aboutsummaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/lispref
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorRichard M. Stallman <[email protected]>1994-04-26 22:21:24 +0000
committerRichard M. Stallman <[email protected]>1994-04-26 22:21:24 +0000
commit79d112384776502176edd8c21e0d727d078c2f6b (patch)
tree9e77d75406c95b674f98371190d341a5a0c0a412 /lispref
parent2b3fc6c3053c124f9f128152d9456bfe90151cc6 (diff)
entered into RCS
Diffstat (limited to 'lispref')
-rw-r--r--lispref/eval.texi59
-rw-r--r--lispref/sequences.texi70
2 files changed, 71 insertions, 58 deletions
diff --git a/lispref/eval.texi b/lispref/eval.texi
index c9b851f6b5..999f3b4b1c 100644
--- a/lispref/eval.texi
+++ b/lispref/eval.texi
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ function @code{eval}.
@node Intro Eval
@section Introduction to Evaluation
- The Lisp interpreter, or evaluator, is the program which computes
-the value of an expression which is given to it. When a function
+ The Lisp interpreter, or evaluator, is the program that computes
+the value of an expression that is given to it. When a function
written in Lisp is called, the evaluator computes the value of the
function by evaluating the expressions in the function body. Thus,
running any Lisp program really means running the Lisp interpreter.
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ type of the object.
@cindex forms
@cindex expression
- A Lisp object which is intended for evaluation is called an
+ A Lisp object that is intended for evaluation is called an
@dfn{expression} or a @dfn{form}. The fact that expressions are data
objects and not merely text is one of the fundamental differences
between Lisp-like languages and typical programming languages. Any
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function @code{car}.
The evaluation of forms takes place in a context called the
@dfn{environment}, which consists of the current values and bindings of
all Lisp variables.@footnote{This definition of ``environment'' is
-specifically not intended to include all the data which can affect the
+specifically not intended to include all the data that can affect the
result of a program.} Whenever the form refers to a variable without
creating a new binding for it, the value of the binding in the current
environment is used. @xref{Variables}.
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ Here is an example:
;; @r{@code{eval} receives argument @code{bar}, which is the value of @code{foo}}
(eval foo)
@result{} baz
+(eval 'foo)
+ @result{} bar
@end group
@end example
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ the region and calls @code{eval} on them until the end of the region is
reached, or until an error is signaled and not handled.
If @var{stream} is supplied, @code{standard-output} is bound to it
-for the duration of the command.
+during the evaluation.
@code{eval-region} always returns @code{nil}.
@end deffn
@@ -170,8 +172,9 @@ for the duration of the command.
This variable defines the maximum depth allowed in calls to @code{eval},
@code{apply}, and @code{funcall} before an error is signaled (with error
message @code{"Lisp nesting exceeds max-lisp-eval-depth"}). This counts
-calling the functions mentioned in Lisp expression, and recursive
-evaluation of function call arguments and function body forms.
+internal uses of those functions, such as for calling the functions
+mentioned in Lisp expressions, and recursive evaluation of function call
+arguments and function body forms.
This limit, with the associated error when it is exceeded, is one way
that Lisp avoids infinite recursion on an ill-defined function.
@@ -186,7 +189,7 @@ less than 100, Lisp will reset it to 100 if the given value is reached.
@defvar values
The value of this variable is a list of the values returned by all the
-expressions which were read from buffers (including the minibuffer),
+expressions that were read from buffers (including the minibuffer),
evaluated, and printed. The elements are ordered most recent first.
@example
@@ -222,7 +225,7 @@ particular elements, like this:
@result{} (A 3 t)
@end group
@group
-;; @r{This gets the element that was next-to-last}
+;; @r{This gets the element that was next-to-most-recent}
;; @r{before this example.}
(nth 3 values)
@result{} 1
@@ -337,8 +340,9 @@ a
The symbols @code{nil} and @code{t} are treated specially, so that the
value of @code{nil} is always @code{nil}, and the value of @code{t} is
-always @code{t}. Thus, these two symbols act like self-evaluating
-forms, even though @code{eval} treats them like any other symbol.
+always @code{t}; you cannot set or bind them to any other values. Thus,
+these two symbols act like self-evaluating forms, even though
+@code{eval} treats them like any other symbol.
@node Classifying Lists
@subsection Classification of List Forms
@@ -433,8 +437,8 @@ function, not a symbol.
@end smallexample
@noindent
-After that function is called, its body is evaluated; this does
-involve symbol function indirection when calling @code{erste}.
+Executing the function itself evaluates its body; this does involve
+symbol function indirection when calling @code{erste}.
The built-in function @code{indirect-function} provides an easy way to
perform symbol function indirection explicitly.
@@ -470,15 +474,15 @@ a @dfn{function call}. For example, here is a call to the function
(+ 1 x)
@end example
- The first step ni evaluating a function call is to evaluate the
-remaining elements of the list in the order they appear. The results
-are the actual argument values, one value for each list element. The
-next step is to call the function with this list of arguments,
-effectively using the function @code{apply} (@pxref{Calling Functions}).
-If the function is written in Lisp, the arguments are used to bind the
-argument variables of the function (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}); then
-the forms in the function body are evaluated in order, and the value of
-the last body form becomes the value of the function call.
+ The first step in evaluating a function call is to evaluate the
+remaining elements of the list from left to right. The results are the
+actual argument values, one value for each list element. The next step
+is to call the function with this list of arguments, effectively using
+the function @code{apply} (@pxref{Calling Functions}). If the function
+is written in Lisp, the arguments are used to bind the argument
+variables of the function (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}); then the forms
+in the function body are evaluated in order, and the value of the last
+body form becomes the value of the function call.
@node Macro Forms
@subsection Lisp Macro Evaluation
@@ -491,12 +495,17 @@ Instead, these elements themselves are used as the arguments of the
macro. The macro definition computes a replacement form, called the
@dfn{expansion} of the macro, to be evaluated in place of the original
form. The expansion may be any sort of form: a self-evaluating
-constant, a symbol or a list. If the expansion is itself a macro call,
+constant, a symbol, or a list. If the expansion is itself a macro call,
this process of expansion repeats until some other sort of form results.
+ Ordinary evaluation of a macro call finishes by evaluating the
+expansion. However, the macro expansion is not necessarily evaluated
+right away, or at all, because other programs also expand macro calls,
+and they may or may not evaluate the expansions.
+
Normally, the argument expressions are not evaluated as part of
computing the macro expansion, but instead appear as part of the
-expansion, so they are evaluated when the expansion is evaluated.
+expansion, so they are computed when the expansion is computed.
For example, given a macro defined as follows:
@@ -616,7 +625,7 @@ Emacs Lisp with a reference to where each is described.
@cindex CL note---special forms compared
@quotation
-@b{Common Lisp note:} here are some comparisons of special forms in
+@b{Common Lisp note:} Here are some comparisons of special forms in
GNU Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp. @code{setq}, @code{if}, and
@code{catch} are special forms in both Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp.
@code{defun} is a special form in Emacs Lisp, but a macro in Common
diff --git a/lispref/sequences.texi b/lispref/sequences.texi
index 153975947b..c1e7f3dc2d 100644
--- a/lispref/sequences.texi
+++ b/lispref/sequences.texi
@@ -13,33 +13,33 @@ sequence, any vector is a sequence, and any string is a sequence. The
common property that all sequences have is that each is an ordered
collection of elements.
- An @dfn{array} is a single primitive object directly containing all
-its elements. Therefore, all the elements are accessible in constant
-time. The length of an existing array cannot be changed. Both strings
-and vectors are arrays. A list is a sequence of elements, but it is not
-a single primitive object; it is made of cons cells, one cell per
-element. Therefore, elements farther from the beginning of the list
-take longer to access, but it is possible to add elements to the list or
-remove elements.
+ An @dfn{array} is a single primitive object that has a slot for each
+elements. All the elements are accessible in constant time, but the
+length of an existing array cannot be changed. Both strings and vectors
+are arrays.
+
+ A list is a sequence of elements, but it is not a single primitive
+object; it is made of cons cells, one cell per element. Finding the
+@var{n}th element requires looking through @var{n} cons cells, so
+elements farther from the beginning of the list take longer to access.
+But it is possible to add elements to the list, or remove elements.
The following diagram shows the relationship between these types:
@example
@group
- ___________________________________
- | |
- | Sequence |
- | ______ ______________________ |
- | | | | | |
- | | List | | Array | |
- | | | | ________ _______ | |
- | |______| | | | | | | |
- | | | String | | Vector| | |
- | | |________| |_______| | |
- | |______________________| |
- |___________________________________|
-
-@center @r{The relationship between sequences, arrays, and vectors}
+ ___________________________________
+ | |
+ | Sequence |
+ | ______ ______________________ |
+ | | | | | |
+ | | List | | Array | |
+ | | | | ________ _______ | |
+ | |______| | | | | | | |
+ | | | String | | Vector| | |
+ | | |________| |_______| | |
+ | |______________________| |
+ |___________________________________|
@end group
@end example
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ elements of strings are all characters.
* Sequence Functions:: Functions that accept any kind of sequence.
* Arrays:: Characteristics of arrays in Emacs Lisp.
* Array Functions:: Functions specifically for arrays.
-* Vectors:: Functions specifically for vectors.
+* Vectors:: Special characteristics of Emacs Lisp vectors.
+* Vector Functions:: Functions specifically for vectors.
@end menu
@node Sequence Functions
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ sequence.
@section Arrays
@cindex array
- An @dfn{array} object refers directly to a number of other Lisp
+ An @dfn{array} object has slots that hold a number of other Lisp
objects, called the elements of the array. Any element of an array may
be accessed in constant time. In contrast, an element of a list
requires access time that is proportional to the position of the element
@@ -208,8 +209,8 @@ in the list.
When you create an array, you must specify how many elements it has.
The amount of space allocated depends on the number of elements.
Therefore, it is impossible to change the size of an array once it is
-created. You cannot add or remove elements. However, you can replace
-an element with a different value.
+created; you cannot add or remove elements. However, you can replace an
+element with a different value.
Emacs defines two types of array, both of which are one-dimensional:
@dfn{strings} and @dfn{vectors}. A vector is a general array; its
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ elements must be characters (i.e., integers between 0 and 255). Each
type of array has its own read syntax. @xref{String Type}, and
@ref{Vector Type}.
- Both kinds of arrays share these characteristics:
+ Both kinds of array share these characteristics:
@itemize @bullet
@item
@@ -325,8 +326,8 @@ If @var{array} is a string and @var{object} is not a character, a
@end defun
@defun fillarray array object
-This function fills the array @var{array} with pointers to @var{object},
-replacing any previous values. It returns @var{array}.
+This function fills the array @var{array} with @var{object}, so that
+each element of @var{array} is @var{object}. It returns @var{array}.
@example
@group
@@ -369,10 +370,10 @@ a vector in it.
In Emacs Lisp, the indices of the elements of a vector start from zero
and count up from there.
- Vectors are printed with square brackets surrounding the elements
-in their order. Thus, a vector containing the symbols @code{a},
-@code{b} and @code{c} is printed as @code{[a b c]}. You can write
-vectors in the same way in Lisp input.
+ Vectors are printed with square brackets surrounding the elements.
+Thus, a vector whose elements are the symbols @code{a}, @code{b} and
+@code{a} is printed as @code{[a b a]}. You can write vectors in the
+same way in Lisp input.
A vector, like a string or a number, is considered a constant for
evaluation: the result of evaluating it is the same vector. This does
@@ -392,6 +393,9 @@ not evaluate or even examine the elements of the vector.
@end group
@end example
+@node Vector Functions
+@section Functions That Operate on Vectors
+
Here are some functions that relate to vectors:
@defun vectorp object