comparison lispref/lists.texi @ 54945:70fd47f8342a

Add anchors. Some other minor changes.

54944:205e2027ce65

x
     @result{} (b c)
@end example
@end defmac

@defun nth n list
This function returns the @var{n}th element of @var{list}.  Elements
are numbered starting with zero, so the @sc{car} of @var{list} is
element number zero.  If the length of @var{list} is @var{n} or less,
the value is @code{nil}.

@code{nil} is returned.  If @var{n} is non-@code{nil}, the
@var{n}th-to-last link is returned instead, or the whole of @var{list}
if @var{n} is bigger than @var{list}'s length.
@end defun

@defun safe-length list
This function returns the length of @var{list}, with no risk
of either an error or an infinite loop.

If @var{list} is not really a list, @code{safe-length} returns 0.  If

More generally, the final argument to @code{append} may be any Lisp
object.  The final argument is not copied or converted; it becomes the
@sc{cdr} of the last cons cell in the new list.  If the final argument
is itself a list, then its elements become in effect elements of the
result list.  If the final element is not a list, the result is a
``dotted list'' since its final @sc{cdr} is not @code{nil} as required
in a true list.

In Emacs 20 and before, the @code{append} function also allowed
integers as (non last) arguments.  It converted them to strings of
digits, making up the decimal print representation of the integer, and

@end group
@end example
@end defun

@defun copy-tree tree &optional vecp
This function returns a copy the tree @code{tree}.  If @var{tree} is a
cons cell, this makes a new cons cell with the same @sc{car} and
@sc{cdr}, then recursively copies the @sc{car} and @sc{cdr} in the
same way.

Normally, when @var{tree} is anything other than a cons cell,

All arguments can be integers or floating point numbers.  However,
floating point arguments can be tricky, because floating point
arithmetic is inexact.  For instance, depending on the machine, it may
quite well happen that @code{(number-sequence 0.4 0.6 0.2)} returns
the one element list @code{(0.4)}, whereas 
@code{(number-sequence 0.4 0.8 0.2)} returns a list with three
elements.  The @var{n}th element of the list is computed by the exact
formula @code{(+ @var{from} (* @var{n} @var{separation}))}.  Thus, if
one wants to make sure that @var{to} is included in the list, one can
pass an expression of this exact type for @var{to}.  Alternatively,

54945:70fd47f8342a

x
     @result{} (b c)
@end example
@end defmac

@anchor{Definition of nth}
@defun nth n list
This function returns the @var{n}th element of @var{list}.  Elements
are numbered starting with zero, so the @sc{car} of @var{list} is
element number zero.  If the length of @var{list} is @var{n} or less,
the value is @code{nil}.

@code{nil} is returned.  If @var{n} is non-@code{nil}, the
@var{n}th-to-last link is returned instead, or the whole of @var{list}
if @var{n} is bigger than @var{list}'s length.
@end defun

@anchor{Definition of safe-length}
@defun safe-length list
This function returns the length of @var{list}, with no risk
of either an error or an infinite loop.

If @var{list} is not really a list, @code{safe-length} returns 0.  If

More generally, the final argument to @code{append} may be any Lisp
object.  The final argument is not copied or converted; it becomes the
@sc{cdr} of the last cons cell in the new list.  If the final argument
is itself a list, then its elements become in effect elements of the
result list.  If the final element is not a list, the result is a
dotted list since its final @sc{cdr} is not @code{nil} as required
in a true list.

In Emacs 20 and before, the @code{append} function also allowed
integers as (non last) arguments.  It converted them to strings of
digits, making up the decimal print representation of the integer, and

@end group
@end example
@end defun

@defun copy-tree tree &optional vecp
This function returns a copy of the tree @code{tree}.  If @var{tree} is a
cons cell, this makes a new cons cell with the same @sc{car} and
@sc{cdr}, then recursively copies the @sc{car} and @sc{cdr} in the
same way.

Normally, when @var{tree} is anything other than a cons cell,

All arguments can be integers or floating point numbers.  However,
floating point arguments can be tricky, because floating point
arithmetic is inexact.  For instance, depending on the machine, it may
quite well happen that @code{(number-sequence 0.4 0.6 0.2)} returns
the one element list @code{(0.4)}, whereas
@code{(number-sequence 0.4 0.8 0.2)} returns a list with three
elements.  The @var{n}th element of the list is computed by the exact
formula @code{(+ @var{from} (* @var{n} @var{separation}))}.  Thus, if
one wants to make sure that @var{to} is included in the list, one can
pass an expression of this exact type for @var{to}.  Alternatively,