dpans/concept-systems.tex

% -*- Mode: TeX -*-

\beginsubsection{Loading}

%% 23.4.0 1
To \funref{load} a \term{file} is to treat its contents as \term{code}
and \term{execute} that \term{code}.
The \term{file} may contain \newterm{source code} or \newterm{compiled code}.

A \term{file} containing \term{source code} is called a \newterm{source file}.
\term{Loading} a \term{source file} is accomplished essentially 
by sequentially \term{reading}\meaning{2} the \term{forms} in the file,
\term{evaluating} each immediately after it is \term{read}.

%% 23.4.0 2
A \term{file} containing \term{compiled code} is called a \newterm{compiled file}.
\term{Loading} a \term{compiled file} is similar to \term{loading} a \term{source file},
except that the \term{file} does not contain text but rather an
\term{implementation-dependent} representation of pre-digested \term{expressions}
created by the \term{compiler}.  Often, a \term{compiled file} can be \term{loaded}
more quickly than a \term{source file}.
\Seesection\Compilation.

The way in which a \term{source file} is distinguished from a \term{compiled file} 
is \term{implementation-dependent}.

\endsubsection%{Loading}

\beginsubsection{Features}
\DefineSection{Features}

A \newterm{feature} is an aspect or attribute
     of \clisp, 
     of the \term{implementation},
  or of the \term{environment}.
A \term{feature} is identified by a \term{symbol}.

A \term{feature} is said to be \newterm{present} in a \term{Lisp image}
if and only if the \term{symbol} naming it is an \term{element} of the
\term{list} held by \thevariable{*features*}, 
which is called the \newterm{features list}.

\beginsubsubsection{Feature Expressions}
\DefineSection{FeatureExpressions}

Boolean combinations of \term{features}, called \newtermidx{feature expressions}{feature expression},
are used by the \f{\#+} and \f{\#-} \term{reader macros} in order to
direct conditional \term{reading} of \term{expressions} by the \term{Lisp reader}.

The rules for interpreting a \term{feature expression} are as follows:

\beginlist

\itemitem{\term{feature}}

If a \term{symbol} naming a \term{feature} is used as a \term{feature expression},
the \term{feature expression} succeeds if that \term{feature} is \term{present};
otherwise it fails.

\itemitem{\f{(not \param{feature-conditional})}}

A \misc{not} \term{feature expression} succeeds 
if its argument \param{feature-conditional} fails;
otherwise, it succeeds.

\itemitem{\f{(and \starparam{feature-conditional})}}

An \misc{and} \term{feature expression} succeeds 
if all of its argument \param{feature-conditionals} succeed;
otherwise, it fails.

\itemitem{\f{(or \starparam{feature-conditional})}}

An \misc{or} \term{feature expression} succeeds 
if any of its argument \param{feature-conditionals} succeed;
otherwise, it fails.

\endlist

\beginsubsubsubsection{Examples of Feature Expressions}
\DefineSection{FeatureExpExamples}
%% 22.1.4 40
For example, suppose that
 in \term{implementation} A, the \term{features} \f{spice} and \f{perq} are \term{present},
			     but the \term{feature} \f{lispm} is not \term{present};
 in \term{implementation} B, the feature \f{lispm} is \term{present},
			     but the \term{features} \f{spice} and \f{perq} are
			      not \term{present};
 and 
 in \term{implementation} C, none of the features \f{spice}, \term{lispm}, or \f{perq} are
			     \term{present}.
\Thenextfigure\ shows some sample \term{expressions}, and how they would be 
\term{read}\meaning{2} in these \term{implementations}.

\showtwo{Features examples}{
\f{(cons \#+spice "Spice" \#-spice "Lispm" x)} \span \cr
\noalign{\vskip 2pt}
\quad in \term{implementation} A $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "Spice" X)} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} B $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "Lispm" X)} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} C $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "Lispm" X)} \cr
\noalign{\vskip 5pt}
\f{(cons \#+spice "Spice" \#+LispM "Lispm" x)} \span \cr
\noalign{\vskip 2pt}
\quad in \term{implementation} A $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "Spice" X)} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} B $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "Lispm" X)} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} C $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS X)} \cr
\noalign{\vskip 5pt}
\f{(setq a '(1 2 \#+perq 43 \#+(not perq) 27))} \span \cr
\noalign{\vskip 2pt}
\quad in \term{implementation} A $\ldots$ & \f{(SETQ A '(1 2 43))} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} B $\ldots$ & \f{(SETQ A '(1 2 27))} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} C $\ldots$ & \f{(SETQ A '(1 2 27))} \cr
\noalign{\vskip 5pt}
\f{(let ((a 3) \#+(or spice lispm) (b 3)) (foo a))} \span \cr
\noalign{\vskip 2pt}
\quad in \term{implementation} A $\ldots$ & \f{(LET ((A 3) (B 3)) (FOO A))} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} B $\ldots$ & \f{(LET ((A 3) (B 3)) (FOO A))} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} C $\ldots$ & \f{(LET ((A 3)) (FOO A))} \cr
\noalign{\vskip 5pt}
\f{(cons \#+Lispm "\#+Spice" \#+Spice "foo" \#-(or Lispm Spice) 7 x)} \span \cr
\noalign{\vskip 2pt}
\quad in \term{implementation} A $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "foo" X)}      \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} B $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS "\#+Spice" X)} \cr
\quad in \term{implementation} C $\ldots$ & \f{(CONS 7 X)}          \cr
}
\endsubsubsubsection%{Examples of Feature Expressions}

\endsubsubsection%{Feature Expressions}

\endsubsection%{Features}