% -*- Mode: TeX -*- \issue{PRETTY-PRINT-INTERFACE} \beginsubSection{Pretty Printer Concepts} The facilities provided by the \newterm{pretty printer} permit \term{programs} to redefine the way in which \term{code} is displayed, and allow the full power of \term{pretty printing} to be applied to complex combinations of data structures. Whether any given style of output is in fact ``pretty'' is inherently a somewhat subjective issue. However, since the effect of the \term{pretty printer} can be customized by \term{conforming programs}, the necessary flexibility is provided for individual \term{programs} to achieve an arbitrary degree of aesthetic control. By providing direct access to the mechanisms within the pretty printer that make dynamic decisions about layout, the macros and functions \macref{pprint-logical-block}, \funref{pprint-newline}, and \funref{pprint-indent} make it possible to specify pretty printing layout rules as a part of any function that produces output. They also make it very easy for the detection of circularity and sharing, and abbreviation based on length and nesting depth to be supported by the function. The \term{pretty printer} is driven entirely by dispatch based on \thevalueof{*print-pprint-dispatch*}. \Thefunction{set-pprint-dispatch} makes it possible for \term{conforming programs} to associate new pretty printing functions with a \term{type}. \beginsubsubsection{Dynamic Control of the Arrangement of Output} \DefineSection{DynamicControlofOutput} The actions of the \term{pretty printer} when a piece of output is too large to fit in the space available can be precisely controlled. Three concepts underlie the way these operations work---\newterm{logical blocks}, \newterm{conditional newlines}, and \newterm{sections}. Before proceeding further, it is important to define these terms. The first line of \thenextfigure\ shows a schematic piece of output. Each of the characters in the output is represented by ``\f{-}''. The positions of conditional newlines are indicated by digits. The beginnings and ends of logical blocks are indicated by ``\f{<}'' and ``\f{>}'' respectively. The output as a whole is a logical block and the outermost section. This section is indicated by the \f{0}'s on the second line of Figure 1. Logical blocks nested within the output are specified by the macro \macref{pprint-logical-block}. Conditional newline positions are specified by calls to \funref{pprint-newline}. Each conditional newline defines two sections (one before it and one after it) and is associated with a third (the section immediately containing it). The section after a conditional newline consists of: all the output up to, but not including, (a) the next conditional newline immediately contained in the same logical block; or if (a) is not applicable, (b) the next newline that is at a lesser level of nesting in logical blocks; or if (b) is not applicable, (c) the end of the output. The section before a conditional newline consists of: all the output back to, but not including, (a) the previous conditional newline that is immediately contained in the same logical block; or if (a) is not applicable, (b) the beginning of the immediately containing logical block. The last four lines in Figure 1 indicate the sections before and after the four conditional newlines. The section immediately containing a conditional newline is the shortest section that contains the conditional newline in question. In \thenextfigure, the first conditional newline is immediately contained in the section marked with \f{0}'s, the second and third conditional newlines are immediately contained in the section before the fourth conditional newline, and the fourth conditional newline is immediately contained in the section after the first conditional newline. \code <-1---<--<--2---3->--4-->-> 000000000000000000000000000 11 111111111111111111111111 22 222 333 3333 44444444444444 44444 \endcode \simplecaption{Example of Logical Blocks, Conditional Newlines, and Sections} Whenever possible, the pretty printer displays the entire contents of a section on a single line. However, if the section is too long to fit in the space available, line breaks are inserted at conditional newline positions within the section. \endsubsubsection%{Dynamic Control of the Arrangement of Output} \beginsubsubsection{Format Directive Interface} The primary interface to operations for dynamically determining the arrangement of output is provided through the functions and macros of the pretty printer. \Thenextfigure\ shows the defined names related to \term{pretty printing}. \displaythree{Defined names related to pretty printing.}{ *print-lines*&pprint-dispatch&pprint-pop\cr *print-miser-width*&pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted&pprint-tab\cr *print-pprint-dispatch*&pprint-fill&pprint-tabular\cr *print-right-margin*&pprint-indent&set-pprint-dispatch\cr copy-pprint-dispatch&pprint-linear&write\cr format&pprint-logical-block&\cr formatter&pprint-newline&\cr } \Thenextfigure\ identifies a set of \term{format directives} which serve as an alternate interface to the same pretty printing operations in a more textually compact form. %%Only of interest historically. -kmp %In addition, it permits one would have to abandon the use of \funref{format} %when interacting with the pretty printer. \displaythree{Format directives related to Pretty Printing}{ \formatOp{I}&\formatOp{W}&\formatOp{<...~:>}\cr \formatOp{:T}&\formatOp{/.../}&\formatOp{_}\cr } \endsubsubsection%{Format Directive Interface} \beginsubsubsection{Compiling Format Strings} \DefineSection{CompilingFormatStrings} \issue{FORMAT-STRING-ARGUMENTS:SPECIFY} A \term{format string} is essentially a program in a special-purpose language that performs printing, and that is interpreted by \thefunction{format}. \Themacro{formatter} provides the efficiency of using a \term{compiled function} to do that same printing but without losing the textual compactness of \term{format strings}. A \newterm{format control} is either a \term{format string} or a \term{function} that was returned by the \themacro{formatter}. \endissue{FORMAT-STRING-ARGUMENTS:SPECIFY} \endsubsubsection%{Compiling Format Strings} \beginsubsubsection{Pretty Print Dispatch Tables} \DefineSection{PPrintDispatchTables} \issue{GENERALIZE-PRETTY-PRINTER:UNIFY} %KAB: Are all type specifiers really valid? %Waters: Yes. %KMP: Actually, CONS was not originally valid, but has been added due to a cleanup. A \newterm{pprint dispatch table} is a mapping from keys to pairs of values. Each key is a \term{type specifier}. The values associated with a key are a ``function'' (specifically, a \term{function designator} or \nil) %% Per X3J13. -kmp 05-Oct-93 % and a ``numerical priorities'' (specifically, a \term{real}). and a ``numerical priority'' (specifically, a \term{real}). Basic insertion and retrieval is done based on the keys with the equality of keys being tested by \funref{equal}. When \varref{*print-pretty*} is \term{true}, the \newterm{current pprint dispatch table} (in \varref{*print-pprint-dispatch*}) controls how \term{objects} are printed. The information in this table takes precedence over all other mechanisms for specifying how to print \term{objects}. In particular, it %overrides has priority over user-defined \funref{print-object} \term{methods} \issue{DEFSTRUCT-PRINT-FUNCTION-AGAIN:X3J13-MAR-93} %and print functions for \term{structures} \endissue{DEFSTRUCT-PRINT-FUNCTION-AGAIN:X3J13-MAR-93} because the \term{current pprint dispatch table} is consulted first. %%Just trying to simplify wording to fit context. -kmp 27-Aug-93 %The function to use when \term{pretty printing} an \term{object} is chosen The function is chosen from the \term{current pprint dispatch table} by finding the highest priority function %% Again, this should follow from context. %from the \term{current pprint dispatch table} that is associated with a \term{type specifier} that matches the \term{object}; %KAB: What if there are several matches with equal priority? %Waters: It's not well-defined. %KMP: I've added this text to clarify that point: if there is more than one such function, it is \term{implementation-dependent} which is used. However, if there is no %% better parallel construction. -kmp 27-Aug-93 %specification information in the table about how to \term{pretty print} a particular kind of \term{object}, % it is then printed using the standard mechanisms as if % \varref{*print-pretty*} were \term{false}. a \term{function} is invoked which uses \funref{print-object} to print the \term{object}. The value of \varref{*print-pretty*} is still \term{true} when this function is \term{called}, and individual methods for \funref{print-object} might still elect to produce output in a special format conditional on \thevalueof{*print-pretty*}. \endissue{GENERALIZE-PRETTY-PRINTER:UNIFY} \endsubsubsection%{Pretty Print Dispatch Tables} \beginsubsubsection{Pretty Printer Margins} A primary goal of pretty printing is to keep the output between a pair of margins. %This used to say: % The left margin is set at the column where the output begins. %KMP asked: % Does this mean that % a. the cursor is moved % b. the position at the cursor is assumed to be zero % c. that the position at the cursor becomes the new left margin? %Waters replied (c), so the following new sentence was made: The column where the output begins is taken as the left margin. %This used to say: % If this cannot be determined, the left margin is set to zero. %KMP asked: % Does this mean ``assumed to be'' %Waters replied yes, so the following new sentence was made: If the current column cannot be determined at the time output begins, the left margin is assumed to be zero. The right margin is controlled by \varref{*print-right-margin*}. \endsubsubsection%{Pretty Printer Margins} \endsubSection%{Pretty Printer Concepts} \beginsubSection{Examples of using the Pretty Printer} \DefineSection{PrettyPrinterExamples} As an example of the interaction of logical blocks, conditional newlines, and indentation, consider the function \f{simple-pprint-defun} below. This function prints out lists whose \term{cars} are \macref{defun} in the standard way assuming that the list has exactly length \f{4}. \code (defun simple-pprint-defun (*standard-output* list) (pprint-logical-block (*standard-output* list :prefix "(" :suffix ")") (write (first list)) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :miser) (pprint-indent :current 0) (write (second list)) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :fill) (write (third list)) (pprint-indent :block 1) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :linear) (write (fourth list)))) \endcode Suppose that one evaluates the following: \code (simple-pprint-defun *standard-output* '(defun prod (x y) (* x y))) \endcode If the line width available is greater than or equal to \f{26}, then all of the output appears on one line. If the line width available is reduced to \f{25}, a line break is inserted at the linear-style conditional newline\idxtext{linear-style conditional newline} before the \term{expression} \f{(* x y)}, producing the output shown. The \f{(pprint-indent :block 1)} causes \f{(* x y)} to be printed at a relative indentation of \f{1} in the logical block. \code (DEFUN PROD (X Y) (* X Y)) \endcode If the line width available is \f{15}, a line break is also inserted at the fill style conditional newline before the argument list. The call on \f{(pprint-indent :current 0)} causes the argument list to line up under the function name. \code (DEFUN PROD (X Y) (* X Y)) \endcode If \varref{*print-miser-width*} were greater than or equal to 14, the example output above would have been as follows, because all indentation changes are ignored in miser mode and line breaks are inserted at miser-style conditional newlines.\idxtext{miser-style conditional newline} \code (DEFUN PROD (X Y) (* X Y)) \endcode As an example of a per-line prefix, consider that evaluating the following produces the output shown with a line width of \f{20} and \varref{*print-miser-width*} of \nil. \code (pprint-logical-block (*standard-output* nil :per-line-prefix ";;; ") (simple-pprint-defun *standard-output* '(defun prod (x y) (* x y)))) ;;; (DEFUN PROD ;;; (X Y) ;;; (* X Y)) \endcode As a more complex (and realistic) example, consider the function \f{pprint-let} below. This specifies how to print a \specref{let} \term{form} in the traditional style. It is more complex than the example above, because it has to deal with nested structure. Also, unlike the example above it contains complete code to readably print any possible list that begins with the \term{symbol} \specref{let}. The outermost \macref{pprint-logical-block} \term{form} handles the printing of the input list as a whole and specifies that parentheses should be printed in the output. The second \macref{pprint-logical-block} \term{form} handles the list of binding pairs. Each pair in the list is itself printed by the innermost \macref{pprint-logical-block}. (A \macref{loop} \term{form} is used instead of merely decomposing the pair into two \term{objects} so that readable output will be produced no matter whether the list corresponding to the pair has one element, two elements, or (being malformed) has more than two elements.) A space and a fill-style conditional newline\idxtext{fill-style conditional newline} are placed after each pair except the last. The loop at the end of the topmost \macref{pprint-logical-block} \term{form} prints out the forms in the body of the \specref{let} \term{form} separated by spaces and linear-style conditional newlines. \code (defun pprint-let (*standard-output* list) (pprint-logical-block (nil list :prefix "(" :suffix ")") (write (pprint-pop)) (pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-logical-block (nil (pprint-pop) :prefix "(" :suffix ")") (pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted) (loop (pprint-logical-block (nil (pprint-pop) :prefix "(" :suffix ")") (pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted) (loop (write (pprint-pop)) (pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :linear))) (pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :fill))) (pprint-indent :block 1) (loop (pprint-exit-if-list-exhausted) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :linear) (write (pprint-pop))))) \endcode Suppose that one evaluates the following with \varref{*print-level*} being 4, and \varref{*print-circle*} being \term{true}. \code (pprint-let *standard-output* '#1=(let (x (*print-length* (f (g 3))) (z . 2) (k (car y))) (setq x (sqrt z)) #1#)) \endcode If the line length is greater than or equal to \f{77}, the output produced appears on one line. However, if the line length is \f{76}, line breaks are inserted at the linear-style conditional newlines separating the forms in the body and the output below is produced. Note that, the degenerate binding pair \f{x} is printed readably even though it fails to be a list; a depth abbreviation marker is printed in place of \f{(g 3)}; the binding pair \f{(z . 2)} is printed readably even though it is not a proper list; and appropriate circularity markers are printed. \code #1=(LET (X (*PRINT-LENGTH* (F #)) (Z . 2) (K (CAR Y))) (SETQ X (SQRT Z)) #1#) \endcode If the line length is reduced to \f{35}, a line break is inserted at one of the fill-style conditional newlines separating the binding pairs. \code #1=(LET (X (*PRINT-PRETTY* (F #)) (Z . 2) (K (CAR Y))) (SETQ X (SQRT Z)) #1#) \endcode Suppose that the line length is further reduced to \f{22} and \varref{*print-length*} is set to \f{3}. In this situation, line breaks are inserted after both the first and second binding pairs. In addition, the second binding pair is itself broken across two lines. Clause (b) of the description of fill-style conditional newlines (\seefun{pprint-newline}) prevents the binding pair \f{(z . 2)} from being printed at the end of the third line. Note that the length abbreviation hides the circularity from view and therefore the printing of circularity markers disappears. \code (LET (X (*PRINT-LENGTH* (F #)) (Z . 2) ...) (SETQ X (SQRT Z)) ...) \endcode The next function prints a vector using ``\f{\#(...)}'' notation. \code (defun pprint-vector (*standard-output* v) (pprint-logical-block (nil nil :prefix "#(" :suffix ")") (let ((end (length v)) (i 0)) (when (plusp end) (loop (pprint-pop) (write (aref v i)) (if (= (incf i) end) (return nil)) (write-char #\\Space) (pprint-newline :fill)))))) \endcode Evaluating the following with a line length of 15 produces the output shown. \code (pprint-vector *standard-output* '#(12 34 567 8 9012 34 567 89 0 1 23)) #(12 34 567 8 9012 34 567 89 0 1 23) \endcode As examples of the convenience of specifying pretty printing with \term{format strings}, consider that the functions \f{simple-pprint-defun} and \f{pprint-let} used as examples above can be compactly defined as follows. (The function \f{pprint-vector} cannot be defined using \funref{format} because the data structure it traverses is not a list.) \code (defun simple-pprint-defun (*standard-output* list) (format T "~:<~W ~@_~:I~W ~:_~W~1I ~_~W~:>" list)) (defun pprint-let (*standard-output* list) (format T "~:<~W~{\hat}~:<~@\{~:<~@\{~W~{\hat}~_~\}~:>~{\hat}~:_~\}~:>~1I~@\{~{\hat}~_~W~\}~:>" list)) \endcode In the following example, the first \term{form} restores \varref{*print-pprint-dispatch*} to the equivalent of its initial value. The next two forms then set up a special way to pretty print ratios. Note that the more specific \term{type specifier} has to be associated with a higher priority. \code (setq *print-pprint-dispatch* (copy-pprint-dispatch nil)) (set-pprint-dispatch 'ratio #'(lambda (s obj) (format s "#.(/ ~W ~W)" (numerator obj) (denominator obj)))) (set-pprint-dispatch '(and ratio (satisfies minusp)) #'(lambda (s obj) (format s "#.(- (/ ~W ~W))" (- (numerator obj)) (denominator obj))) 5) (pprint '(1/3 -2/3)) (#.(/ 1 3) \#.(- (/ 2 3))) \endcode The following two \term{forms} illustrate the definition of pretty printing functions for types of \term{code}. The first \term{form} illustrates how to specify the traditional method for printing quoted objects using \term{single-quote}. Note the care taken to ensure that data lists that happen to begin with \misc{quote} will be printed readably. The second form specifies that lists beginning with the symbol \f{my-let} should print the same way that lists beginning with \specref{let} print when the initial \term{pprint dispatch table} is in effect. \code (set-pprint-dispatch '(cons (member quote)) () #'(lambda (s list) (if (and (consp (cdr list)) (null (cddr list))) (funcall (formatter "'~W") s (cadr list)) (pprint-fill s list)))) (set-pprint-dispatch '(cons (member my-let)) (pprint-dispatch '(let) nil)) \endcode The next example specifies a default method for printing lists that do not correspond to function calls. Note that the functions \funref{pprint-linear}, \funref{pprint-fill}, and \funref{pprint-tabular} are all defined with optional \param{colon-p} and \param{at-sign-p} arguments so that they can be used as \funref{pprint dispatch functions} as well as \formatOp{/.../} functions. \code (set-pprint-dispatch '(cons (not (and symbol (satisfies fboundp)))) #'pprint-fill -5) ;; Assume a line length of 9 (pprint '(0 b c d e f g h i j k)) (0 b c d e f g h i j k) \endcode This final example shows how to define a pretty printing function for a user defined data structure. \code (defstruct family mom kids) (set-pprint-dispatch 'family #'(lambda (s f) (funcall (formatter "~@<#<~;~W and ~2I~_~/pprint-fill/~;>~:>") s (family-mom f) (family-kids f)))) \endcode The pretty printing function for the structure \f{family} specifies how to adjust the layout of the output so that it can fit aesthetically into a variety of line widths. In addition, it obeys the printer control variables \varref{*print-level*}, \varref{*print-length*}, \varref{*print-lines*}, \varref{*print-circle*} %% There's no such var. (Flanagan pointed this out in private mail.) -kmp 26-Jul-93 %, \varref{*print-shared*} and \varref{*print-escape*}, and can tolerate several different kinds of malformity in the data structure. The output below shows what is printed out with a right margin of \f{25}, \varref{*print-pretty*} being \term{true}, \varref{*print-escape*} being \term{false}, and a malformed \f{kids} list. \code (write (list 'principal-family (make-family :mom "Lucy" :kids '("Mark" "Bob" . "Dan"))) :right-margin 25 :pretty T :escape nil :miser-width nil) (PRINCIPAL-FAMILY #) \endcode \issue{DEFSTRUCT-PRINT-FUNCTION-AGAIN:X3J13-MAR-93} Note that a pretty printing function for a structure is different from %the structure's print function. the structure's \funref{print-object} \term{method}. While %print functions \funref{print-object} \term{methods} are permanently associated with a structure, pretty printing functions are stored in \term{pprint dispatch tables} and can be rapidly changed to reflect different printing needs. If there is no pretty printing function for a structure in the current \term{pprint dispatch table}, % the print function (if any) its \funref{print-object} \term{method} is used instead. \endissue{DEFSTRUCT-PRINT-FUNCTION-AGAIN:X3J13-MAR-93} \endsubSection%{Examples of using the Pretty Printer} \beginsubsection{Notes about the Pretty Printer's Background} For a background reference to the abstract concepts detailed in this section, see \XPPaper. The details of that paper are not binding on this document, but may be helpful in establishing a conceptual basis for understanding this material. \endsubsection%{Notes about the Pretty Printer's Background} \endissue{PRETTY-PRINT-INTERFACE}