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annotate lispref/macros.texi @ 73508:1c302a099242 EMACS_PRETEST_22_0_90
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date | Fri, 27 Oct 2006 15:47:36 +0000 |
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6558 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003, |
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4 @c 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6558 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
6 @setfilename ../info/macros | |
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7 @node Macros, Customization, Functions, Top |
6558 | 8 @chapter Macros |
9 @cindex macros | |
10 | |
11 @dfn{Macros} enable you to define new control constructs and other | |
12 language features. A macro is defined much like a function, but instead | |
13 of telling how to compute a value, it tells how to compute another Lisp | |
14 expression which will in turn compute the value. We call this | |
15 expression the @dfn{expansion} of the macro. | |
16 | |
17 Macros can do this because they operate on the unevaluated expressions | |
18 for the arguments, not on the argument values as functions do. They can | |
19 therefore construct an expansion containing these argument expressions | |
20 or parts of them. | |
21 | |
22 If you are using a macro to do something an ordinary function could | |
23 do, just for the sake of speed, consider using an inline function | |
24 instead. @xref{Inline Functions}. | |
25 | |
26 @menu | |
27 * Simple Macro:: A basic example. | |
28 * Expansion:: How, when and why macros are expanded. | |
29 * Compiling Macros:: How macros are expanded by the compiler. | |
30 * Defining Macros:: How to write a macro definition. | |
31 * Backquote:: Easier construction of list structure. | |
32 * Problems with Macros:: Don't evaluate the macro arguments too many times. | |
33 Don't hide the user's variables. | |
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34 * Indenting Macros:: Specifying how to indent macro calls. |
6558 | 35 @end menu |
36 | |
37 @node Simple Macro | |
38 @section A Simple Example of a Macro | |
39 | |
40 Suppose we would like to define a Lisp construct to increment a | |
41 variable value, much like the @code{++} operator in C. We would like to | |
42 write @code{(inc x)} and have the effect of @code{(setq x (1+ x))}. | |
43 Here's a macro definition that does the job: | |
44 | |
45 @findex inc | |
46 @example | |
47 @group | |
48 (defmacro inc (var) | |
49 (list 'setq var (list '1+ var))) | |
50 @end group | |
51 @end example | |
52 | |
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53 When this is called with @code{(inc x)}, the argument @var{var} is the |
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54 symbol @code{x}---@emph{not} the @emph{value} of @code{x}, as it would |
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55 be in a function. The body of the macro uses this to construct the |
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56 expansion, which is @code{(setq x (1+ x))}. Once the macro definition |
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57 returns this expansion, Lisp proceeds to evaluate it, thus incrementing |
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58 @code{x}. |
6558 | 59 |
60 @node Expansion | |
61 @section Expansion of a Macro Call | |
62 @cindex expansion of macros | |
63 @cindex macro call | |
64 | |
65 A macro call looks just like a function call in that it is a list which | |
66 starts with the name of the macro. The rest of the elements of the list | |
67 are the arguments of the macro. | |
68 | |
69 Evaluation of the macro call begins like evaluation of a function call | |
70 except for one crucial difference: the macro arguments are the actual | |
71 expressions appearing in the macro call. They are not evaluated before | |
72 they are given to the macro definition. By contrast, the arguments of a | |
73 function are results of evaluating the elements of the function call | |
74 list. | |
75 | |
76 Having obtained the arguments, Lisp invokes the macro definition just | |
77 as a function is invoked. The argument variables of the macro are bound | |
78 to the argument values from the macro call, or to a list of them in the | |
79 case of a @code{&rest} argument. And the macro body executes and | |
80 returns its value just as a function body does. | |
81 | |
82 The second crucial difference between macros and functions is that the | |
83 value returned by the macro body is not the value of the macro call. | |
84 Instead, it is an alternate expression for computing that value, also | |
85 known as the @dfn{expansion} of the macro. The Lisp interpreter | |
86 proceeds to evaluate the expansion as soon as it comes back from the | |
87 macro. | |
88 | |
89 Since the expansion is evaluated in the normal manner, it may contain | |
90 calls to other macros. It may even be a call to the same macro, though | |
91 this is unusual. | |
92 | |
93 You can see the expansion of a given macro call by calling | |
94 @code{macroexpand}. | |
95 | |
96 @defun macroexpand form &optional environment | |
97 @cindex macro expansion | |
98 This function expands @var{form}, if it is a macro call. If the result | |
99 is another macro call, it is expanded in turn, until something which is | |
100 not a macro call results. That is the value returned by | |
101 @code{macroexpand}. If @var{form} is not a macro call to begin with, it | |
102 is returned as given. | |
103 | |
104 Note that @code{macroexpand} does not look at the subexpressions of | |
105 @var{form} (although some macro definitions may do so). Even if they | |
106 are macro calls themselves, @code{macroexpand} does not expand them. | |
107 | |
108 The function @code{macroexpand} does not expand calls to inline functions. | |
109 Normally there is no need for that, since a call to an inline function is | |
110 no harder to understand than a call to an ordinary function. | |
111 | |
112 If @var{environment} is provided, it specifies an alist of macro | |
113 definitions that shadow the currently defined macros. Byte compilation | |
114 uses this feature. | |
115 | |
116 @smallexample | |
117 @group | |
118 (defmacro inc (var) | |
119 (list 'setq var (list '1+ var))) | |
120 @result{} inc | |
121 @end group | |
122 | |
123 @group | |
124 (macroexpand '(inc r)) | |
125 @result{} (setq r (1+ r)) | |
126 @end group | |
127 | |
128 @group | |
129 (defmacro inc2 (var1 var2) | |
130 (list 'progn (list 'inc var1) (list 'inc var2))) | |
131 @result{} inc2 | |
132 @end group | |
133 | |
134 @group | |
135 (macroexpand '(inc2 r s)) | |
136 @result{} (progn (inc r) (inc s)) ; @r{@code{inc} not expanded here.} | |
137 @end group | |
138 @end smallexample | |
139 @end defun | |
140 | |
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141 |
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142 @defun macroexpand-all form &optional environment |
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143 @cindex macro expansion in entire form |
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144 @code{macroexpand-all} expands macros like @code{macroexpand}, but |
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145 will look for and expand all macros in @var{form}, not just at the |
60267 | 146 top-level. If no macros are expanded, the return value is @code{eq} |
147 to @var{form}. | |
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148 |
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149 Repeating the example used for @code{macroexpand} above with |
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150 @code{macroexpand-all}, we see that @code{macroexpand-all} @emph{does} |
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151 expand the embedded calls to @code{inc}: |
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152 |
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153 @smallexample |
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154 (macroexpand-all '(inc2 r s)) |
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155 @result{} (progn (setq r (1+ r)) (setq s (1+ s))) |
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156 @end smallexample |
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158 @end defun |
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159 |
6558 | 160 @node Compiling Macros |
161 @section Macros and Byte Compilation | |
162 @cindex byte-compiling macros | |
163 | |
164 You might ask why we take the trouble to compute an expansion for a | |
165 macro and then evaluate the expansion. Why not have the macro body | |
166 produce the desired results directly? The reason has to do with | |
167 compilation. | |
168 | |
169 When a macro call appears in a Lisp program being compiled, the Lisp | |
170 compiler calls the macro definition just as the interpreter would, and | |
171 receives an expansion. But instead of evaluating this expansion, it | |
172 compiles the expansion as if it had appeared directly in the program. | |
173 As a result, the compiled code produces the value and side effects | |
174 intended for the macro, but executes at full compiled speed. This would | |
175 not work if the macro body computed the value and side effects | |
176 itself---they would be computed at compile time, which is not useful. | |
177 | |
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178 In order for compilation of macro calls to work, the macros must |
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179 already be defined in Lisp when the calls to them are compiled. The |
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180 compiler has a special feature to help you do this: if a file being |
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181 compiled contains a @code{defmacro} form, the macro is defined |
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182 temporarily for the rest of the compilation of that file. To make this |
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183 feature work, you must put the @code{defmacro} in the same file where it |
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184 is used, and before its first use. |
6558 | 185 |
186 Byte-compiling a file executes any @code{require} calls at top-level | |
187 in the file. This is in case the file needs the required packages for | |
188 proper compilation. One way to ensure that necessary macro definitions | |
12098 | 189 are available during compilation is to require the files that define |
190 them (@pxref{Named Features}). To avoid loading the macro definition files | |
191 when someone @emph{runs} the compiled program, write | |
192 @code{eval-when-compile} around the @code{require} calls (@pxref{Eval | |
193 During Compile}). | |
6558 | 194 |
195 @node Defining Macros | |
196 @section Defining Macros | |
197 | |
198 A Lisp macro is a list whose @sc{car} is @code{macro}. Its @sc{cdr} should | |
199 be a function; expansion of the macro works by applying the function | |
200 (with @code{apply}) to the list of unevaluated argument-expressions | |
201 from the macro call. | |
202 | |
203 It is possible to use an anonymous Lisp macro just like an anonymous | |
204 function, but this is never done, because it does not make sense to pass | |
12098 | 205 an anonymous macro to functionals such as @code{mapcar}. In practice, |
206 all Lisp macros have names, and they are usually defined with the | |
207 special form @code{defmacro}. | |
6558 | 208 |
209 @defspec defmacro name argument-list body-forms@dots{} | |
210 @code{defmacro} defines the symbol @var{name} as a macro that looks | |
211 like this: | |
212 | |
213 @example | |
214 (macro lambda @var{argument-list} . @var{body-forms}) | |
215 @end example | |
216 | |
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217 (Note that the @sc{cdr} of this list is a function---a lambda expression.) |
6558 | 218 This macro object is stored in the function cell of @var{name}. The |
219 value returned by evaluating the @code{defmacro} form is @var{name}, but | |
220 usually we ignore this value. | |
221 | |
222 The shape and meaning of @var{argument-list} is the same as in a | |
223 function, and the keywords @code{&rest} and @code{&optional} may be used | |
224 (@pxref{Argument List}). Macros may have a documentation string, but | |
225 any @code{interactive} declaration is ignored since macros cannot be | |
226 called interactively. | |
227 @end defspec | |
228 | |
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229 The body of the macro definition can include a @code{declare} form, |
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230 which can specify how @key{TAB} should indent macro calls, and how to |
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231 step through them for Edebug. |
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232 |
56215 | 233 @defmac declare @var{specs}@dots{} |
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234 @anchor{Definition of declare} |
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235 A @code{declare} form is used in a macro definition to specify various |
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236 additional information about it. Two kinds of specification are |
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237 currently supported: |
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238 |
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239 @table @code |
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240 @item (debug @var{edebug-form-spec}) |
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241 Specify how to step through macro calls for Edebug. |
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242 @xref{Instrumenting Macro Calls}, for more details. |
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243 |
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244 @item (indent @var{indent-spec}) |
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245 Specify how to indent calls to this macro. @xref{Indenting Macros}, |
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246 for more details. |
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247 @end table |
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248 |
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249 A @code{declare} form only has its special effect in the body of a |
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250 @code{defmacro} form if it immediately follows the documentation |
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251 string, if present, or the argument list otherwise. (Strictly |
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252 speaking, @emph{several} @code{declare} forms can follow the |
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253 documentation string or argument list, but since a @code{declare} form |
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254 can have several @var{specs}, they can always be combined into a |
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255 single form.) When used at other places in a @code{defmacro} form, or |
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256 outside a @code{defmacro} form, @code{declare} just returns @code{nil} |
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257 without evaluating any @var{specs}. |
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258 @end defmac |
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259 |
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260 No macro absolutely needs a @code{declare} form, because that form |
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261 has no effect on how the macro expands, on what the macro means in the |
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262 program. It only affects secondary features: indentation and Edebug. |
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263 |
6558 | 264 @node Backquote |
265 @section Backquote | |
266 @cindex backquote (list substitution) | |
267 @cindex ` (list substitution) | |
12067 | 268 @findex ` |
6558 | 269 |
270 Macros often need to construct large list structures from a mixture of | |
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271 constants and nonconstant parts. To make this easier, use the @samp{`} |
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272 syntax (usually called @dfn{backquote}). |
6558 | 273 |
274 Backquote allows you to quote a list, but selectively evaluate | |
275 elements of that list. In the simplest case, it is identical to the | |
276 special form @code{quote} (@pxref{Quoting}). For example, these | |
277 two forms yield identical results: | |
278 | |
279 @example | |
280 @group | |
12067 | 281 `(a list of (+ 2 3) elements) |
6558 | 282 @result{} (a list of (+ 2 3) elements) |
283 @end group | |
284 @group | |
12067 | 285 '(a list of (+ 2 3) elements) |
6558 | 286 @result{} (a list of (+ 2 3) elements) |
287 @end group | |
288 @end example | |
289 | |
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290 @findex , @r{(with Backquote)} |
12098 | 291 The special marker @samp{,} inside of the argument to backquote |
6558 | 292 indicates a value that isn't constant. Backquote evaluates the |
12098 | 293 argument of @samp{,} and puts the value in the list structure: |
6558 | 294 |
295 @example | |
296 @group | |
297 (list 'a 'list 'of (+ 2 3) 'elements) | |
298 @result{} (a list of 5 elements) | |
299 @end group | |
300 @group | |
12067 | 301 `(a list of ,(+ 2 3) elements) |
6558 | 302 @result{} (a list of 5 elements) |
303 @end group | |
304 @end example | |
305 | |
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306 Substitution with @samp{,} is allowed at deeper levels of the list |
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307 structure also. For example: |
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308 |
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309 @example |
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310 @group |
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311 (defmacro t-becomes-nil (variable) |
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312 `(if (eq ,variable t) |
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313 (setq ,variable nil))) |
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314 @end group |
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315 |
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316 @group |
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317 (t-becomes-nil foo) |
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318 @equiv{} (if (eq foo t) (setq foo nil)) |
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319 @end group |
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320 @end example |
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321 |
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322 @findex ,@@ @r{(with Backquote)} |
6558 | 323 @cindex splicing (with backquote) |
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324 You can also @dfn{splice} an evaluated value into the resulting list, |
12098 | 325 using the special marker @samp{,@@}. The elements of the spliced list |
6558 | 326 become elements at the same level as the other elements of the resulting |
12098 | 327 list. The equivalent code without using @samp{`} is often unreadable. |
6558 | 328 Here are some examples: |
329 | |
330 @example | |
331 @group | |
332 (setq some-list '(2 3)) | |
333 @result{} (2 3) | |
334 @end group | |
335 @group | |
336 (cons 1 (append some-list '(4) some-list)) | |
337 @result{} (1 2 3 4 2 3) | |
338 @end group | |
339 @group | |
12067 | 340 `(1 ,@@some-list 4 ,@@some-list) |
6558 | 341 @result{} (1 2 3 4 2 3) |
342 @end group | |
343 | |
344 @group | |
345 (setq list '(hack foo bar)) | |
346 @result{} (hack foo bar) | |
347 @end group | |
348 @group | |
349 (cons 'use | |
350 (cons 'the | |
351 (cons 'words (append (cdr list) '(as elements))))) | |
352 @result{} (use the words foo bar as elements) | |
353 @end group | |
354 @group | |
12067 | 355 `(use the words ,@@(cdr list) as elements) |
6558 | 356 @result{} (use the words foo bar as elements) |
357 @end group | |
358 @end example | |
359 | |
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360 In old Emacs versions, before version 19.29, @samp{`} used a different |
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361 syntax which required an extra level of parentheses around the entire |
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362 backquote construct. Likewise, each @samp{,} or @samp{,@@} substitution |
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363 required an extra level of parentheses surrounding both the @samp{,} or |
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364 @samp{,@@} and the following expression. The old syntax required |
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365 whitespace between the @samp{`}, @samp{,} or @samp{,@@} and the |
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366 following expression. |
6558 | 367 |
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368 This syntax is still accepted, for compatibility with old Emacs |
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369 versions, but we recommend not using it in new programs. |
6558 | 370 |
371 @node Problems with Macros | |
372 @section Common Problems Using Macros | |
373 | |
374 The basic facts of macro expansion have counterintuitive consequences. | |
375 This section describes some important consequences that can lead to | |
376 trouble, and rules to follow to avoid trouble. | |
377 | |
378 @menu | |
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379 * Wrong Time:: Do the work in the expansion, not in the macro. |
6558 | 380 * Argument Evaluation:: The expansion should evaluate each macro arg once. |
381 * Surprising Local Vars:: Local variable bindings in the expansion | |
382 require special care. | |
383 * Eval During Expansion:: Don't evaluate them; put them in the expansion. | |
384 * Repeated Expansion:: Avoid depending on how many times expansion is done. | |
385 @end menu | |
386 | |
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387 @node Wrong Time |
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388 @subsection Wrong Time |
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389 |
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390 The most common problem in writing macros is doing some of the |
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391 real work prematurely---while expanding the macro, rather than in the |
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392 expansion itself. For instance, one real package had this macro |
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393 definition: |
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394 |
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395 @example |
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396 (defmacro my-set-buffer-multibyte (arg) |
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397 (if (fboundp 'set-buffer-multibyte) |
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398 (set-buffer-multibyte arg))) |
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399 @end example |
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400 |
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401 With this erroneous macro definition, the program worked fine when |
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402 interpreted but failed when compiled. This macro definition called |
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403 @code{set-buffer-multibyte} during compilation, which was wrong, and |
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404 then did nothing when the compiled package was run. The definition |
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405 that the programmer really wanted was this: |
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406 |
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407 @example |
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408 (defmacro my-set-buffer-multibyte (arg) |
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409 (if (fboundp 'set-buffer-multibyte) |
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410 `(set-buffer-multibyte ,arg))) |
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411 @end example |
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412 |
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413 @noindent |
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414 This macro expands, if appropriate, into a call to |
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415 @code{set-buffer-multibyte} that will be executed when the compiled |
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416 program is actually run. |
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417 |
6558 | 418 @node Argument Evaluation |
419 @subsection Evaluating Macro Arguments Repeatedly | |
420 | |
421 When defining a macro you must pay attention to the number of times | |
422 the arguments will be evaluated when the expansion is executed. The | |
423 following macro (used to facilitate iteration) illustrates the problem. | |
424 This macro allows us to write a simple ``for'' loop such as one might | |
425 find in Pascal. | |
426 | |
427 @findex for | |
428 @smallexample | |
429 @group | |
430 (defmacro for (var from init to final do &rest body) | |
431 "Execute a simple \"for\" loop. | |
432 For example, (for i from 1 to 10 do (print i))." | |
433 (list 'let (list (list var init)) | |
434 (cons 'while (cons (list '<= var final) | |
435 (append body (list (list 'inc var))))))) | |
436 @end group | |
437 @result{} for | |
438 | |
439 @group | |
440 (for i from 1 to 3 do | |
441 (setq square (* i i)) | |
442 (princ (format "\n%d %d" i square))) | |
443 @expansion{} | |
444 @end group | |
445 @group | |
446 (let ((i 1)) | |
447 (while (<= i 3) | |
448 (setq square (* i i)) | |
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449 (princ (format "\n%d %d" i square)) |
6558 | 450 (inc i))) |
451 @end group | |
452 @group | |
453 | |
454 @print{}1 1 | |
455 @print{}2 4 | |
456 @print{}3 9 | |
457 @result{} nil | |
458 @end group | |
459 @end smallexample | |
460 | |
461 @noindent | |
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462 The arguments @code{from}, @code{to}, and @code{do} in this macro are |
6558 | 463 ``syntactic sugar''; they are entirely ignored. The idea is that you |
464 will write noise words (such as @code{from}, @code{to}, and @code{do}) | |
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465 in those positions in the macro call. |
6558 | 466 |
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467 Here's an equivalent definition simplified through use of backquote: |
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468 |
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469 @smallexample |
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470 @group |
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471 (defmacro for (var from init to final do &rest body) |
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472 "Execute a simple \"for\" loop. |
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473 For example, (for i from 1 to 10 do (print i))." |
12098 | 474 `(let ((,var ,init)) |
475 (while (<= ,var ,final) | |
476 ,@@body | |
477 (inc ,var)))) | |
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478 @end group |
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479 @end smallexample |
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480 |
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481 Both forms of this definition (with backquote and without) suffer from |
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482 the defect that @var{final} is evaluated on every iteration. If |
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483 @var{final} is a constant, this is not a problem. If it is a more |
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484 complex form, say @code{(long-complex-calculation x)}, this can slow |
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485 down the execution significantly. If @var{final} has side effects, |
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486 executing it more than once is probably incorrect. |
6558 | 487 |
488 @cindex macro argument evaluation | |
489 A well-designed macro definition takes steps to avoid this problem by | |
490 producing an expansion that evaluates the argument expressions exactly | |
491 once unless repeated evaluation is part of the intended purpose of the | |
492 macro. Here is a correct expansion for the @code{for} macro: | |
493 | |
494 @smallexample | |
495 @group | |
496 (let ((i 1) | |
497 (max 3)) | |
498 (while (<= i max) | |
499 (setq square (* i i)) | |
500 (princ (format "%d %d" i square)) | |
501 (inc i))) | |
502 @end group | |
503 @end smallexample | |
504 | |
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505 Here is a macro definition that creates this expansion: |
6558 | 506 |
507 @smallexample | |
508 @group | |
509 (defmacro for (var from init to final do &rest body) | |
510 "Execute a simple for loop: (for i from 1 to 10 do (print i))." | |
12098 | 511 `(let ((,var ,init) |
512 (max ,final)) | |
513 (while (<= ,var max) | |
514 ,@@body | |
515 (inc ,var)))) | |
6558 | 516 @end group |
517 @end smallexample | |
518 | |
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519 Unfortunately, this fix introduces another problem, |
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520 described in the following section. |
6558 | 521 |
522 @node Surprising Local Vars | |
523 @subsection Local Variables in Macro Expansions | |
524 | |
27193 | 525 @ifnottex |
6558 | 526 In the previous section, the definition of @code{for} was fixed as |
527 follows to make the expansion evaluate the macro arguments the proper | |
528 number of times: | |
529 | |
530 @smallexample | |
531 @group | |
532 (defmacro for (var from init to final do &rest body) | |
533 "Execute a simple for loop: (for i from 1 to 10 do (print i))." | |
534 @end group | |
535 @group | |
12098 | 536 `(let ((,var ,init) |
537 (max ,final)) | |
538 (while (<= ,var max) | |
539 ,@@body | |
540 (inc ,var)))) | |
6558 | 541 @end group |
542 @end smallexample | |
27193 | 543 @end ifnottex |
6558 | 544 |
545 The new definition of @code{for} has a new problem: it introduces a | |
546 local variable named @code{max} which the user does not expect. This | |
547 causes trouble in examples such as the following: | |
548 | |
7734 | 549 @smallexample |
6558 | 550 @group |
551 (let ((max 0)) | |
552 (for x from 0 to 10 do | |
553 (let ((this (frob x))) | |
554 (if (< max this) | |
555 (setq max this))))) | |
556 @end group | |
7734 | 557 @end smallexample |
6558 | 558 |
559 @noindent | |
560 The references to @code{max} inside the body of the @code{for}, which | |
561 are supposed to refer to the user's binding of @code{max}, really access | |
562 the binding made by @code{for}. | |
563 | |
564 The way to correct this is to use an uninterned symbol instead of | |
565 @code{max} (@pxref{Creating Symbols}). The uninterned symbol can be | |
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566 bound and referred to just like any other symbol, but since it is |
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567 created by @code{for}, we know that it cannot already appear in the |
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568 user's program. Since it is not interned, there is no way the user can |
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569 put it into the program later. It will never appear anywhere except |
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570 where put by @code{for}. Here is a definition of @code{for} that works |
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571 this way: |
6558 | 572 |
573 @smallexample | |
574 @group | |
575 (defmacro for (var from init to final do &rest body) | |
576 "Execute a simple for loop: (for i from 1 to 10 do (print i))." | |
577 (let ((tempvar (make-symbol "max"))) | |
12098 | 578 `(let ((,var ,init) |
579 (,tempvar ,final)) | |
580 (while (<= ,var ,tempvar) | |
581 ,@@body | |
582 (inc ,var))))) | |
6558 | 583 @end group |
584 @end smallexample | |
585 | |
586 @noindent | |
587 This creates an uninterned symbol named @code{max} and puts it in the | |
588 expansion instead of the usual interned symbol @code{max} that appears | |
589 in expressions ordinarily. | |
590 | |
591 @node Eval During Expansion | |
592 @subsection Evaluating Macro Arguments in Expansion | |
593 | |
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594 Another problem can happen if the macro definition itself |
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595 evaluates any of the macro argument expressions, such as by calling |
6558 | 596 @code{eval} (@pxref{Eval}). If the argument is supposed to refer to the |
597 user's variables, you may have trouble if the user happens to use a | |
598 variable with the same name as one of the macro arguments. Inside the | |
599 macro body, the macro argument binding is the most local binding of this | |
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600 variable, so any references inside the form being evaluated do refer to |
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601 it. Here is an example: |
6558 | 602 |
603 @example | |
604 @group | |
605 (defmacro foo (a) | |
606 (list 'setq (eval a) t)) | |
607 @result{} foo | |
608 @end group | |
609 @group | |
610 (setq x 'b) | |
611 (foo x) @expansion{} (setq b t) | |
612 @result{} t ; @r{and @code{b} has been set.} | |
613 ;; @r{but} | |
614 (setq a 'c) | |
615 (foo a) @expansion{} (setq a t) | |
616 @result{} t ; @r{but this set @code{a}, not @code{c}.} | |
617 | |
618 @end group | |
619 @end example | |
620 | |
621 It makes a difference whether the user's variable is named @code{a} or | |
622 @code{x}, because @code{a} conflicts with the macro argument variable | |
623 @code{a}. | |
624 | |
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625 Another problem with calling @code{eval} in a macro definition is that |
6558 | 626 it probably won't do what you intend in a compiled program. The |
627 byte-compiler runs macro definitions while compiling the program, when | |
628 the program's own computations (which you might have wished to access | |
629 with @code{eval}) don't occur and its local variable bindings don't | |
630 exist. | |
631 | |
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632 To avoid these problems, @strong{don't evaluate an argument expression |
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633 while computing the macro expansion}. Instead, substitute the |
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634 expression into the macro expansion, so that its value will be computed |
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635 as part of executing the expansion. This is how the other examples in |
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636 this chapter work. |
6558 | 637 |
638 @node Repeated Expansion | |
639 @subsection How Many Times is the Macro Expanded? | |
640 | |
641 Occasionally problems result from the fact that a macro call is | |
642 expanded each time it is evaluated in an interpreted function, but is | |
643 expanded only once (during compilation) for a compiled function. If the | |
644 macro definition has side effects, they will work differently depending | |
645 on how many times the macro is expanded. | |
646 | |
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647 Therefore, you should avoid side effects in computation of the |
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648 macro expansion, unless you really know what you are doing. |
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649 |
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650 One special kind of side effect can't be avoided: constructing Lisp |
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651 objects. Almost all macro expansions include constructed lists; that is |
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652 the whole point of most macros. This is usually safe; there is just one |
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653 case where you must be careful: when the object you construct is part of a |
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654 quoted constant in the macro expansion. |
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655 |
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656 If the macro is expanded just once, in compilation, then the object is |
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657 constructed just once, during compilation. But in interpreted |
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658 execution, the macro is expanded each time the macro call runs, and this |
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659 means a new object is constructed each time. |
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660 |
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661 In most clean Lisp code, this difference won't matter. It can matter |
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662 only if you perform side-effects on the objects constructed by the macro |
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663 definition. Thus, to avoid trouble, @strong{avoid side effects on |
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664 objects constructed by macro definitions}. Here is an example of how |
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665 such side effects can get you into trouble: |
6558 | 666 |
667 @lisp | |
668 @group | |
669 (defmacro empty-object () | |
670 (list 'quote (cons nil nil))) | |
671 @end group | |
672 | |
673 @group | |
674 (defun initialize (condition) | |
675 (let ((object (empty-object))) | |
676 (if condition | |
677 (setcar object condition)) | |
678 object)) | |
679 @end group | |
680 @end lisp | |
681 | |
682 @noindent | |
683 If @code{initialize} is interpreted, a new list @code{(nil)} is | |
684 constructed each time @code{initialize} is called. Thus, no side effect | |
685 survives between calls. If @code{initialize} is compiled, then the | |
686 macro @code{empty-object} is expanded during compilation, producing a | |
687 single ``constant'' @code{(nil)} that is reused and altered each time | |
688 @code{initialize} is called. | |
689 | |
690 One way to avoid pathological cases like this is to think of | |
691 @code{empty-object} as a funny kind of constant, not as a memory | |
692 allocation construct. You wouldn't use @code{setcar} on a constant such | |
693 as @code{'(nil)}, so naturally you won't use it on @code{(empty-object)} | |
694 either. | |
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695 |
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696 @node Indenting Macros |
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697 @section Indenting Macros |
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698 |
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699 You can use the @code{declare} form in the macro definition to |
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700 specify how to @key{TAB} should indent indent calls to the macro. You |
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701 write it like this: |
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702 |
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703 @example |
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704 (declare (indent @var{indent-spec})) |
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705 @end example |
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706 |
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707 @noindent |
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708 Here are the possibilities for @var{indent-spec}: |
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709 |
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710 @table @asis |
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711 @item @code{nil} |
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712 This is the same as no property---use the standard indentation pattern. |
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713 @item @code{defun} |
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714 Handle this function like a @samp{def} construct: treat the second |
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715 line as the start of a @dfn{body}. |
60267 | 716 @item an integer, @var{number} |
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717 The first @var{number} arguments of the function are |
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718 @dfn{distinguished} arguments; the rest are considered the body |
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719 of the expression. A line in the expression is indented according to |
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720 whether the first argument on it is distinguished or not. If the |
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721 argument is part of the body, the line is indented @code{lisp-body-indent} |
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722 more columns than the open-parenthesis starting the containing |
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723 expression. If the argument is distinguished and is either the first |
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724 or second argument, it is indented @emph{twice} that many extra columns. |
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725 If the argument is distinguished and not the first or second argument, |
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726 the line uses the standard pattern. |
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727 @item a symbol, @var{symbol} |
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728 @var{symbol} should be a function name; that function is called to |
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729 calculate the indentation of a line within this expression. The |
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730 function receives two arguments: |
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731 @table @asis |
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732 @item @var{state} |
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733 The value returned by @code{parse-partial-sexp} (a Lisp primitive for |
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734 indentation and nesting computation) when it parses up to the |
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735 beginning of this line. |
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736 @item @var{pos} |
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737 The position at which the line being indented begins. |
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738 @end table |
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739 @noindent |
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740 It should return either a number, which is the number of columns of |
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741 indentation for that line, or a list whose car is such a number. The |
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742 difference between returning a number and returning a list is that a |
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743 number says that all following lines at the same nesting level should |
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744 be indented just like this one; a list says that following lines might |
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745 call for different indentations. This makes a difference when the |
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746 indentation is being computed by @kbd{C-M-q}; if the value is a |
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747 number, @kbd{C-M-q} need not recalculate indentation for the following |
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748 lines until the end of the list. |
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749 @end table |
52401 | 750 |
751 @ignore | |
752 arch-tag: d4cce66d-1047-45c3-bfde-db6719d6e82b | |
753 @end ignore |