the constants' names.
3125 @defvar cl-most-positive-float
3126 This constant equals the largest value a Lisp float can hold.
3127 For those systems whose arithmetic supports infinities, this is
3128 the largest @emph{finite} value. For IEEE machines, the value
3129 is approximately @code{1.79e+308}.
3132 @defvar cl-most-negative-float
3133 This constant equals the most negative value a Lisp float can hold.
3134 (It is assumed to be equal to @code{(- cl-most-positive-float)}.)
3137 @defvar cl-least-positive-float
3138 This constant equals the smallest Lisp float value greater than zero.
3139 For IEEE machines, it is about @code{4.94e-324} if denormals are
3140 supported or @code{2.22e-308} if not.
3143 @defvar cl-least-positive-normalized-float
3144 This constant equals the smallest @emph{normalized} Lisp float greater
3145 than zero, i.e., the smallest value for which IEEE denormalization
3146 will not result in a loss of precision. For IEEE machines, this
3147 value is about @code{2.22e-308}. For machines that do not support
3148 the concept of denormalization and gradual underflow, this constant
3149 will always equal @code{cl-least-positive-float}.
3152 @defvar cl-least-negative-float
3153 This constant is the negative counterpart of @code{cl-least-positive-float}.
3156 @defvar cl-least-negative-normalized-float
3157 This constant is the negative counterpart of
3158 @code{cl-least-positive-normalized-float}.
3161 @defvar cl-float-epsilon
3162 This constant is the smallest positive Lisp float that can be added
3163 to 1.0 to produce a distinct value. Adding a smaller number to 1.0
3164 will yield 1.0 again due to roundoff. For IEEE machines, epsilon
3165 is about @code{2.22e-16}.
3168 @defvar cl-float-negative-epsilon
3169 This is the smallest positive value that can be subtracted from
3170 1.0 to produce a distinct value. For IEEE machines, it is about
3178 Common Lisp defines a number of functions that operate on
3179 @dfn{sequences}, which are either lists, strings, or vectors.
3180 Emacs Lisp includes a few of these, notably @code{elt} and
3181 @code{length}; this package defines most of the rest.
3184 * Sequence Basics:: Arguments shared by all sequence functions.
3185 * Mapping over Sequences:: @code{cl-mapcar}, @code{cl-map}, @code{cl-maplist}, etc.
3186 * Sequence Functions:: @code{cl-subseq}, @code{cl-remove}, @code{cl-substitute}, etc.
3187 * Searching Sequences:: @code{cl-find}, @code{cl-count}, @code{cl-search}, etc.
3188 * Sorting Sequences:: @code{cl-sort}, @code{cl-stable-sort}, @code{cl-merge}.
3191 @node Sequence Basics
3192 @section Sequence Basics
3195 Many of the sequence functions take keyword arguments; @pxref{Argument
3196 Lists}. All keyword arguments are optional and, if specified,
3197 may appear in any order.
3199 The @code{:key} argument should be passed either @code{nil}, or a
3200 function of one argument. This key function is used as a filter
3201 through which the elements of the sequence are seen; for example,
3202 @code{(cl-find x y :key 'car)} is similar to @code{(cl-assoc x y)}.
3203 It searches for an element of the list whose @sc{car} equals
3204 @code{x}, rather than for an element which equals @code{x} itself.
3205 If @code{:key} is omitted or @code{nil}, the filter is effectively
3206 the identity function.
3208 The @code{:test} and @code{:test-not} arguments should be either
3209 @code{nil}, or functions of two arguments. The test function is
3210 used to compare two sequence elements, or to compare a search value
3211 with sequence elements. (The two values are passed to the test
3212 function in the same order as the original sequence function
3213 arguments from which they are derived, or, if they both come from
3214 the same sequence, in the same order as they appear in that sequence.)
3215 The @code{:test} argument specifies a function which must return
3216 true (non-@code{nil}) to indicate a match; instead, you may use
3217 @code{:test-not} to give a function which returns @emph{false} to
3218 indicate a match. The default test function is @code{eql}.
3220 Many functions that take @var{item} and @code{:test} or @code{:test-not}
3221 arguments also come in @code{-if} and @code{-if-not} varieties,
3222 where a @var{predicate} function is passed instead of @var{item},
3223 and sequence elements match if the predicate returns true on them
3224 (or false in the case of @code{-if-not}). For example:
3227 (cl-remove 0 seq :test '=) @equiv{} (cl-remove-if 'zerop seq)
3231 to remove all zeros from sequence @code{seq}.
3233 Some operations can work on a subsequence of the argument sequence;
3234 these function take @code{:start} and @code{:end} arguments, which
3235 default to zero and the length of the sequence, respectively.
3236 Only elements between @var{start} (inclusive) and @var{end}
3237 (exclusive) are affected by the operation. The @var{end} argument
3238 may be passed @code{nil} to signify the length of the sequence;
3239 otherwise, both @var{start} and @var{end} must be integers, with
3240 @code{0 <= @var{start} <= @var{end} <= (length @var{seq})}.
3241 If the function takes two sequence arguments, the limits are
3242 defined by keywords @code{:start1} and @code{:end1} for the first,
3243 and @code{:start2} and @code{:end2} for the second.
3245 A few functions accept a @code{:from-end} argument, which, if
3246 non-@code{nil}, causes the operation to go from right-to-left
3247 through the sequence instead of left-to-right, and a @code{:count}
3248 argument, which specifies an integer maximum number of elements
3249 to be removed or otherwise processed.
3251 The sequence functions make no guarantees about the order in
3252 which the @code{:test}, @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key} functions
3253 are called on various elements. Therefore, it is a bad idea to depend
3254 on side effects of these functions. For example, @code{:from-end}
3255 may cause the sequence to be scanned actually in reverse, or it may
3256 be scanned forwards but computing a result ``as if'' it were scanned
3257 backwards. (Some functions, like @code{cl-mapcar} and @code{cl-every},
3258 @emph{do} specify exactly the order in which the function is called
3259 so side effects are perfectly acceptable in those cases.)
3261 Strings may contain ``text properties'' as well
3262 as character data. Except as noted, it is undefined whether or
3263 not text properties are preserved by sequence functions. For
3264 example, @code{(cl-remove ?A @var{str})} may or may not preserve
3265 the properties of the characters copied from @var{str} into the
3268 @node Mapping over Sequences
3269 @section Mapping over Sequences
3272 These functions ``map'' the function you specify over the elements
3273 of lists or arrays. They are all variations on the theme of the
3274 built-in function @code{mapcar}.
3276 @defun cl-mapcar function seq &rest more-seqs
3277 This function calls @var{function} on successive parallel sets of
3278 elements from its argument sequences. Given a single @var{seq}
3279 argument it is equivalent to @code{mapcar}; given @var{n} sequences,
3280 it calls the function with the first elements of each of the sequences
3281 as the @var{n} arguments to yield the first element of the result
3282 list, then with the second elements, and so on. The mapping stops as
3283 soon as the shortest sequence runs out. The argument sequences may
3284 be any mixture of lists, strings, and vectors; the return sequence
3287 Common Lisp's @code{mapcar} accepts multiple arguments but works
3288 only on lists; Emacs Lisp's @code{mapcar} accepts a single sequence
3289 argument. This package's @code{cl-mapcar} works as a compatible
3293 @defun cl-map result-type function seq &rest more-seqs
3294 This function maps @var{function} over the argument sequences,
3295 just like @code{cl-mapcar}, but it returns a sequence of type
3296 @var{result-type} rather than a list. @var{result-type} must
3297 be one of the following symbols: @code{vector}, @code{string},
3298 @code{list} (in which case the effect is the same as for
3299 @code{cl-mapcar}), or @code{nil} (in which case the results are
3300 thrown away and @code{cl-map} returns @code{nil}).
3303 @defun cl-maplist function list &rest more-lists
3304 This function calls @var{function} on each of its argument lists,
3305 then on the @sc{cdr}s of those lists, and so on, until the
3306 shortest list runs out. The results are returned in the form
3307 of a list. Thus, @code{cl-maplist} is like @code{cl-mapcar} except
3308 that it passes in the list pointers themselves rather than the
3309 @sc{car}s of the advancing pointers.
3312 @defun cl-mapc function seq &rest more-seqs
3313 This function is like @code{cl-mapcar}, except that the values returned
3314 by @var{function} are ignored and thrown away rather than being
3315 collected into a list. The return value of @code{cl-mapc} is @var{seq},
3316 the first sequence. This function is more general than the Emacs
3317 primitive @code{mapc}. (Note that this function is called
3318 @code{cl-mapc} even in @file{cl.el}, rather than @code{mapc*} as you
3320 @c http://debbugs.gnu.org/6575
3323 @defun cl-mapl function list &rest more-lists
3324 This function is like @code{cl-maplist}, except that it throws away
3325 the values returned by @var{function}.
3328 @defun cl-mapcan function seq &rest more-seqs
3329 This function is like @code{cl-mapcar}, except that it concatenates
3330 the return values (which must be lists) using @code{nconc},
3331 rather than simply collecting them into a list.
3334 @defun cl-mapcon function list &rest more-lists
3335 This function is like @code{cl-maplist}, except that it concatenates
3336 the return values using @code{nconc}.
3339 @defun cl-some predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3340 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of @var{seq}
3341 in turn; if @var{predicate} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3342 @code{cl-some} returns that value, otherwise it returns @code{nil}.
3343 Given several sequence arguments, it steps through the sequences
3344 in parallel until the shortest one runs out, just as in
3345 @code{cl-mapcar}. You can rely on the left-to-right order in which
3346 the elements are visited, and on the fact that mapping stops
3347 immediately as soon as @var{predicate} returns non-@code{nil}.
3350 @defun cl-every predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3351 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of the sequence(s)
3352 in turn; it returns @code{nil} as soon as @var{predicate} returns
3353 @code{nil} for any element, or @code{t} if the predicate was true
3357 @defun cl-notany predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3358 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of the sequence(s)
3359 in turn; it returns @code{nil} as soon as @var{predicate} returns
3360 a non-@code{nil} value for any element, or @code{t} if the predicate
3361 was @code{nil} for all elements.
3364 @defun cl-notevery predicate seq &rest more-seqs
3365 This function calls @var{predicate} on each element of the sequence(s)
3366 in turn; it returns a non-@code{nil} value as soon as @var{predicate}
3367 returns @code{nil} for any element, or @code{t} if the predicate was
3368 true for all elements.
3371 @defun cl-reduce function seq @t{&key :from-end :start :end :initial-value :key}
3372 This function combines the elements of @var{seq} using an associative
3373 binary operation. Suppose @var{function} is @code{*} and @var{seq} is
3374 the list @code{(2 3 4 5)}. The first two elements of the list are
3375 combined with @code{(* 2 3) = 6}; this is combined with the next
3376 element, @code{(* 6 4) = 24}, and that is combined with the final
3377 element: @code{(* 24 5) = 120}. Note that the @code{*} function happens
3378 to be self-reducing, so that @code{(* 2 3 4 5)} has the same effect as
3379 an explicit call to @code{cl-reduce}.
3381 If @code{:from-end} is true, the reduction is right-associative instead
3382 of left-associative:
3385 (cl-reduce '- '(1 2 3 4))
3386 @equiv{} (- (- (- 1 2) 3) 4) @result{} -8
3387 (cl-reduce '- '(1 2 3 4) :from-end t)
3388 @equiv{} (- 1 (- 2 (- 3 4))) @result{} -2
3391 If @code{:key} is specified, it is a function of one argument, which
3392 is called on each of the sequence elements in turn.
3394 If @code{:initial-value} is specified, it is effectively added to the
3395 front (or rear in the case of @code{:from-end}) of the sequence.
3396 The @code{:key} function is @emph{not} applied to the initial value.
3398 If the sequence, including the initial value, has exactly one element
3399 then that element is returned without ever calling @var{function}.
3400 If the sequence is empty (and there is no initial value), then
3401 @var{function} is called with no arguments to obtain the return value.
3404 All of these mapping operations can be expressed conveniently in
3405 terms of the @code{cl-loop} macro. In compiled code, @code{cl-loop} will
3406 be faster since it generates the loop as in-line code with no
3409 @node Sequence Functions
3410 @section Sequence Functions
3413 This section describes a number of Common Lisp functions for
3414 operating on sequences.
3416 @defun cl-subseq sequence start &optional end
3417 This function returns a given subsequence of the argument
3418 @var{sequence}, which may be a list, string, or vector.
3419 The indices @var{start} and @var{end} must be in range, and
3420 @var{start} must be no greater than @var{end}. If @var{end}
3421 is omitted, it defaults to the length of the sequence. The
3422 return value is always a copy; it does not share structure
3423 with @var{sequence}.
3425 As an extension to Common Lisp, @var{start} and/or @var{end}
3426 may be negative, in which case they represent a distance back
3427 from the end of the sequence. This is for compatibility with
3428 Emacs's @code{substring} function. Note that @code{cl-subseq} is
3429 the @emph{only} sequence function that allows negative
3430 @var{start} and @var{end}.
3432 You can use @code{setf} on a @code{cl-subseq} form to replace a
3433 specified range of elements with elements from another sequence.
3434 The replacement is done as if by @code{cl-replace}, described below.
3437 @defun cl-concatenate result-type &rest seqs
3438 This function concatenates the argument sequences together to
3439 form a result sequence of type @var{result-type}, one of the
3440 symbols @code{vector}, @code{string}, or @code{list}. The
3441 arguments are always copied, even in cases such as
3442 @code{(cl-concatenate 'list '(1 2 3))} where the result is
3443 identical to an argument.
3446 @defun cl-fill seq item @t{&key :start :end}
3447 This function fills the elements of the sequence (or the specified
3448 part of the sequence) with the value @var{item}.
3451 @defun cl-replace seq1 seq2 @t{&key :start1 :end1 :start2 :end2}
3452 This function copies part of @var{seq2} into part of @var{seq1}.
3453 The sequence @var{seq1} is not stretched or resized; the amount
3454 of data copied is simply the shorter of the source and destination
3455 (sub)sequences. The function returns @var{seq1}.
3457 If @var{seq1} and @var{seq2} are @code{eq}, then the replacement
3458 will work correctly even if the regions indicated by the start
3459 and end arguments overlap. However, if @var{seq1} and @var{seq2}
3460 are lists that share storage but are not @code{eq}, and the
3461 start and end arguments specify overlapping regions, the effect
3465 @defun cl-remove item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
3466 This returns a copy of @var{seq} with all elements matching
3467 @var{item} removed. The result may share storage with or be
3468 @code{eq} to @var{seq} in some circumstances, but the original
3469 @var{seq} will not be modified. The @code{:test}, @code{:test-not},
3470 and @code{:key} arguments define the matching test that is used;
3471 by default, elements @code{eql} to @var{item} are removed. The
3472 @code{:count} argument specifies the maximum number of matching
3473 elements that can be removed (only the leftmost @var{count} matches
3474 are removed). The @code{:start} and @code{:end} arguments specify
3475 a region in @var{seq} in which elements will be removed; elements
3476 outside that region are not matched or removed. The @code{:from-end}
3477 argument, if true, says that elements should be deleted from the
3478 end of the sequence rather than the beginning (this matters only
3479 if @var{count} was also specified).
3482 @defun cl-delete item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
3483 This deletes all elements of @var{seq} that match @var{item}.
3484 It is a destructive operation. Since Emacs Lisp does not support
3485 stretchable strings or vectors, this is the same as @code{cl-remove}
3486 for those sequence types. On lists, @code{cl-remove} will copy the
3487 list if necessary to preserve the original list, whereas
3488 @code{cl-delete} will splice out parts of the argument list.
3489 Compare @code{append} and @code{nconc}, which are analogous
3490 non-destructive and destructive list operations in Emacs Lisp.
3493 @findex cl-remove-if
3494 @findex cl-remove-if-not
3495 @findex cl-delete-if
3496 @findex cl-delete-if-not
3497 The predicate-oriented functions @code{cl-remove-if}, @code{cl-remove-if-not},
3498 @code{cl-delete-if}, and @code{cl-delete-if-not} are defined similarly.
3500 @defun cl-remove-duplicates seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
3501 This function returns a copy of @var{seq} with duplicate elements
3502 removed. Specifically, if two elements from the sequence match
3503 according to the @code{:test}, @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key}
3504 arguments, only the rightmost one is retained. If @code{:from-end}
3505 is true, the leftmost one is retained instead. If @code{:start} or
3506 @code{:end} is specified, only elements within that subsequence are
3507 examined or removed.
3510 @defun cl-delete-duplicates seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
3511 This function deletes duplicate elements from @var{seq}. It is
3512 a destructive version of @code{cl-remove-duplicates}.
3515 @defun cl-substitute new old seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
3516 This function returns a copy of @var{seq}, with all elements
3517 matching @var{old} replaced with @var{new}. The @code{:count},
3518 @code{:start}, @code{:end}, and @code{:from-end} arguments may be
3519 used to limit the number of substitutions made.
3522 @defun cl-nsubstitute new old seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :count :start :end :from-end}
3523 This is a destructive version of @code{cl-substitute}; it performs
3524 the substitution using @code{setcar} or @code{aset} rather than
3525 by returning a changed copy of the sequence.
3528 @findex cl-substitute-if
3529 @findex cl-substitute-if-not
3530 @findex cl-nsubstitute-if
3531 @findex cl-nsubstitute-if-not
3532 The functions @code{cl-substitute-if}, @code{cl-substitute-if-not},
3533 @code{cl-nsubstitute-if}, and @code{cl-nsubstitute-if-not} are defined
3534 similarly. For these, a @var{predicate} is given in place of the
3537 @node Searching Sequences
3538 @section Searching Sequences
3541 These functions search for elements or subsequences in a sequence.
3542 (See also @code{cl-member} and @code{cl-assoc}; @pxref{Lists}.)
3544 @defun cl-find item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
3545 This function searches @var{seq} for an element matching @var{item}.
3546 If it finds a match, it returns the matching element. Otherwise,
3547 it returns @code{nil}. It returns the leftmost match, unless
3548 @code{:from-end} is true, in which case it returns the rightmost
3549 match. The @code{:start} and @code{:end} arguments may be used to
3550 limit the range of elements that are searched.
3553 @defun cl-position item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end :from-end}
3554 This function is like @code{cl-find}, except that it returns the
3555 integer position in the sequence of the matching item rather than
3556 the item itself. The position is relative to the start of the
3557 sequence as a whole, even if @code{:start} is non-zero. The function
3558 returns @code{nil} if no matching element was found.
3561 @defun cl-count item seq @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start :end}
3562 This function returns the number of elements of @var{seq} which
3563 match @var{item}. The result is always a nonnegative integer.
3567 @findex cl-find-if-not
3568 @findex cl-position-if
3569 @findex cl-position-if-not
3571 @findex cl-count-if-not
3572 The @code{cl-find-if}, @code{cl-find-if-not}, @code{cl-position-if},
3573 @code{cl-position-if-not}, @code{cl-count-if}, and @code{cl-count-if-not}
3574 functions are defined similarly.
3576 @defun cl-mismatch seq1 seq2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key :start1 :end1 :start2 :end2 :from-end}
3577 This function compares the specified parts of @var{seq1} and
3578 @var{seq2}. If they are the same length and the corresponding
3579 elements match (according to @code{:test}, @code{:test-not},
3580 and @code{:key}), the function returns @code{nil}. If there is
3581 a mismatch, the function returns the index (relative to @var{seq1})
3582 of the first mismatching element. This will be the leftmost pair of
3583 elements that do not match, or the position at which the shorter of
3584 the two otherwise-matching sequences runs out.
3586 If @code{:from-end} is true, then the elements are compared from right
3587 to left starting at @code{(1- @var{end1})} and @code{(1- @var{end2})}.
3588 If the sequences differ, then one plus the index of the rightmost
3589 difference (relative to @var{seq1}) is returned.
3591 An interesting example is @code{(cl-mismatch str1 str2 :key 'upcase)},
3592 which compares two strings case-insensitively.
3595 @defun cl-search seq1 seq2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key :from-end :start1 :end1 :start2 :end2}
3596 This function searches @var{seq2} for a subsequence that matches
3597 @var{seq1} (or part of it specified by @code{:start1} and
3598 @code{:end1}). Only matches that fall entirely within the region
3599 defined by @code{:start2} and @code{:end2} will be considered.
3600 The return value is the index of the leftmost element of the
3601 leftmost match, relative to the start of @var{seq2}, or @code{nil}
3602 if no matches were found. If @code{:from-end} is true, the
3603 function finds the @emph{rightmost} matching subsequence.
3606 @node Sorting Sequences
3607 @section Sorting Sequences
3609 @defun cl-sort seq predicate @t{&key :key}
3610 This function sorts @var{seq} into increasing order as determined
3611 by using @var{predicate} to compare pairs of elements. @var{predicate}
3612 should return true (non-@code{nil}) if and only if its first argument
3613 is less than (not equal to) its second argument. For example,
3614 @code{<} and @code{string-lessp} are suitable predicate functions
3615 for sorting numbers and strings, respectively; @code{>} would sort
3616 numbers into decreasing rather than increasing order.
3618 This function differs from Emacs's built-in @code{sort} in that it
3619 can operate on any type of sequence, not just lists. Also, it
3620 accepts a @code{:key} argument, which is used to preprocess data
3621 fed to the @var{predicate} function. For example,
3624 (setq data (cl-sort data 'string-lessp :key 'downcase))
3628 sorts @var{data}, a sequence of strings, into increasing alphabetical
3629 order without regard to case. A @code{:key} function of @code{car}
3630 would be useful for sorting association lists. It should only be a
3631 simple accessor though, since it's used heavily in the current
3634 The @code{cl-sort} function is destructive; it sorts lists by actually
3635 rearranging the @sc{cdr} pointers in suitable fashion.
3638 @defun cl-stable-sort seq predicate @t{&key :key}
3639 This function sorts @var{seq} @dfn{stably}, meaning two elements
3640 which are equal in terms of @var{predicate} are guaranteed not to
3641 be rearranged out of their original order by the sort.
3643 In practice, @code{cl-sort} and @code{cl-stable-sort} are equivalent
3644 in Emacs Lisp because the underlying @code{sort} function is
3645 stable by default. However, this package reserves the right to
3646 use non-stable methods for @code{cl-sort} in the future.
3649 @defun cl-merge type seq1 seq2 predicate @t{&key :key}
3650 This function merges two sequences @var{seq1} and @var{seq2} by
3651 interleaving their elements. The result sequence, of type @var{type}
3652 (in the sense of @code{cl-concatenate}), has length equal to the sum
3653 of the lengths of the two input sequences. The sequences may be
3654 modified destructively. Order of elements within @var{seq1} and
3655 @var{seq2} is preserved in the interleaving; elements of the two
3656 sequences are compared by @var{predicate} (in the sense of
3657 @code{sort}) and the lesser element goes first in the result.
3658 When elements are equal, those from @var{seq1} precede those from
3659 @var{seq2} in the result. Thus, if @var{seq1} and @var{seq2} are
3660 both sorted according to @var{predicate}, then the result will be
3661 a merged sequence which is (stably) sorted according to
3669 The functions described here operate on lists.
3672 * List Functions:: @code{cl-caddr}, @code{cl-first}, @code{cl-list*}, etc.
3673 * Substitution of Expressions:: @code{cl-subst}, @code{cl-sublis}, etc.
3674 * Lists as Sets:: @code{cl-member}, @code{cl-adjoin}, @code{cl-union}, etc.
3675 * Association Lists:: @code{cl-assoc}, @code{cl-acons}, @code{cl-pairlis}, etc.
3678 @node List Functions
3679 @section List Functions
3682 This section describes a number of simple operations on lists,
3683 i.e., chains of cons cells.
3686 This function is equivalent to @code{(car (cdr (cdr @var{x})))}.
3687 Likewise, this package defines all 24 @code{c@var{xxx}r} functions
3688 where @var{xxx} is up to four @samp{a}s and/or @samp{d}s.
3689 All of these functions are @code{setf}-able, and calls to them
3690 are expanded inline by the byte-compiler for maximum efficiency.
3694 This function is a synonym for @code{(car @var{x})}. Likewise,
3695 the functions @code{cl-second}, @code{cl-third}, @dots{}, through
3696 @code{cl-tenth} return the given element of the list @var{x}.
3700 This function is a synonym for @code{(cdr @var{x})}.
3704 This function acts like @code{null}, but signals an error if @code{x}
3705 is neither a @code{nil} nor a cons cell.
3708 @defun cl-list-length x
3709 This function returns the length of list @var{x}, exactly like
3710 @code{(length @var{x})}, except that if @var{x} is a circular
3711 list (where the @sc{cdr}-chain forms a loop rather than terminating
3712 with @code{nil}), this function returns @code{nil}. (The regular
3713 @code{length} function would get stuck if given a circular list.
3714 See also the @code{safe-length} function.)
3717 @defun cl-list* arg &rest others
3718 This function constructs a list of its arguments. The final
3719 argument becomes the @sc{cdr} of the last cell constructed.
3720 Thus, @code{(cl-list* @var{a} @var{b} @var{c})} is equivalent to
3721 @code{(cons @var{a} (cons @var{b} @var{c}))}, and
3722 @code{(cl-list* @var{a} @var{b} nil)} is equivalent to
3723 @code{(list @var{a} @var{b})}.
3726 @defun cl-ldiff list sublist
3727 If @var{sublist} is a sublist of @var{list}, i.e., is @code{eq} to
3728 one of the cons cells of @var{list}, then this function returns
3729 a copy of the part of @var{list} up to but not including
3730 @var{sublist}. For example, @code{(cl-ldiff x (cddr x))} returns
3731 the first two elements of the list @code{x}. The result is a
3732 copy; the original @var{list} is not modified. If @var{sublist}
3733 is not a sublist of @var{list}, a copy of the entire @var{list}
3737 @defun cl-copy-list list
3738 This function returns a copy of the list @var{list}. It copies
3739 dotted lists like @code{(1 2 . 3)} correctly.
3742 @defun cl-tree-equal x y @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3743 This function compares two trees of cons cells. If @var{x} and
3744 @var{y} are both cons cells, their @sc{car}s and @sc{cdr}s are
3745 compared recursively. If neither @var{x} nor @var{y} is a cons
3746 cell, they are compared by @code{eql}, or according to the
3747 specified test. The @code{:key} function, if specified, is
3748 applied to the elements of both trees. @xref{Sequences}.
3751 @node Substitution of Expressions
3752 @section Substitution of Expressions
3755 These functions substitute elements throughout a tree of cons
3756 cells. (@xref{Sequence Functions}, for the @code{cl-substitute}
3757 function, which works on just the top-level elements of a list.)
3759 @defun cl-subst new old tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3760 This function substitutes occurrences of @var{old} with @var{new}
3761 in @var{tree}, a tree of cons cells. It returns a substituted
3762 tree, which will be a copy except that it may share storage with
3763 the argument @var{tree} in parts where no substitutions occurred.
3764 The original @var{tree} is not modified. This function recurses
3765 on, and compares against @var{old}, both @sc{car}s and @sc{cdr}s
3766 of the component cons cells. If @var{old} is itself a cons cell,
3767 then matching cells in the tree are substituted as usual without
3768 recursively substituting in that cell. Comparisons with @var{old}
3769 are done according to the specified test (@code{eql} by default).
3770 The @code{:key} function is applied to the elements of the tree
3771 but not to @var{old}.
3774 @defun cl-nsubst new old tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3775 This function is like @code{cl-subst}, except that it works by
3776 destructive modification (by @code{setcar} or @code{setcdr})
3777 rather than copying.
3781 @findex cl-subst-if-not
3782 @findex cl-nsubst-if
3783 @findex cl-nsubst-if-not
3784 The @code{cl-subst-if}, @code{cl-subst-if-not}, @code{cl-nsubst-if}, and
3785 @code{cl-nsubst-if-not} functions are defined similarly.
3787 @defun cl-sublis alist tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3788 This function is like @code{cl-subst}, except that it takes an
3789 association list @var{alist} of @var{old}-@var{new} pairs.
3790 Each element of the tree (after applying the @code{:key}
3791 function, if any), is compared with the @sc{car}s of
3792 @var{alist}; if it matches, it is replaced by the corresponding
3796 @defun cl-nsublis alist tree @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3797 This is a destructive version of @code{cl-sublis}.
3801 @section Lists as Sets
3804 These functions perform operations on lists that represent sets
3807 @defun cl-member item list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3808 This function searches @var{list} for an element matching @var{item}.
3809 If a match is found, it returns the cons cell whose @sc{car} was
3810 the matching element. Otherwise, it returns @code{nil}. Elements
3811 are compared by @code{eql} by default; you can use the @code{:test},
3812 @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key} arguments to modify this behavior.
3815 The standard Emacs lisp function @code{member} uses @code{equal} for
3816 comparisons; it is equivalent to @code{(cl-member @var{item} @var{list}
3817 :test 'equal)}. With no keyword arguments, @code{cl-member} is
3818 equivalent to @code{memq}.
3821 @findex cl-member-if
3822 @findex cl-member-if-not
3823 The @code{cl-member-if} and @code{cl-member-if-not} functions
3824 analogously search for elements that satisfy a given predicate.
3826 @defun cl-tailp sublist list
3827 This function returns @code{t} if @var{sublist} is a sublist of
3828 @var{list}, i.e., if @var{sublist} is @code{eql} to @var{list} or to
3829 any of its @sc{cdr}s.
3832 @defun cl-adjoin item list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3833 This function conses @var{item} onto the front of @var{list},
3834 like @code{(cons @var{item} @var{list})}, but only if @var{item}
3835 is not already present on the list (as determined by @code{cl-member}).
3836 If a @code{:key} argument is specified, it is applied to
3837 @var{item} as well as to the elements of @var{list} during
3838 the search, on the reasoning that @var{item} is ``about'' to
3839 become part of the list.
3842 @defun cl-union list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3843 This function combines two lists that represent sets of items,
3844 returning a list that represents the union of those two sets.
3845 The resulting list contains all items that appear in @var{list1}
3846 or @var{list2}, and no others. If an item appears in both
3847 @var{list1} and @var{list2} it is copied only once. If
3848 an item is duplicated in @var{list1} or @var{list2}, it is
3849 undefined whether or not that duplication will survive in the
3850 result list. The order of elements in the result list is also
3854 @defun cl-nunion list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3855 This is a destructive version of @code{cl-union}; rather than copying,
3856 it tries to reuse the storage of the argument lists if possible.
3859 @defun cl-intersection list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3860 This function computes the intersection of the sets represented
3861 by @var{list1} and @var{list2}. It returns the list of items
3862 that appear in both @var{list1} and @var{list2}.
3865 @defun cl-nintersection list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3866 This is a destructive version of @code{cl-intersection}. It
3867 tries to reuse storage of @var{list1} rather than copying.
3868 It does @emph{not} reuse the storage of @var{list2}.
3871 @defun cl-set-difference list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3872 This function computes the ``set difference'' of @var{list1}
3873 and @var{list2}, i.e., the set of elements that appear in
3874 @var{list1} but @emph{not} in @var{list2}.
3877 @defun cl-nset-difference list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3878 This is a destructive @code{cl-set-difference}, which will try
3879 to reuse @var{list1} if possible.
3882 @defun cl-set-exclusive-or list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3883 This function computes the ``set exclusive or'' of @var{list1}
3884 and @var{list2}, i.e., the set of elements that appear in
3885 exactly one of @var{list1} and @var{list2}.
3888 @defun cl-nset-exclusive-or list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3889 This is a destructive @code{cl-set-exclusive-or}, which will try
3890 to reuse @var{list1} and @var{list2} if possible.
3893 @defun cl-subsetp list1 list2 @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3894 This function checks whether @var{list1} represents a subset
3895 of @var{list2}, i.e., whether every element of @var{list1}
3896 also appears in @var{list2}.
3899 @node Association Lists
3900 @section Association Lists
3903 An @dfn{association list} is a list representing a mapping from
3904 one set of values to another; any list whose elements are cons
3905 cells is an association list.
3907 @defun cl-assoc item a-list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3908 This function searches the association list @var{a-list} for an
3909 element whose @sc{car} matches (in the sense of @code{:test},
3910 @code{:test-not}, and @code{:key}, or by comparison with @code{eql})
3911 a given @var{item}. It returns the matching element, if any,
3912 otherwise @code{nil}. It ignores elements of @var{a-list} that
3913 are not cons cells. (This corresponds to the behavior of
3914 @code{assq} and @code{assoc} in Emacs Lisp; Common Lisp's
3915 @code{assoc} ignores @code{nil}s but considers any other non-cons
3916 elements of @var{a-list} to be an error.)
3919 @defun cl-rassoc item a-list @t{&key :test :test-not :key}
3920 This function searches for an element whose @sc{cdr} matches
3921 @var{item}. If @var{a-list} represents a mapping, this applies
3922 the inverse of the mapping to @var{item}.
3926 @findex cl-assoc-if-not
3927 @findex cl-rassoc-if
3928 @findex cl-rassoc-if-not
3929 The @code{cl-assoc-if}, @code{cl-assoc-if-not}, @code{cl-rassoc-if},
3930 and @code{cl-rassoc-if-not} functions are defined similarly.
3932 Two simple functions for constructing association lists are:
3934 @defun cl-acons key value alist
3935 This is equivalent to @code{(cons (cons @var{key} @var{value}) @var{alist})}.
3938 @defun cl-pairlis keys values &optional alist
3939 This is equivalent to @code{(nconc (cl-mapcar 'cons @var{keys} @var{values})
3947 The Common Lisp @dfn{structure} mechanism provides a general way
3948 to define data types similar to C's @code{struct} types. A
3949 structure is a Lisp object containing some number of @dfn{slots},
3950 each of which can hold any Lisp data object. Functions are
3951 provided for accessing and setting the slots, creating or copying
3952 structure objects, and recognizing objects of a particular structure
3955 In true Common Lisp, each structure type is a new type distinct
3956 from all existing Lisp types. Since the underlying Emacs Lisp
3957 system provides no way to create new distinct types, this package
3958 implements structures as vectors (or lists upon request) with a
3959 special ``tag'' symbol to identify them.
3961 @defmac cl-defstruct name slots@dots{}
3962 The @code{cl-defstruct} form defines a new structure type called
3963 @var{name}, with the specified @var{slots}. (The @var{slots}
3964 may begin with a string which documents the structure type.)
3965 In the simplest case, @var{name} and each of the @var{slots}
3966 are symbols. For example,
3969 (cl-defstruct person name age sex)
3973 defines a struct type called @code{person} that contains three
3974 slots. Given a @code{person} object @var{p}, you can access those
3975 slots by calling @code{(person-name @var{p})}, @code{(person-age @var{p})},
3976 and @code{(person-sex @var{p})}. You can also change these slots by
3977 using @code{setf} on any of these place forms, for example:
3980 (cl-incf (person-age birthday-boy))
3983 You can create a new @code{person} by calling @code{make-person},
3984 which takes keyword arguments @code{:name}, @code{:age}, and
3985 @code{:sex} to specify the initial values of these slots in the
3986 new object. (Omitting any of these arguments leaves the corresponding
3987 slot ``undefined'', according to the Common Lisp standard; in Emacs
3988 Lisp, such uninitialized slots are filled with @code{nil}.)
3990 Given a @code{person}, @code{(copy-person @var{p})} makes a new
3991 object of the same type whose slots are @code{eq} to those of @var{p}.
3993 Given any Lisp object @var{x}, @code{(person-p @var{x})} returns
3994 true if @var{x} looks like a @code{person}, and false otherwise. (Again,
3995 in Common Lisp this predicate would be exact; in Emacs Lisp the
3996 best it can do is verify that @var{x} is a vector of the correct
3997 length that starts with the correct tag symbol.)
3999 Accessors like @code{person-name} normally check their arguments
4000 (effectively using @code{person-p}) and signal an error if the
4001 argument is the wrong type. This check is affected by
4002 @code{(optimize (safety @dots{}))} declarations. Safety level 1,
4003 the default, uses a somewhat optimized check that will detect all
4004 incorrect arguments, but may use an uninformative error message
4005 (e.g., ``expected a vector'' instead of ``expected a @code{person}'').
4006 Safety level 0 omits all checks except as provided by the underlying
4007 @code{aref} call; safety levels 2 and 3 do rigorous checking that will
4008 always print a descriptive error message for incorrect inputs.
4009 @xref{Declarations}.
4012 (setq dave (make-person :name "Dave" :sex 'male))
4013 @result{} [cl-struct-person "Dave" nil male]
4014 (setq other (copy-person dave))
4015 @result{} [cl-struct-person "Dave" nil male]
4018 (eq (person-name dave) (person-name other))
4022 (person-p [1 2 3 4])
4026 (person-p '[cl-struct-person counterfeit person object])
4030 In general, @var{name} is either a name symbol or a list of a name
4031 symbol followed by any number of @dfn{struct options}; each @var{slot}
4032 is either a slot symbol or a list of the form @samp{(@var{slot-name}
4033 @var{default-value} @var{slot-options}@dots{})}. The @var{default-value}
4034 is a Lisp form that is evaluated any time an instance of the
4035 structure type is created without specifying that slot's value.
4037 Common Lisp defines several slot options, but the only one
4038 implemented in this package is @code{:read-only}. A non-@code{nil}
4039 value for this option means the slot should not be @code{setf}-able;
4040 the slot's value is determined when the object is created and does
4041 not change afterward.
4044 (cl-defstruct person
4045 (name nil :read-only t)
4050 Any slot options other than @code{:read-only} are ignored.
4052 For obscure historical reasons, structure options take a different
4053 form than slot options. A structure option is either a keyword
4054 symbol, or a list beginning with a keyword symbol possibly followed
4055 by arguments. (By contrast, slot options are key-value pairs not
4059 (cl-defstruct (person (:constructor create-person)
4065 The following structure options are recognized.
4069 The argument is a symbol whose print name is used as the prefix for
4070 the names of slot accessor functions. The default is the name of
4071 the struct type followed by a hyphen. The option @code{(:conc-name p-)}
4072 would change this prefix to @code{p-}. Specifying @code{nil} as an
4073 argument means no prefix, so that the slot names themselves are used
4074 to name the accessor functions.
4077 In the simple case, this option takes one argument which is an
4078 alternate name to use for the constructor function. The default
4079 is @code{make-@var{name}}, e.g., @code{make-person}. The above
4080 example changes this to @code{create-person}. Specifying @code{nil}
4081 as an argument means that no standard constructor should be
4084 In the full form of this option, the constructor name is followed
4085 by an arbitrary argument list. @xref{Program Structure}, for a
4086 description of the format of Common Lisp argument lists. All
4087 options, such as @code{&rest} and @code{&key}, are supported.
4088 The argument names should match the slot names; each slot is
4089 initialized from the corresponding argument. Slots whose names
4090 do not appear in the argument list are initialized based on the
4091 @var{default-value} in their slot descriptor. Also, @code{&optional}
4092 and @code{&key} arguments that don't specify defaults take their
4093 defaults from the slot descriptor. It is valid to include arguments
4094 that don't correspond to slot names; these are useful if they are
4095 referred to in the defaults for optional, keyword, or @code{&aux}
4096 arguments that @emph{do} correspond to slots.
4098 You can specify any number of full-format @code{:constructor}
4099 options on a structure. The default constructor is still generated
4100 as well unless you disable it with a simple-format @code{:constructor}
4106 (:constructor nil) ; no default constructor
4107 (:constructor new-person
4108 (name sex &optional (age 0)))
4109 (:constructor new-hound (&key (name "Rover")
4111 &aux (age (* 7 dog-years))
4116 The first constructor here takes its arguments positionally rather
4117 than by keyword. (In official Common Lisp terminology, constructors
4118 that work By Order of Arguments instead of by keyword are called
4119 ``BOA constructors''. No, I'm not making this up.) For example,
4120 @code{(new-person "Jane" 'female)} generates a person whose slots
4121 are @code{"Jane"}, 0, and @code{female}, respectively.
4123 The second constructor takes two keyword arguments, @code{:name},
4124 which initializes the @code{name} slot and defaults to @code{"Rover"},
4125 and @code{:dog-years}, which does not itself correspond to a slot
4126 but which is used to initialize the @code{age} slot. The @code{sex}
4127 slot is forced to the symbol @code{canine} with no syntax for
4131 The argument is an alternate name for the copier function for
4132 this type. The default is @code{copy-@var{name}}. @code{nil}
4133 means not to generate a copier function. (In this implementation,
4134 all copier functions are simply synonyms for @code{copy-sequence}.)
4137 The argument is an alternate name for the predicate that recognizes
4138 objects of this type. The default is @code{@var{name}-p}. @code{nil}
4139 means not to generate a predicate function. (If the @code{:type}
4140 option is used without the @code{:named} option, no predicate is
4143 In true Common Lisp, @code{typep} is always able to recognize a
4144 structure object even if @code{:predicate} was used. In this
4145 package, @code{cl-typep} simply looks for a function called
4146 @code{@var{typename}-p}, so it will work for structure types
4147 only if they used the default predicate name.
4150 This option implements a very limited form of C++-style inheritance.
4151 The argument is the name of another structure type previously
4152 created with @code{cl-defstruct}. The effect is to cause the new
4153 structure type to inherit all of the included structure's slots
4154 (plus, of course, any new slots described by this struct's slot
4155 descriptors). The new structure is considered a ``specialization''
4156 of the included one. In fact, the predicate and slot accessors
4157 for the included type will also accept objects of the new type.
4159 If there are extra arguments to the @code{:include} option after
4160 the included-structure name, these options are treated as replacement
4161 slot descriptors for slots in the included structure, possibly with
4162 modified default values. Borrowing an example from Steele:
4165 (cl-defstruct person name (age 0) sex)
4167 (cl-defstruct (astronaut (:include person (age 45)))
4169 (favorite-beverage 'tang))
4172 (setq joe (make-person :name "Joe"))
4173 @result{} [cl-struct-person "Joe" 0 nil]
4174 (setq buzz (make-astronaut :name "Buzz"))
4175 @result{} [cl-struct-astronaut "Buzz" 45 nil nil tang]
4177 (list (person-p joe) (person-p buzz))
4179 (list (astronaut-p joe) (astronaut-p buzz))
4184 (astronaut-name joe)
4185 @result{} error: "astronaut-name accessing a non-astronaut"
4188 Thus, if @code{astronaut} is a specialization of @code{person},
4189 then every @code{astronaut} is also a @code{person} (but not the
4190 other way around). Every @code{astronaut} includes all the slots
4191 of a @code{person}, plus extra slots that are specific to
4192 astronauts. Operations that work on people (like @code{person-name})
4193 work on astronauts just like other people.
4195 @item :print-function
4196 In full Common Lisp, this option allows you to specify a function
4197 that is called to print an instance of the structure type. The
4198 Emacs Lisp system offers no hooks into the Lisp printer which would
4199 allow for such a feature, so this package simply ignores
4200 @code{:print-function}.
4203 The argument should be one of the symbols @code{vector} or @code{list}.
4204 This tells which underlying Lisp data type should be used to implement
4205 the new structure type. Vectors are used by default, but
4206 @code{(:type list)} will cause structure objects to be stored as
4209 The vector representation for structure objects has the advantage
4210 that all structure slots can be accessed quickly, although creating
4211 vectors is a bit slower in Emacs Lisp. Lists are easier to create,
4212 but take a relatively long time accessing the later slots.
4215 This option, which takes no arguments, causes a characteristic ``tag''
4216 symbol to be stored at the front of the structure object. Using
4217 @code{:type} without also using @code{:named} will result in a
4218 structure type stored as plain vectors or lists with no identifying
4221 The default, if you don't specify @code{:type} explicitly, is to
4222 use named vectors. Therefore, @code{:named} is only useful in
4223 conjunction with @code{:type}.
4226 (cl-defstruct (person1) name age sex)
4227 (cl-defstruct (person2 (:type list) :named) name age sex)
4228 (cl-defstruct (person3 (:type list)) name age sex)
4230 (setq p1 (make-person1))
4231 @result{} [cl-struct-person1 nil nil nil]
4232 (setq p2 (make-person2))
4233 @result{} (person2 nil nil nil)
4234 (setq p3 (make-person3))
4235 @result{} (nil nil nil)
4242 @result{} error: function person3-p undefined
4245 Since unnamed structures don't have tags, @code{cl-defstruct} is not
4246 able to make a useful predicate for recognizing them. Also,
4247 accessors like @code{person3-name} will be generated but they
4248 will not be able to do any type checking. The @code{person3-name}
4249 function, for example, will simply be a synonym for @code{car} in
4250 this case. By contrast, @code{person2-name} is able to verify
4251 that its argument is indeed a @code{person2} object before
4254 @item :initial-offset
4255 The argument must be a nonnegative integer. It specifies a
4256 number of slots to be left ``empty'' at the front of the
4257 structure. If the structure is named, the tag appears at the
4258 specified position in the list or vector; otherwise, the first
4259 slot appears at that position. Earlier positions are filled
4260 with @code{nil} by the constructors and ignored otherwise. If
4261 the type @code{:include}s another type, then @code{:initial-offset}
4262 specifies a number of slots to be skipped between the last slot
4263 of the included type and the first new slot.
4267 Except as noted, the @code{cl-defstruct} facility of this package is
4268 entirely compatible with that of Common Lisp.
4270 The @code{cl-defstruct} package also provides a few structure
4271 introspection functions.
4273 @defun cl-struct-sequence-type struct-type
4274 This function returns the underlying data structure for
4275 @code{struct-type}, which is a symbol. It returns @code{vector} or
4276 @code{list}, or @code{nil} if @code{struct-type} is not actually a
4280 @defun cl-struct-slot-info struct-type
4281 This function returns a list of slot descriptors for structure
4282 @code{struct-type}. Each entry in the list is @code{(name . opts)},
4283 where @code{name} is the name of the slot and @code{opts} is the list
4284 of slot options given to @code{defstruct}. Dummy entries represent
4285 the slots used for the struct name and that are skipped to implement
4286 @code{:initial-offset}.
4289 @defun cl-struct-slot-offset struct-type slot-name
4290 Return the offset of slot @code{slot-name} in @code{struct-type}. The
4291 returned zero-based slot index is relative to the start of the
4292 structure data type and is adjusted for any structure name and
4293 :initial-offset slots. Signal error if struct @code{struct-type} does
4294 not contain @code{slot-name}.
4297 @defun cl-struct-slot-value struct-type slot-name inst
4298 Return the value of slot @code{slot-name} in @code{inst} of
4299 @code{struct-type}. @code{struct} and @code{slot-name} are symbols.
4300 @code{inst} is a structure instance. This routine is also a
4301 @code{setf} place. Can signal the same errors as @code{cl-struct-slot-offset}.
4305 @chapter Assertions and Errors
4308 This section describes two macros that test @dfn{assertions}, i.e.,
4309 conditions which must be true if the program is operating correctly.
4310 Assertions never add to the behavior of a Lisp program; they simply
4311 make ``sanity checks'' to make sure everything is as it should be.
4313 If the optimization property @code{speed} has been set to 3, and
4314 @code{safety} is less than 3, then the byte-compiler will optimize
4315 away the following assertions. Because assertions might be optimized
4316 away, it is a bad idea for them to include side-effects.
4318 @defmac cl-assert test-form [show-args string args@dots{}]
4319 This form verifies that @var{test-form} is true (i.e., evaluates to
4320 a non-@code{nil} value). If so, it returns @code{nil}. If the test
4321 is not satisfied, @code{cl-assert} signals an error.
4323 A default error message will be supplied which includes @var{test-form}.
4324 You can specify a different error message by including a @var{string}
4325 argument plus optional extra arguments. Those arguments are simply
4326 passed to @code{error} to signal the error.
4328 If the optional second argument @var{show-args} is @code{t} instead
4329 of @code{nil}, then the error message (with or without @var{string})
4330 will also include all non-constant arguments of the top-level
4331 @var{form}. For example:
4334 (cl-assert (> x 10) t "x is too small: %d")
4337 This usage of @var{show-args} is an extension to Common Lisp. In
4338 true Common Lisp, the second argument gives a list of @var{places}
4339 which can be @code{setf}'d by the user before continuing from the
4340 error. Since Emacs Lisp does not support continuable errors, it
4341 makes no sense to specify @var{places}.
4344 @defmac cl-check-type form type [string]
4345 This form verifies that @var{form} evaluates to a value of type
4346 @var{type}. If so, it returns @code{nil}. If not, @code{cl-check-type}
4347 signals a @code{wrong-type-argument} error. The default error message
4348 lists the erroneous value along with @var{type} and @var{form}
4349 themselves. If @var{string} is specified, it is included in the
4350 error message in place of @var{type}. For example:
4353 (cl-check-type x (integer 1 *) "a positive integer")
4356 @xref{Type Predicates}, for a description of the type specifiers
4357 that may be used for @var{type}.
4359 Note that in Common Lisp, the first argument to @code{check-type}
4360 must be a @var{place} suitable for use by @code{setf}, because
4361 @code{check-type} signals a continuable error that allows the
4362 user to modify @var{place}.
4365 @node Efficiency Concerns
4366 @appendix Efficiency Concerns
4371 Many of the advanced features of this package, such as @code{cl-defun},
4372 @code{cl-loop}, etc., are implemented as Lisp macros. In
4373 byte-compiled code, these complex notations will be expanded into
4374 equivalent Lisp code which is simple and efficient. For example,
4382 is expanded at compile-time to the Lisp form
4389 which is the most efficient ways of doing this operation
4390 in Lisp. Thus, there is no performance penalty for using the more
4391 readable @code{cl-incf} form in your compiled code.
4393 @emph{Interpreted} code, on the other hand, must expand these macros
4394 every time they are executed. For this reason it is strongly
4395 recommended that code making heavy use of macros be compiled.
4396 A loop using @code{cl-incf} a hundred times will execute considerably
4397 faster if compiled, and will also garbage-collect less because the
4398 macro expansion will not have to be generated, used, and thrown away a
4401 You can find out how a macro expands by using the
4402 @code{cl-prettyexpand} function.
4404 @defun cl-prettyexpand form &optional full
4405 This function takes a single Lisp form as an argument and inserts
4406 a nicely formatted copy of it in the current buffer (which must be
4407 in Lisp mode so that indentation works properly). It also expands
4408 all Lisp macros that appear in the form. The easiest way to use
4409 this function is to go to the @file{*scratch*} buffer and type, say,
4412 (cl-prettyexpand '(cl-loop for x below 10 collect x))
4416 and type @kbd{C-x C-e} immediately after the closing parenthesis;
4417 an expansion similar to:
4424 (setq G1004 (cons x G1004))
4430 will be inserted into the buffer. (The @code{cl-block} macro is
4431 expanded differently in the interpreter and compiler, so
4432 @code{cl-prettyexpand} just leaves it alone. The temporary
4433 variable @code{G1004} was created by @code{cl-gensym}.)
4435 If the optional argument @var{full} is true, then @emph{all}
4436 macros are expanded, including @code{cl-block}, @code{cl-eval-when},
4437 and compiler macros. Expansion is done as if @var{form} were
4438 a top-level form in a file being compiled.
4440 @c FIXME none of these examples are still applicable.
4445 (cl-prettyexpand '(cl-pushnew 'x list))
4446 @print{} (setq list (cl-adjoin 'x list))
4447 (cl-prettyexpand '(cl-pushnew 'x list) t)
4448 @print{} (setq list (if (memq 'x list) list (cons 'x list)))
4449 (cl-prettyexpand '(caddr (cl-member 'a list)) t)
4450 @print{} (car (cdr (cdr (memq 'a list))))
4454 Note that @code{cl-adjoin}, @code{cl-caddr}, and @code{cl-member} all
4455 have built-in compiler macros to optimize them in common cases.
4458 @appendixsec Error Checking
4461 Common Lisp compliance has in general not been sacrificed for the
4462 sake of efficiency. A few exceptions have been made for cases
4463 where substantial gains were possible at the expense of marginal
4466 The Common Lisp standard (as embodied in Steele's book) uses the
4467 phrase ``it is an error if'' to indicate a situation that is not
4468 supposed to arise in complying programs; implementations are strongly
4469 encouraged but not required to signal an error in these situations.
4470 This package sometimes omits such error checking in the interest of
4471 compactness and efficiency. For example, @code{cl-do} variable
4472 specifiers are supposed to be lists of one, two, or three forms; extra
4473 forms are ignored by this package rather than signaling a syntax
4474 error. Functions taking keyword arguments will accept an odd number
4475 of arguments, treating the trailing keyword as if it were followed by
4476 the value @code{nil}.
4478 Argument lists (as processed by @code{cl-defun} and friends)
4479 @emph{are} checked rigorously except for the minor point just
4480 mentioned; in particular, keyword arguments are checked for
4481 validity, and @code{&allow-other-keys} and @code{:allow-other-keys}
4482 are fully implemented. Keyword validity checking is slightly
4483 time consuming (though not too bad in byte-compiled code);
4484 you can use @code{&allow-other-keys} to omit this check. Functions
4485 defined in this package such as @code{cl-find} and @code{cl-member}
4486 do check their keyword arguments for validity.
4488 @appendixsec Compiler Optimizations
4491 Changing the value of @code{byte-optimize} from the default @code{t}
4492 is highly discouraged; many of the Common
4494 code that can be improved by optimization. In particular,
4495 @code{cl-block}s (whether explicit or implicit in constructs like
4496 @code{cl-defun} and @code{cl-loop}) carry a fair run-time penalty; the
4497 byte-compiler removes @code{cl-block}s that are not actually
4498 referenced by @code{cl-return} or @code{cl-return-from} inside the block.
4500 @node Common Lisp Compatibility
4501 @appendix Common Lisp Compatibility
4504 The following is a list of some of the most important
4505 incompatibilities between this package and Common Lisp as documented
4506 in Steele (2nd edition).
4508 The word @code{cl-defun} is required instead of @code{defun} in order
4509 to use extended Common Lisp argument lists in a function. Likewise,
4510 @code{cl-defmacro} and @code{cl-function} are versions of those forms
4511 which understand full-featured argument lists. The @code{&whole}
4512 keyword does not work in @code{cl-defmacro} argument lists (except
4513 inside recursive argument lists).
4515 The @code{equal} predicate does not distinguish
4516 between IEEE floating-point plus and minus zero. The @code{cl-equalp}
4517 predicate has several differences with Common Lisp; @pxref{Predicates}.
4519 The @code{cl-do-all-symbols} form is the same as @code{cl-do-symbols}
4520 with no @var{obarray} argument. In Common Lisp, this form would
4521 iterate over all symbols in all packages. Since Emacs obarrays
4522 are not a first-class package mechanism, there is no way for
4523 @code{cl-do-all-symbols} to locate any but the default obarray.
4525 The @code{cl-loop} macro is complete except that @code{loop-finish}
4526 and type specifiers are unimplemented.
4528 The multiple-value return facility treats lists as multiple
4529 values, since Emacs Lisp cannot support multiple return values
4530 directly. The macros will be compatible with Common Lisp if
4531 @code{cl-values} or @code{cl-values-list} is always used to return to
4532 a @code{cl-multiple-value-bind} or other multiple-value receiver;
4533 if @code{cl-values} is used without @code{cl-multiple-value-@dots{}}
4534 or vice-versa the effect will be different from Common Lisp.
4536 Many Common Lisp declarations are ignored, and others match
4537 the Common Lisp standard in concept but not in detail. For
4538 example, local @code{special} declarations, which are purely
4539 advisory in Emacs Lisp, do not rigorously obey the scoping rules
4540 set down in Steele's book.
4542 The variable @code{cl--gensym-counter} starts out with zero.
4544 The @code{cl-defstruct} facility is compatible, except that structures
4545 are of type @code{:type vector :named} by default rather than some
4546 special, distinct type. Also, the @code{:type} slot option is ignored.
4548 The second argument of @code{cl-check-type} is treated differently.
4550 @node Porting Common Lisp
4551 @appendix Porting Common Lisp
4554 This package is meant to be used as an extension to Emacs Lisp,
4555 not as an Emacs implementation of true Common Lisp. Some of the
4556 remaining differences between Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp make it
4557 difficult to port large Common Lisp applications to Emacs. For
4558 one, some of the features in this package are not fully compliant
4559 with ANSI or Steele; @pxref{Common Lisp Compatibility}. But there
4560 are also quite a few features that this package does not provide
4561 at all. Here are some major omissions that you will want to watch out
4562 for when bringing Common Lisp code into Emacs.
4566 Case-insensitivity. Symbols in Common Lisp are case-insensitive
4567 by default. Some programs refer to a function or variable as
4568 @code{foo} in one place and @code{Foo} or @code{FOO} in another.
4569 Emacs Lisp will treat these as three distinct symbols.
4571 Some Common Lisp code is written entirely in upper case. While Emacs
4572 is happy to let the program's own functions and variables use
4573 this convention, calls to Lisp builtins like @code{if} and
4574 @code{defun} will have to be changed to lower case.
4577 Lexical scoping. In Common Lisp, function arguments and @code{let}
4578 bindings apply only to references physically within their bodies (or
4579 within macro expansions in their bodies). Traditionally, Emacs Lisp
4580 uses @dfn{dynamic scoping} wherein a binding to a variable is visible
4581 even inside functions called from the body.
4582 @xref{Dynamic Binding,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
4583 Lexical binding is available since Emacs 24.1, so be sure to set
4584 @code{lexical-binding} to @code{t} if you need to emulate this aspect
4585 of Common Lisp. @xref{Lexical Binding,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
4587 Here is an example of a Common Lisp code fragment that would fail in
4588 Emacs Lisp if @code{lexical-binding} were set to @code{nil}:
4591 (defun map-odd-elements (func list)
4593 for flag = t then (not flag)
4594 collect (if flag x (funcall func x))))
4596 (defun add-odd-elements (list x)
4597 (map-odd-elements (lambda (a) (+ a x)) list))
4601 With lexical binding, the two functions' usages of @code{x} are
4602 completely independent. With dynamic binding, the binding to @code{x}
4603 made by @code{add-odd-elements} will have been hidden by the binding
4604 in @code{map-odd-elements} by the time the @code{(+ a x)} function is
4607 Internally, this package uses lexical binding so that such problems do
4608 not occur. @xref{Obsolete Lexical Binding}, for a description of the obsolete
4609 @code{lexical-let} form that emulates a Common Lisp-style lexical
4610 binding when dynamic binding is in use.
4613 Reader macros. Common Lisp includes a second type of macro that
4614 works at the level of individual characters. For example, Common
4615 Lisp implements the quote notation by a reader macro called @code{'},
4616 whereas Emacs Lisp's parser just treats quote as a special case.
4617 Some Lisp packages use reader macros to create special syntaxes
4618 for themselves, which the Emacs parser is incapable of reading.
4621 Other syntactic features. Common Lisp provides a number of
4622 notations beginning with @code{#} that the Emacs Lisp parser
4623 won't understand. For example, @samp{#| @dots{} |#} is an
4624 alternate comment notation, and @samp{#+lucid (foo)} tells
4625 the parser to ignore the @code{(foo)} except in Lucid Common
4629 Packages. In Common Lisp, symbols are divided into @dfn{packages}.
4630 Symbols that are Lisp built-ins are typically stored in one package;
4631 symbols that are vendor extensions are put in another, and each
4632 application program would have a package for its own symbols.
4633 Certain symbols are ``exported'' by a package and others are
4634 internal; certain packages ``use'' or import the exported symbols
4635 of other packages. To access symbols that would not normally be
4636 visible due to this importing and exporting, Common Lisp provides
4637 a syntax like @code{package:symbol} or @code{package::symbol}.
4639 Emacs Lisp has a single namespace for all interned symbols, and
4640 then uses a naming convention of putting a prefix like @code{cl-}
4641 in front of the name. Some Emacs packages adopt the Common Lisp-like
4642 convention of using @code{cl:} or @code{cl::} as the prefix.
4643 However, the Emacs parser does not understand colons and just
4644 treats them as part of the symbol name. Thus, while @code{mapcar}
4645 and @code{lisp:mapcar} may refer to the same symbol in Common
4646 Lisp, they are totally distinct in Emacs Lisp. Common Lisp
4647 programs that refer to a symbol by the full name sometimes
4648 and the short name other times will not port cleanly to Emacs.
4650 Emacs Lisp does have a concept of ``obarrays'', which are
4651 package-like collections of symbols, but this feature is not
4652 strong enough to be used as a true package mechanism.
4655 The @code{format} function is quite different between Common
4656 Lisp and Emacs Lisp. It takes an additional ``destination''
4657 argument before the format string. A destination of @code{nil}
4658 means to format to a string as in Emacs Lisp; a destination
4659 of @code{t} means to write to the terminal (similar to
4660 @code{message} in Emacs). Also, format control strings are
4661 utterly different; @code{~} is used instead of @code{%} to
4662 introduce format codes, and the set of available codes is
4663 much richer. There are no notations like @code{\n} for
4664 string literals; instead, @code{format} is used with the
4665 ``newline'' format code, @code{~%}. More advanced formatting
4666 codes provide such features as paragraph filling, case
4667 conversion, and even loops and conditionals.
4669 While it would have been possible to implement most of Common
4670 Lisp @code{format} in this package (under the name @code{cl-format},
4671 of course), it was not deemed worthwhile. It would have required
4672 a huge amount of code to implement even a decent subset of
4673 @code{format}, yet the functionality it would provide over
4674 Emacs Lisp's @code{format} would rarely be useful.
4677 Vector constants use square brackets in Emacs Lisp, but
4678 @code{#(a b c)} notation in Common Lisp. To further complicate
4679 matters, Emacs has its own @code{#(} notation for
4680 something entirely different---strings with properties.
4683 Characters are distinct from integers in Common Lisp. The notation
4684 for character constants is also different: @code{#\A} in Common Lisp
4685 where Emacs Lisp uses @code{?A}. Also, @code{string=} and
4686 @code{string-equal} are synonyms in Emacs Lisp, whereas the latter is
4687 case-insensitive in Common Lisp.
4690 Data types. Some Common Lisp data types do not exist in Emacs
4691 Lisp. Rational numbers and complex numbers are not present,
4692 nor are large integers (all integers are ``fixnums''). All
4693 arrays are one-dimensional. There are no readtables or pathnames;
4694 streams are a set of existing data types rather than a new data
4695 type of their own. Hash tables, random-states, structures, and
4696 packages (obarrays) are built from Lisp vectors or lists rather
4697 than being distinct types.
4700 The Common Lisp Object System (CLOS) is not implemented,
4701 nor is the Common Lisp Condition System. However, the EIEIO package
4702 (@pxref{Top, , Introduction, eieio, EIEIO}) does implement some
4706 Common Lisp features that are completely redundant with Emacs
4707 Lisp features of a different name generally have not been
4708 implemented. For example, Common Lisp writes @code{defconstant}
4709 where Emacs Lisp uses @code{defconst}. Similarly, @code{make-list}
4710 takes its arguments in different ways in the two Lisps but does
4711 exactly the same thing, so this package has not bothered to
4712 implement a Common Lisp-style @code{make-list}.
4715 A few more notable Common Lisp features not included in this package:
4716 @code{compiler-let}, @code{prog}, @code{ldb/dpb}, @code{cerror}.
4719 Recursion. While recursion works in Emacs Lisp just like it
4720 does in Common Lisp, various details of the Emacs Lisp system
4721 and compiler make recursion much less efficient than it is in
4722 most Lisps. Some schools of thought prefer to use recursion
4723 in Lisp over other techniques; they would sum a list of
4724 numbers using something like
4727 (defun sum-list (list)
4729 (+ (car list) (sum-list (cdr list)))
4734 where a more iteratively-minded programmer might write one of
4738 (let ((total 0)) (dolist (x my-list) (incf total x)) total)
4739 (loop for x in my-list sum x)
4742 While this would be mainly a stylistic choice in most Common Lisps,
4743 in Emacs Lisp you should be aware that the iterative forms are
4744 much faster than recursion. Also, Lisp programmers will want to
4745 note that the current Emacs Lisp compiler does not optimize tail
4749 @node Obsolete Features
4750 @appendix Obsolete Features
4752 This section describes some features of the package that are obsolete
4753 and should not be used in new code. They are either only provided by
4754 the old @file{cl.el} entry point, not by the newer @file{cl-lib.el};
4755 or where versions with a @samp{cl-} prefix do exist they do not behave
4756 in exactly the same way.
4759 * Obsolete Lexical Binding:: An approximation of lexical binding.
4760 * Obsolete Macros:: Obsolete macros.
4761 * Obsolete Setf Customization:: Obsolete ways to customize setf.
4764 @node Obsolete Lexical Binding
4765 @appendixsec Obsolete Lexical Binding
4767 The following macros are extensions to Common Lisp, where all bindings
4768 are lexical unless declared otherwise. These features are likewise
4769 obsolete since the introduction of true lexical binding in Emacs 24.1.
4771 @defmac lexical-let (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
4772 This form is exactly like @code{let} except that the bindings it
4773 establishes are purely lexical.
4776 @c FIXME remove this and refer to elisp manual.
4777 @c Maybe merge some stuff from here to there?
4779 Lexical bindings are similar to local variables in a language like C:
4780 Only the code physically within the body of the @code{lexical-let}
4781 (after macro expansion) may refer to the bound variables.
4785 (defun foo (b) (+ a b))
4786 (let ((a 2)) (foo a))
4788 (lexical-let ((a 2)) (foo a))
4793 In this example, a regular @code{let} binding of @code{a} actually
4794 makes a temporary change to the global variable @code{a}, so @code{foo}
4795 is able to see the binding of @code{a} to 2. But @code{lexical-let}
4796 actually creates a distinct local variable @code{a} for use within its
4797 body, without any effect on the global variable of the same name.
4799 The most important use of lexical bindings is to create @dfn{closures}.
4800 A closure is a function object that refers to an outside lexical
4801 variable (@pxref{Closures,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
4805 (defun make-adder (n)
4806 (lexical-let ((n n))
4807 (function (lambda (m) (+ n m)))))
4808 (setq add17 (make-adder 17))
4814 The call @code{(make-adder 17)} returns a function object which adds
4815 17 to its argument. If @code{let} had been used instead of
4816 @code{lexical-let}, the function object would have referred to the
4817 global @code{n}, which would have been bound to 17 only during the
4818 call to @code{make-adder} itself.
4821 (defun make-counter ()
4822 (lexical-let ((n 0))
4823 (cl-function (lambda (&optional (m 1)) (cl-incf n m)))))
4824 (setq count-1 (make-counter))
4827 (funcall count-1 14)
4829 (setq count-2 (make-counter))
4839 Here we see that each call to @code{make-counter} creates a distinct
4840 local variable @code{n}, which serves as a private counter for the
4841 function object that is returned.
4843 Closed-over lexical variables persist until the last reference to
4844 them goes away, just like all other Lisp objects. For example,
4845 @code{count-2} refers to a function object which refers to an
4846 instance of the variable @code{n}; this is the only reference
4847 to that variable, so after @code{(setq count-2 nil)} the garbage
4848 collector would be able to delete this instance of @code{n}.
4849 Of course, if a @code{lexical-let} does not actually create any
4850 closures, then the lexical variables are free as soon as the
4851 @code{lexical-let} returns.
4853 Many closures are used only during the extent of the bindings they
4854 refer to; these are known as ``downward funargs'' in Lisp parlance.
4855 When a closure is used in this way, regular Emacs Lisp dynamic
4856 bindings suffice and will be more efficient than @code{lexical-let}
4860 (defun add-to-list (x list)
4861 (mapcar (lambda (y) (+ x y))) list)
4862 (add-to-list 7 '(1 2 5))
4867 Since this lambda is only used while @code{x} is still bound,
4868 it is not necessary to make a true closure out of it.
4870 You can use @code{defun} or @code{flet} inside a @code{lexical-let}
4871 to create a named closure. If several closures are created in the
4872 body of a single @code{lexical-let}, they all close over the same
4873 instance of the lexical variable.
4875 @defmac lexical-let* (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
4876 This form is just like @code{lexical-let}, except that the bindings
4877 are made sequentially in the manner of @code{let*}.
4880 @node Obsolete Macros
4881 @appendixsec Obsolete Macros
4883 The following macros are obsolete, and are replaced by versions with
4884 a @samp{cl-} prefix that do not behave in exactly the same way.
4885 Consequently, the @file{cl.el} versions are not simply aliases to the
4886 @file{cl-lib.el} versions.
4888 @defmac flet (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
4889 This macro is replaced by @code{cl-flet} (@pxref{Function Bindings}),
4890 which behaves the same way as Common Lisp's @code{flet}.
4891 This @code{flet} takes the same arguments as @code{cl-flet}, but does
4892 not behave in precisely the same way.
4894 While @code{flet} in Common Lisp establishes a lexical function
4895 binding, this @code{flet} makes a dynamic binding (it dates from a
4896 time before Emacs had lexical binding). The result is
4897 that @code{flet} affects indirect calls to a function as well as calls
4898 directly inside the @code{flet} form itself.
4900 This will even work on Emacs primitives, although note that some calls
4901 to primitive functions internal to Emacs are made without going
4902 through the symbol's function cell, and so will not be affected by
4903 @code{flet}. For example,
4906 (flet ((message (&rest args) (push args saved-msgs)))
4910 This code attempts to replace the built-in function @code{message}
4911 with a function that simply saves the messages in a list rather
4912 than displaying them. The original definition of @code{message}
4913 will be restored after @code{do-something} exits. This code will
4914 work fine on messages generated by other Lisp code, but messages
4915 generated directly inside Emacs will not be caught since they make
4916 direct C-language calls to the message routines rather than going
4917 through the Lisp @code{message} function.
4919 For those cases where the dynamic scoping of @code{flet} is desired,
4920 @code{cl-flet} is clearly not a substitute. The most direct replacement would
4921 be instead to use @code{cl-letf} to temporarily rebind @code{(symbol-function
4922 '@var{fun})}. But in most cases, a better substitute is to use advice, such
4926 (defvar my-fun-advice-enable nil)
4927 (add-advice '@var{fun} :around
4928 (lambda (orig &rest args)
4929 (if my-fun-advice-enable (do-something)
4930 (apply orig args))))
4933 so that you can then replace the @code{flet} with a simple dynamically scoped
4934 binding of @code{my-fun-advice-enable}.
4937 Note that many primitives (e.g., @code{+}) have special byte-compile handling.
4938 Attempts to redefine such functions using @code{flet}, @code{cl-letf}, or
4939 advice will fail when byte-compiled.
4941 @c In such cases, use @code{labels} instead.
4944 @defmac labels (bindings@dots{}) forms@dots{}
4945 This macro is replaced by @code{cl-labels} (@pxref{Function Bindings}),
4946 which behaves the same way as Common Lisp's @code{labels}.
4947 This @code{labels} takes the same arguments as @code{cl-labels}, but
4948 does not behave in precisely the same way.
4950 This version of @code{labels} uses the obsolete @code{lexical-let}
4951 form (@pxref{Obsolete Lexical Binding}), rather than the true
4952 lexical binding that @code{cl-labels} uses.
4955 @node Obsolete Setf Customization
4956 @appendixsec Obsolete Ways to Customize Setf
4958 Common Lisp defines three macros, @code{define-modify-macro},
4959 @code{defsetf}, and @code{define-setf-method}, that allow the
4960 user to extend generalized variables in various ways.
4961 In Emacs, these are obsolete, replaced by various features of
4962 @file{gv.el} in Emacs 24.3.
4963 @xref{Adding Generalized Variables,,,elisp,GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
4966 @defmac define-modify-macro name arglist function [doc-string]
4967 This macro defines a ``read-modify-write'' macro similar to
4968 @code{cl-incf} and @code{cl-decf}. You can replace this macro
4969 with @code{gv-letplace}.
4971 The macro @var{name} is defined to take a @var{place} argument
4972 followed by additional arguments described by @var{arglist}. The call
4975 (@var{name} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{})
4982 (cl-callf @var{func} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{})
4986 which in turn is roughly equivalent to
4989 (setf @var{place} (@var{func} @var{place} @var{args}@dots{}))
4995 (define-modify-macro incf (&optional (n 1)) +)
4996 (define-modify-macro concatf (&rest args) concat)
4999 Note that @code{&key} is not allowed in @var{arglist}, but
5000 @code{&rest} is sufficient to pass keywords on to the function.
5002 Most of the modify macros defined by Common Lisp do not exactly
5003 follow the pattern of @code{define-modify-macro}. For example,
5004 @code{push} takes its arguments in the wrong order, and @code{pop}
5005 is completely irregular.
5007 The above @code{incf} example could be written using
5008 @code{gv-letplace} as:
5010 (defmacro incf (place &optional n)
5011 (gv-letplace (getter setter) place
5012 (macroexp-let2 nil v (or n 1)
5013 (funcall setter `(+ ,v ,getter)))))
5016 (defmacro concatf (place &rest args)
5017 (gv-letplace (getter setter) place
5018 (macroexp-let2 nil v (mapconcat 'identity args "")
5019 (funcall setter `(concat ,getter ,v)))))
5023 @defmac defsetf access-fn update-fn
5024 This is the simpler of two @code{defsetf} forms, and is
5025 replaced by @code{gv-define-simple-setter}.
5027 With @var{access-fn} the name of a function that accesses a place,
5028 this declares @var{update-fn} to be the corresponding store function.
5032 (setf (@var{access-fn} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3}) @var{value})
5039 (@var{update-fn} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3} @var{value})
5043 The @var{update-fn} is required to be either a true function, or
5044 a macro that evaluates its arguments in a function-like way. Also,
5045 the @var{update-fn} is expected to return @var{value} as its result.
5046 Otherwise, the above expansion would not obey the rules for the way
5047 @code{setf} is supposed to behave.
5049 As a special (non-Common-Lisp) extension, a third argument of @code{t}
5050 to @code{defsetf} says that the return value of @code{update-fn} is
5051 not suitable, so that the above @code{setf} should be expanded to
5055 (let ((temp @var{value}))
5056 (@var{update-fn} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3} temp)
5063 (defsetf car setcar)
5064 (defsetf buffer-name rename-buffer t)
5067 These translate directly to @code{gv-define-simple-setter}:
5070 (gv-define-simple-setter car setcar)
5071 (gv-define-simple-setter buffer-name rename-buffer t)
5075 @defmac defsetf access-fn arglist (store-var) forms@dots{}
5076 This is the second, more complex, form of @code{defsetf}.
5077 It can be replaced by @code{gv-define-setter}.
5079 This form of @code{defsetf} is rather like @code{defmacro} except for
5080 the additional @var{store-var} argument. The @var{forms} should
5081 return a Lisp form that stores the value of @var{store-var} into the
5082 generalized variable formed by a call to @var{access-fn} with
5083 arguments described by @var{arglist}. The @var{forms} may begin with
5084 a string which documents the @code{setf} method (analogous to the doc
5085 string that appears at the front of a function).
5087 For example, the simple form of @code{defsetf} is shorthand for
5090 (defsetf @var{access-fn} (&rest args) (store)
5091 (append '(@var{update-fn}) args (list store)))
5094 The Lisp form that is returned can access the arguments from
5095 @var{arglist} and @var{store-var} in an unrestricted fashion;
5096 macros like @code{cl-incf} that invoke this
5097 setf-method will insert temporary variables as needed to make
5098 sure the apparent order of evaluation is preserved.
5100 Another standard example:
5103 (defsetf nth (n x) (store)
5104 `(setcar (nthcdr ,n ,x) ,store))
5107 You could write this using @code{gv-define-setter} as:
5110 (gv-define-setter nth (store n x)
5111 `(setcar (nthcdr ,n ,x) ,store))
5115 @defmac define-setf-method access-fn arglist forms@dots{}
5116 This is the most general way to create new place forms. You can
5117 replace this by @code{gv-define-setter} or @code{gv-define-expander}.
5119 When a @code{setf} to @var{access-fn} with arguments described by
5120 @var{arglist} is expanded, the @var{forms} are evaluated and must
5121 return a list of five items:
5125 A list of @dfn{temporary variables}.
5128 A list of @dfn{value forms} corresponding to the temporary variables
5129 above. The temporary variables will be bound to these value forms
5130 as the first step of any operation on the generalized variable.
5133 A list of exactly one @dfn{store variable} (generally obtained
5134 from a call to @code{gensym}).
5137 A Lisp form that stores the contents of the store variable into
5138 the generalized variable, assuming the temporaries have been
5139 bound as described above.
5142 A Lisp form that accesses the contents of the generalized variable,
5143 assuming the temporaries have been bound.
5146 This is exactly like the Common Lisp macro of the same name,
5147 except that the method returns a list of five values rather
5148 than the five values themselves, since Emacs Lisp does not
5149 support Common Lisp's notion of multiple return values.
5150 (Note that the @code{setf} implementation provided by @file{gv.el}
5151 does not use this five item format. Its use here is only for
5152 backwards compatibility.)
5154 Once again, the @var{forms} may begin with a documentation string.
5156 A setf-method should be maximally conservative with regard to
5157 temporary variables. In the setf-methods generated by
5158 @code{defsetf}, the second return value is simply the list of
5159 arguments in the place form, and the first return value is a
5160 list of a corresponding number of temporary variables generated
5161 @c FIXME I don't think this is true anymore.
5162 by @code{cl-gensym}. Macros like @code{cl-incf} that
5163 use this setf-method will optimize away most temporaries that
5164 turn out to be unnecessary, so there is little reason for the
5165 setf-method itself to optimize.
5168 @c Removed in Emacs 24.3, not possible to make a compatible replacement.
5170 @defun get-setf-method place &optional env
5171 This function returns the setf-method for @var{place}, by
5172 invoking the definition previously recorded by @code{defsetf}
5173 or @code{define-setf-method}. The result is a list of five
5174 values as described above. You can use this function to build
5175 your own @code{cl-incf}-like modify macros.
5177 The argument @var{env} specifies the ``environment'' to be
5178 passed on to @code{macroexpand} if @code{get-setf-method} should
5179 need to expand a macro in @var{place}. It should come from
5180 an @code{&environment} argument to the macro or setf-method
5181 that called @code{get-setf-method}.
5186 @node GNU Free Documentation License
5187 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
5188 @include doclicense.texi
5190 @node Function Index
5191 @unnumbered Function Index
5195 @node Variable Index
5196 @unnumbered Variable Index