1 Guile NEWS --- history of user-visible changes.
2 Copyright (C) 1996-2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 See the end for copying conditions.
5 Please send Guile bug reports to bug-guile@gnu.org.
8 Changes in 2.0.1 (since 2.0.0):
12 ** guile.m4 supports linking with rpath
14 The GUILE_FLAGS macro now sets GUILE_LIBS and GUILE_LTLIBS, which
15 include appropriate directives to the linker to include libguile-2.0.so
16 in the runtime library lookup path.
18 ** `begin' expands macros in its body before other expressions
20 This enables support for programs like the following:
25 (or (= x 0) (odd? (- x 1)))))
28 ((odd? x) (not (even? x)))))
31 ** REPL reader usability enhancements
33 The REPL now flushes input after a read error, which should prevent one
34 error from causing other errors. The REPL also now interprets comments
37 ** REPL output has configurable width
39 The REPL now defaults to output with the current terminal's width, in
40 columns. See "Debug Commands" in the manual for more information on
43 ** Better C access to the module system
45 Guile now has convenient C accessors to look up variables or values in
46 modules and their public interfaces. See `scm_c_public_ref' and friends
47 in "Accessing Modules from C" in the manual.
49 ** Added `scm_call_5', `scm_call_6'
51 See "Fly Evaluation" in the manual.
53 ** Added `scm_from_latin1_keyword', `scm_from_utf8_keyword'
55 See "Keyword Procedures" in the manual, for more. Note that
56 `scm_from_locale_keyword' should not be used when the name is a C string
59 ** R6RS unicode and string I/O work
61 Added efficient implementations of `get-string-n' and `get-string-n!'
62 for binary ports. Exported `current-input-port', `current-output-port'
63 and `current-error-port' from `(rnrs io ports)', and enhanced support
66 ** Added `pointer->scm', `scm->pointer' to `(system foreign)'
68 These procedure are useful if one needs to pass and receive SCM values
69 to and from foreign functions. See "Foreign Variables" in the manual,
72 ** Added `heap-allocated-since-gc' to `(gc-stats)'
74 Also fixed the long-standing bug in the REPL `,stat' command.
76 ** Add `on-error' REPL option
78 This option controls what happens when an error occurs at the REPL, and
79 defaults to `debug', indicating that Guile should enter the debugger.
80 Other values include `report', which will simply print a backtrace
81 without entering the debugger. See "System Commands" in the manual.
83 ** Enforce immutability of string literals
85 Attempting to mutate a string literal now causes a runtime error.
87 ** Fix pthread redirection
89 Guile 2.0.0 shipped with headers that, if configured with pthread
90 support, would re-define `pthread_create', `pthread_join', and other API
91 to redirect to the BDW-GC wrappers, `GC_pthread_create', etc. This was
92 unintended, and not necessary: because threads must enter Guile with
93 `scm_with_guile', Guile can handle thread registration itself, without
94 needing to make the GC aware of all threads. This oversight has been
97 ** `with-continuation-barrier' now unwinds on `quit'
99 A throw to `quit' in a continuation barrier will cause Guile to exit.
100 Before, it would do so before unwinding to the barrier, which would
101 prevent cleanup handlers from running. This has been fixed so that it
102 exits only after unwinding.
104 ** `string->pointer' and `pointer->string' have optional encoding arg
106 This allows users of the FFI to more easily deal in strings with
107 particular (non-locale) encodings, like "utf-8". See "Void Pointers and
108 Byte Access" in the manual, for more.
110 ** R6RS fixnum arithmetic optimizations
112 R6RS fixnum operations are are still slower than generic arithmetic,
115 ** New procedure: `define-inlinable'
117 See "Inlinable Procedures" in the manual, for more.
119 ** New procedure: `exact-integer-sqrt'
121 See "Integer Operations" in the manual, for more.
123 ** "Extended read syntax" for symbols parses better
125 In #{foo}# symbols, backslashes are now treated as escapes, as the
126 symbol-printing code intended. Additionally, "\x" within #{foo}# is now
127 interpreted as starting an R6RS hex escape. This is backward compatible
128 because the symbol printer would never produce a "\x" before. The
129 printer also works better too.
131 ** Added --force-auto-compile option
133 This allows a user to invalidate the auto-compilation cache. It's
134 usually not needed. See "Compilation" in the manual, for a discussion.
138 ** GOOPS documentation updates
142 Thanks to Mark Harig for improvements to guile.1.
144 ** SRFI-23 documented
146 The humble `error' SRFI now has an entry in the manual.
150 ** `(ice-9 binary-ports)': "R6RS I/O Ports", in the manual
151 ** `(ice-9 eval-string)': "Fly Evaluation", in the manual
152 ** `(ice-9 command-line)', not documented yet
156 ** Fixed `iconv_t' memory leak on close-port
157 ** Fixed some leaks with weak hash tables
158 ** Export `vhash-delq' and `vhash-delv' from `(ice-9 vlist)'
159 ** `after-gc-hook' works again
160 ** `define-record-type' now allowed in nested contexts
161 ** `exact-integer-sqrt' now handles large integers correctly
162 ** Fixed C extension examples in manual
163 ** `vhash-delete' honors HASH argument
164 ** Make `locale-digit-grouping' more robust
165 ** Default exception printer robustness fixes
166 ** Fix presence of non-I CPPFLAGS in `guile-2.0.pc'
167 ** `read' updates line/column numbers when reading SCSH block comments
168 ** Fix imports of multiple custom interfaces of same module
169 ** Fix encoding scanning for non-seekable ports
170 ** Fix `setter' when called with a non-setter generic
171 ** Fix f32 and f64 bytevectors to not accept rationals
172 ** Fix description of the R6RS `finite?' in manual
173 ** Quotient, remainder and modulo accept inexact integers again
174 ** Fix `continue' within `while' to take zero arguments
175 ** Fix alignment for structures in FFI
176 ** Fix port-filename of stdin, stdout, stderr to match the docs
177 ** Fix weak hash table-related bug in `define-wrapped-pointer-type'
178 ** Fix partial continuation application with pending procedure calls
179 ** scm_{to,from}_locale_string use current locale, not current ports
180 ** Fix thread cleanup, by using a pthread_key destructor
181 ** Fix `quit' at the REPL
182 ** Fix a failure to sync regs in vm bytevector ops
183 ** Fix (texinfo reflection) to handle nested structures like syntax patterns
184 ** Fix stexi->html double translation
185 ** Fix tree-il->scheme fix for <prompt>
186 ** Fix compilation of <prompt> in <fix> in single-value context
187 ** Fix race condition in ensure-writable-dir
188 ** Fix error message on ,disassemble "non-procedure"
189 ** Fix prompt and abort with the boot evaluator
190 ** Fix `procedure->pointer' for functions returning `void'
191 ** Fix error reporting in dynamic-pointer
192 ** Fix problems detecting coding: in block comments
193 ** Fix duplicate load-path and load-compiled-path in compilation environment
194 ** Add fallback read(2) suppport for .go files if mmap(2) unavailable
195 ** Fix c32vector-set!, c64vector-set!
196 ** Fix mistakenly deprecated read syntax for uniform complex vectors
197 ** Fix parsing of exact numbers with negative exponents
198 ** Ignore SIGPIPE in (system repl server)
199 ** Fix optional second arg to R6RS log function
200 ** Fix R6RS `assert' to return true value.
201 ** Fix fencepost error when seeking in bytevector input ports
202 ** Gracefully handle `setlocale' errors when starting the REPL
203 ** Improve support of the `--disable-posix' configure option
204 ** Make sure R6RS binary ports pass `binary-port?' regardless of the locale
205 ** Gracefully handle unterminated UTF-8 sequences instead of hitting an `assert'
209 Changes in 2.0.0 (changes since the 1.8.x series):
211 * New modules (see the manual for details)
213 ** `(srfi srfi-18)', more sophisticated multithreading support
214 ** `(srfi srfi-27)', sources of random bits
215 ** `(srfi srfi-38)', External Representation for Data With Shared Structure
216 ** `(srfi srfi-42)', eager comprehensions
217 ** `(srfi srfi-45)', primitives for expressing iterative lazy algorithms
218 ** `(srfi srfi-67)', compare procedures
219 ** `(ice-9 i18n)', internationalization support
220 ** `(ice-9 futures)', fine-grain parallelism
221 ** `(rnrs bytevectors)', the R6RS bytevector API
222 ** `(rnrs io ports)', a subset of the R6RS I/O port API
223 ** `(system xref)', a cross-referencing facility (FIXME undocumented)
224 ** `(ice-9 vlist)', lists with constant-time random access; hash lists
225 ** `(system foreign)', foreign function interface
226 ** `(sxml match)', a pattern matcher for SXML
227 ** `(srfi srfi-9 gnu)', extensions to the SRFI-9 record library
228 ** `(system vm coverage)', a line-by-line code coverage library
229 ** `(web uri)', URI data type, parser, and unparser
230 ** `(web http)', HTTP header parsers and unparsers
231 ** `(web request)', HTTP request data type, reader, and writer
232 ** `(web response)', HTTP response data type, reader, and writer
233 ** `(web server)', Generic HTTP server
234 ** `(ice-9 poll)', a poll wrapper
235 ** `(web server http)', HTTP-over-TCP web server implementation
237 ** Replaced `(ice-9 match)' with Alex Shinn's compatible, hygienic matcher.
239 Guile's copy of Andrew K. Wright's `match' library has been replaced by
240 a compatible hygienic implementation by Alex Shinn. It is now
241 documented, see "Pattern Matching" in the manual.
243 Compared to Andrew K. Wright's `match', the new `match' lacks
244 `match-define', `match:error-control', `match:set-error-control',
245 `match:error', `match:set-error', and all structure-related procedures.
247 ** Imported statprof, SSAX, and texinfo modules from Guile-Lib
249 The statprof statistical profiler, the SSAX XML toolkit, and the texinfo
250 toolkit from Guile-Lib have been imported into Guile proper. See
251 "Standard Library" in the manual for more details.
253 ** Integration of lalr-scm, a parser generator
255 Guile has included Dominique Boucher's fine `lalr-scm' parser generator
256 as `(system base lalr)'. See "LALR(1) Parsing" in the manual, for more
259 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
261 ** Guile now can compile Scheme to bytecode for a custom virtual machine.
263 Compiled code loads much faster than Scheme source code, and runs around
264 3 or 4 times as fast, generating much less garbage in the process.
266 ** Evaluating Scheme code does not use the C stack.
268 Besides when compiling Guile itself, Guile no longer uses a recursive C
269 function as an evaluator. This obviates the need to check the C stack
270 pointer for overflow. Continuations still capture the C stack, however.
272 ** New environment variables: GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH,
273 GUILE_SYSTEM_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH
275 GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH is for compiled files what GUILE_LOAD_PATH is
276 for source files. It is a different path, however, because compiled
277 files are architecture-specific. GUILE_SYSTEM_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH is like
280 ** New read-eval-print loop (REPL) implementation
282 Running Guile with no arguments drops the user into the new REPL. See
283 "Using Guile Interactively" in the manual, for more information.
285 ** Remove old Emacs interface
287 Guile had an unused `--emacs' command line argument that was supposed to
288 help when running Guile inside Emacs. This option has been removed, and
289 the helper functions `named-module-use!' and `load-emacs-interface' have
292 ** Add `(system repl server)' module and `--listen' command-line argument
294 The `(system repl server)' module exposes procedures to listen on
295 sockets for connections, and serve REPLs to those clients. The --listen
296 command-line argument allows any Guile program to thus be remotely
299 See "Invoking Guile" for more information on `--listen'.
301 ** Command line additions
303 The guile binary now supports a new switch "-x", which can be used to
304 extend the list of filename extensions tried when loading files
307 ** New reader options: `square-brackets', `r6rs-hex-escapes',
310 The reader supports a new option (changeable via `read-options'),
311 `square-brackets', which instructs it to interpret square brackets as
312 parentheses. This option is on by default.
314 When the new `r6rs-hex-escapes' reader option is enabled, the reader
315 will recognize string escape sequences as defined in R6RS. R6RS string
316 escape sequences are incompatible with Guile's existing escapes, though,
317 so this option is off by default.
319 Additionally, Guile follows the R6RS newline escaping rules when the
320 `hungry-eol-escapes' option is enabled.
322 See "String Syntax" in the manual, for more information.
324 ** Function profiling and tracing at the REPL
326 The `,profile FORM' REPL meta-command can now be used to statistically
327 profile execution of a form, to see which functions are taking the most
328 time. See `,help profile' for more information.
330 Similarly, `,trace FORM' traces all function applications that occur
331 during the execution of `FORM'. See `,help trace' for more information.
333 ** Recursive debugging REPL on error
335 When Guile sees an error at the REPL, instead of saving the stack, Guile
336 will directly enter a recursive REPL in the dynamic context of the
337 error. See "Error Handling" in the manual, for more information.
339 A recursive REPL is the same as any other REPL, except that it
340 has been augmented with debugging information, so that one can inspect
341 the context of the error. The debugger has been integrated with the REPL
342 via a set of debugging meta-commands.
344 For example, one may access a backtrace with `,backtrace' (or
345 `,bt'). See "Interactive Debugging" in the manual, for more
348 ** New `guile-tools' commands: `compile', `disassemble'
350 Pass the `--help' command-line option to these commands for more
353 ** Guile now adds its install prefix to the LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH
355 Users may now install Guile to nonstandard prefixes and just run
356 `/path/to/bin/guile', instead of also having to set LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH to
357 include `/path/to/lib'.
359 ** Guile's Emacs integration is now more keyboard-friendly
361 Backtraces may now be disclosed with the keyboard in addition to the
364 ** Load path change: search in version-specific paths before site paths
366 When looking for a module, Guile now searches first in Guile's
367 version-specific path (the library path), *then* in the site dir. This
368 allows Guile's copy of SSAX to override any Guile-Lib copy the user has
369 installed. Also it should cut the number of `stat' system calls by half,
372 ** Value history in the REPL on by default
374 By default, the REPL will save computed values in variables like `$1',
375 `$2', and the like. There are programmatic and interactive interfaces to
376 control this. See "Value History" in the manual, for more information.
378 ** Readline tab completion for arguments
380 When readline is enabled, tab completion works for arguments too, not
381 just for the operator position.
383 ** Expression-oriented readline history
385 Guile's readline history now tries to operate on expressions instead of
386 input lines. Let us know what you think!
388 ** Interactive Guile follows GNU conventions
390 As recommended by the GPL, Guile now shows a brief copyright and
391 warranty disclaimer on startup, along with pointers to more information.
393 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
395 ** Support for R6RS libraries
397 The `library' and `import' forms from the latest Scheme report have been
398 added to Guile, in such a way that R6RS libraries share a namespace with
399 Guile modules. R6RS modules may import Guile modules, and are available
400 for Guile modules to import via use-modules and all the rest. See "R6RS
401 Libraries" in the manual for more information.
403 ** Implementations of R6RS libraries
405 Guile now has implementations for all of the libraries defined in the
406 R6RS. Thanks to Julian Graham for this excellent hack. See "R6RS
407 Standard Libraries" in the manual for a full list of libraries.
409 ** Partial R6RS compatibility
411 Guile now has enough support for R6RS to run a reasonably large subset
414 Guile is not fully R6RS compatible. Many incompatibilities are simply
415 bugs, though some parts of Guile will remain R6RS-incompatible for the
416 foreseeable future. See "R6RS Incompatibilities" in the manual, for more
419 Please contact bug-guile@gnu.org if you have found an issue not
420 mentioned in that compatibility list.
422 ** New implementation of `primitive-eval'
424 Guile's `primitive-eval' is now implemented in Scheme. Actually there is
425 still a C evaluator, used when building a fresh Guile to interpret the
426 compiler, so we can compile eval.scm. Thereafter all calls to
427 primitive-eval are implemented by VM-compiled code.
429 This allows all of Guile's procedures, be they interpreted or compiled,
430 to execute on the same stack, unifying multiple-value return semantics,
431 providing for proper tail recursion between interpreted and compiled
432 code, and simplifying debugging.
434 As part of this change, the evaluator no longer mutates the internal
435 representation of the code being evaluated in a thread-unsafe manner.
437 There are two negative aspects of this change, however. First, Guile
438 takes a lot longer to compile now. Also, there is less debugging
439 information available for debugging interpreted code. We hope to improve
440 both of these situations.
442 There are many changes to the internal C evalator interface, but all
443 public interfaces should be the same. See the ChangeLog for details. If
444 we have inadvertantly changed an interface that you were using, please
445 contact bug-guile@gnu.org.
447 ** Procedure removed: `the-environment'
449 This procedure was part of the interpreter's execution model, and does
450 not apply to the compiler.
452 ** No more `local-eval'
454 `local-eval' used to exist so that one could evaluate code in the
455 lexical context of a function. Since there is no way to get the lexical
456 environment any more, as that concept has no meaning for the compiler,
457 and a different meaning for the interpreter, we have removed the
460 If you think you need `local-eval', you should probably implement your
461 own metacircular evaluator. It will probably be as fast as Guile's
464 ** Scheme source files will now be compiled automatically.
466 If a compiled .go file corresponding to a .scm file is not found or is
467 not fresh, the .scm file will be compiled on the fly, and the resulting
468 .go file stored away. An advisory note will be printed on the console.
470 Note that this mechanism depends on the timestamp of the .go file being
471 newer than that of the .scm file; if the .scm or .go files are moved
472 after installation, care should be taken to preserve their original
475 Auto-compiled files will be stored in the $XDG_CACHE_HOME/guile/ccache
476 directory, where $XDG_CACHE_HOME defaults to ~/.cache. This directory
477 will be created if needed.
479 To inhibit automatic compilation, set the GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE environment
480 variable to 0, or pass --no-auto-compile on the Guile command line.
482 ** New POSIX procedures: `getrlimit' and `setrlimit'
484 Note however that the interface of these functions is likely to change
485 in the next prerelease.
487 ** New POSIX procedure: `getsid'
489 Scheme binding for the `getsid' C library call.
491 ** New POSIX procedure: `getaddrinfo'
493 Scheme binding for the `getaddrinfo' C library function.
495 ** Multicast socket options
497 Support was added for the IP_MULTICAST_TTL and IP_MULTICAST_IF socket
498 options. See "Network Sockets and Communication" in the manual, for
501 ** `recv!', `recvfrom!', `send', `sendto' now deal in bytevectors
503 These socket procedures now take bytevectors as arguments, instead of
504 strings. There is some deprecated string support, however.
506 ** New GNU procedures: `setaffinity' and `getaffinity'.
508 See "Processes" in the manual, for more information.
510 ** New procedures: `compose', `negate', and `const'
512 See "Higher-Order Functions" in the manual, for more information.
514 ** New procedure in `(oops goops)': `method-formals'
516 ** New procedures in (ice-9 session): `add-value-help-handler!',
517 `remove-value-help-handler!', `add-name-help-handler!'
518 `remove-name-help-handler!', `procedure-arguments'
520 The value and name help handlers provide some minimal extensibility to
521 the help interface. Guile-lib's `(texinfo reflection)' uses them, for
522 example, to make stexinfo help documentation available. See those
523 procedures' docstrings for more information.
525 `procedure-arguments' describes the arguments that a procedure can take,
526 combining arity and formals. For example:
528 (procedure-arguments resolve-interface)
529 => ((required . (name)) (rest . args))
531 Additionally, `module-commentary' is now publically exported from
534 ** Removed: `procedure->memoizing-macro', `procedure->syntax'
536 These procedures created primitive fexprs for the old evaluator, and are
537 no longer supported. If you feel that you need these functions, you
538 probably need to write your own metacircular evaluator (which will
539 probably be as fast as Guile's, anyway).
541 ** New language: ECMAScript
543 Guile now ships with one other high-level language supported,
544 ECMAScript. The goal is to support all of version 3.1 of the standard,
545 but not all of the libraries are there yet. This support is not yet
546 documented; ask on the mailing list if you are interested.
548 ** New language: Brainfuck
550 Brainfuck is a toy language that closely models Turing machines. Guile's
551 brainfuck compiler is meant to be an example of implementing other
552 languages. See the manual for details, or
553 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainfuck for more information about the
554 Brainfuck language itself.
556 ** New language: Elisp
558 Guile now has an experimental Emacs Lisp compiler and runtime. You can
559 now switch to Elisp at the repl: `,language elisp'. All kudos to Daniel
560 Kraft and Brian Templeton, and all bugs to bug-guile@gnu.org.
562 ** Better documentation infrastructure for macros
564 It is now possible to introspect on the type of a macro, e.g.
565 syntax-rules, identifier-syntax, etc, and extract information about that
566 macro, such as the syntax-rules patterns or the defmacro arguments.
567 `(texinfo reflection)' takes advantage of this to give better macro
570 ** Support for arbitrary procedure metadata
572 Building on its support for docstrings, Guile now supports multiple
573 docstrings, adding them to the tail of a compiled procedure's
574 properties. For example:
580 (procedure-properties foo)
581 => ((name . foo) (documentation . "one") (documentation . "two"))
583 Also, vectors of pairs are now treated as additional metadata entries:
586 #((quz . #f) (docstring . "xyzzy"))
588 (procedure-properties bar)
589 => ((name . bar) (quz . #f) (docstring . "xyzzy"))
591 This allows arbitrary literals to be embedded as metadata in a compiled
594 ** The psyntax expander now knows how to interpret the @ and @@ special
597 ** The psyntax expander is now hygienic with respect to modules.
599 Free variables in a macro are scoped in the module that the macro was
600 defined in, not in the module the macro is used in. For example, code
603 (define-module (foo) #:export (bar))
604 (define (helper x) ...)
606 (syntax-rules () ((_ x) (helper x))))
608 (define-module (baz) #:use-module (foo))
611 It used to be you had to export `helper' from `(foo)' as well.
612 Thankfully, this has been fixed.
614 ** Support for version information in Guile's `module' form
616 Guile modules now have a `#:version' field. See "R6RS Version
617 References", "General Information about Modules", "Using Guile Modules",
618 and "Creating Guile Modules" in the manual for more information.
620 ** Support for renaming bindings on module export
622 Wherever Guile accepts a symbol as an argument to specify a binding to
623 export, it now also accepts a pair of symbols, indicating that a binding
624 should be renamed on export. See "Creating Guile Modules" in the manual
625 for more information.
627 ** New procedure: `module-export-all!'
629 This procedure exports all current and future bindings from a module.
630 Use as `(module-export-all! (current-module))'.
632 ** New procedure `reload-module', and `,reload' REPL command
634 See "Module System Reflection" and "Module Commands" in the manual, for
637 ** `eval-case' has been deprecated, and replaced by `eval-when'.
639 The semantics of `eval-when' are easier to understand. See "Eval When"
640 in the manual, for more information.
642 ** Guile is now more strict about prohibiting definitions in expression
645 Although previous versions of Guile accepted it, the following
646 expression is not valid, in R5RS or R6RS:
648 (if test (define foo 'bar) (define foo 'baz))
650 In this specific case, it would be better to do:
652 (define foo (if test 'bar 'baz))
654 It is possible to circumvent this restriction with e.g.
655 `(module-define! (current-module) 'foo 'baz)'. Contact the list if you
658 ** Support for `letrec*'
660 Guile now supports `letrec*', a recursive lexical binding operator in
661 which the identifiers are bound in order. See "Local Bindings" in the
662 manual, for more details.
664 ** Internal definitions now expand to `letrec*'
666 Following the R6RS, internal definitions now expand to letrec* instead
667 of letrec. The following program is invalid for R5RS, but valid for
672 (define baz (+ bar 20))
675 ;; R5RS and Guile <= 1.8:
676 (foo) => Unbound variable: bar
677 ;; R6RS and Guile >= 2.0:
680 This change should not affect correct R5RS programs, or programs written
681 in earlier Guile dialects.
683 ** Macro expansion produces structures instead of s-expressions
685 In the olden days, macroexpanding an s-expression would yield another
686 s-expression. Though the lexical variables were renamed, expansions of
687 core forms like `if' and `begin' were still non-hygienic, as they relied
688 on the toplevel definitions of `if' et al being the conventional ones.
690 The solution is to expand to structures instead of s-expressions. There
691 is an `if' structure, a `begin' structure, a `toplevel-ref' structure,
692 etc. The expander already did this for compilation, producing Tree-IL
693 directly; it has been changed now to do so when expanding for the
696 ** Defmacros must now produce valid Scheme expressions.
698 It used to be that defmacros could unquote in Scheme values, as a way of
699 supporting partial evaluation, and avoiding some hygiene issues. For
702 (define (helper x) ...)
703 (define-macro (foo bar)
706 Assuming this macro is in the `(baz)' module, the direct translation of
709 (define (helper x) ...)
710 (define-macro (foo bar)
711 `((@@ (baz) helper) ,bar))
713 Of course, one could just use a hygienic macro instead:
717 ((_ bar) (helper bar))))
719 ** Guile's psyntax now supports docstrings and internal definitions.
721 The following Scheme is not strictly legal:
728 However its intent is fairly clear. Guile interprets "bar" to be the
729 docstring of `foo', and the definition of `baz' is still in definition
732 ** Support for settable identifier syntax
734 Following the R6RS, "variable transformers" are settable
735 identifier-syntax. See "Identifier macros" in the manual, for more
738 ** syntax-case treats `_' as a placeholder
740 Following R6RS, a `_' in a syntax-rules or syntax-case pattern matches
741 anything, and binds no pattern variables. Unlike the R6RS, Guile also
742 permits `_' to be in the literals list for a pattern.
744 ** Macros need to be defined before their first use.
746 It used to be that with lazy memoization, this might work:
750 (define-macro (ref x) x)
753 But now, the body of `foo' is interpreted to mean a call to the toplevel
754 `ref' function, instead of a macro expansion. The solution is to define
755 macros before code that uses them.
757 ** Functions needed by macros at expand-time need to be present at
760 For example, this code will work at the REPL:
762 (define (double-helper x) (* x x))
763 (define-macro (double-literal x) (double-helper x))
764 (double-literal 2) => 4
766 But it will not work when a file is compiled, because the definition of
767 `double-helper' is not present at expand-time. The solution is to wrap
768 the definition of `double-helper' in `eval-when':
770 (eval-when (load compile eval)
771 (define (double-helper x) (* x x)))
772 (define-macro (double-literal x) (double-helper x))
773 (double-literal 2) => 4
775 See the documentation for eval-when for more information.
777 ** `macroexpand' produces structures, not S-expressions.
779 Given the need to maintain referential transparency, both lexically and
780 modular, the result of expanding Scheme expressions is no longer itself
781 an s-expression. If you want a human-readable approximation of the
782 result of `macroexpand', call `tree-il->scheme' from `(language
785 ** Removed function: `macroexpand-1'
787 It is unclear how to implement `macroexpand-1' with syntax-case, though
788 PLT Scheme does prove that it is possible.
790 ** New reader macros: #' #` #, #,@
792 These macros translate, respectively, to `syntax', `quasisyntax',
793 `unsyntax', and `unsyntax-splicing'. See the R6RS for more information.
794 These reader macros may be overridden by `read-hash-extend'.
796 ** Incompatible change to #'
798 Guile did have a #' hash-extension, by default, which just returned the
799 subsequent datum: #'foo => foo. In the unlikely event that anyone
800 actually used this, this behavior may be reinstated via the
801 `read-hash-extend' mechanism.
803 ** `unquote' and `unquote-splicing' accept multiple expressions
805 As per the R6RS, these syntax operators can now accept any number of
806 expressions to unquote.
808 ** Scheme expresssions may be commented out with #;
810 #; comments out an entire expression. See SRFI-62 or the R6RS for more
813 ** Prompts: Delimited, composable continuations
815 Guile now has prompts as part of its primitive language. See "Prompts"
816 in the manual, for more information.
818 Expressions entered in at the REPL, or from the command line, are
819 surrounded by a prompt with the default prompt tag.
821 ** `make-stack' with a tail-called procedural narrowing argument no longer
822 works (with compiled procedures)
824 It used to be the case that a captured stack could be narrowed to select
825 calls only up to or from a certain procedure, even if that procedure
826 already tail-called another procedure. This was because the debug
827 information from the original procedure was kept on the stack.
829 Now with the new compiler, the stack only contains active frames from
830 the current continuation. A narrow to a procedure that is not in the
831 stack will result in an empty stack. To fix this, narrow to a procedure
832 that is active in the current continuation, or narrow to a specific
833 number of stack frames.
835 ** Backtraces through compiled procedures only show procedures that are
836 active in the current continuation
838 Similarly to the previous issue, backtraces in compiled code may be
839 different from backtraces in interpreted code. There are no semantic
840 differences, however. Please mail bug-guile@gnu.org if you see any
841 deficiencies with Guile's backtraces.
843 ** `positions' reader option enabled by default
845 This change allows primitive-load without --auto-compile to also
846 propagate source information through the expander, for better errors and
847 to let macros know their source locations. The compiler was already
848 turning it on anyway.
850 ** New macro: `current-source-location'
852 The macro returns the current source location (to be documented).
854 ** syntax-rules and syntax-case macros now propagate source information
855 through to the expanded code
857 This should result in better backtraces.
859 ** The currying behavior of `define' has been removed.
861 Before, `(define ((f a) b) (* a b))' would translate to
863 (define f (lambda (a) (lambda (b) (* a b))))
865 Now a syntax error is signaled, as this syntax is not supported by
866 default. Use the `(ice-9 curried-definitions)' module to get back the
869 ** New procedure, `define!'
871 `define!' is a procedure that takes two arguments, a symbol and a value,
872 and binds the value to the symbol in the current module. It's useful to
873 programmatically make definitions in the current module, and is slightly
874 less verbose than `module-define!'.
876 ** All modules have names now
878 Before, you could have anonymous modules: modules without names. Now,
879 because of hygiene and macros, all modules have names. If a module was
880 created without a name, the first time `module-name' is called on it, a
881 fresh name will be lazily generated for it.
883 ** The module namespace is now separate from the value namespace
885 It was a little-known implementation detail of Guile's module system
886 that it was built on a single hierarchical namespace of values -- that
887 if there was a module named `(foo bar)', then in the module named
888 `(foo)' there was a binding from `bar' to the `(foo bar)' module.
890 This was a neat trick, but presented a number of problems. One problem
891 was that the bindings in a module were not apparent from the module
892 itself; perhaps the `(foo)' module had a private binding for `bar', and
893 then an external contributor defined `(foo bar)'. In the end there can
894 be only one binding, so one of the two will see the wrong thing, and
895 produce an obtuse error of unclear provenance.
897 Also, the public interface of a module was also bound in the value
898 namespace, as `%module-public-interface'. This was a hack from the early
899 days of Guile's modules.
901 Both of these warts have been fixed by the addition of fields in the
902 `module' data type. Access to modules and their interfaces from the
903 value namespace has been deprecated, and all accessors use the new
904 record accessors appropriately.
906 When Guile is built with support for deprecated code, as is the default,
907 the value namespace is still searched for modules and public interfaces,
908 and a deprecation warning is raised as appropriate.
910 Finally, to support lazy loading of modules as one used to be able to do
911 with module binder procedures, Guile now has submodule binders, called
912 if a given submodule is not found. See boot-9.scm for more information.
914 ** New procedures: module-ref-submodule, module-define-submodule,
915 nested-ref-module, nested-define-module!, local-ref-module,
918 These new accessors are like their bare variants, but operate on
919 namespaces instead of values.
921 ** The (app modules) module tree is officially deprecated
923 It used to be that one could access a module named `(foo bar)' via
924 `(nested-ref the-root-module '(app modules foo bar))'. The `(app
925 modules)' bit was a never-used and never-documented abstraction, and has
926 been deprecated. See the following mail for a full discussion:
928 http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guile-devel/2010-04/msg00168.html
930 The `%app' binding is also deprecated.
932 ** `module-filename' field and accessor
934 Modules now record the file in which they are defined. This field may be
935 accessed with the new `module-filename' procedure.
937 ** Modules load within a known environment
939 It takes a few procedure calls to define a module, and those procedure
940 calls need to be in scope. Now we ensure that the current module when
941 loading a module is one that has the needed bindings, instead of relying
944 ** `load' is a macro (!) that resolves paths relative to source file dir
946 The familiar Schem `load' procedure is now a macro that captures the
947 name of the source file being expanded, and dispatches to the new
948 `load-in-vicinity'. Referencing `load' by bare name returns a closure
949 that embeds the current source file name.
951 This fix allows `load' of relative paths to be resolved with respect to
952 the location of the file that calls `load'.
954 ** Many syntax errors have different texts now
956 Syntax errors still throw to the `syntax-error' key, but the arguments
957 are often different now. Perhaps in the future, Guile will switch to
958 using standard SRFI-35 conditions.
960 ** Returning multiple values to compiled code will silently truncate the
961 values to the expected number
963 For example, the interpreter would raise an error evaluating the form,
964 `(+ (values 1 2) (values 3 4))', because it would see the operands as
965 being two compound "values" objects, to which `+' does not apply.
967 The compiler, on the other hand, receives multiple values on the stack,
968 not as a compound object. Given that it must check the number of values
969 anyway, if too many values are provided for a continuation, it chooses
970 to truncate those values, effectively evaluating `(+ 1 3)' instead.
972 The idea is that the semantics that the compiler implements is more
973 intuitive, and the use of the interpreter will fade out with time.
974 This behavior is allowed both by the R5RS and the R6RS.
976 ** Multiple values in compiled code are not represented by compound
979 This change may manifest itself in the following situation:
981 (let ((val (foo))) (do-something) val)
983 In the interpreter, if `foo' returns multiple values, multiple values
984 are produced from the `let' expression. In the compiler, those values
985 are truncated to the first value, and that first value is returned. In
986 the compiler, if `foo' returns no values, an error will be raised, while
987 the interpreter would proceed.
989 Both of these behaviors are allowed by R5RS and R6RS. The compiler's
990 behavior is more correct, however. If you wish to preserve a potentially
991 multiply-valued return, you will need to set up a multiple-value
992 continuation, using `call-with-values'.
994 ** Defmacros are now implemented in terms of syntax-case.
996 The practical ramification of this is that the `defmacro?' predicate has
997 been removed, along with `defmacro-transformer', `macro-table',
998 `xformer-table', `assert-defmacro?!', `set-defmacro-transformer!' and
999 `defmacro:transformer'. This is because defmacros are simply macros. If
1000 any of these procedures provided useful facilities to you, we encourage
1001 you to contact the Guile developers.
1003 ** Hygienic macros documented as the primary syntactic extension mechanism.
1005 The macro documentation was finally fleshed out with some documentation
1006 on `syntax-rules' and `syntax-case' macros, and other parts of the macro
1007 expansion process. See "Macros" in the manual, for details.
1009 ** psyntax is now the default expander
1011 Scheme code is now expanded by default by the psyntax hygienic macro
1012 expander. Expansion is performed completely before compilation or
1015 Notably, syntax errors will be signalled before interpretation begins.
1016 In the past, many syntax errors were only detected at runtime if the
1017 code in question was memoized.
1019 As part of its expansion, psyntax renames all lexically-bound
1020 identifiers. Original identifier names are preserved and given to the
1021 compiler, but the interpreter will see the renamed variables, e.g.,
1022 `x432' instead of `x'.
1024 Note that the psyntax that Guile uses is a fork, as Guile already had
1025 modules before incompatible modules were added to psyntax -- about 10
1026 years ago! Thus there are surely a number of bugs that have been fixed
1027 in psyntax since then. If you find one, please notify bug-guile@gnu.org.
1029 ** syntax-rules and syntax-case are available by default.
1031 There is no longer any need to import the `(ice-9 syncase)' module
1032 (which is now deprecated). The expander may be invoked directly via
1033 `macroexpand', though it is normally searched for via the current module
1036 Also, the helper routines for syntax-case are available in the default
1037 environment as well: `syntax->datum', `datum->syntax',
1038 `bound-identifier=?', `free-identifier=?', `generate-temporaries',
1039 `identifier?', and `syntax-violation'. See the R6RS for documentation.
1041 ** Tail patterns in syntax-case
1043 Guile has pulled in some more recent changes from the psyntax portable
1044 syntax expander, to implement support for "tail patterns". Such patterns
1045 are supported by syntax-rules and syntax-case. This allows a syntax-case
1046 match clause to have ellipses, then a pattern at the end. For example:
1049 (syntax-rules (else)
1050 ((_ val match-clause ... (else e e* ...))
1053 Note how there is MATCH-CLAUSE, which is ellipsized, then there is a
1054 tail pattern for the else clause. Thanks to Andreas Rottmann for the
1055 patch, and Kent Dybvig for the code.
1057 ** Lexical bindings introduced by hygienic macros may not be referenced
1058 by nonhygienic macros.
1060 If a lexical binding is introduced by a hygienic macro, it may not be
1061 referenced by a nonhygienic macro. For example, this works:
1064 (define-macro (bind-x val body)
1065 `(let ((x ,val)) ,body))
1066 (define-macro (ref x)
1068 (bind-x 10 (ref x)))
1073 (define-syntax bind-x
1075 ((_ val body) (let ((x val)) body))))
1076 (define-macro (ref x)
1078 (bind-x 10 (ref x)))
1080 It is not normal to run into this situation with existing code. However,
1081 if you have defmacros that expand to hygienic macros, it is possible to
1082 run into situations like this. For example, if you have a defmacro that
1083 generates a `while' expression, the `break' bound by the `while' may not
1084 be visible within other parts of your defmacro. The solution is to port
1085 from defmacros to syntax-rules or syntax-case.
1087 ** Macros may no longer be referenced as first-class values.
1089 In the past, you could evaluate e.g. `if', and get its macro value. Now,
1090 expanding this form raises a syntax error.
1092 Macros still /exist/ as first-class values, but they must be
1093 /referenced/ via the module system, e.g. `(module-ref (current-module)
1096 ** Macros may now have docstrings.
1098 `object-documentation' from `(ice-9 documentation)' may be used to
1099 retrieve the docstring, once you have a macro value -- but see the above
1100 note about first-class macros. Docstrings are associated with the syntax
1101 transformer procedures.
1103 ** `case-lambda' is now available in the default environment.
1105 The binding in the default environment is equivalent to the one from the
1106 `(srfi srfi-16)' module. Use the srfi-16 module explicitly if you wish
1107 to maintain compatibility with Guile 1.8 and earlier.
1109 ** Procedures may now have more than one arity.
1111 This can be the case, for example, in case-lambda procedures. The
1112 arities of compiled procedures may be accessed via procedures from the
1113 `(system vm program)' module; see "Compiled Procedures", "Optional
1114 Arguments", and "Case-lambda" in the manual.
1116 ** Deprecate arity access via (procedure-properties proc 'arity)
1118 Instead of accessing a procedure's arity as a property, use the new
1119 `procedure-minimum-arity' function, which gives the most permissive
1120 arity that the the function has, in the same format as the old arity
1123 ** `lambda*' and `define*' are now available in the default environment
1125 As with `case-lambda', `(ice-9 optargs)' continues to be supported, for
1126 compatibility purposes. No semantic change has been made (we hope).
1127 Optional and keyword arguments now dispatch via special VM operations,
1128 without the need to cons rest arguments, making them very fast.
1130 ** New syntax: define-once
1132 `define-once' is like Lisp's `defvar': it creates a toplevel binding,
1133 but only if one does not exist already.
1135 ** New function, `truncated-print', with `format' support
1137 `(ice-9 pretty-print)' now exports `truncated-print', a printer that
1138 will ensure that the output stays within a certain width, truncating the
1139 output in what is hopefully an intelligent manner. See the manual for
1142 There is a new `format' specifier, `~@y', for doing a truncated
1143 print (as opposed to `~y', which does a pretty-print). See the `format'
1144 documentation for more details.
1146 ** Better pretty-printing
1148 Indentation recognizes more special forms, like `syntax-case', and read
1149 macros like `quote' are printed better.
1151 ** Passing a number as the destination of `format' is deprecated
1153 The `format' procedure in `(ice-9 format)' now emits a deprecation
1154 warning if a number is passed as its first argument.
1156 Also, it used to be that you could omit passing a port to `format', in
1157 some cases. This still works, but has been formally deprecated.
1159 ** SRFI-4 vectors reimplemented in terms of R6RS bytevectors
1161 Guile now implements SRFI-4 vectors using bytevectors. Often when you
1162 have a numeric vector, you end up wanting to write its bytes somewhere,
1163 or have access to the underlying bytes, or read in bytes from somewhere
1164 else. Bytevectors are very good at this sort of thing. But the SRFI-4
1165 APIs are nicer to use when doing number-crunching, because they are
1166 addressed by element and not by byte.
1168 So as a compromise, Guile allows all bytevector functions to operate on
1169 numeric vectors. They address the underlying bytes in the native
1170 endianness, as one would expect.
1172 Following the same reasoning, that it's just bytes underneath, Guile
1173 also allows uniform vectors of a given type to be accessed as if they
1174 were of any type. One can fill a u32vector, and access its elements with
1175 u8vector-ref. One can use f64vector-ref on bytevectors. It's all the
1178 In this way, uniform numeric vectors may be written to and read from
1179 input/output ports using the procedures that operate on bytevectors.
1181 Calls to SRFI-4 accessors (ref and set functions) from Scheme are now
1182 inlined to the VM instructions for bytevector access.
1184 See "SRFI-4" in the manual, for more information.
1186 ** Nonstandard SRFI-4 procedures now available from `(srfi srfi-4 gnu)'
1188 Guile's `(srfi srfi-4)' now only exports those srfi-4 procedures that
1189 are part of the standard. Complex uniform vectors and the
1190 `any->FOOvector' family are now available only from `(srfi srfi-4 gnu)'.
1192 Guile's default environment imports `(srfi srfi-4)', and probably should
1193 import `(srfi srfi-4 gnu)' as well.
1195 See "SRFI-4 Extensions" in the manual, for more information.
1197 ** New syntax: include-from-path.
1199 `include-from-path' is like `include', except it looks for its file in
1200 the load path. It can be used to compile other files into a file.
1202 ** New syntax: quasisyntax.
1204 `quasisyntax' is to `syntax' as `quasiquote' is to `quote'. See the R6RS
1205 documentation for more information. Thanks to Andre van Tonder for the
1208 ** `*unspecified*' is identifier syntax
1210 `*unspecified*' is no longer a variable, so it is optimized properly by
1211 the compiler, and is not `set!'-able.
1213 ** Changes and bugfixes in numerics code
1215 *** Added six new sets of fast quotient and remainder operators
1217 Added six new sets of fast quotient and remainder operator pairs with
1218 different semantics than the R5RS operators. They support not only
1219 integers, but all reals, including exact rationals and inexact
1220 floating point numbers.
1222 These procedures accept two real numbers N and D, where the divisor D
1223 must be non-zero. Each set of operators computes an integer quotient
1224 Q and a real remainder R such that N = Q*D + R and |R| < |D|. They
1225 differ only in how N/D is rounded to produce Q.
1227 `euclidean-quotient' returns the integer Q and `euclidean-remainder'
1228 returns the real R such that N = Q*D + R and 0 <= R < |D|. `euclidean/'
1229 returns both Q and R, and is more efficient than computing each
1230 separately. Note that when D > 0, `euclidean-quotient' returns
1231 floor(N/D), and when D < 0 it returns ceiling(N/D).
1233 `centered-quotient', `centered-remainder', and `centered/' are similar
1234 except that the range of remainders is -abs(D/2) <= R < abs(D/2), and
1235 `centered-quotient' rounds N/D to the nearest integer. Note that these
1236 operators are equivalent to the R6RS integer division operators `div',
1237 `mod', `div-and-mod', `div0', `mod0', and `div0-and-mod0'.
1239 `floor-quotient' and `floor-remainder' compute Q and R, respectively,
1240 where Q has been rounded toward negative infinity. `floor/' returns
1241 both Q and R, and is more efficient than computing each separately.
1242 Note that when applied to integers, `floor-remainder' is equivalent to
1243 the R5RS integer-only `modulo' operator. `ceiling-quotient',
1244 `ceiling-remainder', and `ceiling/' are similar except that Q is
1245 rounded toward positive infinity.
1247 For `truncate-quotient', `truncate-remainder', and `truncate/', Q is
1248 rounded toward zero. Note that when applied to integers,
1249 `truncate-quotient' and `truncate-remainder' are equivalent to the
1250 R5RS integer-only operators `quotient' and `remainder'.
1252 For `round-quotient', `round-remainder', and `round/', Q is rounded to
1253 the nearest integer, with ties going to the nearest even integer.
1255 *** Complex number changes
1257 Guile is now able to represent non-real complex numbers whose
1258 imaginary part is an _inexact_ zero (0.0 or -0.0), per R6RS.
1259 Previously, such numbers were immediately changed into inexact reals.
1261 (real? 0.0+0.0i) now returns #f, per R6RS, although (zero? 0.0+0.0i)
1262 still returns #t, per R6RS. (= 0 0.0+0.0i) and (= 0.0 0.0+0.0i) are
1263 #t, but the same comparisons using `eqv?' or `equal?' are #f.
1265 Like other non-real numbers, these complex numbers with inexact zero
1266 imaginary part will raise exceptions is passed to procedures requiring
1267 reals, such as `<', `>', `<=', `>=', `min', `max', `positive?',
1268 `negative?', `inf?', `nan?', `finite?', etc.
1270 **** `make-rectangular' changes
1272 scm_make_rectangular `make-rectangular' now returns a real number only
1273 if the imaginary part is an _exact_ 0. Previously, it would return a
1274 real number if the imaginary part was an inexact zero.
1276 scm_c_make_rectangular now always returns a non-real complex number,
1277 even if the imaginary part is zero. Previously, it would return a
1278 real number if the imaginary part was zero.
1280 **** `make-polar' changes
1282 scm_make_polar `make-polar' now returns a real number only if the
1283 angle or magnitude is an _exact_ 0. If the magnitude is an exact 0,
1284 it now returns an exact 0. Previously, it would return a real
1285 number if the imaginary part was an inexact zero.
1287 scm_c_make_polar now always returns a non-real complex number, even if
1288 the imaginary part is 0.0. Previously, it would return a real number
1289 if the imaginary part was 0.0.
1291 **** `imag-part' changes
1293 scm_imag_part `imag-part' now returns an exact 0 if applied to an
1294 inexact real number. Previously it returned an inexact zero in this
1297 *** `eqv?' and `equal?' now compare numbers equivalently
1299 scm_equal_p `equal?' now behaves equivalently to scm_eqv_p `eqv?' for
1300 numeric values, per R5RS. Previously, equal? worked differently,
1301 e.g. `(equal? 0.0 -0.0)' returned #t but `(eqv? 0.0 -0.0)' returned #f,
1302 and `(equal? +nan.0 +nan.0)' returned #f but `(eqv? +nan.0 +nan.0)'
1305 *** `(equal? +nan.0 +nan.0)' now returns #t
1307 Previously, `(equal? +nan.0 +nan.0)' returned #f, although
1308 `(let ((x +nan.0)) (equal? x x))' and `(eqv? +nan.0 +nan.0)'
1309 both returned #t. R5RS requires that `equal?' behave like
1310 `eqv?' when comparing numbers.
1312 *** Change in handling products `*' involving exact 0
1314 scm_product `*' now handles exact 0 differently. A product containing
1315 an exact 0 now returns an exact 0 if and only if the other arguments
1316 are all exact. An inexact zero is returned if and only if the other
1317 arguments are all finite but not all exact. If an infinite or NaN
1318 value is present, a NaN value is returned. Previously, any product
1319 containing an exact 0 yielded an exact 0, regardless of the other
1322 *** `expt' and `integer-expt' changes when the base is 0
1324 While `(expt 0 0)' is still 1, and `(expt 0 N)' for N > 0 is still
1325 zero, `(expt 0 N)' for N < 0 is now a NaN value, and likewise for
1326 integer-expt. This is more correct, and conforming to R6RS, but seems
1327 to be incompatible with R5RS, which would return 0 for all non-zero
1330 *** `expt' and `integer-expt' are more generic, less strict
1332 When raising to an exact non-negative integer exponent, `expt' and
1333 `integer-expt' are now able to exponentiate any object that can be
1334 multiplied using `*'. They can also raise an object to an exact
1335 negative integer power if its reciprocal can be taken using `/'.
1336 In order to allow this, the type of the first argument is no longer
1337 checked when raising to an exact integer power. If the exponent is 0
1338 or 1, the first parameter is not manipulated at all, and need not
1339 even support multiplication.
1341 *** Infinities are no longer integers, nor rationals
1343 scm_integer_p `integer?' and scm_rational_p `rational?' now return #f
1344 for infinities, per R6RS. Previously they returned #t for real
1345 infinities. The real infinities and NaNs are still considered real by
1346 scm_real `real?' however, per R6RS.
1348 *** NaNs are no longer rationals
1350 scm_rational_p `rational?' now returns #f for NaN values, per R6RS.
1351 Previously it returned #t for real NaN values. They are still
1352 considered real by scm_real `real?' however, per R6RS.
1354 *** `inf?' and `nan?' now throw exceptions for non-reals
1356 The domain of `inf?' and `nan?' is the real numbers. Guile now signals
1357 an error when a non-real number or non-number is passed to these
1358 procedures. (Note that NaNs _are_ considered numbers by scheme, despite
1361 *** `rationalize' bugfixes and changes
1363 Fixed bugs in scm_rationalize `rationalize'. Previously, it returned
1364 exact integers unmodified, although that was incorrect if the epsilon
1365 was at least 1 or inexact, e.g. (rationalize 4 1) should return 3 per
1366 R5RS and R6RS, but previously it returned 4. It also now handles
1367 cases involving infinities and NaNs properly, per R6RS.
1369 *** Trigonometric functions now return exact numbers in some cases
1371 scm_sin `sin', scm_cos `cos', scm_tan `tan', scm_asin `asin', scm_acos
1372 `acos', scm_atan `atan', scm_sinh `sinh', scm_cosh `cosh', scm_tanh
1373 `tanh', scm_sys_asinh `asinh', scm_sys_acosh `acosh', and
1374 scm_sys_atanh `atanh' now return exact results in some cases.
1376 *** New procedure: `finite?'
1378 Add scm_finite_p `finite?' from R6RS to guile core, which returns #t
1379 if and only if its argument is neither infinite nor a NaN. Note that
1380 this is not the same as (not (inf? x)) or (not (infinite? x)), since
1381 NaNs are neither finite nor infinite.
1383 *** Improved exactness handling for complex number parsing
1385 When parsing non-real complex numbers, exactness specifiers are now
1386 applied to each component, as is done in PLT Scheme. For complex
1387 numbers written in rectangular form, exactness specifiers are applied
1388 to the real and imaginary parts before calling scm_make_rectangular.
1389 For complex numbers written in polar form, exactness specifiers are
1390 applied to the magnitude and angle before calling scm_make_polar.
1392 Previously, exactness specifiers were applied to the number as a whole
1393 _after_ calling scm_make_rectangular or scm_make_polar.
1395 For example, (string->number "#i5.0+0i") now does the equivalent of:
1397 (make-rectangular (exact->inexact 5.0) (exact->inexact 0))
1399 which yields 5.0+0.0i. Previously it did the equivalent of:
1401 (exact->inexact (make-rectangular 5.0 0))
1405 ** Unicode characters
1407 Unicode characters may be entered in octal format via e.g. `#\454', or
1408 created via (integer->char 300). A hex external representation will
1409 probably be introduced at some point.
1413 Internally, strings are now represented either in the `latin-1'
1414 encoding, one byte per character, or in UTF-32, with four bytes per
1415 character. Strings manage their own allocation, switching if needed.
1417 Extended characters may be written in a literal string using the
1418 hexadecimal escapes `\xXX', `\uXXXX', or `\UXXXXXX', for 8-bit, 16-bit,
1419 or 24-bit codepoints, respectively, or entered directly in the native
1420 encoding of the port on which the string is read.
1424 One may now use U+03BB (GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMBDA) as an identifier.
1426 ** Support for non-ASCII source code files
1428 The default reader now handles source code files for some of the
1429 non-ASCII character encodings, such as UTF-8. A non-ASCII source file
1430 should have an encoding declaration near the top of the file. Also,
1431 there is a new function, `file-encoding', that scans a port for a coding
1432 declaration. See the section of the manual entitled, "Character Encoding
1435 The pre-1.9.3 reader handled 8-bit clean but otherwise unspecified source
1436 code. This use is now discouraged. Binary input and output is
1437 currently supported by opening ports in the ISO-8859-1 locale.
1439 ** Source files default to UTF-8.
1441 If source files do not specify their encoding via a `coding:' block,
1442 the default encoding is UTF-8, instead of being taken from the current
1445 ** Interactive Guile installs the current locale.
1447 Instead of leaving the user in the "C" locale, running the Guile REPL
1448 installs the current locale. [FIXME xref?]
1450 ** Support for locale transcoding when reading from and writing to ports
1452 Ports now have an associated character encoding, and port read and write
1453 operations do conversion to and from locales automatically. Ports also
1454 have an associated strategy for how to deal with locale conversion
1457 See the documentation in the manual for the four new support functions,
1458 `set-port-encoding!', `port-encoding', `set-port-conversion-strategy!',
1459 and `port-conversion-strategy'.
1461 ** String and SRFI-13 functions can operate on Unicode strings
1463 ** Unicode support for SRFI-14 character sets
1465 The default character sets are no longer locale dependent and contain
1466 characters from the whole Unicode range. There is a new predefined
1467 character set, `char-set:designated', which contains all assigned
1468 Unicode characters. There is a new debugging function, `%char-set-dump'.
1470 ** Character functions operate on Unicode characters
1472 `char-upcase' and `char-downcase' use default Unicode casing rules.
1473 Character comparisons such as `char<?' and `char-ci<?' now sort based on
1474 Unicode code points.
1476 ** Global variables `scm_charnames' and `scm_charnums' are removed
1478 These variables contained the names of control characters and were
1479 used when writing characters. While these were global, they were
1480 never intended to be public API. They have been replaced with private
1483 ** EBCDIC support is removed
1485 There was an EBCDIC compile flag that altered some of the character
1486 processing. It appeared that full EBCDIC support was never completed
1487 and was unmaintained.
1489 ** Compile-time warnings
1491 Guile can warn about potentially unbound free variables. Pass the
1492 -Wunbound-variable on the `guile-tools compile' command line, or add
1493 `#:warnings '(unbound-variable)' to your `compile' or `compile-file'
1494 invocation. Warnings are also enabled by default for expressions entered
1497 Guile can also warn when you pass the wrong number of arguments to a
1498 procedure, with -Warity-mismatch, or `arity-mismatch' in the
1499 `#:warnings' as above.
1501 Other warnings include `-Wunused-variable' and `-Wunused-toplevel', to
1502 warn about unused local or global (top-level) variables, and `-Wformat',
1503 to check for various errors related to the `format' procedure.
1505 ** A new `memoize-symbol' evaluator trap has been added.
1507 This trap can be used for efficiently implementing a Scheme code
1510 ** Duplicate bindings among used modules are resolved lazily.
1512 This slightly improves program startup times.
1514 ** New thread cancellation and thread cleanup API
1516 See `cancel-thread', `set-thread-cleanup!', and `thread-cleanup'.
1518 ** New threads are in `(guile-user)' by default, not `(guile)'
1520 It used to be that a new thread entering Guile would do so in the
1521 `(guile)' module, unless this was the first time Guile was initialized,
1522 in which case it was `(guile-user)'. This has been fixed to have all
1523 new threads unknown to Guile default to `(guile-user)'.
1525 ** New helpers: `print-exception', `set-exception-printer!'
1527 These functions implement an extensible exception printer. Guile
1528 registers printers for all of the exceptions it throws. Users may add
1529 their own printers. There is also `scm_print_exception', for use by C
1530 programs. Pleasantly, this allows SRFI-35 and R6RS exceptions to be
1531 printed appropriately.
1533 ** GOOPS dispatch in scheme
1535 As an implementation detail, GOOPS dispatch is no longer implemented by
1536 special evaluator bytecodes, but rather directly via a Scheme function
1537 associated with an applicable struct. There is some VM support for the
1538 underlying primitives, like `class-of'.
1540 This change will in the future allow users to customize generic function
1541 dispatch without incurring a performance penalty, and allow us to
1542 implement method combinations.
1544 ** Applicable struct support
1546 One may now make structs from Scheme that may be applied as procedures.
1547 To do so, make a struct whose vtable is `<applicable-struct-vtable>'.
1548 That struct will be the vtable of your applicable structs; instances of
1549 that new struct are assumed to have the procedure in their first slot.
1550 `<applicable-struct-vtable>' is like Common Lisp's
1551 `funcallable-standard-class'. Likewise there is
1552 `<applicable-struct-with-setter-vtable>', which looks for the setter in
1553 the second slot. This needs to be better documented.
1557 GOOPS had a number of concepts that were relevant to the days of Tcl,
1558 but not any more: operators and entities, mainly. These objects were
1559 never documented, and it is unlikely that they were ever used. Operators
1560 were a kind of generic specific to the Tcl support. Entities were
1561 replaced by applicable structs, mentioned above.
1563 ** New struct slot allocation: "hidden"
1565 A hidden slot is readable and writable, but will not be initialized by a
1566 call to make-struct. For example in your layout you would say "ph"
1567 instead of "pw". Hidden slots are useful for adding new slots to a
1568 vtable without breaking existing invocations to make-struct.
1570 ** eqv? not a generic
1572 One used to be able to extend `eqv?' as a primitive-generic, but no
1573 more. Because `eqv?' is in the expansion of `case' (via `memv'), which
1574 should be able to compile to static dispatch tables, it doesn't make
1575 sense to allow extensions that would subvert this optimization.
1577 ** `inet-ntop' and `inet-pton' are always available.
1579 Guile now use a portable implementation of `inet_pton'/`inet_ntop', so
1580 there is no more need to use `inet-aton'/`inet-ntoa'. The latter
1581 functions are deprecated.
1583 ** `getopt-long' parsing errors throw to `quit', not `misc-error'
1585 This change should inhibit backtraces on argument parsing errors.
1586 `getopt-long' has been modified to print out the error that it throws
1589 ** New primitive: `tmpfile'.
1591 See "File System" in the manual.
1593 ** Random generator state may be serialized to a datum
1595 `random-state->datum' will serialize a random state to a datum, which
1596 may be written out, read back in later, and revivified using
1597 `datum->random-state'. See "Random" in the manual, for more details.
1599 ** Fix random number generator on 64-bit platforms
1601 There was a nasty bug on 64-bit platforms in which asking for a random
1602 integer with a range between 2**32 and 2**64 caused a segfault. After
1603 many embarrassing iterations, this was fixed.
1605 ** Fast bit operations.
1607 The bit-twiddling operations `ash', `logand', `logior', and `logxor' now
1608 have dedicated bytecodes. Guile is not just for symbolic computation,
1609 it's for number crunching too.
1611 ** Faster SRFI-9 record access
1613 SRFI-9 records are now implemented directly on top of Guile's structs,
1614 and their accessors are defined in such a way that normal call-sites
1615 inline to special VM opcodes, while still allowing for the general case
1616 (e.g. passing a record accessor to `apply').
1618 ** R6RS block comment support
1620 Guile now supports R6RS nested block comments. The start of a comment is
1621 marked with `#|', and the end with `|#'.
1623 ** `guile-2' cond-expand feature
1625 To test if your code is running under Guile 2.0 (or its alpha releases),
1626 test for the `guile-2' cond-expand feature. Like this:
1628 (cond-expand (guile-2 (eval-when (compile)
1629 ;; This must be evaluated at compile time.
1630 (fluid-set! current-reader my-reader)))
1632 ;; Earlier versions of Guile do not have a
1633 ;; separate compilation phase.
1634 (fluid-set! current-reader my-reader)))
1636 ** New global variables: %load-compiled-path, %load-compiled-extensions
1638 These are analogous to %load-path and %load-extensions.
1640 ** New fluid: `%file-port-name-canonicalization'
1642 This fluid parameterizes the file names that are associated with file
1643 ports. If %file-port-name-canonicalization is 'absolute, then file names
1644 are canonicalized to be absolute paths. If it is 'relative, then the
1645 name is canonicalized, but any prefix corresponding to a member of
1646 `%load-path' is stripped off. Otherwise the names are passed through
1649 In addition, the `compile-file' and `compile-and-load' procedures bind
1650 %file-port-name-canonicalization to their `#:canonicalization' keyword
1651 argument, which defaults to 'relative. In this way, one might compile
1652 "../module/ice-9/boot-9.scm", but the path that gets residualized into
1653 the .go is "ice-9/boot-9.scm".
1655 ** New procedure, `make-promise'
1657 `(make-promise (lambda () foo))' is equivalent to `(delay foo)'.
1659 ** `defined?' may accept a module as its second argument
1661 Previously it only accepted internal structures from the evaluator.
1663 ** New entry into %guile-build-info: `ccachedir'
1665 ** Fix bug in `module-bound?'.
1667 `module-bound?' was returning true if a module did have a local
1668 variable, but one that was unbound, but another imported module bound
1669 the variable. This was an error, and was fixed.
1671 ** `(ice-9 syncase)' has been deprecated.
1673 As syntax-case is available by default, importing `(ice-9 syncase)' has
1674 no effect, and will trigger a deprecation warning.
1676 ** New readline history functions
1678 The (ice-9 readline) module now provides add-history, read-history,
1679 write-history and clear-history, which wrap the corresponding GNU
1680 History library functions.
1682 ** Removed deprecated uniform array procedures:
1683 dimensions->uniform-array, list->uniform-array, array-prototype
1685 Instead, use make-typed-array, list->typed-array, or array-type,
1688 ** Deprecate the old `scm-style-repl'
1690 The following bindings from boot-9 are now found in `(ice-9
1691 scm-style-repl)': `scm-style-repl', `error-catching-loop',
1692 `error-catching-repl', `bad-throw', `scm-repl-silent'
1693 `assert-repl-silence', `repl-print-unspecified',
1694 `assert-repl-print-unspecified', `scm-repl-verbose',
1695 `assert-repl-verbosity', `scm-repl-prompt', `set-repl-prompt!', `repl',
1696 `default-pre-unwind-handler', `handle-system-error',
1698 The following bindings have been deprecated, with no replacement:
1699 `pre-unwind-handler-dispatch'.
1701 The following bindings have been totally removed:
1702 `before-signal-stack'.
1704 Deprecated forwarding shims have been installed so that users that
1705 expect these bindings in the main namespace will still work, but receive
1706 a deprecation warning.
1708 ** `set-batch-mode?!' replaced by `ensure-batch-mode!'
1710 "Batch mode" is a flag used to tell a program that it is not running
1711 interactively. One usually turns it on after a fork. It may not be
1712 turned off. `ensure-batch-mode!' deprecates the old `set-batch-mode?!',
1713 because it is a better interface, as it can only turn on batch mode, not
1716 ** Deprecate `save-stack', `the-last-stack'
1718 It used to be that the way to debug programs in Guile was to capture the
1719 stack at the time of error, drop back to the REPL, then debug that
1720 stack. But this approach didn't compose, was tricky to get right in the
1721 presence of threads, and was not very powerful.
1723 So `save-stack', `stack-saved?', and `the-last-stack' have been moved to
1724 `(ice-9 save-stack)', with deprecated bindings left in the root module.
1726 ** `top-repl' has its own module
1728 The `top-repl' binding, called with Guile is run interactively, is now
1729 is its own module, `(ice-9 top-repl)'. A deprecated forwarding shim was
1730 left in the default environment.
1732 ** `display-error' takes a frame
1734 The `display-error' / `scm_display_error' helper now takes a frame as an
1735 argument instead of a stack. Stacks are still supported in deprecated
1736 builds. Additionally, `display-error' will again source location
1737 information for the error.
1739 ** No more `(ice-9 debug)'
1741 This module had some debugging helpers that are no longer applicable to
1742 the current debugging model. Importing this module will produce a
1743 deprecation warning. Users should contact bug-guile for support.
1745 ** Remove obsolete debug-options
1747 Removed `breakpoints', `trace', `procnames', `indent', `frames',
1748 `maxdepth', and `debug' debug-options.
1750 ** `backtrace' debug option on by default
1752 Given that Guile 2.0 can always give you a backtrace, backtraces are now
1755 ** `turn-on-debugging' deprecated
1757 ** Remove obsolete print-options
1759 The `source' and `closure-hook' print options are obsolete, and have
1762 ** Remove obsolete read-options
1764 The "elisp-strings" and "elisp-vectors" read options were unused and
1765 obsolete, so they have been removed.
1767 ** Remove eval-options and trap-options
1769 Eval-options and trap-options are obsolete with the new VM and
1772 ** Remove (ice-9 debugger) and (ice-9 debugging)
1774 See "Traps" and "Interactive Debugging" in the manual, for information
1775 on their replacements.
1777 ** Remove the GDS Emacs integration
1779 See "Using Guile in Emacs" in the manual, for info on how we think you
1780 should use Guile with Emacs.
1782 ** Deprecated: `lazy-catch'
1784 `lazy-catch' was a form that captured the stack at the point of a
1785 `throw', but the dynamic state at the point of the `catch'. It was a bit
1786 crazy. Please change to use `catch', possibly with a throw-handler, or
1787 `with-throw-handler'.
1789 ** Deprecated: primitive properties
1791 The `primitive-make-property', `primitive-property-set!',
1792 `primitive-property-ref', and `primitive-property-del!' procedures were
1793 crufty and only used to implement object properties, which has a new,
1794 threadsafe implementation. Use object properties or weak hash tables
1797 ** Deprecated `@bind' syntax
1799 `@bind' was part of an older implementation of the Emacs Lisp language,
1800 and is no longer used.
1802 ** Miscellaneous other deprecations
1804 `cuserid' has been deprecated, as it only returns 8 bytes of a user's
1805 login. Use `(passwd:name (getpwuid (geteuid)))' instead.
1807 Additionally, the procedures `apply-to-args', `has-suffix?', `scheme-file-suffix'
1808 `get-option', `for-next-option', `display-usage-report',
1809 `transform-usage-lambda', `collect', and `set-batch-mode?!' have all
1812 ** Add support for unbound fluids
1814 See `make-unbound-fluid', `fluid-unset!', and `fluid-bound?' in the
1817 ** Add `variable-unset!'
1819 See "Variables" in the manual, for more details.
1821 ** Last but not least, the `λ' macro can be used in lieu of `lambda'
1823 * Changes to the C interface
1825 ** Guile now uses libgc, the Boehm-Demers-Weiser garbage collector
1827 The semantics of `scm_gc_malloc ()' have been changed, in a
1828 backward-compatible way. A new allocation routine,
1829 `scm_gc_malloc_pointerless ()', was added.
1831 Libgc is a conservative GC, which we hope will make interaction with C
1832 code easier and less error-prone.
1834 ** New procedures: `scm_to_stringn', `scm_from_stringn'
1835 ** New procedures: scm_{to,from}_{utf8,latin1}_symbol{n,}
1836 ** New procedures: scm_{to,from}_{utf8,utf32,latin1}_string{n,}
1838 These new procedures convert to and from string representations in
1839 particular encodings.
1841 Users should continue to use locale encoding for user input, user
1842 output, or interacting with the C library.
1844 Use the Latin-1 functions for ASCII, and for literals in source code.
1846 Use UTF-8 functions for interaction with modern libraries which deal in
1847 UTF-8, and UTF-32 for interaction with utf32-using libraries.
1849 Otherwise, use scm_to_stringn or scm_from_stringn with a specific
1852 ** New type definitions for `scm_t_intptr' and friends.
1854 `SCM_T_UINTPTR_MAX', `SCM_T_INTPTR_MIN', `SCM_T_INTPTR_MAX',
1855 `SIZEOF_SCM_T_BITS', `scm_t_intptr' and `scm_t_uintptr' are now
1856 available to C. Have fun!
1858 ** The GH interface (deprecated in version 1.6, 2001) was removed.
1860 ** Internal `scm_i_' functions now have "hidden" linkage with GCC/ELF
1862 This makes these internal functions technically not callable from
1865 ** Functions for handling `scm_option' now no longer require an argument
1866 indicating length of the `scm_t_option' array.
1868 ** Procedures-with-setters are now implemented using applicable structs
1870 From a user's perspective this doesn't mean very much. But if, for some
1871 odd reason, you used the SCM_PROCEDURE_WITH_SETTER_P, SCM_PROCEDURE, or
1872 SCM_SETTER macros, know that they're deprecated now. Also, scm_tc7_pws
1875 ** Remove old evaluator closures
1877 There used to be ranges of typecodes allocated to interpreted data
1878 structures, but that it no longer the case, given that interpreted
1879 procedure are now just regular VM closures. As a result, there is a
1880 newly free tc3, and a number of removed macros. See the ChangeLog for
1883 ** Primitive procedures are now VM trampoline procedures
1885 It used to be that there were something like 12 different typecodes
1886 allocated to primitive procedures, each with its own calling convention.
1887 Now there is only one, the gsubr. This may affect user code if you were
1888 defining a procedure using scm_c_make_subr rather scm_c_make_gsubr. The
1889 solution is to switch to use scm_c_make_gsubr. This solution works well
1890 both with the old 1.8 and and with the current 1.9 branch.
1892 Guile's old evaluator used to have special cases for applying "gsubrs",
1893 primitive procedures with specified numbers of required, optional, and
1894 rest arguments. Now, however, Guile represents gsubrs as normal VM
1895 procedures, with appropriate bytecode to parse out the correct number of
1896 arguments, including optional and rest arguments, and then with a
1897 special bytecode to apply the gsubr.
1899 This allows primitive procedures to appear on the VM stack, allowing
1900 them to be accurately counted in profiles. Also they now have more
1901 debugging information attached to them -- their number of arguments, for
1902 example. In addition, the VM can completely inline the application
1903 mechanics, allowing for faster primitive calls.
1905 However there are some changes on the C level. There is no more
1906 `scm_tc7_gsubr' or `scm_tcs_subrs' typecode for primitive procedures, as
1907 they are just VM procedures. Likewise the macros `SCM_GSUBR_TYPE',
1908 `SCM_GSUBR_MAKTYPE', `SCM_GSUBR_REQ', `SCM_GSUBR_OPT', and
1909 `SCM_GSUBR_REST' are gone, as are `SCM_SUBR_META_INFO', `SCM_SUBR_PROPS'
1910 `SCM_SET_SUBR_GENERIC_LOC', and `SCM_SUBR_ARITY_TO_TYPE'.
1912 Perhaps more significantly, `scm_c_make_subr',
1913 `scm_c_make_subr_with_generic', `scm_c_define_subr', and
1914 `scm_c_define_subr_with_generic'. They all operated on subr typecodes,
1915 and there are no more subr typecodes. Use the scm_c_make_gsubr family
1918 Normal users of gsubrs should not be affected, though, as the
1919 scm_c_make_gsubr family still is the correct way to create primitive
1922 ** Remove deprecated array C interfaces
1924 Removed the deprecated array functions `scm_i_arrayp',
1925 `scm_i_array_ndim', `scm_i_array_mem', `scm_i_array_v',
1926 `scm_i_array_base', `scm_i_array_dims', and the deprecated macros
1927 `SCM_ARRAYP', `SCM_ARRAY_NDIM', `SCM_ARRAY_CONTP', `SCM_ARRAY_MEM',
1928 `SCM_ARRAY_V', `SCM_ARRAY_BASE', and `SCM_ARRAY_DIMS'.
1930 ** Remove unused snarf macros
1932 `SCM_DEFINE1', `SCM_PRIMITIVE_GENERIC_1', `SCM_PROC1, and `SCM_GPROC1'
1933 are no more. Use SCM_DEFINE or SCM_PRIMITIVE_GENERIC instead.
1935 ** New functions: `scm_call_n', `scm_c_run_hookn'
1937 `scm_call_n' applies to apply a function to an array of arguments.
1938 `scm_c_run_hookn' runs a hook with an array of arguments.
1940 ** Some SMOB types changed to have static typecodes
1942 Fluids, dynamic states, and hash tables used to be SMOB objects, but now
1943 they have statically allocated tc7 typecodes.
1945 ** Preparations for changing SMOB representation
1947 If things go right, we'll be changing the SMOB representation soon. To
1948 that end, we did a lot of cleanups to calls to e.g. SCM_CELL_WORD_2(x) when
1949 the code meant SCM_SMOB_DATA_2(x); user code will need similar changes
1950 in the future. Code accessing SMOBs using SCM_CELL macros was never
1951 correct, but until now things still worked. Users should be aware of
1954 ** Changed invocation mechanics of applicable SMOBs
1956 Guile's old evaluator used to have special cases for applying SMOB
1957 objects. Now, with the VM, when Guile sees a SMOB, it looks up a VM
1958 trampoline procedure for it, and use the normal mechanics to apply the
1959 trampoline. This simplifies procedure application in the normal,
1962 The upshot is that the mechanics used to apply a SMOB are different from
1963 1.8. Descriptors no longer have `apply_0', `apply_1', `apply_2', and
1964 `apply_3' functions, and the macros SCM_SMOB_APPLY_0 and friends are now
1965 deprecated. Just use the scm_call_0 family of procedures.
1967 ** Removed support shlibs for SRFIs 1, 4, 13, 14, and 60
1969 Though these SRFI support libraries did expose API, they encoded a
1970 strange version string into their library names. That version was never
1971 programmatically exported, so there was no way people could use the
1974 This was a fortunate oversight, as it allows us to remove the need for
1975 extra, needless shared libraries --- the C support code for SRFIs 4, 13,
1976 and 14 was already in core --- and allow us to incrementally return the
1977 SRFI implementation to Scheme.
1979 ** New C function: scm_module_public_interface
1981 This procedure corresponds to Scheme's `module-public-interface'.
1983 ** Undeprecate `scm_the_root_module ()'
1985 It's useful to be able to get the root module from C without doing a
1988 ** Inline vector allocation
1990 Instead of having vectors point out into the heap for their data, their
1991 data is now allocated inline to the vector object itself. The same is
1992 true for bytevectors, by default, though there is an indirection
1993 available which should allow for making a bytevector from an existing
1996 ** New struct constructors that don't involve making lists
1998 `scm_c_make_struct' and `scm_c_make_structv' are new varargs and array
1999 constructors, respectively, for structs. You might find them useful.
2003 In Guile 1.8, there were debugging frames on the C stack. Now there is
2004 no more need to explicitly mark the stack in this way, because Guile has
2005 a VM stack that it knows how to walk, which simplifies the C API
2006 considerably. See the ChangeLog for details; the relevant interface is
2007 in libguile/stacks.h. The Scheme API has not been changed significantly.
2009 ** Removal of Guile's primitive object system.
2011 There were a number of pieces in `objects.[ch]' that tried to be a
2012 minimal object system, but were never documented, and were quickly
2013 obseleted by GOOPS' merge into Guile proper. So `scm_make_class_object',
2014 `scm_make_subclass_object', `scm_metaclass_standard', and like symbols
2015 from objects.h are no more. In the very unlikely case in which these
2016 were useful to you, we urge you to contact guile-devel.
2020 Actually the future is still in the state that it was, is, and ever
2021 shall be, Amen, except that `futures.c' and `futures.h' are no longer a
2022 part of it. These files were experimental, never compiled, and would be
2023 better implemented in Scheme anyway. In the future, that is.
2025 ** Deprecate trampolines
2027 There used to be C functions `scm_trampoline_0', `scm_trampoline_1', and
2028 so on. The point was to do some precomputation on the type of the
2029 procedure, then return a specialized "call" procedure. However this
2030 optimization wasn't actually an optimization, so it is now deprecated.
2031 Just use `scm_call_0', etc instead.
2033 ** Deprecated `scm_badargsp'
2035 This function is unused in Guile, but was part of its API.
2037 ** Better support for Lisp `nil'.
2039 The bit representation of `nil' has been tweaked so that it is now very
2040 efficient to check e.g. if a value is equal to Scheme's end-of-list or
2041 Lisp's nil. Additionally there are a heap of new, specific predicates
2042 like scm_is_null_or_nil.
2044 ** Better integration of Lisp `nil'.
2046 `scm_is_boolean', `scm_is_false', and `scm_is_null' all return true now
2047 for Lisp's `nil'. This shouldn't affect any Scheme code at this point,
2048 but when we start to integrate more with Emacs, it is possible that we
2049 break code that assumes that, for example, `(not x)' implies that `x' is
2050 `eq?' to `#f'. This is not a common assumption. Refactoring affected
2051 code to rely on properties instead of identities will improve code
2052 correctness. See "Nil" in the manual, for more details.
2054 ** Support for static allocation of strings, symbols, and subrs.
2056 Calls to snarfing CPP macros like SCM_DEFINE macro will now allocate
2057 much of their associated data as static variables, reducing Guile's
2060 ** `scm_stat' has an additional argument, `exception_on_error'
2061 ** `scm_primitive_load_path' has an additional argument `exception_on_not_found'
2063 ** `scm_set_port_seek' and `scm_set_port_truncate' use the `scm_t_off' type
2065 Previously they would use the `off_t' type, which is fragile since its
2066 definition depends on the application's value for `_FILE_OFFSET_BITS'.
2068 ** The `long_long' C type, deprecated in 1.8, has been removed
2070 ** Removed deprecated uniform array procedures: scm_make_uve,
2071 scm_array_prototype, scm_list_to_uniform_array,
2072 scm_dimensions_to_uniform_array, scm_make_ra, scm_shap2ra, scm_cvref,
2073 scm_ra_set_contp, scm_aind, scm_raprin1
2075 These functions have been deprecated since early 2005.
2077 * Changes to the distribution
2079 ** Guile's license is now LGPLv3+
2081 In other words the GNU Lesser General Public License, version 3 or
2082 later (at the discretion of each person that chooses to redistribute
2087 Guile's build is visually quieter, due to the use of Automake 1.11's
2088 AM_SILENT_RULES. Build as `make V=1' to see all of the output.
2090 ** GOOPS documentation folded into Guile reference manual
2092 GOOPS, Guile's object system, used to be documented in separate manuals.
2093 This content is now included in Guile's manual directly.
2095 ** `guile-config' will be deprecated in favor of `pkg-config'
2097 `guile-config' has been rewritten to get its information from
2098 `pkg-config', so this should be a transparent change. Note however that
2099 guile.m4 has yet to be modified to call pkg-config instead of
2102 ** Guile now provides `guile-2.0.pc' instead of `guile-1.8.pc'
2104 Programs that use `pkg-config' to find Guile or one of its Autoconf
2105 macros should now require `guile-2.0' instead of `guile-1.8'.
2107 ** New installation directory: $(pkglibdir)/1.9/ccache
2109 If $(libdir) is /usr/lib, for example, Guile will install its .go files
2110 to /usr/lib/guile/1.9/ccache. These files are architecture-specific.
2112 ** Parallel installability fixes
2114 Guile now installs its header files to a effective-version-specific
2115 directory, and includes the effective version (e.g. 2.0) in the library
2116 name (e.g. libguile-2.0.so).
2118 This change should be transparent to users, who should detect Guile via
2119 the guile.m4 macro, or the guile-2.0.pc pkg-config file. It will allow
2120 parallel installs for multiple versions of Guile development
2123 ** Dynamically loadable extensions may be placed in a Guile-specific path
2125 Before, Guile only searched the system library paths for extensions
2126 (e.g. /usr/lib), which meant that the names of Guile extensions had to
2127 be globally unique. Installing them to a Guile-specific extensions
2128 directory is cleaner. Use `pkg-config --variable=extensiondir
2129 guile-2.0' to get the location of the extensions directory.
2131 ** User Scheme code may be placed in a version-specific path
2133 Before, there was only one way to install user Scheme code to a
2134 version-specific Guile directory: install to Guile's own path,
2135 e.g. /usr/share/guile/2.0. The site directory,
2136 e.g. /usr/share/guile/site, was unversioned. This has been changed to
2137 add a version-specific site directory, e.g. /usr/share/guile/site/2.0,
2138 searched before the global site directory.
2140 ** New dependency: libgc
2142 See http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Hans_Boehm/gc/, for more information.
2144 ** New dependency: GNU libunistring
2146 See http://www.gnu.org/software/libunistring/, for more information. Our
2147 Unicode support uses routines from libunistring.
2149 ** New dependency: libffi
2151 See http://sourceware.org/libffi/, for more information.
2155 Changes in 1.8.8 (since 1.8.7)
2159 ** Fix possible buffer overruns when parsing numbers
2160 ** Avoid clash with system setjmp/longjmp on IA64
2161 ** Fix `wrong type arg' exceptions with IPv6 addresses
2164 Changes in 1.8.7 (since 1.8.6)
2166 * New modules (see the manual for details)
2168 ** `(srfi srfi-98)', an interface to access environment variables
2172 ** Fix compilation with `--disable-deprecated'
2173 ** Fix %fast-slot-ref/set!, to avoid possible segmentation fault
2174 ** Fix MinGW build problem caused by HAVE_STRUCT_TIMESPEC confusion
2175 ** Fix build problem when scm_t_timespec is different from struct timespec
2176 ** Fix build when compiled with -Wundef -Werror
2177 ** More build fixes for `alphaev56-dec-osf5.1b' (Tru64)
2178 ** Build fixes for `powerpc-ibm-aix5.3.0.0' (AIX 5.3)
2179 ** With GCC, always compile with `-mieee' on `alpha*' and `sh*'
2180 ** Better diagnose broken `(strftime "%z" ...)' in `time.test' (bug #24130)
2181 ** Fix parsing of SRFI-88/postfix keywords longer than 128 characters
2182 ** Fix reading of complex numbers where both parts are inexact decimals
2184 ** Allow @ macro to work with (ice-9 syncase)
2186 Previously, use of the @ macro in a module whose code is being
2187 transformed by (ice-9 syncase) would cause an "Invalid syntax" error.
2188 Now it works as you would expect (giving the value of the specified
2191 ** Have `scm_take_locale_symbol ()' return an interned symbol (bug #25865)
2194 Changes in 1.8.6 (since 1.8.5)
2196 * New features (see the manual for details)
2198 ** New convenience function `scm_c_symbol_length ()'
2200 ** Single stepping through code from Emacs
2202 When you use GDS to evaluate Scheme code from Emacs, you can now use
2203 `C-u' to indicate that you want to single step through that code. See
2204 `Evaluating Scheme Code' in the manual for more details.
2206 ** New "guile(1)" man page!
2208 * Changes to the distribution
2210 ** Automake's `AM_MAINTAINER_MODE' is no longer used
2212 Thus, the `--enable-maintainer-mode' configure option is no longer
2213 available: Guile is now always configured in "maintainer mode".
2215 ** `ChangeLog' files are no longer updated
2217 Instead, changes are detailed in the version control system's logs. See
2218 the top-level `ChangeLog' files for details.
2223 ** `symbol->string' now returns a read-only string, as per R5RS
2224 ** Fix incorrect handling of the FLAGS argument of `fold-matches'
2225 ** `guile-config link' now prints `-L$libdir' before `-lguile'
2226 ** Fix memory corruption involving GOOPS' `class-redefinition'
2227 ** Fix possible deadlock in `mutex-lock'
2228 ** Fix build issue on Tru64 and ia64-hp-hpux11.23 (`SCM_UNPACK' macro)
2229 ** Fix build issue on mips, mipsel, powerpc and ia64 (stack direction)
2230 ** Fix build issue on hppa2.0w-hp-hpux11.11 (`dirent64' and `readdir64_r')
2231 ** Fix build issue on i386-unknown-freebsd7.0 ("break strict-aliasing rules")
2232 ** Fix misleading output from `(help rationalize)'
2233 ** Fix build failure on Debian hppa architecture (bad stack growth detection)
2234 ** Fix `gcd' when called with a single, negative argument.
2235 ** Fix `Stack overflow' errors seen when building on some platforms
2236 ** Fix bug when `scm_with_guile ()' was called several times from the
2238 ** The handler of SRFI-34 `with-exception-handler' is now invoked in the
2239 dynamic environment of the call to `raise'
2240 ** Fix potential deadlock in `make-struct'
2241 ** Fix compilation problem with libltdl from Libtool 2.2.x
2242 ** Fix sloppy bound checking in `string-{ref,set!}' with the empty string
2245 Changes in 1.8.5 (since 1.8.4)
2247 * Infrastructure changes
2249 ** Guile repository switched from CVS to Git
2251 The new repository can be accessed using
2252 "git-clone git://git.sv.gnu.org/guile.git", or can be browsed on-line at
2253 http://git.sv.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=guile.git . See `README' for details.
2255 ** Add support for `pkg-config'
2257 See "Autoconf Support" in the manual for details.
2259 * New modules (see the manual for details)
2263 * New features (see the manual for details)
2265 ** New `postfix' read option, for SRFI-88 keyword syntax
2266 ** Some I/O primitives have been inlined, which improves I/O performance
2267 ** New object-based traps infrastructure
2269 This is a GOOPS-based infrastructure that builds on Guile's low-level
2270 evaluator trap calls and facilitates the development of debugging
2271 features like single-stepping, breakpoints, tracing and profiling.
2272 See the `Traps' node of the manual for details.
2274 ** New support for working on Guile code from within Emacs
2276 Guile now incorporates the `GDS' library (previously distributed
2277 separately) for working on Guile code from within Emacs. See the
2278 `Using Guile In Emacs' node of the manual for details.
2282 ** `scm_add_slot ()' no longer segfaults (fixes bug #22369)
2283 ** Fixed `(ice-9 match)' for patterns like `((_ ...) ...)'
2285 Previously, expressions like `(match '((foo) (bar)) (((_ ...) ...) #t))'
2286 would trigger an unbound variable error for `match:andmap'.
2288 ** `(oop goops describe)' now properly provides the `describe' feature
2289 ** Fixed `args-fold' from `(srfi srfi-37)'
2291 Previously, parsing short option names of argument-less options would
2292 lead to a stack overflow.
2294 ** `(srfi srfi-35)' is now visible through `cond-expand'
2295 ** Fixed type-checking for the second argument of `eval'
2296 ** Fixed type-checking for SRFI-1 `partition'
2297 ** Fixed `struct-ref' and `struct-set!' on "light structs"
2298 ** Honor struct field access rights in GOOPS
2299 ** Changed the storage strategy of source properties, which fixes a deadlock
2300 ** Allow compilation of Guile-using programs in C99 mode with GCC 4.3 and later
2301 ** Fixed build issue for GNU/Linux on IA64
2302 ** Fixed build issues on NetBSD 1.6
2303 ** Fixed build issue on Solaris 2.10 x86_64
2304 ** Fixed build issue with DEC/Compaq/HP's compiler
2305 ** Fixed `scm_from_complex_double' build issue on FreeBSD
2306 ** Fixed `alloca' build issue on FreeBSD 6
2307 ** Removed use of non-portable makefile constructs
2308 ** Fixed shadowing of libc's <random.h> on Tru64, which broke compilation
2309 ** Make sure all tests honor `$TMPDIR'
2312 Changes in 1.8.4 (since 1.8.3)
2316 ** CR (ASCII 0x0d) is (again) recognized as a token delimiter by the reader
2317 ** Fixed a segmentation fault which occurred when displaying the
2318 backtrace of a stack with a promise object (made by `delay') in it.
2319 ** Make `accept' leave guile mode while blocking
2320 ** `scm_c_read ()' and `scm_c_write ()' now type-check their port argument
2321 ** Fixed a build problem on AIX (use of func_data identifier)
2322 ** Fixed a segmentation fault which occurred when hashx-ref or hashx-set! was
2323 called with an associator proc that returns neither a pair nor #f.
2324 ** Secondary threads now always return a valid module for (current-module).
2325 ** Avoid MacOS build problems caused by incorrect combination of "64"
2326 system and library calls.
2327 ** `guile-snarf' now honors `$TMPDIR'
2328 ** `guile-config compile' now reports CPPFLAGS used at compile-time
2329 ** Fixed build with Sun Studio (Solaris 9)
2330 ** Fixed wrong-type-arg errors when creating zero length SRFI-4
2331 uniform vectors on AIX.
2332 ** Fixed a deadlock that occurs upon GC with multiple threads.
2333 ** Fixed compile problem with GCC on Solaris and AIX (use of _Complex_I)
2334 ** Fixed autotool-derived build problems on AIX 6.1.
2335 ** Fixed NetBSD/alpha support
2336 ** Fixed MacOS build problem caused by use of rl_get_keymap(_name)
2338 * New modules (see the manual for details)
2342 * Documentation fixes and improvements
2344 ** Removed premature breakpoint documentation
2346 The features described are not available in the series of 1.8.x
2347 releases, so the documentation was misleading and has been removed.
2349 ** More about Guile's default *random-state* variable
2351 ** GOOPS: more about how to use `next-method'
2353 * Changes to the distribution
2355 ** Corrected a few files that referred incorrectly to the old GPL + special exception licence
2357 In fact Guile since 1.8.0 has been licensed with the GNU Lesser
2358 General Public License, and the few incorrect files have now been
2359 fixed to agree with the rest of the Guile distribution.
2361 ** Removed unnecessary extra copies of COPYING*
2363 The distribution now contains a single COPYING.LESSER at its top level.
2366 Changes in 1.8.3 (since 1.8.2)
2368 * New modules (see the manual for details)
2375 ** The `(ice-9 slib)' module now works as expected
2376 ** Expressions like "(set! 'x #t)" no longer yield a crash
2377 ** Warnings about duplicate bindings now go to stderr
2378 ** A memory leak in `make-socket-address' was fixed
2379 ** Alignment issues (e.g., on SPARC) in network routines were fixed
2380 ** A threading issue that showed up at least on NetBSD was fixed
2381 ** Build problems on Solaris and IRIX fixed
2383 * Implementation improvements
2385 ** The reader is now faster, which reduces startup time
2386 ** Procedures returned by `record-accessor' and `record-modifier' are faster
2389 Changes in 1.8.2 (since 1.8.1):
2391 * New procedures (see the manual for details)
2393 ** set-program-arguments
2396 * Incompatible changes
2398 ** The body of a top-level `define' no longer sees the binding being created
2400 In a top-level `define', the binding being created is no longer visible
2401 from the `define' body. This breaks code like
2402 "(define foo (begin (set! foo 1) (+ foo 1)))", where `foo' is now
2403 unbound in the body. However, such code was not R5RS-compliant anyway,
2408 ** Fractions were not `equal?' if stored in unreduced form.
2409 (A subtle problem, since printing a value reduced it, making it work.)
2410 ** srfi-60 `copy-bit' failed on 64-bit systems
2411 ** "guile --use-srfi" option at the REPL can replace core functions
2412 (Programs run with that option were ok, but in the interactive REPL
2413 the core bindings got priority, preventing SRFI replacements or
2415 ** `regexp-exec' doesn't abort() on #\nul in the input or bad flags arg
2416 ** `kill' on mingw throws an error for a PID other than oneself
2417 ** Procedure names are attached to procedure-with-setters
2418 ** Array read syntax works with negative lower bound
2419 ** `array-in-bounds?' fix if an array has different lower bounds on each index
2420 ** `*' returns exact 0 for "(* inexact 0)"
2421 This follows what it always did for "(* 0 inexact)".
2422 ** SRFI-19: Value returned by `(current-time time-process)' was incorrect
2423 ** SRFI-19: `date->julian-day' did not account for timezone offset
2424 ** `ttyname' no longer crashes when passed a non-tty argument
2425 ** `inet-ntop' no longer crashes on SPARC when passed an `AF_INET' address
2426 ** Small memory leaks have been fixed in `make-fluid' and `add-history'
2427 ** GOOPS: Fixed a bug in `method-more-specific?'
2428 ** Build problems on Solaris fixed
2429 ** Build problems on HP-UX IA64 fixed
2430 ** Build problems on MinGW fixed
2433 Changes in 1.8.1 (since 1.8.0):
2435 * LFS functions are now used to access 64-bit files on 32-bit systems.
2437 * New procedures (see the manual for details)
2439 ** primitive-_exit - [Scheme] the-root-module
2440 ** scm_primitive__exit - [C]
2441 ** make-completion-function - [Scheme] (ice-9 readline)
2442 ** scm_c_locale_stringn_to_number - [C]
2443 ** scm_srfi1_append_reverse [C]
2444 ** scm_srfi1_append_reverse_x [C]
2452 ** Build problems have been fixed on MacOS, SunOS, and QNX.
2454 ** `strftime' fix sign of %z timezone offset.
2456 ** A one-dimensional array can now be 'equal?' to a vector.
2458 ** Structures, records, and SRFI-9 records can now be compared with `equal?'.
2460 ** SRFI-14 standard char sets are recomputed upon a successful `setlocale'.
2462 ** `record-accessor' and `record-modifier' now have strict type checks.
2464 Record accessor and modifier procedures now throw an error if the
2465 record type of the record they're given is not the type expected.
2466 (Previously accessors returned #f and modifiers silently did nothing).
2468 ** It is now OK to use both autoload and use-modules on a given module.
2470 ** `apply' checks the number of arguments more carefully on "0 or 1" funcs.
2472 Previously there was no checking on primatives like make-vector that
2473 accept "one or two" arguments. Now there is.
2475 ** The srfi-1 assoc function now calls its equality predicate properly.
2477 Previously srfi-1 assoc would call the equality predicate with the key
2478 last. According to the SRFI, the key should be first.
2480 ** A bug in n-par-for-each and n-for-each-par-map has been fixed.
2482 ** The array-set! procedure no longer segfaults when given a bit vector.
2484 ** Bugs in make-shared-array have been fixed.
2486 ** string<? and friends now follow char<? etc order on 8-bit chars.
2488 ** The format procedure now handles inf and nan values for ~f correctly.
2490 ** exact->inexact should no longer overflow when given certain large fractions.
2492 ** srfi-9 accessor and modifier procedures now have strict record type checks.
2494 This matches the srfi-9 specification.
2496 ** (ice-9 ftw) procedures won't ignore different files with same inode number.
2498 Previously the (ice-9 ftw) procedures would ignore any file that had
2499 the same inode number as a file they had already seen, even if that
2500 file was on a different device.
2503 Changes in 1.8.0 (changes since the 1.6.x series):
2505 * Changes to the distribution
2507 ** Guile is now licensed with the GNU Lesser General Public License.
2509 ** The manual is now licensed with the GNU Free Documentation License.
2511 ** Guile now requires GNU MP (http://swox.com/gmp).
2513 Guile now uses the GNU MP library for arbitrary precision arithmetic.
2515 ** Guile now has separate private and public configuration headers.
2517 That is, things like HAVE_STRING_H no longer leak from Guile's
2520 ** Guile now provides and uses an "effective" version number.
2522 Guile now provides scm_effective_version and effective-version
2523 functions which return the "effective" version number. This is just
2524 the normal full version string without the final micro-version number,
2525 so the current effective-version is "1.8". The effective version
2526 should remain unchanged during a stable series, and should be used for
2527 items like the versioned share directory name
2528 i.e. /usr/share/guile/1.8.
2530 Providing an unchanging version number during a stable release for
2531 things like the versioned share directory can be particularly
2532 important for Guile "add-on" packages, since it provides a directory
2533 that they can install to that won't be changed out from under them
2534 with each micro release during a stable series.
2536 ** Thread implementation has changed.
2538 When you configure "--with-threads=null", you will get the usual
2539 threading API (call-with-new-thread, make-mutex, etc), but you can't
2540 actually create new threads. Also, "--with-threads=no" is now
2541 equivalent to "--with-threads=null". This means that the thread API
2542 is always present, although you might not be able to create new
2545 When you configure "--with-threads=pthreads" or "--with-threads=yes",
2546 you will get threads that are implemented with the portable POSIX
2547 threads. These threads can run concurrently (unlike the previous
2548 "coop" thread implementation), but need to cooperate for things like
2551 The default is "pthreads", unless your platform doesn't have pthreads,
2552 in which case "null" threads are used.
2554 See the manual for details, nodes "Initialization", "Multi-Threading",
2555 "Blocking", and others.
2557 ** There is the new notion of 'discouraged' features.
2559 This is a milder form of deprecation.
2561 Things that are discouraged should not be used in new code, but it is
2562 OK to leave them in old code for now. When a discouraged feature is
2563 used, no warning message is printed like there is for 'deprecated'
2564 features. Also, things that are merely discouraged are nevertheless
2565 implemented efficiently, while deprecated features can be very slow.
2567 You can omit discouraged features from libguile by configuring it with
2568 the '--disable-discouraged' option.
2570 ** Deprecation warnings can be controlled at run-time.
2572 (debug-enable 'warn-deprecated) switches them on and (debug-disable
2573 'warn-deprecated) switches them off.
2575 ** Support for SRFI 61, extended cond syntax for multiple values has
2578 This SRFI is always available.
2580 ** Support for require-extension, SRFI-55, has been added.
2582 The SRFI-55 special form `require-extension' has been added. It is
2583 available at startup, and provides a portable way to load Scheme
2584 extensions. SRFI-55 only requires support for one type of extension,
2585 "srfi"; so a set of SRFIs may be loaded via (require-extension (srfi 1
2588 ** New module (srfi srfi-26) provides support for `cut' and `cute'.
2590 The (srfi srfi-26) module is an implementation of SRFI-26 which
2591 provides the `cut' and `cute' syntax. These may be used to specialize
2592 parameters without currying.
2594 ** New module (srfi srfi-31)
2596 This is an implementation of SRFI-31 which provides a special form
2597 `rec' for recursive evaluation.
2599 ** The modules (srfi srfi-13), (srfi srfi-14) and (srfi srfi-4) have
2600 been merged with the core, making their functionality always
2603 The modules are still available, tho, and you could use them together
2604 with a renaming import, for example.
2606 ** Guile no longer includes its own version of libltdl.
2608 The official version is good enough now.
2610 ** The --enable-htmldoc option has been removed from 'configure'.
2612 Support for translating the documentation into HTML is now always
2613 provided. Use 'make html'.
2615 ** New module (ice-9 serialize):
2617 (serialize FORM1 ...) and (parallelize FORM1 ...) are useful when you
2618 don't trust the thread safety of most of your program, but where you
2619 have some section(s) of code which you consider can run in parallel to
2620 other sections. See ice-9/serialize.scm for more information.
2622 ** The configure option '--disable-arrays' has been removed.
2624 Support for arrays and uniform numeric arrays is now always included
2627 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
2629 ** New command line option `-L'.
2631 This option adds a directory to the front of the load path.
2633 ** New command line option `--no-debug'.
2635 Specifying `--no-debug' on the command line will keep the debugging
2636 evaluator turned off, even for interactive sessions.
2638 ** User-init file ~/.guile is now loaded with the debugging evaluator.
2640 Previously, the normal evaluator would have been used. Using the
2641 debugging evaluator gives better error messages.
2643 ** The '-e' option now 'read's its argument.
2645 This is to allow the new '(@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME)' construct to
2646 be used with '-e'. For example, you can now write a script like
2649 exec guile -e '(@ (demo) main)' -s "$0" "$@"
2652 (define-module (demo)
2656 (format #t "Demo: ~a~%" args))
2659 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
2661 ** Guardians have changed back to their original semantics
2663 Guardians now behave like described in the paper by Dybvig et al. In
2664 particular, they no longer make guarantees about the order in which
2665 they return objects, and they can no longer be greedy.
2667 They no longer drop cyclic data structures.
2669 The C function scm_make_guardian has been changed incompatibly and no
2670 longer takes the 'greedy_p' argument.
2672 ** New function hashx-remove!
2674 This function completes the set of 'hashx' functions.
2676 ** The concept of dynamic roots has been factored into continuation
2677 barriers and dynamic states.
2679 Each thread has a current dynamic state that carries the values of the
2680 fluids. You can create and copy dynamic states and use them as the
2681 second argument for 'eval'. See "Fluids and Dynamic States" in the
2684 To restrict the influence that captured continuations can have on the
2685 control flow, you can errect continuation barriers. See "Continuation
2686 Barriers" in the manual.
2688 The function call-with-dynamic-root now essentially temporarily
2689 installs a new dynamic state and errects a continuation barrier.
2691 ** The default load path no longer includes "." at the end.
2693 Automatically loading modules from the current directory should not
2694 happen by default. If you want to allow it in a more controlled
2695 manner, set the environment variable GUILE_LOAD_PATH or the Scheme
2696 variable %load-path.
2698 ** The uniform vector and array support has been overhauled.
2700 It now complies with SRFI-4 and the weird prototype based uniform
2701 array creation has been deprecated. See the manual for more details.
2703 Some non-compatible changes have been made:
2704 - characters can no longer be stored into byte arrays.
2705 - strings and bit vectors are no longer considered to be uniform numeric
2707 - array-rank throws an error for non-arrays instead of returning zero.
2708 - array-ref does no longer accept non-arrays when no indices are given.
2710 There is the new notion of 'generalized vectors' and corresponding
2711 procedures like 'generalized-vector-ref'. Generalized vectors include
2712 strings, bitvectors, ordinary vectors, and uniform numeric vectors.
2714 Arrays use generalized vectors as their storage, so that you still
2715 have arrays of characters, bits, etc. However, uniform-array-read!
2716 and uniform-array-write can no longer read/write strings and
2719 ** There is now support for copy-on-write substrings, mutation-sharing
2720 substrings and read-only strings.
2722 Three new procedures are related to this: substring/shared,
2723 substring/copy, and substring/read-only. See the manual for more
2726 ** Backtraces will now highlight the value that caused the error.
2728 By default, these values are enclosed in "{...}", such as in this
2737 <unnamed port>:1:1: In procedure car in expression (car (quote a)):
2738 <unnamed port>:1:1: Wrong type (expecting pair): a
2739 ABORT: (wrong-type-arg)
2741 The prefix and suffix used for highlighting can be set via the two new
2742 printer options 'highlight-prefix' and 'highlight-suffix'. For
2743 example, putting this into ~/.guile will output the bad value in bold
2744 on an ANSI terminal:
2746 (print-set! highlight-prefix "\x1b[1m")
2747 (print-set! highlight-suffix "\x1b[22m")
2750 ** 'gettext' support for internationalization has been added.
2752 See the manual for details.
2754 ** New syntax '@' and '@@':
2756 You can now directly refer to variables exported from a module by
2759 (@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME)
2761 For example (@ (ice-9 pretty-print) pretty-print) will directly access
2762 the pretty-print variable exported from the (ice-9 pretty-print)
2763 module. You don't need to 'use' that module first. You can also use
2764 '@' as a target of 'set!', as in (set! (@ mod var) val).
2766 The related syntax (@@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME) works just like '@',
2767 but it can also access variables that have not been exported. It is
2768 intended only for kluges and temporary fixes and for debugging, not
2771 ** Keyword syntax has been made more disciplined.
2773 Previously, the name of a keyword was read as a 'token' but printed as
2774 a symbol. Now, it is read as a general Scheme datum which must be a
2785 ERROR: In expression (a b c):
2789 ERROR: Unbound variable: foo
2794 ERROR: Wrong type (expecting symbol): 12
2798 ERROR: Wrong type (expecting symbol): (a b c)
2802 ** The printing of symbols that might look like keywords can be
2805 The new printer option 'quote-keywordish-symbols' controls how symbols
2806 are printed that have a colon as their first or last character. The
2807 default now is to only quote a symbol with #{...}# when the read
2808 option 'keywords' is not '#f'. Thus:
2810 guile> (define foo (string->symbol ":foo"))
2811 guile> (read-set! keywords #f)
2814 guile> (read-set! keywords 'prefix)
2817 guile> (print-set! quote-keywordish-symbols #f)
2821 ** 'while' now provides 'break' and 'continue'
2823 break and continue were previously bound in a while loop, but not
2824 documented, and continue didn't quite work properly. The undocumented
2825 parameter to break which gave a return value for the while has been
2828 ** 'call-with-current-continuation' is now also available under the name
2831 ** The module system now checks for duplicate bindings.
2833 The module system now can check for name conflicts among imported
2836 The behavior can be controlled by specifying one or more 'duplicates'
2837 handlers. For example, to make Guile return an error for every name
2840 (define-module (foo)
2845 The new default behavior of the module system when a name collision
2846 has been detected is to
2848 1. Give priority to bindings marked as a replacement.
2849 2. Issue a warning (different warning if overriding core binding).
2850 3. Give priority to the last encountered binding (this corresponds to
2853 If you want the old behavior back without replacements or warnings you
2856 (default-duplicate-binding-handler 'last)
2858 to your .guile init file.
2860 ** New define-module option: :replace
2862 :replace works as :export, but, in addition, marks the binding as a
2865 A typical example is `format' in (ice-9 format) which is a replacement
2866 for the core binding `format'.
2868 ** Adding prefixes to imported bindings in the module system
2870 There is now a new :use-module option :prefix. It can be used to add
2871 a prefix to all imported bindings.
2873 (define-module (foo)
2874 :use-module ((bar) :prefix bar:))
2876 will import all bindings exported from bar, but rename them by adding
2879 ** Conflicting generic functions can be automatically merged.
2881 When two imported bindings conflict and they are both generic
2882 functions, the two functions can now be merged automatically. This is
2883 activated with the 'duplicates' handler 'merge-generics'.
2885 ** New function: effective-version
2887 Returns the "effective" version number. This is just the normal full
2888 version string without the final micro-version number. See "Changes
2889 to the distribution" above.
2891 ** New threading functions: parallel, letpar, par-map, and friends
2893 These are convenient ways to run calculations in parallel in new
2894 threads. See "Parallel forms" in the manual for details.
2896 ** New function 'try-mutex'.
2898 This function will attempt to lock a mutex but will return immediately
2899 instead of blocking and indicate failure.
2901 ** Waiting on a condition variable can have a timeout.
2903 The function 'wait-condition-variable' now takes a third, optional
2904 argument that specifies the point in time where the waiting should be
2907 ** New function 'broadcast-condition-variable'.
2909 ** New functions 'all-threads' and 'current-thread'.
2911 ** Signals and system asyncs work better with threads.
2913 The function 'sigaction' now takes a fourth, optional, argument that
2914 specifies the thread that the handler should run in. When the
2915 argument is omitted, the handler will run in the thread that called
2918 Likewise, 'system-async-mark' takes a second, optional, argument that
2919 specifies the thread that the async should run in. When it is
2920 omitted, the async will run in the thread that called
2921 'system-async-mark'.
2923 C code can use the new functions scm_sigaction_for_thread and
2924 scm_system_async_mark_for_thread to pass the new thread argument.
2926 When a thread blocks on a mutex, a condition variable or is waiting
2927 for IO to be possible, it will still execute system asyncs. This can
2928 be used to interrupt such a thread by making it execute a 'throw', for
2931 ** The function 'system-async' is deprecated.
2933 You can now pass any zero-argument procedure to 'system-async-mark'.
2934 The function 'system-async' will just return its argument unchanged
2937 ** New functions 'call-with-blocked-asyncs' and
2938 'call-with-unblocked-asyncs'
2940 The expression (call-with-blocked-asyncs PROC) will call PROC and will
2941 block execution of system asyncs for the current thread by one level
2942 while PROC runs. Likewise, call-with-unblocked-asyncs will call a
2943 procedure and will unblock the execution of system asyncs by one
2944 level for the current thread.
2946 Only system asyncs are affected by these functions.
2948 ** The functions 'mask-signals' and 'unmask-signals' are deprecated.
2950 Use 'call-with-blocked-asyncs' or 'call-with-unblocked-asyncs'
2951 instead. Those functions are easier to use correctly and can be
2954 ** New function 'unsetenv'.
2956 ** New macro 'define-syntax-public'.
2958 It works like 'define-syntax' and also exports the defined macro (but
2961 ** There is support for Infinity and NaNs.
2963 Following PLT Scheme, Guile can now work with infinite numbers, and
2966 There is new syntax for numbers: "+inf.0" (infinity), "-inf.0"
2967 (negative infinity), "+nan.0" (not-a-number), and "-nan.0" (same as
2968 "+nan.0"). These numbers are inexact and have no exact counterpart.
2970 Dividing by an inexact zero returns +inf.0 or -inf.0, depending on the
2971 sign of the dividend. The infinities are integers, and they answer #t
2972 for both 'even?' and 'odd?'. The +nan.0 value is not an integer and is
2973 not '=' to itself, but '+nan.0' is 'eqv?' to itself.
2984 ERROR: Numerical overflow
2986 Two new predicates 'inf?' and 'nan?' can be used to test for the
2989 ** Inexact zero can have a sign.
2991 Guile can now distinguish between plus and minus inexact zero, if your
2992 platform supports this, too. The two zeros are equal according to
2993 '=', but not according to 'eqv?'. For example
3004 ** Guile now has exact rationals.
3006 Guile can now represent fractions such as 1/3 exactly. Computing with
3007 them is also done exactly, of course:
3012 ** 'floor', 'ceiling', 'round' and 'truncate' now return exact numbers
3013 for exact arguments.
3015 For example: (floor 2) now returns an exact 2 where in the past it
3016 returned an inexact 2.0. Likewise, (floor 5/4) returns an exact 1.
3018 ** inexact->exact no longer returns only integers.
3020 Without exact rationals, the closest exact number was always an
3021 integer, but now inexact->exact returns the fraction that is exactly
3022 equal to a floating point number. For example:
3024 (inexact->exact 1.234)
3025 => 694680242521899/562949953421312
3027 When you want the old behavior, use 'round' explicitly:
3029 (inexact->exact (round 1.234))
3032 ** New function 'rationalize'.
3034 This function finds a simple fraction that is close to a given real
3035 number. For example (and compare with inexact->exact above):
3037 (rationalize (inexact->exact 1.234) 1/2000)
3040 Note that, as required by R5RS, rationalize returns only then an exact
3041 result when both its arguments are exact.
3043 ** 'odd?' and 'even?' work also for inexact integers.
3045 Previously, (odd? 1.0) would signal an error since only exact integers
3046 were recognized as integers. Now (odd? 1.0) returns #t, (odd? 2.0)
3047 returns #f and (odd? 1.5) signals an error.
3049 ** Guile now has uninterned symbols.
3051 The new function 'make-symbol' will return an uninterned symbol. This
3052 is a symbol that is unique and is guaranteed to remain unique.
3053 However, uninterned symbols can not yet be read back in.
3055 Use the new function 'symbol-interned?' to check whether a symbol is
3058 ** pretty-print has more options.
3060 The function pretty-print from the (ice-9 pretty-print) module can now
3061 also be invoked with keyword arguments that control things like
3062 maximum output width. See the manual for details.
3064 ** Variables have no longer a special behavior for `equal?'.
3066 Previously, comparing two variables with `equal?' would recursivly
3067 compare their values. This is no longer done. Variables are now only
3068 `equal?' if they are `eq?'.
3070 ** `(begin)' is now valid.
3072 You can now use an empty `begin' form. It will yield #<unspecified>
3073 when evaluated and simply be ignored in a definition context.
3075 ** Deprecated: procedure->macro
3077 Change your code to use 'define-macro' or r5rs macros. Also, be aware
3078 that macro expansion will not be done during evaluation, but prior to
3081 ** Soft ports now allow a `char-ready?' procedure
3083 The vector argument to `make-soft-port' can now have a length of
3084 either 5 or 6. (Previously the length had to be 5.) The optional 6th
3085 element is interpreted as an `input-waiting' thunk -- i.e. a thunk
3086 that returns the number of characters that can be read immediately
3087 without the soft port blocking.
3089 ** Deprecated: undefine
3091 There is no replacement for undefine.
3093 ** The functions make-keyword-from-dash-symbol and keyword-dash-symbol
3094 have been discouraged.
3096 They are relics from a time where a keyword like #:foo was used
3097 directly as a Tcl option "-foo" and thus keywords were internally
3098 stored as a symbol with a starting dash. We now store a symbol
3101 Use symbol->keyword and keyword->symbol instead.
3103 ** The `cheap' debug option is now obsolete
3105 Evaluator trap calls are now unconditionally "cheap" - in other words,
3106 they pass a debug object to the trap handler rather than a full
3107 continuation. The trap handler code can capture a full continuation
3108 by using `call-with-current-continuation' in the usual way, if it so
3111 The `cheap' option is retained for now so as not to break existing
3112 code which gets or sets it, but setting it now has no effect. It will
3113 be removed in the next major Guile release.
3115 ** Evaluator trap calls now support `tweaking'
3117 `Tweaking' means that the trap handler code can modify the Scheme
3118 expression that is about to be evaluated (in the case of an
3119 enter-frame trap) or the value that is being returned (in the case of
3120 an exit-frame trap). The trap handler code indicates that it wants to
3121 do this by returning a pair whose car is the symbol 'instead and whose
3122 cdr is the modified expression or return value.
3124 * Changes to the C interface
3126 ** The functions scm_hash_fn_remove_x and scm_hashx_remove_x no longer
3127 take a 'delete' function argument.
3129 This argument makes no sense since the delete function is used to
3130 remove a pair from an alist, and this must not be configurable.
3132 This is an incompatible change.
3134 ** The GH interface is now subject to the deprecation mechanism
3136 The GH interface has been deprecated for quite some time but now it is
3137 actually removed from Guile when it is configured with
3138 --disable-deprecated.
3140 See the manual "Transitioning away from GH" for more information.
3142 ** A new family of functions for converting between C values and
3143 Scheme values has been added.
3145 These functions follow a common naming scheme and are designed to be
3146 easier to use, thread-safe and more future-proof than the older
3149 - int scm_is_* (...)
3151 These are predicates that return a C boolean: 1 or 0. Instead of
3152 SCM_NFALSEP, you can now use scm_is_true, for example.
3154 - <type> scm_to_<type> (SCM val, ...)
3156 These are functions that convert a Scheme value into an appropriate
3157 C value. For example, you can use scm_to_int to safely convert from
3160 - SCM scm_from_<type> (<type> val, ...)
3162 These functions convert from a C type to a SCM value; for example,
3163 scm_from_int for ints.
3165 There is a huge number of these functions, for numbers, strings,
3166 symbols, vectors, etc. They are documented in the reference manual in
3167 the API section together with the types that they apply to.
3169 ** New functions for dealing with complex numbers in C have been added.
3171 The new functions are scm_c_make_rectangular, scm_c_make_polar,
3172 scm_c_real_part, scm_c_imag_part, scm_c_magnitude and scm_c_angle.
3173 They work like scm_make_rectangular etc but take or return doubles
3176 ** The function scm_make_complex has been discouraged.
3178 Use scm_c_make_rectangular instead.
3180 ** The INUM macros have been deprecated.
3182 A lot of code uses these macros to do general integer conversions,
3183 although the macros only work correctly with fixnums. Use the
3184 following alternatives.
3186 SCM_INUMP -> scm_is_integer or similar
3187 SCM_NINUMP -> !scm_is_integer or similar
3188 SCM_MAKINUM -> scm_from_int or similar
3189 SCM_INUM -> scm_to_int or similar
3191 SCM_VALIDATE_INUM_* -> Do not use these; scm_to_int, etc. will
3192 do the validating for you.
3194 ** The scm_num2<type> and scm_<type>2num functions and scm_make_real
3195 have been discouraged.
3197 Use the newer scm_to_<type> and scm_from_<type> functions instead for
3198 new code. The functions have been discouraged since they don't fit
3201 ** The 'boolean' macros SCM_FALSEP etc have been discouraged.
3203 They have strange names, especially SCM_NFALSEP, and SCM_BOOLP
3204 evaluates its argument twice. Use scm_is_true, etc. instead for new
3207 ** The macro SCM_EQ_P has been discouraged.
3209 Use scm_is_eq for new code, which fits better into the naming
3212 ** The macros SCM_CONSP, SCM_NCONSP, SCM_NULLP, and SCM_NNULLP have
3215 Use the function scm_is_pair or scm_is_null instead.
3217 ** The functions scm_round and scm_truncate have been deprecated and
3218 are now available as scm_c_round and scm_c_truncate, respectively.
3220 These functions occupy the names that scm_round_number and
3221 scm_truncate_number should have.
3223 ** The functions scm_c_string2str, scm_c_substring2str, and
3224 scm_c_symbol2str have been deprecated.
3226 Use scm_to_locale_stringbuf or similar instead, maybe together with
3229 ** New functions scm_c_make_string, scm_c_string_length,
3230 scm_c_string_ref, scm_c_string_set_x, scm_c_substring,
3231 scm_c_substring_shared, scm_c_substring_copy.
3233 These are like scm_make_string, scm_length, etc. but are slightly
3234 easier to use from C.
3236 ** The macros SCM_STRINGP, SCM_STRING_CHARS, SCM_STRING_LENGTH,
3237 SCM_SYMBOL_CHARS, and SCM_SYMBOL_LENGTH have been deprecated.
3239 They export too many assumptions about the implementation of strings
3240 and symbols that are no longer true in the presence of
3241 mutation-sharing substrings and when Guile switches to some form of
3244 When working with strings, it is often best to use the normal string
3245 functions provided by Guile, such as scm_c_string_ref,
3246 scm_c_string_set_x, scm_string_append, etc. Be sure to look in the
3247 manual since many more such functions are now provided than
3250 When you want to convert a SCM string to a C string, use the
3251 scm_to_locale_string function or similar instead. For symbols, use
3252 scm_symbol_to_string and then work with that string. Because of the
3253 new string representation, scm_symbol_to_string does not need to copy
3254 and is thus quite efficient.
3256 ** Some string, symbol and keyword functions have been discouraged.
3258 They don't fit into the uniform naming scheme and are not explicit
3259 about the character encoding.
3261 Replace according to the following table:
3263 scm_allocate_string -> scm_c_make_string
3264 scm_take_str -> scm_take_locale_stringn
3265 scm_take0str -> scm_take_locale_string
3266 scm_mem2string -> scm_from_locale_stringn
3267 scm_str2string -> scm_from_locale_string
3268 scm_makfrom0str -> scm_from_locale_string
3269 scm_mem2symbol -> scm_from_locale_symboln
3270 scm_mem2uninterned_symbol -> scm_from_locale_stringn + scm_make_symbol
3271 scm_str2symbol -> scm_from_locale_symbol
3273 SCM_SYMBOL_HASH -> scm_hashq
3274 SCM_SYMBOL_INTERNED_P -> scm_symbol_interned_p
3276 scm_c_make_keyword -> scm_from_locale_keyword
3278 ** The functions scm_keyword_to_symbol and sym_symbol_to_keyword are
3279 now also available to C code.
3281 ** SCM_KEYWORDP and SCM_KEYWORDSYM have been deprecated.
3283 Use scm_is_keyword and scm_keyword_to_symbol instead, but note that
3284 the latter returns the true name of the keyword, not the 'dash name',
3285 as SCM_KEYWORDSYM used to do.
3287 ** A new way to access arrays in a thread-safe and efficient way has
3290 See the manual, node "Accessing Arrays From C".
3292 ** The old uniform vector and bitvector implementations have been
3293 unceremoniously removed.
3295 This implementation exposed the details of the tagging system of
3296 Guile. Use the new C API explained in the manual in node "Uniform
3297 Numeric Vectors" and "Bit Vectors", respectively.
3299 The following macros are gone: SCM_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_BASE,
3300 SCM_UVECTOR_MAXLENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_MAKE_UVECTOR_TAG,
3301 SCM_SET_UVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_BITVECTOR_P, SCM_BITVECTOR_BASE,
3302 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_BASE, SCM_BITVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH,
3303 SCM_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_MAKE_BITVECTOR_TAG,
3304 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_BITVEC_REF, SCM_BITVEC_SET,
3307 ** The macros dealing with vectors have been deprecated.
3309 Use the new functions scm_is_vector, scm_vector_elements,
3310 scm_vector_writable_elements, etc, or scm_is_simple_vector,
3311 SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF, SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET, etc instead. See the
3312 manual for more details.
3314 Deprecated are SCM_VECTORP, SCM_VELTS, SCM_VECTOR_MAX_LENGTH,
3315 SCM_VECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_VECTOR_REF, SCM_VECTOR_SET, SCM_WRITABLE_VELTS.
3317 The following macros have been removed: SCM_VECTOR_BASE,
3318 SCM_SET_VECTOR_BASE, SCM_MAKE_VECTOR_TAG, SCM_SET_VECTOR_LENGTH,
3319 SCM_VELTS_AS_STACKITEMS, SCM_SETVELTS, SCM_GC_WRITABLE_VELTS.
3321 ** Some C functions and macros related to arrays have been deprecated.
3323 Migrate according to the following table:
3325 scm_make_uve -> scm_make_typed_array, scm_make_u8vector etc.
3326 scm_make_ra -> scm_make_array
3327 scm_shap2ra -> scm_make_array
3328 scm_cvref -> scm_c_generalized_vector_ref
3329 scm_ra_set_contp -> do not use
3330 scm_aind -> scm_array_handle_pos
3331 scm_raprin1 -> scm_display or scm_write
3333 SCM_ARRAYP -> scm_is_array
3334 SCM_ARRAY_NDIM -> scm_c_array_rank
3335 SCM_ARRAY_DIMS -> scm_array_handle_dims
3336 SCM_ARRAY_CONTP -> do not use
3337 SCM_ARRAY_MEM -> do not use
3338 SCM_ARRAY_V -> scm_array_handle_elements or similar
3339 SCM_ARRAY_BASE -> do not use
3341 ** SCM_CELL_WORD_LOC has been deprecated.
3343 Use the new macro SCM_CELL_OBJECT_LOC instead, which returns a pointer
3344 to a SCM, as opposed to a pointer to a scm_t_bits.
3346 This was done to allow the correct use of pointers into the Scheme
3347 heap. Previously, the heap words were of type scm_t_bits and local
3348 variables and function arguments were of type SCM, making it
3349 non-standards-conformant to have a pointer that can point to both.
3351 ** New macros SCM_SMOB_DATA_2, SCM_SMOB_DATA_3, etc.
3353 These macros should be used instead of SCM_CELL_WORD_2/3 to access the
3354 second and third words of double smobs. Likewise for
3355 SCM_SET_SMOB_DATA_2 and SCM_SET_SMOB_DATA_3.
3357 Also, there is SCM_SMOB_FLAGS and SCM_SET_SMOB_FLAGS that should be
3358 used to get and set the 16 exra bits in the zeroth word of a smob.
3360 And finally, there is SCM_SMOB_OBJECT and SCM_SMOB_SET_OBJECT for
3361 accesing the first immediate word of a smob as a SCM value, and there
3362 is SCM_SMOB_OBJECT_LOC for getting a pointer to the first immediate
3363 smob word. Like wise for SCM_SMOB_OBJECT_2, etc.
3365 ** New way to deal with non-local exits and re-entries.
3367 There is a new set of functions that essentially do what
3368 scm_internal_dynamic_wind does, but in a way that is more convenient
3369 for C code in some situations. Here is a quick example of how to
3370 prevent a potential memory leak:
3377 scm_dynwind_begin (0);
3379 mem = scm_malloc (100);
3380 scm_dynwind_unwind_handler (free, mem, SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY);
3382 /* MEM would leak if BAR throws an error.
3383 SCM_DYNWIND_UNWIND_HANDLER frees it nevertheless.
3390 /* Because of SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY, MEM will be freed by
3391 SCM_DYNWIND_END as well.
3395 For full documentation, see the node "Dynamic Wind" in the manual.
3397 ** New function scm_dynwind_free
3399 This function calls 'free' on a given pointer when a dynwind context
3400 is left. Thus the call to scm_dynwind_unwind_handler above could be
3401 replaced with simply scm_dynwind_free (mem).
3403 ** New functions scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs and
3404 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs
3406 Like scm_call_with_blocked_asyncs etc. but for C functions.
3408 ** New functions scm_dynwind_block_asyncs and scm_dynwind_unblock_asyncs
3410 In addition to scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs you can now also use
3411 scm_dynwind_block_asyncs in a 'dynwind context' (see above). Likewise for
3412 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs and scm_dynwind_unblock_asyncs.
3414 ** The macros SCM_DEFER_INTS, SCM_ALLOW_INTS, SCM_REDEFER_INTS,
3415 SCM_REALLOW_INTS have been deprecated.
3417 They do no longer fulfill their original role of blocking signal
3418 delivery. Depending on what you want to achieve, replace a pair of
3419 SCM_DEFER_INTS and SCM_ALLOW_INTS with a dynwind context that locks a
3420 mutex, blocks asyncs, or both. See node "Critical Sections" in the
3423 ** The value 'scm_mask_ints' is no longer writable.
3425 Previously, you could set scm_mask_ints directly. This is no longer
3426 possible. Use scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs and
3427 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs instead.
3429 ** New way to temporarily set the current input, output or error ports
3431 C code can now use scm_dynwind_current_<foo>_port in a 'dynwind
3432 context' (see above). <foo> is one of "input", "output" or "error".
3434 ** New way to temporarily set fluids
3436 C code can now use scm_dynwind_fluid in a 'dynwind context' (see
3437 above) to temporarily set the value of a fluid.
3439 ** New types scm_t_intmax and scm_t_uintmax.
3441 On platforms that have them, these types are identical to intmax_t and
3442 uintmax_t, respectively. On other platforms, they are identical to
3443 the largest integer types that Guile knows about.
3445 ** The functions scm_unmemocopy and scm_unmemoize have been removed.
3447 You should not have used them.
3449 ** Many public #defines with generic names have been made private.
3451 #defines with generic names like HAVE_FOO or SIZEOF_FOO have been made
3452 private or renamed with a more suitable public name.
3454 ** The macro SCM_TYP16S has been deprecated.
3456 This macro is not intended for public use.
3458 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_INEXACTP has been deprecated.
3460 Use scm_is_true (scm_inexact_p (...)) instead.
3462 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_REALP has been deprecated.
3464 Use scm_is_real instead.
3466 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_COMPLEXP has been deprecated.
3468 Use scm_is_complex instead.
3470 ** Some preprocessor defines have been deprecated.
3472 These defines indicated whether a certain feature was present in Guile
3473 or not. Going forward, assume that the features are always present.
3475 The macros are: USE_THREADS, GUILE_ISELECT, READER_EXTENSIONS,
3476 DEBUG_EXTENSIONS, DYNAMIC_LINKING.
3478 The following macros have been removed completely: MEMOIZE_LOCALS,
3479 SCM_RECKLESS, SCM_CAUTIOUS.
3481 ** The preprocessor define STACK_DIRECTION has been deprecated.
3483 There should be no need to know about the stack direction for ordinary
3486 ** New function: scm_effective_version
3488 Returns the "effective" version number. This is just the normal full
3489 version string without the final micro-version number. See "Changes
3490 to the distribution" above.
3492 ** The function scm_call_with_new_thread has a new prototype.
3494 Instead of taking a list with the thunk and handler, these two
3495 arguments are now passed directly:
3497 SCM scm_call_with_new_thread (SCM thunk, SCM handler);
3499 This is an incompatible change.
3501 ** New snarfer macro SCM_DEFINE_PUBLIC.
3503 This is like SCM_DEFINE, but also calls scm_c_export for the defined
3504 function in the init section.
3506 ** The snarfer macro SCM_SNARF_INIT is now officially supported.
3508 ** Garbage collector rewrite.
3510 The garbage collector is cleaned up a lot, and now uses lazy
3511 sweeping. This is reflected in the output of (gc-stats); since cells
3512 are being freed when they are allocated, the cells-allocated field
3513 stays roughly constant.
3515 For malloc related triggers, the behavior is changed. It uses the same
3516 heuristic as the cell-triggered collections. It may be tuned with the
3517 environment variables GUILE_MIN_YIELD_MALLOC. This is the percentage
3518 for minimum yield of malloc related triggers. The default is 40.
3519 GUILE_INIT_MALLOC_LIMIT sets the initial trigger for doing a GC. The
3522 Debugging operations for the freelist have been deprecated, along with
3523 the C variables that control garbage collection. The environment
3524 variables GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE, GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_2,
3525 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_1, and GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2 should be used.
3527 For understanding the memory usage of a GUILE program, the routine
3528 gc-live-object-stats returns an alist containing the number of live
3529 objects for every type.
3532 ** The function scm_definedp has been renamed to scm_defined_p
3534 The name scm_definedp is deprecated.
3536 ** The struct scm_cell type has been renamed to scm_t_cell
3538 This is in accordance to Guile's naming scheme for types. Note that
3539 the name scm_cell is now used for a function that allocates and
3540 initializes a new cell (see below).
3542 ** New functions for memory management
3544 A new set of functions for memory management has been added since the
3545 old way (scm_must_malloc, scm_must_free, etc) was error prone and
3546 indeed, Guile itself contained some long standing bugs that could
3547 cause aborts in long running programs.
3549 The new functions are more symmetrical and do not need cooperation
3550 from smob free routines, among other improvements.
3552 The new functions are scm_malloc, scm_realloc, scm_calloc, scm_strdup,
3553 scm_strndup, scm_gc_malloc, scm_gc_calloc, scm_gc_realloc,
3554 scm_gc_free, scm_gc_register_collectable_memory, and
3555 scm_gc_unregister_collectable_memory. Refer to the manual for more
3556 details and for upgrading instructions.
3558 The old functions for memory management have been deprecated. They
3559 are: scm_must_malloc, scm_must_realloc, scm_must_free,
3560 scm_must_strdup, scm_must_strndup, scm_done_malloc, scm_done_free.
3562 ** Declarations of exported features are marked with SCM_API.
3564 Every declaration of a feature that belongs to the exported Guile API
3565 has been marked by adding the macro "SCM_API" to the start of the
3566 declaration. This macro can expand into different things, the most
3567 common of which is just "extern" for Unix platforms. On Win32, it can
3568 be used to control which symbols are exported from a DLL.
3570 If you `#define SCM_IMPORT' before including <libguile.h>, SCM_API
3571 will expand into "__declspec (dllimport) extern", which is needed for
3572 linking to the Guile DLL in Windows.
3574 There are also SCM_RL_IMPORT, SCM_SRFI1314_IMPORT, and
3575 SCM_SRFI4_IMPORT, for the corresponding libraries.
3577 ** SCM_NEWCELL and SCM_NEWCELL2 have been deprecated.
3579 Use the new functions scm_cell and scm_double_cell instead. The old
3580 macros had problems because with them allocation and initialization
3581 was separated and the GC could sometimes observe half initialized
3582 cells. Only careful coding by the user of SCM_NEWCELL and
3583 SCM_NEWCELL2 could make this safe and efficient.
3585 ** CHECK_ENTRY, CHECK_APPLY and CHECK_EXIT have been deprecated.
3587 Use the variables scm_check_entry_p, scm_check_apply_p and scm_check_exit_p
3590 ** SRCBRKP has been deprecated.
3592 Use scm_c_source_property_breakpoint_p instead.
3594 ** Deprecated: scm_makmacro
3596 Change your code to use either scm_makmmacro or to define macros in
3597 Scheme, using 'define-macro'.
3599 ** New function scm_c_port_for_each.
3601 This function is like scm_port_for_each but takes a pointer to a C
3602 function as the callback instead of a SCM value.
3604 ** The names scm_internal_select, scm_thread_sleep, and
3605 scm_thread_usleep have been discouraged.
3607 Use scm_std_select, scm_std_sleep, scm_std_usleep instead.
3609 ** The GC can no longer be blocked.
3611 The global flags scm_gc_heap_lock and scm_block_gc have been removed.
3612 The GC can now run (partially) concurrently with other code and thus
3613 blocking it is not well defined.
3615 ** Many definitions have been removed that were previously deprecated.
3617 scm_lisp_nil, scm_lisp_t, s_nil_ify, scm_m_nil_ify, s_t_ify,
3618 scm_m_t_ify, s_0_cond, scm_m_0_cond, s_0_ify, scm_m_0_ify, s_1_ify,
3619 scm_m_1_ify, scm_debug_newcell, scm_debug_newcell2,
3620 scm_tc16_allocated, SCM_SET_SYMBOL_HASH, SCM_IM_NIL_IFY, SCM_IM_T_IFY,
3621 SCM_IM_0_COND, SCM_IM_0_IFY, SCM_IM_1_IFY, SCM_GC_SET_ALLOCATED,
3622 scm_debug_newcell, scm_debug_newcell2, SCM_HUP_SIGNAL, SCM_INT_SIGNAL,
3623 SCM_FPE_SIGNAL, SCM_BUS_SIGNAL, SCM_SEGV_SIGNAL, SCM_ALRM_SIGNAL,
3624 SCM_GC_SIGNAL, SCM_TICK_SIGNAL, SCM_SIG_ORD, SCM_ORD_SIG,
3625 SCM_NUM_SIGS, scm_top_level_lookup_closure_var,
3626 *top-level-lookup-closure*, scm_system_transformer, scm_eval_3,
3627 scm_eval2, root_module_lookup_closure, SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP,
3628 SCM_RWSTRINGP, scm_read_only_string_p, scm_make_shared_substring,
3629 scm_tc7_substring, sym_huh, SCM_VARVCELL, SCM_UDVARIABLEP,
3630 SCM_DEFVARIABLEP, scm_mkbig, scm_big2inum, scm_adjbig, scm_normbig,
3631 scm_copybig, scm_2ulong2big, scm_dbl2big, scm_big2dbl, SCM_FIXNUM_BIT,
3632 SCM_SETCHARS, SCM_SLOPPY_SUBSTRP, SCM_SUBSTR_STR, SCM_SUBSTR_OFFSET,
3633 SCM_LENGTH_MAX, SCM_SETLENGTH, SCM_ROSTRINGP, SCM_ROLENGTH,
3634 SCM_ROCHARS, SCM_ROUCHARS, SCM_SUBSTRP, SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR,
3635 scm_sym2vcell, scm_intern, scm_intern0, scm_sysintern, scm_sysintern0,
3636 scm_sysintern0_no_module_lookup, scm_init_symbols_deprecated,
3637 scm_vector_set_length_x, scm_contregs, scm_debug_info,
3638 scm_debug_frame, SCM_DSIDEVAL, SCM_CONST_LONG, SCM_VCELL,
3639 SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL, SCM_VCELL_INIT, SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL_INIT,
3640 SCM_HUGE_LENGTH, SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR, SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING,
3641 SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING_COPY, SCM_VALIDATE_NULLORROSTRING_COPY,
3642 SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING, DIGITS, scm_small_istr2int, scm_istr2int,
3643 scm_istr2flo, scm_istring2number, scm_istr2int, scm_istr2flo,
3644 scm_istring2number, scm_vtable_index_vcell, scm_si_vcell, SCM_ECONSP,
3645 SCM_NECONSP, SCM_GLOC_VAR, SCM_GLOC_VAL, SCM_GLOC_SET_VAL,
3646 SCM_GLOC_VAL_LOC, scm_make_gloc, scm_gloc_p, scm_tc16_variable,
3647 SCM_CHARS, SCM_LENGTH, SCM_SET_STRING_CHARS, SCM_SET_STRING_LENGTH.
3649 * Changes to bundled modules
3653 Using the (ice-9 debug) module no longer automatically switches Guile
3654 to use the debugging evaluator. If you want to switch to the
3655 debugging evaluator (which is needed for backtrace information if you
3656 hit an error), please add an explicit "(debug-enable 'debug)" to your
3657 code just after the code to use (ice-9 debug).
3660 Changes since Guile 1.4:
3662 * Changes to the distribution
3664 ** A top-level TODO file is included.
3666 ** Guile now uses a versioning scheme similar to that of the Linux kernel.
3668 Guile now always uses three numbers to represent the version,
3669 i.e. "1.6.5". The first number, 1, is the major version number, the
3670 second number, 6, is the minor version number, and the third number,
3671 5, is the micro version number. Changes in major version number
3672 indicate major changes in Guile.
3674 Minor version numbers that are even denote stable releases, and odd
3675 minor version numbers denote development versions (which may be
3676 unstable). The micro version number indicates a minor sub-revision of
3677 a given MAJOR.MINOR release.
3679 In keeping with the new scheme, (minor-version) and scm_minor_version
3680 no longer return everything but the major version number. They now
3681 just return the minor version number. Two new functions
3682 (micro-version) and scm_micro_version have been added to report the
3683 micro version number.
3685 In addition, ./GUILE-VERSION now defines GUILE_MICRO_VERSION.
3687 ** New preprocessor definitions are available for checking versions.
3689 version.h now #defines SCM_MAJOR_VERSION, SCM_MINOR_VERSION, and
3690 SCM_MICRO_VERSION to the appropriate integer values.
3692 ** Guile now actively warns about deprecated features.
3694 The new configure option `--enable-deprecated=LEVEL' and the
3695 environment variable GUILE_WARN_DEPRECATED control this mechanism.
3696 See INSTALL and README for more information.
3698 ** Guile is much more likely to work on 64-bit architectures.
3700 Guile now compiles and passes "make check" with only two UNRESOLVED GC
3701 cases on Alpha and ia64 based machines now. Thanks to John Goerzen
3702 for the use of a test machine, and thanks to Stefan Jahn for ia64
3705 ** New functions: setitimer and getitimer.
3707 These implement a fairly direct interface to the libc functions of the
3710 ** The #. reader extension is now disabled by default.
3712 For safety reasons, #. evaluation is disabled by default. To
3713 re-enable it, set the fluid read-eval? to #t. For example:
3715 (fluid-set! read-eval? #t)
3717 but make sure you realize the potential security risks involved. With
3718 read-eval? enabled, reading a data file from an untrusted source can
3721 ** New SRFI modules have been added:
3723 SRFI-0 `cond-expand' is now supported in Guile, without requiring
3726 (srfi srfi-1) is a library containing many useful pair- and list-processing
3729 (srfi srfi-2) exports and-let*.
3731 (srfi srfi-4) implements homogeneous numeric vector datatypes.
3733 (srfi srfi-6) is a dummy module for now, since guile already provides
3734 all of the srfi-6 procedures by default: open-input-string,
3735 open-output-string, get-output-string.
3737 (srfi srfi-8) exports receive.
3739 (srfi srfi-9) exports define-record-type.
3741 (srfi srfi-10) exports define-reader-ctor and implements the reader
3744 (srfi srfi-11) exports let-values and let*-values.
3746 (srfi srfi-13) implements the SRFI String Library.
3748 (srfi srfi-14) implements the SRFI Character-Set Library.
3750 (srfi srfi-17) implements setter and getter-with-setter and redefines
3751 some accessor procedures as procedures with getters. (such as car,
3752 cdr, vector-ref etc.)
3754 (srfi srfi-19) implements the SRFI Time/Date Library.
3756 ** New scripts / "executable modules"
3758 Subdirectory "scripts" contains Scheme modules that are packaged to
3759 also be executable as scripts. At this time, these scripts are available:
3768 See README there for more info.
3770 These scripts can be invoked from the shell with the new program
3771 "guile-tools", which keeps track of installation directory for you.
3774 $ guile-tools display-commentary srfi/*.scm
3776 guile-tools is copied to the standard $bindir on "make install".
3778 ** New module (ice-9 stack-catch):
3780 stack-catch is like catch, but saves the current state of the stack in
3781 the fluid the-last-stack. This fluid can be useful when using the
3782 debugger and when re-throwing an error.
3784 ** The module (ice-9 and-let*) has been renamed to (ice-9 and-let-star)
3786 This has been done to prevent problems on lesser operating systems
3787 that can't tolerate `*'s in file names. The exported macro continues
3788 to be named `and-let*', of course.
3790 On systems that support it, there is also a compatibility module named
3791 (ice-9 and-let*). It will go away in the next release.
3793 ** New modules (oop goops) etc.:
3796 (oop goops describe)
3798 (oop goops active-slot)
3799 (oop goops composite-slot)
3801 The Guile Object Oriented Programming System (GOOPS) has been
3802 integrated into Guile. For further information, consult the GOOPS
3803 manual and tutorial in the `doc' directory.
3805 ** New module (ice-9 rdelim).
3807 This exports the following procedures which were previously defined
3808 in the default environment:
3810 read-line read-line! read-delimited read-delimited! %read-delimited!
3811 %read-line write-line
3813 For backwards compatibility the definitions are still imported into the
3814 default environment in this version of Guile. However you should add:
3816 (use-modules (ice-9 rdelim))
3818 to any program which uses the definitions, since this may change in
3821 Alternatively, if guile-scsh is installed, the (scsh rdelim) module
3822 can be used for similar functionality.
3824 ** New module (ice-9 rw)
3826 This is a subset of the (scsh rw) module from guile-scsh. Currently
3827 it defines two procedures:
3829 *** New function: read-string!/partial str [port_or_fdes [start [end]]]
3831 Read characters from a port or file descriptor into a string STR.
3832 A port must have an underlying file descriptor -- a so-called
3833 fport. This procedure is scsh-compatible and can efficiently read
3836 *** New function: write-string/partial str [port_or_fdes [start [end]]]
3838 Write characters from a string STR to a port or file descriptor.
3839 A port must have an underlying file descriptor -- a so-called
3840 fport. This procedure is mostly compatible and can efficiently
3841 write large strings.
3843 ** New module (ice-9 match)
3845 This module includes Andrew K. Wright's pattern matcher. See
3846 ice-9/match.scm for brief description or
3848 http://www.star-lab.com/wright/code.html
3850 for complete documentation.
3852 ** New module (ice-9 buffered-input)
3854 This module provides procedures to construct an input port from an
3855 underlying source of input that reads and returns its input in chunks.
3856 The underlying input source is a Scheme procedure, specified by the
3857 caller, which the port invokes whenever it needs more input.
3859 This is useful when building an input port whose back end is Readline
3860 or a UI element such as the GtkEntry widget.
3864 The reference and tutorial documentation that was previously
3865 distributed separately, as `guile-doc', is now included in the core
3866 Guile distribution. The documentation consists of the following
3869 - The Guile Tutorial (guile-tut.texi) contains a tutorial introduction
3872 - The Guile Reference Manual (guile.texi) contains (or is intended to
3873 contain) reference documentation on all aspects of Guile.
3875 - The GOOPS Manual (goops.texi) contains both tutorial-style and
3876 reference documentation for using GOOPS, Guile's Object Oriented
3879 - The Revised^5 Report on the Algorithmic Language Scheme
3882 See the README file in the `doc' directory for more details.
3884 ** There are a couple of examples in the examples/ directory now.
3886 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
3888 ** New command line option `--use-srfi'
3890 Using this option, SRFI modules can be loaded on startup and be
3891 available right from the beginning. This makes programming portable
3892 Scheme programs easier.
3894 The option `--use-srfi' expects a comma-separated list of numbers,
3895 each representing a SRFI number to be loaded into the interpreter
3896 before starting evaluating a script file or the REPL. Additionally,
3897 the feature identifier for the loaded SRFIs is recognized by
3898 `cond-expand' when using this option.
3901 $ guile --use-srfi=8,13
3902 guile> (receive (x z) (values 1 2) (+ 1 2))
3904 guile> (string-pad "bla" 20)
3907 ** Guile now always starts up in the `(guile-user)' module.
3909 Previously, scripts executed via the `-s' option would run in the
3910 `(guile)' module and the repl would run in the `(guile-user)' module.
3911 Now every user action takes place in the `(guile-user)' module by
3914 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
3916 ** Character classifiers work for non-ASCII characters.
3918 The predicates `char-alphabetic?', `char-numeric?',
3919 `char-whitespace?', `char-lower?', `char-upper?' and `char-is-both?'
3920 no longer check whether their arguments are ASCII characters.
3921 Previously, a character would only be considered alphabetic when it
3922 was also ASCII, for example.
3924 ** Previously deprecated Scheme functions have been removed:
3926 tag - no replacement.
3927 fseek - replaced by seek.
3928 list* - replaced by cons*.
3930 ** It's now possible to create modules with controlled environments
3934 (use-modules (ice-9 safe))
3935 (define m (make-safe-module))
3936 ;;; m will now be a module containing only a safe subset of R5RS
3937 (eval '(+ 1 2) m) --> 3
3938 (eval 'load m) --> ERROR: Unbound variable: load
3940 ** Evaluation of "()", the empty list, is now an error.
3942 Previously, the expression "()" evaluated to the empty list. This has
3943 been changed to signal a "missing expression" error. The correct way
3944 to write the empty list as a literal constant is to use quote: "'()".
3946 ** New concept of `Guile Extensions'.
3948 A Guile Extension is just a ordinary shared library that can be linked
3949 at run-time. We found it advantageous to give this simple concept a
3950 dedicated name to distinguish the issues related to shared libraries
3951 from the issues related to the module system.
3953 *** New function: load-extension
3955 Executing (load-extension lib init) is mostly equivalent to
3957 (dynamic-call init (dynamic-link lib))
3959 except when scm_register_extension has been called previously.
3960 Whenever appropriate, you should use `load-extension' instead of
3961 dynamic-link and dynamic-call.
3963 *** New C function: scm_c_register_extension
3965 This function registers a initialization function for use by
3966 `load-extension'. Use it when you don't want specific extensions to
3967 be loaded as shared libraries (for example on platforms that don't
3968 support dynamic linking).
3970 ** Auto-loading of compiled-code modules is deprecated.
3972 Guile used to be able to automatically find and link a shared
3973 library to satisfy requests for a module. For example, the module
3974 `(foo bar)' could be implemented by placing a shared library named
3975 "foo/libbar.so" (or with a different extension) in a directory on the
3978 This has been found to be too tricky, and is no longer supported. The
3979 shared libraries are now called "extensions". You should now write a
3980 small Scheme file that calls `load-extension' to load the shared
3981 library and initialize it explicitly.
3983 The shared libraries themselves should be installed in the usual
3984 places for shared libraries, with names like "libguile-foo-bar".
3986 For example, place this into a file "foo/bar.scm"
3988 (define-module (foo bar))
3990 (load-extension "libguile-foo-bar" "foobar_init")
3992 ** Backward incompatible change: eval EXP ENVIRONMENT-SPECIFIER
3994 `eval' is now R5RS, that is it takes two arguments.
3995 The second argument is an environment specifier, i.e. either
3997 (scheme-report-environment 5)
3998 (null-environment 5)
3999 (interaction-environment)
4005 ** The module system has been made more disciplined.
4007 The function `eval' will save and restore the current module around
4008 the evaluation of the specified expression. While this expression is
4009 evaluated, `(current-module)' will now return the right module, which
4010 is the module specified as the second argument to `eval'.
4012 A consequence of this change is that `eval' is not particularly
4013 useful when you want allow the evaluated code to change what module is
4014 designated as the current module and have this change persist from one
4015 call to `eval' to the next. The read-eval-print-loop is an example
4016 where `eval' is now inadequate. To compensate, there is a new
4017 function `primitive-eval' that does not take a module specifier and
4018 that does not save/restore the current module. You should use this
4019 function together with `set-current-module', `current-module', etc
4020 when you want to have more control over the state that is carried from
4021 one eval to the next.
4023 Additionally, it has been made sure that forms that are evaluated at
4024 the top level are always evaluated with respect to the current module.
4025 Previously, subforms of top-level forms such as `begin', `case',
4026 etc. did not respect changes to the current module although these
4027 subforms are at the top-level as well.
4029 To prevent strange behavior, the forms `define-module',
4030 `use-modules', `use-syntax', and `export' have been restricted to only
4031 work on the top level. The forms `define-public' and
4032 `defmacro-public' only export the new binding on the top level. They
4033 behave just like `define' and `defmacro', respectively, when they are
4034 used in a lexical environment.
4036 Also, `export' will no longer silently re-export bindings imported
4037 from a used module. It will emit a `deprecation' warning and will
4038 cease to perform any re-export in the next version. If you actually
4039 want to re-export bindings, use the new `re-export' in place of
4040 `export'. The new `re-export' will not make copies of variables when
4041 rexporting them, as `export' did wrongly.
4043 ** Module system now allows selection and renaming of imported bindings
4045 Previously, when using `use-modules' or the `#:use-module' clause in
4046 the `define-module' form, all the bindings (association of symbols to
4047 values) for imported modules were added to the "current module" on an
4048 as-is basis. This has been changed to allow finer control through two
4049 new facilities: selection and renaming.
4051 You can now select which of the imported module's bindings are to be
4052 visible in the current module by using the `:select' clause. This
4053 clause also can be used to rename individual bindings. For example:
4055 ;; import all bindings no questions asked
4056 (use-modules (ice-9 common-list))
4058 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them;
4059 ;; the current module sees: every some zonk-y zonk-n
4060 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
4062 (remove-if . zonk-y)
4063 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))))
4065 You can also programmatically rename all selected bindings using the
4066 `:renamer' clause, which specifies a proc that takes a symbol and
4067 returns another symbol. Because it is common practice to use a prefix,
4068 we now provide the convenience procedure `symbol-prefix-proc'. For
4071 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them specifically,
4072 ;; and all four w/ prefix "CL:";
4073 ;; the current module sees: CL:every CL:some CL:zonk-y CL:zonk-n
4074 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
4076 (remove-if . zonk-y)
4077 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))
4078 :renamer (symbol-prefix-proc 'CL:)))
4080 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them specifically,
4081 ;; and all four by upcasing.
4082 ;; the current module sees: EVERY SOME ZONK-Y ZONK-N
4083 (define (upcase-symbol sym)
4084 (string->symbol (string-upcase (symbol->string sym))))
4086 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
4088 (remove-if . zonk-y)
4089 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))
4090 :renamer upcase-symbol))
4092 Note that programmatic renaming is done *after* individual renaming.
4093 Also, the above examples show `use-modules', but the same facilities are
4094 available for the `#:use-module' clause of `define-module'.
4096 See manual for more info.
4098 ** The semantics of guardians have changed.
4100 The changes are for the most part compatible. An important criterion
4101 was to keep the typical usage of guardians as simple as before, but to
4102 make the semantics safer and (as a result) more useful.
4104 *** All objects returned from guardians are now properly alive.
4106 It is now guaranteed that any object referenced by an object returned
4107 from a guardian is alive. It's now impossible for a guardian to
4108 return a "contained" object before its "containing" object.
4110 One incompatible (but probably not very important) change resulting
4111 from this is that it is no longer possible to guard objects that
4112 indirectly reference themselves (i.e. are parts of cycles). If you do
4113 so accidentally, you'll get a warning.
4115 *** There are now two types of guardians: greedy and sharing.
4117 If you call (make-guardian #t) or just (make-guardian), you'll get a
4118 greedy guardian, and for (make-guardian #f) a sharing guardian.
4120 Greedy guardians are the default because they are more "defensive".
4121 You can only greedily guard an object once. If you guard an object
4122 more than once, once in a greedy guardian and the rest of times in
4123 sharing guardians, then it is guaranteed that the object won't be
4124 returned from sharing guardians as long as it is greedily guarded
4127 Guardians returned by calls to `make-guardian' can now take one more
4128 optional parameter, which says whether to throw an error in case an
4129 attempt is made to greedily guard an object that is already greedily
4130 guarded. The default is true, i.e. throw an error. If the parameter
4131 is false, the guardian invocation returns #t if guarding was
4132 successful and #f if it wasn't.
4134 Also, since greedy guarding is, in effect, a side-effecting operation
4135 on objects, a new function is introduced: `destroy-guardian!'.
4136 Invoking this function on a guardian renders it unoperative and, if
4137 the guardian is greedy, clears the "greedily guarded" property of the
4138 objects that were guarded by it, thus undoing the side effect.
4140 Note that all this hair is hardly very important, since guardian
4141 objects are usually permanent.
4143 ** Continuations created by call-with-current-continuation now accept
4144 any number of arguments, as required by R5RS.
4146 ** New function `issue-deprecation-warning'
4148 This function is used to display the deprecation messages that are
4149 controlled by GUILE_WARN_DEPRECATION as explained in the README.
4152 (issue-deprecation-warning "`id' is deprecated. Use `identity' instead.")
4156 ;; `id' is deprecated. Use `identity' instead.
4161 ** New syntax `begin-deprecated'
4163 When deprecated features are included (as determined by the configure
4164 option --enable-deprecated), `begin-deprecated' is identical to
4165 `begin'. When deprecated features are excluded, it always evaluates
4166 to `#f', ignoring the body forms.
4168 ** New function `make-object-property'
4170 This function returns a new `procedure with setter' P that can be used
4171 to attach a property to objects. When calling P as
4175 where `obj' is any kind of object, it attaches `val' to `obj' in such
4176 a way that it can be retrieved by calling P as
4180 This function will replace procedure properties, symbol properties and
4181 source properties eventually.
4183 ** Module (ice-9 optargs) now uses keywords instead of `#&'.
4185 Instead of #&optional, #&key, etc you should now use #:optional,
4186 #:key, etc. Since #:optional is a keyword, you can write it as just
4187 :optional when (read-set! keywords 'prefix) is active.
4189 The old reader syntax `#&' is still supported, but deprecated. It
4190 will be removed in the next release.
4192 ** New define-module option: pure
4194 Tells the module system not to include any bindings from the root
4199 (define-module (totally-empty-module)
4202 ** New define-module option: export NAME1 ...
4204 Export names NAME1 ...
4206 This option is required if you want to be able to export bindings from
4207 a module which doesn't import one of `define-public' or `export'.
4211 (define-module (foo)
4213 :use-module (ice-9 r5rs)
4216 ;;; Note that we're pure R5RS below this point!
4221 ** New function: object->string OBJ
4223 Return a Scheme string obtained by printing a given object.
4225 ** New function: port? X
4227 Returns a boolean indicating whether X is a port. Equivalent to
4228 `(or (input-port? X) (output-port? X))'.
4230 ** New function: file-port?
4232 Determines whether a given object is a port that is related to a file.
4234 ** New function: port-for-each proc
4236 Apply PROC to each port in the Guile port table in turn. The return
4237 value is unspecified. More specifically, PROC is applied exactly once
4238 to every port that exists in the system at the time PORT-FOR-EACH is
4239 invoked. Changes to the port table while PORT-FOR-EACH is running
4240 have no effect as far as PORT-FOR-EACH is concerned.
4242 ** New function: dup2 oldfd newfd
4244 A simple wrapper for the `dup2' system call. Copies the file
4245 descriptor OLDFD to descriptor number NEWFD, replacing the
4246 previous meaning of NEWFD. Both OLDFD and NEWFD must be integers.
4247 Unlike for dup->fdes or primitive-move->fdes, no attempt is made
4248 to move away ports which are using NEWFD. The return value is
4251 ** New function: close-fdes fd
4253 A simple wrapper for the `close' system call. Close file
4254 descriptor FD, which must be an integer. Unlike close (*note
4255 close: Ports and File Descriptors.), the file descriptor will be
4256 closed even if a port is using it. The return value is
4259 ** New function: crypt password salt
4261 Encrypts `password' using the standard unix password encryption
4264 ** New function: chroot path
4266 Change the root directory of the running process to `path'.
4268 ** New functions: getlogin, cuserid
4270 Return the login name or the user name of the current effective user
4273 ** New functions: getpriority which who, setpriority which who prio
4275 Get or set the priority of the running process.
4277 ** New function: getpass prompt
4279 Read a password from the terminal, first displaying `prompt' and
4282 ** New function: flock file operation
4284 Set/remove an advisory shared or exclusive lock on `file'.
4286 ** New functions: sethostname name, gethostname
4288 Set or get the hostname of the machine the current process is running
4291 ** New function: mkstemp! tmpl
4293 mkstemp creates a new unique file in the file system and returns a
4294 new buffered port open for reading and writing to the file. TMPL
4295 is a string specifying where the file should be created: it must
4296 end with `XXXXXX' and will be changed in place to return the name
4297 of the temporary file.
4299 ** New function: open-input-string string
4301 Return an input string port which delivers the characters from
4302 `string'. This procedure, together with `open-output-string' and
4303 `get-output-string' implements SRFI-6.
4305 ** New function: open-output-string
4307 Return an output string port which collects all data written to it.
4308 The data can then be retrieved by `get-output-string'.
4310 ** New function: get-output-string
4312 Return the contents of an output string port.
4314 ** New function: identity
4316 Return the argument.
4318 ** socket, connect, accept etc., now have support for IPv6. IPv6 addresses
4319 are represented in Scheme as integers with normal host byte ordering.
4321 ** New function: inet-pton family address
4323 Convert a printable string network address into an integer. Note that
4324 unlike the C version of this function, the result is an integer with
4325 normal host byte ordering. FAMILY can be `AF_INET' or `AF_INET6'.
4328 (inet-pton AF_INET "127.0.0.1") => 2130706433
4329 (inet-pton AF_INET6 "::1") => 1
4331 ** New function: inet-ntop family address
4333 Convert an integer network address into a printable string. Note that
4334 unlike the C version of this function, the input is an integer with
4335 normal host byte ordering. FAMILY can be `AF_INET' or `AF_INET6'.
4338 (inet-ntop AF_INET 2130706433) => "127.0.0.1"
4339 (inet-ntop AF_INET6 (- (expt 2 128) 1)) =>
4340 ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff
4344 Use `identity' instead.
4350 ** Deprecated: return-it
4354 ** Deprecated: string-character-length
4356 Use `string-length' instead.
4358 ** Deprecated: flags
4360 Use `logior' instead.
4362 ** Deprecated: close-all-ports-except.
4364 This was intended for closing ports in a child process after a fork,
4365 but it has the undesirable side effect of flushing buffers.
4366 port-for-each is more flexible.
4368 ** The (ice-9 popen) module now attempts to set up file descriptors in
4369 the child process from the current Scheme ports, instead of using the
4370 current values of file descriptors 0, 1, and 2 in the parent process.
4372 ** Removed function: builtin-weak-bindings
4374 There is no such concept as a weak binding any more.
4376 ** Removed constants: bignum-radix, scm-line-incrementors
4378 ** define-method: New syntax mandatory.
4380 The new method syntax is now mandatory:
4382 (define-method (NAME ARG-SPEC ...) BODY ...)
4383 (define-method (NAME ARG-SPEC ... . REST-ARG) BODY ...)
4385 ARG-SPEC ::= ARG-NAME | (ARG-NAME TYPE)
4386 REST-ARG ::= ARG-NAME
4388 If you have old code using the old syntax, import
4389 (oop goops old-define-method) before (oop goops) as in:
4391 (use-modules (oop goops old-define-method) (oop goops))
4393 ** Deprecated function: builtin-variable
4394 Removed function: builtin-bindings
4396 There is no longer a distinction between builtin or other variables.
4397 Use module system operations for all variables.
4399 ** Lazy-catch handlers are no longer allowed to return.
4401 That is, a call to `throw', `error', etc is now guaranteed to not
4404 ** Bugfixes for (ice-9 getopt-long)
4406 This module is now tested using test-suite/tests/getopt-long.test.
4407 The following bugs have been fixed:
4409 *** Parsing for options that are specified to have `optional' args now checks
4410 if the next element is an option instead of unconditionally taking it as the
4413 *** An error is now thrown for `--opt=val' when the option description
4414 does not specify `(value #t)' or `(value optional)'. This condition used to
4415 be accepted w/o error, contrary to the documentation.
4417 *** The error message for unrecognized options is now more informative.
4418 It used to be "not a record", an artifact of the implementation.
4420 *** The error message for `--opt' terminating the arg list (no value), when
4421 `(value #t)' is specified, is now more informative. It used to be "not enough
4424 *** "Clumped" single-char args now preserve trailing string, use it as arg.
4425 The expansion used to be like so:
4427 ("-abc5d" "--xyz") => ("-a" "-b" "-c" "--xyz")
4429 Note that the "5d" is dropped. Now it is like so:
4431 ("-abc5d" "--xyz") => ("-a" "-b" "-c" "5d" "--xyz")
4433 This enables single-char options to have adjoining arguments as long as their
4434 constituent characters are not potential single-char options.
4436 ** (ice-9 session) procedure `arity' now works with (ice-9 optargs) `lambda*'
4438 The `lambda*' and derivative forms in (ice-9 optargs) now set a procedure
4439 property `arglist', which can be retrieved by `arity'. The result is that
4440 `arity' can give more detailed information than before:
4444 guile> (use-modules (ice-9 optargs))
4445 guile> (define* (foo #:optional a b c) a)
4447 0 or more arguments in `lambda*:G0'.
4452 3 optional arguments: `a', `b' and `c'.
4453 guile> (define* (bar a b #:key c d #:allow-other-keys) a)
4455 2 required arguments: `a' and `b', 2 keyword arguments: `c'
4456 and `d', other keywords allowed.
4457 guile> (define* (baz a b #:optional c #:rest r) a)
4459 2 required arguments: `a' and `b', 1 optional argument: `c',
4462 * Changes to the C interface
4464 ** Types have been renamed from scm_*_t to scm_t_*.
4466 This has been done for POSIX sake. It reserves identifiers ending
4467 with "_t". What a concept.
4469 The old names are still available with status `deprecated'.
4471 ** scm_t_bits (former scm_bits_t) is now a unsigned type.
4473 ** Deprecated features have been removed.
4477 SCM_INPORTP, SCM_OUTPORTP SCM_ICHRP, SCM_ICHR, SCM_MAKICHR
4478 SCM_SETJMPBUF SCM_NSTRINGP SCM_NRWSTRINGP SCM_NVECTORP SCM_DOUBLE_CELLP
4480 *** C Functions removed
4482 scm_sysmissing scm_tag scm_tc16_flo scm_tc_flo
4483 scm_fseek - replaced by scm_seek.
4484 gc-thunk - replaced by after-gc-hook.
4485 gh_int2scmb - replaced by gh_bool2scm.
4486 scm_tc_dblr - replaced by scm_tc16_real.
4487 scm_tc_dblc - replaced by scm_tc16_complex.
4488 scm_list_star - replaced by scm_cons_star.
4490 ** Deprecated: scm_makfromstr
4492 Use scm_mem2string instead.
4494 ** Deprecated: scm_make_shared_substring
4496 Explicit shared substrings will disappear from Guile.
4498 Instead, "normal" strings will be implemented using sharing
4499 internally, combined with a copy-on-write strategy.
4501 ** Deprecated: scm_read_only_string_p
4503 The concept of read-only strings will disappear in next release of
4506 ** Deprecated: scm_sloppy_memq, scm_sloppy_memv, scm_sloppy_member
4508 Instead, use scm_c_memq or scm_memq, scm_memv, scm_member.
4510 ** New functions: scm_call_0, scm_call_1, scm_call_2, scm_call_3
4512 Call a procedure with the indicated number of arguments. See "Fly
4513 Evaluation" in the manual.
4515 ** New functions: scm_apply_0, scm_apply_1, scm_apply_2, scm_apply_3
4517 Call a procedure with the indicated number of arguments and a list of
4518 further arguments. See "Fly Evaluation" in the manual.
4520 ** New functions: scm_list_1, scm_list_2, scm_list_3, scm_list_4, scm_list_5
4522 Create a list of the given number of elements. See "List
4523 Constructors" in the manual.
4525 ** Renamed function: scm_listify has been replaced by scm_list_n.
4527 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_LIST0, SCM_LIST1, SCM_LIST2, SCM_LIST3, SCM_LIST4,
4528 SCM_LIST5, SCM_LIST6, SCM_LIST7, SCM_LIST8, SCM_LIST9.
4530 Use functions scm_list_N instead.
4532 ** New function: scm_c_read (SCM port, void *buffer, scm_sizet size)
4534 Used by an application to read arbitrary number of bytes from a port.
4535 Same semantics as libc read, except that scm_c_read only returns less
4536 than SIZE bytes if at end-of-file.
4538 Warning: Doesn't update port line and column counts!
4540 ** New function: scm_c_write (SCM port, const void *ptr, scm_sizet size)
4542 Used by an application to write arbitrary number of bytes to an SCM
4543 port. Similar semantics as libc write. However, unlike libc
4544 write, scm_c_write writes the requested number of bytes and has no
4547 Warning: Doesn't update port line and column counts!
4549 ** New function: scm_init_guile ()
4551 In contrast to scm_boot_guile, scm_init_guile will return normally
4552 after initializing Guile. It is not available on all systems, tho.
4554 ** New functions: scm_str2symbol, scm_mem2symbol
4556 The function scm_str2symbol takes a const char* pointing to a zero-terminated
4557 field of characters and creates a scheme symbol object from that C string.
4558 The function scm_mem2symbol takes a const char* and a number of characters and
4559 creates a symbol from the characters in that memory area.
4561 ** New functions: scm_primitive_make_property
4562 scm_primitive_property_ref
4563 scm_primitive_property_set_x
4564 scm_primitive_property_del_x
4566 These functions implement a new way to deal with object properties.
4567 See libguile/properties.c for their documentation.
4569 ** New function: scm_done_free (long size)
4571 This function is the inverse of scm_done_malloc. Use it to report the
4572 amount of smob memory you free. The previous method, which involved
4573 calling scm_done_malloc with negative argument, was somewhat
4574 unintuitive (and is still available, of course).
4576 ** New function: scm_c_memq (SCM obj, SCM list)
4578 This function provides a fast C level alternative for scm_memq for the case
4579 that the list parameter is known to be a proper list. The function is a
4580 replacement for scm_sloppy_memq, but is stricter in its requirements on its
4581 list input parameter, since for anything else but a proper list the function's
4582 behaviour is undefined - it may even crash or loop endlessly. Further, for
4583 the case that the object is not found in the list, scm_c_memq returns #f which
4584 is similar to scm_memq, but different from scm_sloppy_memq's behaviour.
4586 ** New functions: scm_remember_upto_here_1, scm_remember_upto_here_2,
4587 scm_remember_upto_here
4589 These functions replace the function scm_remember.
4591 ** Deprecated function: scm_remember
4593 Use one of the new functions scm_remember_upto_here_1,
4594 scm_remember_upto_here_2 or scm_remember_upto_here instead.
4596 ** New function: scm_allocate_string
4598 This function replaces the function scm_makstr.
4600 ** Deprecated function: scm_makstr
4602 Use the new function scm_allocate_string instead.
4604 ** New global variable scm_gc_running_p introduced.
4606 Use this variable to find out if garbage collection is being executed. Up to
4607 now applications have used scm_gc_heap_lock to test if garbage collection was
4608 running, which also works because of the fact that up to know only the garbage
4609 collector has set this variable. But, this is an implementation detail that
4610 may change. Further, scm_gc_heap_lock is not set throughout gc, thus the use
4611 of this variable is (and has been) not fully safe anyway.
4613 ** New macros: SCM_BITVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH
4615 Use these instead of SCM_LENGTH_MAX.
4617 ** New macros: SCM_CONTINUATION_LENGTH, SCM_CCLO_LENGTH, SCM_STACK_LENGTH,
4618 SCM_STRING_LENGTH, SCM_SYMBOL_LENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_LENGTH,
4619 SCM_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_VECTOR_LENGTH.
4621 Use these instead of SCM_LENGTH.
4623 ** New macros: SCM_SET_CONTINUATION_LENGTH, SCM_SET_STRING_LENGTH,
4624 SCM_SET_SYMBOL_LENGTH, SCM_SET_VECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_LENGTH,
4625 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_LENGTH
4627 Use these instead of SCM_SETLENGTH
4629 ** New macros: SCM_STRING_CHARS, SCM_SYMBOL_CHARS, SCM_CCLO_BASE,
4630 SCM_VECTOR_BASE, SCM_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_BITVECTOR_BASE, SCM_COMPLEX_MEM,
4633 Use these instead of SCM_CHARS, SCM_UCHARS, SCM_ROCHARS, SCM_ROUCHARS or
4636 ** New macros: SCM_SET_BIGNUM_BASE, SCM_SET_STRING_CHARS,
4637 SCM_SET_SYMBOL_CHARS, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_BASE,
4640 Use these instead of SCM_SETCHARS.
4642 ** New macro: SCM_BITVECTOR_P
4644 ** New macro: SCM_STRING_COERCE_0TERMINATION_X
4646 Use instead of SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR.
4648 ** New macros: SCM_DIR_OPEN_P, SCM_DIR_FLAG_OPEN
4650 For directory objects, use these instead of SCM_OPDIRP and SCM_OPN.
4652 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_OUTOFRANGE, SCM_NALLOC, SCM_HUP_SIGNAL,
4653 SCM_INT_SIGNAL, SCM_FPE_SIGNAL, SCM_BUS_SIGNAL, SCM_SEGV_SIGNAL,
4654 SCM_ALRM_SIGNAL, SCM_GC_SIGNAL, SCM_TICK_SIGNAL, SCM_SIG_ORD,
4655 SCM_ORD_SIG, SCM_NUM_SIGS, SCM_SYMBOL_SLOTS, SCM_SLOTS, SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP,
4656 SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR, SCM_FREEP, SCM_NFREEP, SCM_CHARS, SCM_UCHARS,
4657 SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING, SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING_COPY,
4658 SCM_VALIDATE_NULLORROSTRING_COPY, SCM_ROLENGTH, SCM_LENGTH, SCM_HUGE_LENGTH,
4659 SCM_SUBSTRP, SCM_SUBSTR_STR, SCM_SUBSTR_OFFSET, SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR,
4660 SCM_ROSTRINGP, SCM_RWSTRINGP, SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING, SCM_ROCHARS,
4661 SCM_ROUCHARS, SCM_SETLENGTH, SCM_SETCHARS, SCM_LENGTH_MAX, SCM_GC8MARKP,
4662 SCM_SETGC8MARK, SCM_CLRGC8MARK, SCM_GCTYP16, SCM_GCCDR, SCM_SUBR_DOC,
4663 SCM_OPDIRP, SCM_VALIDATE_OPDIR, SCM_WTA, RETURN_SCM_WTA, SCM_CONST_LONG,
4664 SCM_WNA, SCM_FUNC_NAME, SCM_VALIDATE_NUMBER_COPY,
4665 SCM_VALIDATE_NUMBER_DEF_COPY, SCM_SLOPPY_CONSP, SCM_SLOPPY_NCONSP,
4666 SCM_SETAND_CDR, SCM_SETOR_CDR, SCM_SETAND_CAR, SCM_SETOR_CAR
4668 Use SCM_ASSERT_RANGE or SCM_VALIDATE_XXX_RANGE instead of SCM_OUTOFRANGE.
4669 Use scm_memory_error instead of SCM_NALLOC.
4670 Use SCM_STRINGP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP.
4671 Use SCM_VALIDATE_STRING instead of SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR.
4672 Use SCM_FREE_CELL_P instead of SCM_FREEP/SCM_NFREEP
4673 Use a type specific accessor macro instead of SCM_CHARS/SCM_UCHARS.
4674 Use a type specific accessor instead of SCM(_|_RO|_HUGE_)LENGTH.
4675 Use SCM_VALIDATE_(SYMBOL|STRING) instead of SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING.
4676 Use SCM_STRING_COERCE_0TERMINATION_X instead of SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR.
4677 Use SCM_STRINGP or SCM_SYMBOLP instead of SCM_ROSTRINGP.
4678 Use SCM_STRINGP instead of SCM_RWSTRINGP.
4679 Use SCM_VALIDATE_STRING instead of SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING.
4680 Use SCM_STRING_CHARS instead of SCM_ROCHARS.
4681 Use SCM_STRING_UCHARS instead of SCM_ROUCHARS.
4682 Use a type specific setter macro instead of SCM_SETLENGTH.
4683 Use a type specific setter macro instead of SCM_SETCHARS.
4684 Use a type specific length macro instead of SCM_LENGTH_MAX.
4685 Use SCM_GCMARKP instead of SCM_GC8MARKP.
4686 Use SCM_SETGCMARK instead of SCM_SETGC8MARK.
4687 Use SCM_CLRGCMARK instead of SCM_CLRGC8MARK.
4688 Use SCM_TYP16 instead of SCM_GCTYP16.
4689 Use SCM_CDR instead of SCM_GCCDR.
4690 Use SCM_DIR_OPEN_P instead of SCM_OPDIRP.
4691 Use SCM_MISC_ERROR or SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG instead of SCM_WTA.
4692 Use SCM_MISC_ERROR or SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG instead of RETURN_SCM_WTA.
4693 Use SCM_VCELL_INIT instead of SCM_CONST_LONG.
4694 Use SCM_WRONG_NUM_ARGS instead of SCM_WNA.
4695 Use SCM_CONSP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_CONSP.
4696 Use !SCM_CONSP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_NCONSP.
4698 ** Removed function: scm_struct_init
4700 ** Removed variable: scm_symhash_dim
4702 ** Renamed function: scm_make_cont has been replaced by
4703 scm_make_continuation, which has a different interface.
4705 ** Deprecated function: scm_call_catching_errors
4707 Use scm_catch or scm_lazy_catch from throw.[ch] instead.
4709 ** Deprecated function: scm_strhash
4711 Use scm_string_hash instead.
4713 ** Deprecated function: scm_vector_set_length_x
4715 Instead, create a fresh vector of the desired size and copy the contents.
4717 ** scm_gensym has changed prototype
4719 scm_gensym now only takes one argument.
4721 ** Deprecated type tags: scm_tc7_ssymbol, scm_tc7_msymbol, scm_tcs_symbols,
4724 There is now only a single symbol type scm_tc7_symbol.
4725 The tag scm_tc7_lvector was not used anyway.
4727 ** Deprecated function: scm_make_smob_type_mfpe, scm_set_smob_mfpe.
4729 Use scm_make_smob_type and scm_set_smob_XXX instead.
4731 ** New function scm_set_smob_apply.
4733 This can be used to set an apply function to a smob type.
4735 ** Deprecated function: scm_strprint_obj
4737 Use scm_object_to_string instead.
4739 ** Deprecated function: scm_wta
4741 Use scm_wrong_type_arg, or another appropriate error signalling function
4744 ** Explicit support for obarrays has been deprecated.
4746 Use `scm_str2symbol' and the generic hashtable functions instead.
4748 ** The concept of `vcells' has been deprecated.
4750 The data type `variable' is now used exclusively. `Vcells' have been
4751 a low-level concept so you are likely not affected by this change.
4753 *** Deprecated functions: scm_sym2vcell, scm_sysintern,
4754 scm_sysintern0, scm_symbol_value0, scm_intern, scm_intern0.
4756 Use scm_c_define or scm_c_lookup instead, as appropriate.
4758 *** New functions: scm_c_module_lookup, scm_c_lookup,
4759 scm_c_module_define, scm_c_define, scm_module_lookup, scm_lookup,
4760 scm_module_define, scm_define.
4762 These functions work with variables instead of with vcells.
4764 ** New functions for creating and defining `subr's and `gsubr's.
4766 The new functions more clearly distinguish between creating a subr (or
4767 gsubr) object and adding it to the current module.
4769 These new functions are available: scm_c_make_subr, scm_c_define_subr,
4770 scm_c_make_subr_with_generic, scm_c_define_subr_with_generic,
4771 scm_c_make_gsubr, scm_c_define_gsubr, scm_c_make_gsubr_with_generic,
4772 scm_c_define_gsubr_with_generic.
4774 ** Deprecated functions: scm_make_subr, scm_make_subr_opt,
4775 scm_make_subr_with_generic, scm_make_gsubr,
4776 scm_make_gsubr_with_generic.
4778 Use the new ones from above instead.
4780 ** C interface to the module system has changed.
4782 While we suggest that you avoid as many explicit module system
4783 operations from C as possible for the time being, the C interface has
4784 been made more similar to the high-level Scheme module system.
4786 *** New functions: scm_c_define_module, scm_c_use_module,
4787 scm_c_export, scm_c_resolve_module.
4789 They mostly work like their Scheme namesakes. scm_c_define_module
4790 takes a function that is called a context where the new module is
4793 *** Deprecated functions: scm_the_root_module, scm_make_module,
4794 scm_ensure_user_module, scm_load_scheme_module.
4796 Use the new functions instead.
4798 ** Renamed function: scm_internal_with_fluids becomes
4801 scm_internal_with_fluids is available as a deprecated function.
4803 ** New function: scm_c_with_fluid.
4805 Just like scm_c_with_fluids, but takes one fluid and one value instead
4808 ** Deprecated typedefs: long_long, ulong_long.
4810 They are of questionable utility and they pollute the global
4813 ** Deprecated typedef: scm_sizet
4815 It is of questionable utility now that Guile requires ANSI C, and is
4818 ** Deprecated typedefs: scm_port_rw_active, scm_port,
4819 scm_ptob_descriptor, scm_debug_info, scm_debug_frame, scm_fport,
4820 scm_option, scm_rstate, scm_rng, scm_array, scm_array_dim.
4822 Made more compliant with the naming policy by adding a _t at the end.
4824 ** Deprecated functions: scm_mkbig, scm_big2num, scm_adjbig,
4825 scm_normbig, scm_copybig, scm_2ulong2big, scm_dbl2big, scm_big2dbl
4827 With the exception of the mysterious scm_2ulong2big, they are still
4828 available under new names (scm_i_mkbig etc). These functions are not
4829 intended to be used in user code. You should avoid dealing with
4830 bignums directly, and should deal with numbers in general (which can
4833 ** Change in behavior: scm_num2long, scm_num2ulong
4835 The scm_num2[u]long functions don't any longer accept an inexact
4836 argument. This change in behavior is motivated by concordance with
4837 R5RS: It is more common that a primitive doesn't want to accept an
4838 inexact for an exact.
4840 ** New functions: scm_short2num, scm_ushort2num, scm_int2num,
4841 scm_uint2num, scm_size2num, scm_ptrdiff2num, scm_num2short,
4842 scm_num2ushort, scm_num2int, scm_num2uint, scm_num2ptrdiff,
4845 These are conversion functions between the various ANSI C integral
4846 types and Scheme numbers. NOTE: The scm_num2xxx functions don't
4847 accept an inexact argument.
4849 ** New functions: scm_float2num, scm_double2num,
4850 scm_num2float, scm_num2double.
4852 These are conversion functions between the two ANSI C float types and
4855 ** New number validation macros:
4856 SCM_NUM2{SIZE,PTRDIFF,SHORT,USHORT,INT,UINT}[_DEF]
4860 ** New functions: scm_gc_protect_object, scm_gc_unprotect_object
4862 These are just nicer-named old scm_protect_object and
4863 scm_unprotect_object.
4865 ** Deprecated functions: scm_protect_object, scm_unprotect_object
4867 ** New functions: scm_gc_[un]register_root, scm_gc_[un]register_roots
4869 These functions can be used to register pointers to locations that
4872 ** Deprecated function: scm_create_hook.
4874 Its sins are: misleading name, non-modularity and lack of general
4878 Changes since Guile 1.3.4:
4880 * Changes to the distribution
4882 ** Trees from nightly snapshots and CVS now require you to run autogen.sh.
4884 We've changed the way we handle generated files in the Guile source
4885 repository. As a result, the procedure for building trees obtained
4886 from the nightly FTP snapshots or via CVS has changed:
4887 - You must have appropriate versions of autoconf, automake, and
4888 libtool installed on your system. See README for info on how to
4889 obtain these programs.
4890 - Before configuring the tree, you must first run the script
4891 `autogen.sh' at the top of the source tree.
4893 The Guile repository used to contain not only source files, written by
4894 humans, but also some generated files, like configure scripts and
4895 Makefile.in files. Even though the contents of these files could be
4896 derived mechanically from other files present, we thought it would
4897 make the tree easier to build if we checked them into CVS.
4899 However, this approach means that minor differences between
4900 developer's installed tools and habits affected the whole team.
4901 So we have removed the generated files from the repository, and
4902 added the autogen.sh script, which will reconstruct them
4906 ** configure now has experimental options to remove support for certain
4909 --disable-arrays omit array and uniform array support
4910 --disable-posix omit posix interfaces
4911 --disable-networking omit networking interfaces
4912 --disable-regex omit regular expression interfaces
4914 These are likely to become separate modules some day.
4916 ** New configure option --enable-debug-freelist
4918 This enables a debugging version of SCM_NEWCELL(), and also registers
4919 an extra primitive, the setter `gc-set-debug-check-freelist!'.
4921 Configure with the --enable-debug-freelist option to enable
4922 the gc-set-debug-check-freelist! primitive, and then use:
4924 (gc-set-debug-check-freelist! #t) # turn on checking of the freelist
4925 (gc-set-debug-check-freelist! #f) # turn off checking
4927 Checking of the freelist forces a traversal of the freelist and
4928 a garbage collection before each allocation of a cell. This can
4929 slow down the interpreter dramatically, so the setter should be used to
4930 turn on this extra processing only when necessary.
4932 ** New configure option --enable-debug-malloc
4934 Include code for debugging of calls to scm_must_malloc/realloc/free.
4938 1. objects freed by scm_must_free has been mallocated by scm_must_malloc
4939 2. objects reallocated by scm_must_realloc has been allocated by
4941 3. reallocated objects are reallocated with the same what string
4943 But, most importantly, it records the number of allocated objects of
4944 each kind. This is useful when searching for memory leaks.
4946 A Guile compiled with this option provides the primitive
4947 `malloc-stats' which returns an alist with pairs of kind and the
4948 number of objects of that kind.
4950 ** All includes are now referenced relative to the root directory
4952 Since some users have had problems with mixups between Guile and
4953 system headers, we have decided to always refer to Guile headers via
4954 their parent directories. This essentially creates a "private name
4955 space" for Guile headers. This means that the compiler only is given
4956 -I options for the root build and root source directory.
4958 ** Header files kw.h and genio.h have been removed.
4960 ** The module (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style) has been removed.
4962 ** New module (ice-9 documentation)
4964 Implements the interface to documentation strings associated with
4967 ** New module (ice-9 time)
4969 Provides a macro `time', which displays execution time of a given form.
4971 ** New module (ice-9 history)
4973 Loading this module enables value history in the repl.
4975 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
4977 ** New command line option --debug
4979 Start Guile with debugging evaluator and backtraces enabled.
4981 This is useful when debugging your .guile init file or scripts.
4983 ** New help facility
4985 Usage: (help NAME) gives documentation about objects named NAME (a symbol)
4986 (help REGEXP) ditto for objects with names matching REGEXP (a string)
4987 (help 'NAME) gives documentation for NAME, even if it is not an object
4988 (help ,EXPR) gives documentation for object returned by EXPR
4989 (help (my module)) gives module commentary for `(my module)'
4990 (help) gives this text
4992 `help' searches among bindings exported from loaded modules, while
4993 `apropos' searches among bindings visible from the "current" module.
4995 Examples: (help help)
4997 (help "output-string")
4999 ** `help' and `apropos' now prints full module names
5001 ** Dynamic linking now uses libltdl from the libtool package.
5003 The old system dependent code for doing dynamic linking has been
5004 replaced with calls to the libltdl functions which do all the hairy
5007 The major improvement is that you can now directly pass libtool
5008 library names like "libfoo.la" to `dynamic-link' and `dynamic-link'
5009 will be able to do the best shared library job you can get, via
5012 The way dynamic libraries are found has changed and is not really
5013 portable across platforms, probably. It is therefore recommended to
5014 use absolute filenames when possible.
5016 If you pass a filename without an extension to `dynamic-link', it will
5017 try a few appropriate ones. Thus, the most platform ignorant way is
5018 to specify a name like "libfoo", without any directories and
5021 ** Guile COOP threads are now compatible with LinuxThreads
5023 Previously, COOP threading wasn't possible in applications linked with
5024 Linux POSIX threads due to their use of the stack pointer to find the
5025 thread context. This has now been fixed with a workaround which uses
5026 the pthreads to allocate the stack.
5028 ** New primitives: `pkgdata-dir', `site-dir', `library-dir'
5030 ** Positions of erring expression in scripts
5032 With version 1.3.4, the location of the erring expression in Guile
5033 scipts is no longer automatically reported. (This should have been
5034 documented before the 1.3.4 release.)
5036 You can get this information by enabling recording of positions of
5037 source expressions and running the debugging evaluator. Put this at
5038 the top of your script (or in your "site" file):
5040 (read-enable 'positions)
5041 (debug-enable 'debug)
5043 ** Backtraces in scripts
5045 It is now possible to get backtraces in scripts.
5049 (debug-enable 'debug 'backtrace)
5051 at the top of the script.
5053 (The first options enables the debugging evaluator.
5054 The second enables backtraces.)
5056 ** Part of module system symbol lookup now implemented in C
5058 The eval closure of most modules is now implemented in C. Since this
5059 was one of the bottlenecks for loading speed, Guile now loads code
5060 substantially faster than before.
5062 ** Attempting to get the value of an unbound variable now produces
5063 an exception with a key of 'unbound-variable instead of 'misc-error.
5065 ** The initial default output port is now unbuffered if it's using a
5066 tty device. Previously in this situation it was line-buffered.
5068 ** New hook: after-gc-hook
5070 after-gc-hook takes over the role of gc-thunk. This hook is run at
5071 the first SCM_TICK after a GC. (Thus, the code is run at the same
5072 point during evaluation as signal handlers.)
5074 Note that this hook should be used only for diagnostic and debugging
5075 purposes. It is not certain that it will continue to be well-defined
5076 when this hook is run in the future.
5078 C programmers: Note the new C level hooks scm_before_gc_c_hook,
5079 scm_before_sweep_c_hook, scm_after_gc_c_hook.
5081 ** Improvements to garbage collector
5083 Guile 1.4 has a new policy for triggering heap allocation and
5084 determining the sizes of heap segments. It fixes a number of problems
5087 1. The new policy can handle two separate pools of cells
5088 (2-word/4-word) better. (The old policy would run wild, allocating
5089 more and more memory for certain programs.)
5091 2. The old code would sometimes allocate far too much heap so that the
5092 Guile process became gigantic. The new code avoids this.
5094 3. The old code would sometimes allocate too little so that few cells
5095 were freed at GC so that, in turn, too much time was spent in GC.
5097 4. The old code would often trigger heap allocation several times in a
5098 row. (The new scheme predicts how large the segments needs to be
5099 in order not to need further allocation.)
5101 All in all, the new GC policy will make larger applications more
5104 The new GC scheme also is prepared for POSIX threading. Threads can
5105 allocate private pools of cells ("clusters") with just a single
5106 function call. Allocation of single cells from such a cluster can
5107 then proceed without any need of inter-thread synchronization.
5109 ** New environment variables controlling GC parameters
5111 GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE Maximal segment size
5114 Allocation of 2-word cell heaps:
5116 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_1 Size of initial heap segment in bytes
5119 GUILE_MIN_YIELD_1 Minimum number of freed cells at each
5120 GC in percent of total heap size
5123 Allocation of 4-word cell heaps
5124 (used for real numbers and misc other objects):
5126 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_2, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2
5128 (See entry "Way for application to customize GC parameters" under
5129 section "Changes to the scm_ interface" below.)
5131 ** Guile now implements reals using 4-word cells
5133 This speeds up computation with reals. (They were earlier allocated
5134 with `malloc'.) There is still some room for optimizations, however.
5136 ** Some further steps toward POSIX thread support have been taken
5138 *** Guile's critical sections (SCM_DEFER/ALLOW_INTS)
5139 don't have much effect any longer, and many of them will be removed in
5143 are only handled at the top of the evaluator loop, immediately after
5144 I/O, and in scm_equalp.
5146 *** The GC can allocate thread private pools of pairs.
5148 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
5150 ** close-input-port and close-output-port are now R5RS
5152 These procedures have been turned into primitives and have R5RS behaviour.
5154 ** New procedure: simple-format PORT MESSAGE ARG1 ...
5156 (ice-9 boot) makes `format' an alias for `simple-format' until possibly
5157 extended by the more sophisticated version in (ice-9 format)
5159 (simple-format port message . args)
5160 Write MESSAGE to DESTINATION, defaulting to `current-output-port'.
5161 MESSAGE can contain ~A (was %s) and ~S (was %S) escapes. When printed,
5162 the escapes are replaced with corresponding members of ARGS:
5163 ~A formats using `display' and ~S formats using `write'.
5164 If DESTINATION is #t, then use the `current-output-port',
5165 if DESTINATION is #f, then return a string containing the formatted text.
5166 Does not add a trailing newline."
5168 ** string-ref: the second argument is no longer optional.
5170 ** string, list->string: no longer accept strings in their arguments,
5171 only characters, for compatibility with R5RS.
5173 ** New procedure: port-closed? PORT
5174 Returns #t if PORT is closed or #f if it is open.
5176 ** Deprecated: list*
5178 The list* functionality is now provided by cons* (SRFI-1 compliant)
5180 ** New procedure: cons* ARG1 ARG2 ... ARGn
5182 Like `list', but the last arg provides the tail of the constructed list,
5183 returning (cons ARG1 (cons ARG2 (cons ... ARGn))).
5185 Requires at least one argument. If given one argument, that argument
5186 is returned as result.
5188 This function is called `list*' in some other Schemes and in Common LISP.
5190 ** Removed deprecated: serial-map, serial-array-copy!, serial-array-map!
5192 ** New procedure: object-documentation OBJECT
5194 Returns the documentation string associated with OBJECT. The
5195 procedure uses a caching mechanism so that subsequent lookups are
5198 Exported by (ice-9 documentation).
5200 ** module-name now returns full names of modules
5202 Previously, only the last part of the name was returned (`session' for
5203 `(ice-9 session)'). Ex: `(ice-9 session)'.
5205 * Changes to the gh_ interface
5207 ** Deprecated: gh_int2scmb
5209 Use gh_bool2scm instead.
5211 * Changes to the scm_ interface
5213 ** Guile primitives now carry docstrings!
5215 Thanks to Greg Badros!
5217 ** Guile primitives are defined in a new way: SCM_DEFINE/SCM_DEFINE1/SCM_PROC
5219 Now Guile primitives are defined using the SCM_DEFINE/SCM_DEFINE1/SCM_PROC
5220 macros and must contain a docstring that is extracted into foo.doc using a new
5221 guile-doc-snarf script (that uses guile-doc-snarf.awk).
5223 However, a major overhaul of these macros is scheduled for the next release of
5226 ** Guile primitives use a new technique for validation of arguments
5228 SCM_VALIDATE_* macros are defined to ease the redundancy and improve
5229 the readability of argument checking.
5231 ** All (nearly?) K&R prototypes for functions replaced with ANSI C equivalents.
5233 ** New macros: SCM_PACK, SCM_UNPACK
5235 Compose/decompose an SCM value.
5237 The SCM type is now treated as an abstract data type and may be defined as a
5238 long, a void* or as a struct, depending on the architecture and compile time
5239 options. This makes it easier to find several types of bugs, for example when
5240 SCM values are treated as integers without conversion. Values of the SCM type
5241 should be treated as "atomic" values. These macros are used when
5242 composing/decomposing an SCM value, either because you want to access
5243 individual bits, or because you want to treat it as an integer value.
5245 E.g., in order to set bit 7 in an SCM value x, use the expression
5247 SCM_PACK (SCM_UNPACK (x) | 0x80)
5249 ** The name property of hooks is deprecated.
5250 Thus, the use of SCM_HOOK_NAME and scm_make_hook_with_name is deprecated.
5252 You can emulate this feature by using object properties.
5254 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_INPORTP, SCM_OUTPORTP, SCM_CRDY, SCM_ICHRP,
5255 SCM_ICHR, SCM_MAKICHR, SCM_SETJMPBUF, SCM_NSTRINGP, SCM_NRWSTRINGP,
5258 These macros will be removed in a future release of Guile.
5260 ** The following types, functions and macros from numbers.h are deprecated:
5261 scm_dblproc, SCM_UNEGFIXABLE, SCM_FLOBUFLEN, SCM_INEXP, SCM_CPLXP, SCM_REAL,
5262 SCM_IMAG, SCM_REALPART, scm_makdbl, SCM_SINGP, SCM_NUM2DBL, SCM_NO_BIGDIG
5264 ** Port internals: the rw_random variable in the scm_port structure
5265 must be set to non-zero in any random access port. In recent Guile
5266 releases it was only set for bidirectional random-access ports.
5268 ** Port internals: the seek ptob procedure is now responsible for
5269 resetting the buffers if required. The change was made so that in the
5270 special case of reading the current position (i.e., seek p 0 SEEK_CUR)
5271 the fport and strport ptobs can avoid resetting the buffers,
5272 in particular to avoid discarding unread chars. An existing port
5273 type can be fixed by adding something like the following to the
5274 beginning of the ptob seek procedure:
5276 if (pt->rw_active == SCM_PORT_READ)
5277 scm_end_input (object);
5278 else if (pt->rw_active == SCM_PORT_WRITE)
5279 ptob->flush (object);
5281 although to actually avoid resetting the buffers and discard unread
5282 chars requires further hacking that depends on the characteristics
5285 ** Deprecated functions: scm_fseek, scm_tag
5287 These functions are no longer used and will be removed in a future version.
5289 ** The scm_sysmissing procedure is no longer used in libguile.
5290 Unless it turns out to be unexpectedly useful to somebody, it will be
5291 removed in a future version.
5293 ** The format of error message strings has changed
5295 The two C procedures: scm_display_error and scm_error, as well as the
5296 primitive `scm-error', now use scm_simple_format to do their work.
5297 This means that the message strings of all code must be updated to use
5298 ~A where %s was used before, and ~S where %S was used before.
5300 During the period when there still are a lot of old Guiles out there,
5301 you might want to support both old and new versions of Guile.
5303 There are basically two methods to achieve this. Both methods use
5306 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(scm_simple_format)
5308 in your configure.in.
5310 Method 1: Use the string concatenation features of ANSI C's
5315 #ifdef HAVE_SCM_SIMPLE_FORMAT
5321 Then represent each of your error messages using a preprocessor macro:
5323 #define E_SPIDER_ERROR "There's a spider in your " ## FMT_S ## "!!!"
5327 (define fmt-s (if (defined? 'simple-format) "~S" "%S"))
5328 (define make-message string-append)
5330 (define e-spider-error (make-message "There's a spider in your " fmt-s "!!!"))
5332 Method 2: Use the oldfmt function found in doc/oldfmt.c.
5336 scm_misc_error ("picnic", scm_c_oldfmt0 ("There's a spider in your ~S!!!"),
5341 (scm-error 'misc-error "picnic" (oldfmt "There's a spider in your ~S!!!")
5345 ** Deprecated: coop_mutex_init, coop_condition_variable_init
5347 Don't use the functions coop_mutex_init and
5348 coop_condition_variable_init. They will change.
5350 Use scm_mutex_init and scm_cond_init instead.
5352 ** New function: int scm_cond_timedwait (scm_cond_t *COND, scm_mutex_t *MUTEX, const struct timespec *ABSTIME)
5353 `scm_cond_timedwait' atomically unlocks MUTEX and waits on
5354 COND, as `scm_cond_wait' does, but it also bounds the duration
5355 of the wait. If COND has not been signaled before time ABSTIME,
5356 the mutex MUTEX is re-acquired and `scm_cond_timedwait'
5357 returns the error code `ETIMEDOUT'.
5359 The ABSTIME parameter specifies an absolute time, with the same
5360 origin as `time' and `gettimeofday': an ABSTIME of 0 corresponds
5361 to 00:00:00 GMT, January 1, 1970.
5363 ** New function: scm_cond_broadcast (scm_cond_t *COND)
5364 `scm_cond_broadcast' restarts all the threads that are waiting
5365 on the condition variable COND. Nothing happens if no threads are
5368 ** New function: scm_key_create (scm_key_t *KEY, void (*destr_function) (void *))
5369 `scm_key_create' allocates a new TSD key. The key is stored in
5370 the location pointed to by KEY. There is no limit on the number
5371 of keys allocated at a given time. The value initially associated
5372 with the returned key is `NULL' in all currently executing threads.
5374 The DESTR_FUNCTION argument, if not `NULL', specifies a destructor
5375 function associated with the key. When a thread terminates,
5376 DESTR_FUNCTION is called on the value associated with the key in
5377 that thread. The DESTR_FUNCTION is not called if a key is deleted
5378 with `scm_key_delete' or a value is changed with
5379 `scm_setspecific'. The order in which destructor functions are
5380 called at thread termination time is unspecified.
5382 Destructors are not yet implemented.
5384 ** New function: scm_setspecific (scm_key_t KEY, const void *POINTER)
5385 `scm_setspecific' changes the value associated with KEY in the
5386 calling thread, storing the given POINTER instead.
5388 ** New function: scm_getspecific (scm_key_t KEY)
5389 `scm_getspecific' returns the value currently associated with
5390 KEY in the calling thread.
5392 ** New function: scm_key_delete (scm_key_t KEY)
5393 `scm_key_delete' deallocates a TSD key. It does not check
5394 whether non-`NULL' values are associated with that key in the
5395 currently executing threads, nor call the destructor function
5396 associated with the key.
5398 ** New function: scm_c_hook_init (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, void *HOOK_DATA, scm_c_hook_type_t TYPE)
5400 Initialize a C level hook HOOK with associated HOOK_DATA and type
5401 TYPE. (See scm_c_hook_run ().)
5403 ** New function: scm_c_hook_add (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, scm_c_hook_function_t FUNC, void *FUNC_DATA, int APPENDP)
5405 Add hook function FUNC with associated FUNC_DATA to HOOK. If APPENDP
5406 is true, add it last, otherwise first. The same FUNC can be added
5407 multiple times if FUNC_DATA differ and vice versa.
5409 ** New function: scm_c_hook_remove (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, scm_c_hook_function_t FUNC, void *FUNC_DATA)
5411 Remove hook function FUNC with associated FUNC_DATA from HOOK. A
5412 function is only removed if both FUNC and FUNC_DATA matches.
5414 ** New function: void *scm_c_hook_run (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, void *DATA)
5416 Run hook HOOK passing DATA to the hook functions.
5418 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_NORMAL, all hook functions are run. The value
5419 returned is undefined.
5421 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_OR, hook functions are run until a function
5422 returns a non-NULL value. This value is returned as the result of
5423 scm_c_hook_run. If all functions return NULL, NULL is returned.
5425 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_AND, hook functions are run until a function
5426 returns a NULL value, and NULL is returned. If all functions returns
5427 a non-NULL value, the last value is returned.
5429 ** New C level GC hooks
5431 Five new C level hooks has been added to the garbage collector.
5433 scm_before_gc_c_hook
5436 are run before locking and after unlocking the heap. The system is
5437 thus in a mode where evaluation can take place. (Except that
5438 scm_before_gc_c_hook must not allocate new cells.)
5440 scm_before_mark_c_hook
5441 scm_before_sweep_c_hook
5442 scm_after_sweep_c_hook
5444 are run when the heap is locked. These are intended for extension of
5445 the GC in a modular fashion. Examples are the weaks and guardians
5448 ** Way for application to customize GC parameters
5450 The application can set up other default values for the GC heap
5451 allocation parameters
5453 GUILE_INIT_HEAP_SIZE_1, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_1,
5454 GUILE_INIT_HEAP_SIZE_2, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2,
5455 GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE,
5459 scm_default_init_heap_size_1, scm_default_min_yield_1,
5460 scm_default_init_heap_size_2, scm_default_min_yield_2,
5461 scm_default_max_segment_size
5463 respectively before callong scm_boot_guile.
5465 (See entry "New environment variables ..." in section
5466 "Changes to the stand-alone interpreter" above.)
5468 ** scm_protect_object/scm_unprotect_object now nest
5470 This means that you can call scm_protect_object multiple times on an
5471 object and count on the object being protected until
5472 scm_unprotect_object has been call the same number of times.
5474 The functions also have better time complexity.
5476 Still, it is usually possible to structure the application in a way
5477 that you don't need to use these functions. For example, if you use a
5478 protected standard Guile list to keep track of live objects rather
5479 than some custom data type, objects will die a natural death when they
5480 are no longer needed.
5482 ** Deprecated type tags: scm_tc16_flo, scm_tc_flo, scm_tc_dblr, scm_tc_dblc
5484 Guile does not provide the float representation for inexact real numbers any
5485 more. Now, only doubles are used to represent inexact real numbers. Further,
5486 the tag names scm_tc_dblr and scm_tc_dblc have been changed to scm_tc16_real
5487 and scm_tc16_complex, respectively.
5489 ** Removed deprecated type scm_smobfuns
5491 ** Removed deprecated function scm_newsmob
5493 ** Warning: scm_make_smob_type_mfpe might become deprecated in a future release
5495 There is an ongoing discussion among the developers whether to
5496 deprecate `scm_make_smob_type_mfpe' or not. Please use the current
5497 standard interface (scm_make_smob_type, scm_set_smob_XXX) in new code
5498 until this issue has been settled.
5500 ** Removed deprecated type tag scm_tc16_kw
5502 ** Added type tag scm_tc16_keyword
5504 (This was introduced already in release 1.3.4 but was not documented
5507 ** gdb_print now prints "*** Guile not initialized ***" until Guile initialized
5509 * Changes to system call interfaces:
5511 ** The "select" procedure now tests port buffers for the ability to
5512 provide input or accept output. Previously only the underlying file
5513 descriptors were checked.
5515 ** New variable PIPE_BUF: the maximum number of bytes that can be
5516 atomically written to a pipe.
5518 ** If a facility is not available on the system when Guile is
5519 compiled, the corresponding primitive procedure will not be defined.
5520 Previously it would have been defined but would throw a system-error
5521 exception if called. Exception handlers which catch this case may
5522 need minor modification: an error will be thrown with key
5523 'unbound-variable instead of 'system-error. Alternatively it's
5524 now possible to use `defined?' to check whether the facility is
5527 ** Procedures which depend on the timezone should now give the correct
5528 result on systems which cache the TZ environment variable, even if TZ
5529 is changed without calling tzset.
5531 * Changes to the networking interfaces:
5533 ** New functions: htons, ntohs, htonl, ntohl: for converting short and
5534 long integers between network and host format. For now, it's not
5535 particularly convenient to do this kind of thing, but consider:
5537 (define write-network-long
5538 (lambda (value port)
5539 (let ((v (make-uniform-vector 1 1 0)))
5540 (uniform-vector-set! v 0 (htonl value))
5541 (uniform-vector-write v port))))
5543 (define read-network-long
5545 (let ((v (make-uniform-vector 1 1 0)))
5546 (uniform-vector-read! v port)
5547 (ntohl (uniform-vector-ref v 0)))))
5549 ** If inet-aton fails, it now throws an error with key 'misc-error
5550 instead of 'system-error, since errno is not relevant.
5552 ** Certain gethostbyname/gethostbyaddr failures now throw errors with
5553 specific keys instead of 'system-error. The latter is inappropriate
5554 since errno will not have been set. The keys are:
5555 'host-not-found, 'try-again, 'no-recovery and 'no-data.
5557 ** sethostent, setnetent, setprotoent, setservent: now take an
5558 optional argument STAYOPEN, which specifies whether the database
5559 remains open after a database entry is accessed randomly (e.g., using
5560 gethostbyname for the hosts database.) The default is #f. Previously
5564 Changes since Guile 1.3.2:
5566 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
5570 An initial version of the Guile debugger written by Chris Hanson has
5571 been added. The debugger is still under development but is included
5572 in the distribution anyway since it is already quite useful.
5578 after an error to enter the debugger. Type `help' inside the debugger
5579 for a description of available commands.
5581 If you prefer to have stack frames numbered and printed in
5582 anti-chronological order and prefer up in the stack to be down on the
5583 screen as is the case in gdb, you can put
5585 (debug-enable 'backwards)
5587 in your .guile startup file. (However, this means that Guile can't
5588 use indentation to indicate stack level.)
5590 The debugger is autoloaded into Guile at the first use.
5592 ** Further enhancements to backtraces
5594 There is a new debug option `width' which controls the maximum width
5595 on the screen of printed stack frames. Fancy printing parameters
5596 ("level" and "length" as in Common LISP) are adaptively adjusted for
5597 each stack frame to give maximum information while still fitting
5598 within the bounds. If the stack frame can't be made to fit by
5599 adjusting parameters, it is simply cut off at the end. This is marked
5602 ** Some modules are now only loaded when the repl is started
5604 The modules (ice-9 debug), (ice-9 session), (ice-9 threads) and (ice-9
5605 regex) are now loaded into (guile-user) only if the repl has been
5606 started. The effect is that the startup time for scripts has been
5607 reduced to 30% of what it was previously.
5609 Correctly written scripts load the modules they require at the top of
5610 the file and should not be affected by this change.
5612 ** Hooks are now represented as smobs
5614 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
5616 ** Readline support has changed again.
5618 The old (readline-activator) module is gone. Use (ice-9 readline)
5619 instead, which now contains all readline functionality. So the code
5620 to activate readline is now
5622 (use-modules (ice-9 readline))
5625 This should work at any time, including from the guile prompt.
5627 To avoid confusion about the terms of Guile's license, please only
5628 enable readline for your personal use; please don't make it the
5629 default for others. Here is why we make this rather odd-sounding
5632 Guile is normally licensed under a weakened form of the GNU General
5633 Public License, which allows you to link code with Guile without
5634 placing that code under the GPL. This exception is important to some
5637 However, since readline is distributed under the GNU General Public
5638 License, when you link Guile with readline, either statically or
5639 dynamically, you effectively change Guile's license to the strict GPL.
5640 Whenever you link any strictly GPL'd code into Guile, uses of Guile
5641 which are normally permitted become forbidden. This is a rather
5642 non-obvious consequence of the licensing terms.
5644 So, to make sure things remain clear, please let people choose for
5645 themselves whether to link GPL'd libraries like readline with Guile.
5647 ** regexp-substitute/global has changed slightly, but incompatibly.
5649 If you include a function in the item list, the string of the match
5650 object it receives is the same string passed to
5651 regexp-substitute/global, not some suffix of that string.
5652 Correspondingly, the match's positions are relative to the entire
5653 string, not the suffix.
5655 If the regexp can match the empty string, the way matches are chosen
5656 from the string has changed. regexp-substitute/global recognizes the
5657 same set of matches that list-matches does; see below.
5659 ** New function: list-matches REGEXP STRING [FLAGS]
5661 Return a list of match objects, one for every non-overlapping, maximal
5662 match of REGEXP in STRING. The matches appear in left-to-right order.
5663 list-matches only reports matches of the empty string if there are no
5664 other matches which begin on, end at, or include the empty match's
5667 If present, FLAGS is passed as the FLAGS argument to regexp-exec.
5669 ** New function: fold-matches REGEXP STRING INIT PROC [FLAGS]
5671 For each match of REGEXP in STRING, apply PROC to the match object,
5672 and the last value PROC returned, or INIT for the first call. Return
5673 the last value returned by PROC. We apply PROC to the matches as they
5674 appear from left to right.
5676 This function recognizes matches according to the same criteria as
5679 Thus, you could define list-matches like this:
5681 (define (list-matches regexp string . flags)
5682 (reverse! (apply fold-matches regexp string '() cons flags)))
5684 If present, FLAGS is passed as the FLAGS argument to regexp-exec.
5688 *** New function: hook? OBJ
5690 Return #t if OBJ is a hook, otherwise #f.
5692 *** New function: make-hook-with-name NAME [ARITY]
5694 Return a hook with name NAME and arity ARITY. The default value for
5695 ARITY is 0. The only effect of NAME is that it will appear when the
5696 hook object is printed to ease debugging.
5698 *** New function: hook-empty? HOOK
5700 Return #t if HOOK doesn't contain any procedures, otherwise #f.
5702 *** New function: hook->list HOOK
5704 Return a list of the procedures that are called when run-hook is
5707 ** `map' signals an error if its argument lists are not all the same length.
5709 This is the behavior required by R5RS, so this change is really a bug
5710 fix. But it seems to affect a lot of people's code, so we're
5711 mentioning it here anyway.
5713 ** Print-state handling has been made more transparent
5715 Under certain circumstances, ports are represented as a port with an
5716 associated print state. Earlier, this pair was represented as a pair
5717 (see "Some magic has been added to the printer" below). It is now
5718 indistinguishable (almost; see `get-print-state') from a port on the
5721 *** New function: port-with-print-state OUTPUT-PORT PRINT-STATE
5723 Return a new port with the associated print state PRINT-STATE.
5725 *** New function: get-print-state OUTPUT-PORT
5727 Return the print state associated with this port if it exists,
5728 otherwise return #f.
5730 *** New function: directory-stream? OBJECT
5732 Returns true iff OBJECT is a directory stream --- the sort of object
5733 returned by `opendir'.
5735 ** New function: using-readline?
5737 Return #t if readline is in use in the current repl.
5739 ** structs will be removed in 1.4
5741 Structs will be replaced in Guile 1.4. We will merge GOOPS into Guile
5742 and use GOOPS objects as the fundamental record type.
5744 * Changes to the scm_ interface
5746 ** structs will be removed in 1.4
5748 The entire current struct interface (struct.c, struct.h) will be
5749 replaced in Guile 1.4. We will merge GOOPS into libguile and use
5750 GOOPS objects as the fundamental record type.
5752 ** The internal representation of subr's has changed
5754 Instead of giving a hint to the subr name, the CAR field of the subr
5755 now contains an index to a subr entry in scm_subr_table.
5757 *** New variable: scm_subr_table
5759 An array of subr entries. A subr entry contains the name, properties
5760 and documentation associated with the subr. The properties and
5761 documentation slots are not yet used.
5763 ** A new scheme for "forwarding" calls to a builtin to a generic function
5765 It is now possible to extend the functionality of some Guile
5766 primitives by letting them defer a call to a GOOPS generic function on
5767 argument mismatch. This means that there is no loss of efficiency in
5772 (use-modules (oop goops)) ; Must be GOOPS version 0.2.
5773 (define-method + ((x <string>) (y <string>))
5774 (string-append x y))
5776 + will still be as efficient as usual in numerical calculations, but
5777 can also be used for concatenating strings.
5779 Who will be the first one to extend Guile's numerical tower to
5780 rationals? :) [OK, there a few other things to fix before this can
5781 be made in a clean way.]
5783 *** New snarf macros for defining primitives: SCM_GPROC, SCM_GPROC1
5785 New macro: SCM_GPROC (CNAME, SNAME, REQ, OPT, VAR, CFUNC, GENERIC)
5787 New macro: SCM_GPROC1 (CNAME, SNAME, TYPE, CFUNC, GENERIC)
5789 These do the same job as SCM_PROC and SCM_PROC1, but they also define
5790 a variable GENERIC which can be used by the dispatch macros below.
5792 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
5794 *** New macros for forwarding control to a generic on arg type error
5796 New macro: SCM_WTA_DISPATCH_1 (GENERIC, ARG1, POS, SUBR)
5798 New macro: SCM_WTA_DISPATCH_2 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, POS, SUBR)
5800 These correspond to the scm_wta function call, and have the same
5801 behaviour until the user has called the GOOPS primitive
5802 `enable-primitive-generic!'. After that, these macros will apply the
5803 generic function GENERIC to the argument(s) instead of calling
5806 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
5808 *** New macros for argument testing with generic dispatch
5810 New macro: SCM_GASSERT1 (COND, GENERIC, ARG1, POS, SUBR)
5812 New macro: SCM_GASSERT2 (COND, GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, POS, SUBR)
5814 These correspond to the SCM_ASSERT macro, but will defer control to
5815 GENERIC on error after `enable-primitive-generic!' has been called.
5817 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
5819 ** New function: SCM scm_eval_body (SCM body, SCM env)
5821 Evaluates the body of a special form.
5823 ** The internal representation of struct's has changed
5825 Previously, four slots were allocated for the procedure(s) of entities
5826 and operators. The motivation for this representation had to do with
5827 the structure of the evaluator, the wish to support tail-recursive
5828 generic functions, and efficiency. Since the generic function
5829 dispatch mechanism has changed, there is no longer a need for such an
5830 expensive representation, and the representation has been simplified.
5832 This should not make any difference for most users.
5834 ** GOOPS support has been cleaned up.
5836 Some code has been moved from eval.c to objects.c and code in both of
5837 these compilation units has been cleaned up and better structured.
5839 *** New functions for applying generic functions
5841 New function: SCM scm_apply_generic (GENERIC, ARGS)
5842 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_0 (GENERIC)
5843 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_1 (GENERIC, ARG1)
5844 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_2 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2)
5845 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_3 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, ARG3)
5847 ** Deprecated function: scm_make_named_hook
5849 It is now replaced by:
5851 ** New function: SCM scm_create_hook (const char *name, int arity)
5853 Creates a hook in the same way as make-hook above but also
5854 binds a variable named NAME to it.
5856 This is the typical way of creating a hook from C code.
5858 Currently, the variable is created in the "current" module.
5859 This might change when we get the new module system.
5861 [The behaviour is identical to scm_make_named_hook.]
5865 Changes since Guile 1.3:
5867 * Changes to mailing lists
5869 ** Some of the Guile mailing lists have moved to sourceware.cygnus.com.
5871 See the README file to find current addresses for all the Guile
5874 * Changes to the distribution
5876 ** Readline support is no longer included with Guile by default.
5878 Based on the different license terms of Guile and Readline, we
5879 concluded that Guile should not *by default* cause the linking of
5880 Readline into an application program. Readline support is now offered
5881 as a separate module, which is linked into an application only when
5882 you explicitly specify it.
5884 Although Guile is GNU software, its distribution terms add a special
5885 exception to the usual GNU General Public License (GPL). Guile's
5886 license includes a clause that allows you to link Guile with non-free
5887 programs. We add this exception so as not to put Guile at a
5888 disadvantage vis-a-vis other extensibility packages that support other
5891 In contrast, the GNU Readline library is distributed under the GNU
5892 General Public License pure and simple. This means that you may not
5893 link Readline, even dynamically, into an application unless it is
5894 distributed under a free software license that is compatible the GPL.
5896 Because of this difference in distribution terms, an application that
5897 can use Guile may not be able to use Readline. Now users will be
5898 explicitly offered two independent decisions about the use of these
5901 You can activate the readline support by issuing
5903 (use-modules (readline-activator))
5906 from your ".guile" file, for example.
5908 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
5910 ** All builtins now print as primitives.
5911 Previously builtin procedures not belonging to the fundamental subr
5912 types printed as #<compiled closure #<primitive-procedure gsubr-apply>>.
5913 Now, they print as #<primitive-procedure NAME>.
5915 ** Backtraces slightly more intelligible.
5916 gsubr-apply and macro transformer application frames no longer appear
5919 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
5921 ** Guile now correctly handles internal defines by rewriting them into
5922 their equivalent letrec. Previously, internal defines would
5923 incrementally add to the innermost environment, without checking
5924 whether the restrictions specified in RnRS were met. This lead to the
5925 correct behaviour when these restriction actually were met, but didn't
5926 catch all illegal uses. Such an illegal use could lead to crashes of
5927 the Guile interpreter or or other unwanted results. An example of
5928 incorrect internal defines that made Guile behave erratically:
5940 The problem with this example is that the definition of `c' uses the
5941 value of `b' directly. This confuses the meoization machine of Guile
5942 so that the second call of `b' (this time in a larger environment that
5943 also contains bindings for `c' and `d') refers to the binding of `c'
5944 instead of `a'. You could also make Guile crash with a variation on
5949 (define (b flag) (if flag a 1))
5950 (define c (1+ (b flag)))
5958 From now on, Guile will issue an `Unbound variable: b' error message
5963 A hook contains a list of functions which should be called on
5964 particular occasions in an existing program. Hooks are used for
5967 A window manager might have a hook before-window-map-hook. The window
5968 manager uses the function run-hooks to call all functions stored in
5969 before-window-map-hook each time a window is mapped. The user can
5970 store functions in the hook using add-hook!.
5972 In Guile, hooks are first class objects.
5974 *** New function: make-hook [N_ARGS]
5976 Return a hook for hook functions which can take N_ARGS arguments.
5977 The default value for N_ARGS is 0.
5979 (See also scm_make_named_hook below.)
5981 *** New function: add-hook! HOOK PROC [APPEND_P]
5983 Put PROC at the beginning of the list of functions stored in HOOK.
5984 If APPEND_P is supplied, and non-false, put PROC at the end instead.
5986 PROC must be able to take the number of arguments specified when the
5989 If PROC already exists in HOOK, then remove it first.
5991 *** New function: remove-hook! HOOK PROC
5993 Remove PROC from the list of functions in HOOK.
5995 *** New function: reset-hook! HOOK
5997 Clear the list of hook functions stored in HOOK.
5999 *** New function: run-hook HOOK ARG1 ...
6001 Run all hook functions stored in HOOK with arguments ARG1 ... .
6002 The number of arguments supplied must correspond to the number given
6003 when the hook was created.
6005 ** The function `dynamic-link' now takes optional keyword arguments.
6006 The only keyword argument that is currently defined is `:global
6007 BOOL'. With it, you can control whether the shared library will be
6008 linked in global mode or not. In global mode, the symbols from the
6009 linked library can be used to resolve references from other
6010 dynamically linked libraries. In non-global mode, the linked
6011 library is essentially invisible and can only be accessed via
6012 `dynamic-func', etc. The default is now to link in global mode.
6013 Previously, the default has been non-global mode.
6015 The `#:global' keyword is only effective on platforms that support
6016 the dlopen family of functions.
6018 ** New function `provided?'
6020 - Function: provided? FEATURE
6021 Return true iff FEATURE is supported by this installation of
6022 Guile. FEATURE must be a symbol naming a feature; the global
6023 variable `*features*' is a list of available features.
6025 ** Changes to the module (ice-9 expect):
6027 *** The expect-strings macro now matches `$' in a regular expression
6028 only at a line-break or end-of-file by default. Previously it would
6029 match the end of the string accumulated so far. The old behaviour
6030 can be obtained by setting the variable `expect-strings-exec-flags'
6033 *** The expect-strings macro now uses a variable `expect-strings-exec-flags'
6034 for the regexp-exec flags. If `regexp/noteol' is included, then `$'
6035 in a regular expression will still match before a line-break or
6036 end-of-file. The default is `regexp/noteol'.
6038 *** The expect-strings macro now uses a variable
6039 `expect-strings-compile-flags' for the flags to be supplied to
6040 `make-regexp'. The default is `regexp/newline', which was previously
6043 *** The expect macro now supplies two arguments to a match procedure:
6044 the current accumulated string and a flag to indicate whether
6045 end-of-file has been reached. Previously only the string was supplied.
6046 If end-of-file is reached, the match procedure will be called an
6047 additional time with the same accumulated string as the previous call
6048 but with the flag set.
6050 ** New module (ice-9 format), implementing the Common Lisp `format' function.
6052 This code, and the documentation for it that appears here, was
6053 borrowed from SLIB, with minor adaptations for Guile.
6055 - Function: format DESTINATION FORMAT-STRING . ARGUMENTS
6056 An almost complete implementation of Common LISP format description
6057 according to the CL reference book `Common LISP' from Guy L.
6058 Steele, Digital Press. Backward compatible to most of the
6059 available Scheme format implementations.
6061 Returns `#t', `#f' or a string; has side effect of printing
6062 according to FORMAT-STRING. If DESTINATION is `#t', the output is
6063 to the current output port and `#t' is returned. If DESTINATION
6064 is `#f', a formatted string is returned as the result of the call.
6065 NEW: If DESTINATION is a string, DESTINATION is regarded as the
6066 format string; FORMAT-STRING is then the first argument and the
6067 output is returned as a string. If DESTINATION is a number, the
6068 output is to the current error port if available by the
6069 implementation. Otherwise DESTINATION must be an output port and
6072 FORMAT-STRING must be a string. In case of a formatting error
6073 format returns `#f' and prints a message on the current output or
6074 error port. Characters are output as if the string were output by
6075 the `display' function with the exception of those prefixed by a
6076 tilde (~). For a detailed description of the FORMAT-STRING syntax
6077 please consult a Common LISP format reference manual. For a test
6078 suite to verify this format implementation load `formatst.scm'.
6079 Please send bug reports to `lutzeb@cs.tu-berlin.de'.
6081 Note: `format' is not reentrant, i.e. only one `format'-call may
6082 be executed at a time.
6085 *** Format Specification (Format version 3.0)
6087 Please consult a Common LISP format reference manual for a detailed
6088 description of the format string syntax. For a demonstration of the
6089 implemented directives see `formatst.scm'.
6091 This implementation supports directive parameters and modifiers (`:'
6092 and `@' characters). Multiple parameters must be separated by a comma
6093 (`,'). Parameters can be numerical parameters (positive or negative),
6094 character parameters (prefixed by a quote character (`''), variable
6095 parameters (`v'), number of rest arguments parameter (`#'), empty and
6096 default parameters. Directive characters are case independent. The
6097 general form of a directive is:
6099 DIRECTIVE ::= ~{DIRECTIVE-PARAMETER,}[:][@]DIRECTIVE-CHARACTER
6101 DIRECTIVE-PARAMETER ::= [ [-|+]{0-9}+ | 'CHARACTER | v | # ]
6103 *** Implemented CL Format Control Directives
6105 Documentation syntax: Uppercase characters represent the
6106 corresponding control directive characters. Lowercase characters
6107 represent control directive parameter descriptions.
6110 Any (print as `display' does).
6114 `~MINCOL,COLINC,MINPAD,PADCHARA'
6118 S-expression (print as `write' does).
6122 `~MINCOL,COLINC,MINPAD,PADCHARS'
6128 print number sign always.
6131 print comma separated.
6133 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARD'
6139 print number sign always.
6142 print comma separated.
6144 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARX'
6150 print number sign always.
6153 print comma separated.
6155 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARO'
6161 print number sign always.
6164 print comma separated.
6166 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARB'
6171 `~N,MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARR'
6175 print a number as a Roman numeral.
6178 print a number as an "old fashioned" Roman numeral.
6181 print a number as an ordinal English number.
6184 print a number as a cardinal English number.
6189 prints `y' and `ies'.
6192 as `~P but jumps 1 argument backward.'
6195 as `~@P but jumps 1 argument backward.'
6200 prints a character as the reader can understand it (i.e. `#\'
6204 prints a character as emacs does (eg. `^C' for ASCII 03).
6207 Fixed-format floating-point (prints a flonum like MMM.NNN).
6208 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHARF'
6210 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
6213 Exponential floating-point (prints a flonum like MMM.NNN`E'EE).
6214 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,EXPONENTDIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHAR,EXPONENTCHARE'
6216 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
6219 General floating-point (prints a flonum either fixed or
6221 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,EXPONENTDIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHAR,EXPONENTCHARG'
6223 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
6226 Dollars floating-point (prints a flonum in fixed with signs
6228 `~DIGITS,SCALE,WIDTH,PADCHAR$'
6230 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
6233 A sign is always printed and appears before the padding.
6236 The sign appears before the padding.
6244 print newline if not at the beginning of the output line.
6246 prints `~&' and then N-1 newlines.
6251 print N page separators.
6261 newline is ignored, white space left.
6264 newline is left, white space ignored.
6269 relative tabulation.
6275 Indirection (expects indirect arguments as a list).
6277 extracts indirect arguments from format arguments.
6280 Case conversion (converts by `string-downcase').
6282 converts by `string-capitalize'.
6285 converts by `string-capitalize-first'.
6288 converts by `string-upcase'.
6291 Argument Jumping (jumps 1 argument forward).
6293 jumps N arguments forward.
6296 jumps 1 argument backward.
6299 jumps N arguments backward.
6302 jumps to the 0th argument.
6305 jumps to the Nth argument (beginning from 0)
6307 `~[STR0~;STR1~;...~;STRN~]'
6308 Conditional Expression (numerical clause conditional).
6310 take argument from N.
6313 true test conditional.
6316 if-else-then conditional.
6322 default clause follows.
6325 Iteration (args come from the next argument (a list)).
6327 at most N iterations.
6330 args from next arg (a list of lists).
6333 args from the rest of arguments.
6336 args from the rest args (lists).
6347 aborts if N <= M <= K
6349 *** Not Implemented CL Format Control Directives
6352 print `#f' as an empty list (see below).
6355 print `#f' as an empty list (see below).
6361 (sorry I don't understand its semantics completely)
6363 *** Extended, Replaced and Additional Control Directives
6365 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHD'
6366 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHX'
6367 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHO'
6368 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHB'
6369 `~N,MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHR'
6370 COMMAWIDTH is the number of characters between two comma
6374 print a R4RS complex number as `~F~@Fi' with passed parameters for
6378 Pretty print formatting of an argument for scheme code lists.
6384 Flushes the output if format DESTINATION is a port.
6387 Print a `#\space' character
6389 print N `#\space' characters.
6392 Print a `#\tab' character
6394 print N `#\tab' characters.
6397 Takes N as an integer representation for a character. No arguments
6398 are consumed. N is converted to a character by `integer->char'. N
6399 must be a positive decimal number.
6402 Print out readproof. Prints out internal objects represented as
6403 `#<...>' as strings `"#<...>"' so that the format output can always
6404 be processed by `read'.
6407 Print out readproof. Prints out internal objects represented as
6408 `#<...>' as strings `"#<...>"' so that the format output can always
6409 be processed by `read'.
6412 Prints information and a copyright notice on the format
6415 prints format version.
6418 may also print number strings, i.e. passing a number as a string
6419 and format it accordingly.
6421 *** Configuration Variables
6423 The format module exports some configuration variables to suit the
6424 systems and users needs. There should be no modification necessary for
6425 the configuration that comes with Guile. Format detects automatically
6426 if the running scheme system implements floating point numbers and
6429 format:symbol-case-conv
6430 Symbols are converted by `symbol->string' so the case type of the
6431 printed symbols is implementation dependent.
6432 `format:symbol-case-conv' is a one arg closure which is either
6433 `#f' (no conversion), `string-upcase', `string-downcase' or
6434 `string-capitalize'. (default `#f')
6436 format:iobj-case-conv
6437 As FORMAT:SYMBOL-CASE-CONV but applies for the representation of
6438 implementation internal objects. (default `#f')
6441 The character prefixing the exponent value in `~E' printing.
6444 *** Compatibility With Other Format Implementations
6450 Downward compatible except for padding support and `~A', `~S',
6451 `~P', `~X' uppercase printing. SLIB format 1.4 uses C-style
6452 `printf' padding support which is completely replaced by the CL
6453 `format' padding style.
6456 Downward compatible except for `~', which is not documented
6457 (ignores all characters inside the format string up to a newline
6458 character). (7.1 implements `~a', `~s', ~NEWLINE, `~~', `~%',
6459 numerical and variable parameters and `:/@' modifiers in the CL
6463 Downward compatible except for `~A' and `~S' which print in
6464 uppercase. (Elk implements `~a', `~s', `~~', and `~%' (no
6465 directive parameters or modifiers)).
6468 Downward compatible except for an optional destination parameter:
6469 S2C accepts a format call without a destination which returns a
6470 formatted string. This is equivalent to a #f destination in S2C.
6471 (S2C implements `~a', `~s', `~c', `~%', and `~~' (no directive
6472 parameters or modifiers)).
6475 ** Changes to string-handling functions.
6477 These functions were added to support the (ice-9 format) module, above.
6479 *** New function: string-upcase STRING
6480 *** New function: string-downcase STRING
6482 These are non-destructive versions of the existing string-upcase! and
6483 string-downcase! functions.
6485 *** New function: string-capitalize! STRING
6486 *** New function: string-capitalize STRING
6488 These functions convert the first letter of each word in the string to
6491 (string-capitalize "howdy there")
6494 As with the other functions, string-capitalize! modifies the string in
6495 place, while string-capitalize returns a modified copy of its argument.
6497 *** New function: string-ci->symbol STRING
6499 Return a symbol whose name is STRING, but having the same case as if
6500 the symbol had be read by `read'.
6502 Guile can be configured to be sensitive or insensitive to case
6503 differences in Scheme identifiers. If Guile is case-insensitive, all
6504 symbols are converted to lower case on input. The `string-ci->symbol'
6505 function returns a symbol whose name in STRING, transformed as Guile
6506 would if STRING were input.
6508 *** New function: substring-move! STRING1 START END STRING2 START
6510 Copy the substring of STRING1 from START (inclusive) to END
6511 (exclusive) to STRING2 at START. STRING1 and STRING2 may be the same
6512 string, and the source and destination areas may overlap; in all
6513 cases, the function behaves as if all the characters were copied
6516 *** Extended functions: substring-move-left! substring-move-right!
6518 These functions now correctly copy arbitrarily overlapping substrings;
6519 they are both synonyms for substring-move!.
6522 ** New module (ice-9 getopt-long), with the function `getopt-long'.
6524 getopt-long is a function for parsing command-line arguments in a
6525 manner consistent with other GNU programs.
6527 (getopt-long ARGS GRAMMAR)
6528 Parse the arguments ARGS according to the argument list grammar GRAMMAR.
6530 ARGS should be a list of strings. Its first element should be the
6531 name of the program; subsequent elements should be the arguments
6532 that were passed to the program on the command line. The
6533 `program-arguments' procedure returns a list of this form.
6535 GRAMMAR is a list of the form:
6536 ((OPTION (PROPERTY VALUE) ...) ...)
6538 Each OPTION should be a symbol. `getopt-long' will accept a
6539 command-line option named `--OPTION'.
6540 Each option can have the following (PROPERTY VALUE) pairs:
6542 (single-char CHAR) --- Accept `-CHAR' as a single-character
6543 equivalent to `--OPTION'. This is how to specify traditional
6545 (required? BOOL) --- If BOOL is true, the option is required.
6546 getopt-long will raise an error if it is not found in ARGS.
6547 (value BOOL) --- If BOOL is #t, the option accepts a value; if
6548 it is #f, it does not; and if it is the symbol
6549 `optional', the option may appear in ARGS with or
6551 (predicate FUNC) --- If the option accepts a value (i.e. you
6552 specified `(value #t)' for this option), then getopt
6553 will apply FUNC to the value, and throw an exception
6554 if it returns #f. FUNC should be a procedure which
6555 accepts a string and returns a boolean value; you may
6556 need to use quasiquotes to get it into GRAMMAR.
6558 The (PROPERTY VALUE) pairs may occur in any order, but each
6559 property may occur only once. By default, options do not have
6560 single-character equivalents, are not required, and do not take
6563 In ARGS, single-character options may be combined, in the usual
6564 Unix fashion: ("-x" "-y") is equivalent to ("-xy"). If an option
6565 accepts values, then it must be the last option in the
6566 combination; the value is the next argument. So, for example, using
6567 the following grammar:
6568 ((apples (single-char #\a))
6569 (blimps (single-char #\b) (value #t))
6570 (catalexis (single-char #\c) (value #t)))
6571 the following argument lists would be acceptable:
6572 ("-a" "-b" "bang" "-c" "couth") ("bang" and "couth" are the values
6573 for "blimps" and "catalexis")
6574 ("-ab" "bang" "-c" "couth") (same)
6575 ("-ac" "couth" "-b" "bang") (same)
6576 ("-abc" "couth" "bang") (an error, since `-b' is not the
6577 last option in its combination)
6579 If an option's value is optional, then `getopt-long' decides
6580 whether it has a value by looking at what follows it in ARGS. If
6581 the next element is a string, and it does not appear to be an
6582 option itself, then that string is the option's value.
6584 The value of a long option can appear as the next element in ARGS,
6585 or it can follow the option name, separated by an `=' character.
6586 Thus, using the same grammar as above, the following argument lists
6588 ("--apples" "Braeburn" "--blimps" "Goodyear")
6589 ("--apples=Braeburn" "--blimps" "Goodyear")
6590 ("--blimps" "Goodyear" "--apples=Braeburn")
6592 If the option "--" appears in ARGS, argument parsing stops there;
6593 subsequent arguments are returned as ordinary arguments, even if
6594 they resemble options. So, in the argument list:
6595 ("--apples" "Granny Smith" "--" "--blimp" "Goodyear")
6596 `getopt-long' will recognize the `apples' option as having the
6597 value "Granny Smith", but it will not recognize the `blimp'
6598 option; it will return the strings "--blimp" and "Goodyear" as
6599 ordinary argument strings.
6601 The `getopt-long' function returns the parsed argument list as an
6602 assocation list, mapping option names --- the symbols from GRAMMAR
6603 --- onto their values, or #t if the option does not accept a value.
6604 Unused options do not appear in the alist.
6606 All arguments that are not the value of any option are returned
6607 as a list, associated with the empty list.
6609 `getopt-long' throws an exception if:
6610 - it finds an unrecognized option in ARGS
6611 - a required option is omitted
6612 - an option that requires an argument doesn't get one
6613 - an option that doesn't accept an argument does get one (this can
6614 only happen using the long option `--opt=value' syntax)
6615 - an option predicate fails
6620 `((lockfile-dir (required? #t)
6623 (predicate ,file-is-directory?))
6624 (verbose (required? #f)
6627 (x-includes (single-char #\x))
6628 (rnet-server (single-char #\y)
6629 (predicate ,string?))))
6631 (getopt-long '("my-prog" "-vk" "/tmp" "foo1" "--x-includes=/usr/include"
6632 "--rnet-server=lamprod" "--" "-fred" "foo2" "foo3")
6634 => ((() "foo1" "-fred" "foo2" "foo3")
6635 (rnet-server . "lamprod")
6636 (x-includes . "/usr/include")
6637 (lockfile-dir . "/tmp")
6640 ** The (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style) module is obsolete; use (ice-9 getopt-long).
6642 It will be removed in a few releases.
6644 ** New syntax: lambda*
6645 ** New syntax: define*
6646 ** New syntax: define*-public
6647 ** New syntax: defmacro*
6648 ** New syntax: defmacro*-public
6649 Guile now supports optional arguments.
6651 `lambda*', `define*', `define*-public', `defmacro*' and
6652 `defmacro*-public' are identical to the non-* versions except that
6653 they use an extended type of parameter list that has the following BNF
6654 syntax (parentheses are literal, square brackets indicate grouping,
6655 and `*', `+' and `?' have the usual meaning):
6657 ext-param-list ::= ( [identifier]* [#&optional [ext-var-decl]+]?
6658 [#&key [ext-var-decl]+ [#&allow-other-keys]?]?
6659 [[#&rest identifier]|[. identifier]]? ) | [identifier]
6661 ext-var-decl ::= identifier | ( identifier expression )
6663 The semantics are best illustrated with the following documentation
6664 and examples for `lambda*':
6667 lambda extended for optional and keyword arguments
6669 lambda* creates a procedure that takes optional arguments. These
6670 are specified by putting them inside brackets at the end of the
6671 paramater list, but before any dotted rest argument. For example,
6672 (lambda* (a b #&optional c d . e) '())
6673 creates a procedure with fixed arguments a and b, optional arguments c
6674 and d, and rest argument e. If the optional arguments are omitted
6675 in a call, the variables for them are unbound in the procedure. This
6676 can be checked with the bound? macro.
6678 lambda* can also take keyword arguments. For example, a procedure
6680 (lambda* (#&key xyzzy larch) '())
6681 can be called with any of the argument lists (#:xyzzy 11)
6682 (#:larch 13) (#:larch 42 #:xyzzy 19) (). Whichever arguments
6683 are given as keywords are bound to values.
6685 Optional and keyword arguments can also be given default values
6686 which they take on when they are not present in a call, by giving a
6687 two-item list in place of an optional argument, for example in:
6688 (lambda* (foo #&optional (bar 42) #&key (baz 73)) (list foo bar baz))
6689 foo is a fixed argument, bar is an optional argument with default
6690 value 42, and baz is a keyword argument with default value 73.
6691 Default value expressions are not evaluated unless they are needed
6692 and until the procedure is called.
6694 lambda* now supports two more special parameter list keywords.
6696 lambda*-defined procedures now throw an error by default if a
6697 keyword other than one of those specified is found in the actual
6698 passed arguments. However, specifying #&allow-other-keys
6699 immediately after the kyword argument declarations restores the
6700 previous behavior of ignoring unknown keywords. lambda* also now
6701 guarantees that if the same keyword is passed more than once, the
6702 last one passed is the one that takes effect. For example,
6703 ((lambda* (#&key (heads 0) (tails 0)) (display (list heads tails)))
6704 #:heads 37 #:tails 42 #:heads 99)
6705 would result in (99 47) being displayed.
6707 #&rest is also now provided as a synonym for the dotted syntax rest
6708 argument. The argument lists (a . b) and (a #&rest b) are equivalent in
6709 all respects to lambda*. This is provided for more similarity to DSSSL,
6710 MIT-Scheme and Kawa among others, as well as for refugees from other
6713 Further documentation may be found in the optargs.scm file itself.
6715 The optional argument module also exports the macros `let-optional',
6716 `let-optional*', `let-keywords', `let-keywords*' and `bound?'. These
6717 are not documented here because they may be removed in the future, but
6718 full documentation is still available in optargs.scm.
6720 ** New syntax: and-let*
6721 Guile now supports the `and-let*' form, described in the draft SRFI-2.
6723 Syntax: (land* (<clause> ...) <body> ...)
6724 Each <clause> should have one of the following forms:
6725 (<variable> <expression>)
6728 Each <variable> or <bound-variable> should be an identifier. Each
6729 <expression> should be a valid expression. The <body> should be a
6730 possibly empty sequence of expressions, like the <body> of a
6733 Semantics: A LAND* expression is evaluated by evaluating the
6734 <expression> or <bound-variable> of each of the <clause>s from
6735 left to right. The value of the first <expression> or
6736 <bound-variable> that evaluates to a false value is returned; the
6737 remaining <expression>s and <bound-variable>s are not evaluated.
6738 The <body> forms are evaluated iff all the <expression>s and
6739 <bound-variable>s evaluate to true values.
6741 The <expression>s and the <body> are evaluated in an environment
6742 binding each <variable> of the preceding (<variable> <expression>)
6743 clauses to the value of the <expression>. Later bindings
6744 shadow earlier bindings.
6746 Guile's and-let* macro was contributed by Michael Livshin.
6748 ** New sorting functions
6750 *** New function: sorted? SEQUENCE LESS?
6751 Returns `#t' when the sequence argument is in non-decreasing order
6752 according to LESS? (that is, there is no adjacent pair `... x y
6753 ...' for which `(less? y x)').
6755 Returns `#f' when the sequence contains at least one out-of-order
6756 pair. It is an error if the sequence is neither a list nor a
6759 *** New function: merge LIST1 LIST2 LESS?
6760 LIST1 and LIST2 are sorted lists.
6761 Returns the sorted list of all elements in LIST1 and LIST2.
6763 Assume that the elements a and b1 in LIST1 and b2 in LIST2 are "equal"
6764 in the sense that (LESS? x y) --> #f for x, y in {a, b1, b2},
6765 and that a < b1 in LIST1. Then a < b1 < b2 in the result.
6766 (Here "<" should read "comes before".)
6768 *** New procedure: merge! LIST1 LIST2 LESS?
6769 Merges two lists, re-using the pairs of LIST1 and LIST2 to build
6770 the result. If the code is compiled, and LESS? constructs no new
6771 pairs, no pairs at all will be allocated. The first pair of the
6772 result will be either the first pair of LIST1 or the first pair of
6775 *** New function: sort SEQUENCE LESS?
6776 Accepts either a list or a vector, and returns a new sequence
6777 which is sorted. The new sequence is the same type as the input.
6778 Always `(sorted? (sort sequence less?) less?)'. The original
6779 sequence is not altered in any way. The new sequence shares its
6780 elements with the old one; no elements are copied.
6782 *** New procedure: sort! SEQUENCE LESS
6783 Returns its sorted result in the original boxes. No new storage is
6784 allocated at all. Proper usage: (set! slist (sort! slist <))
6786 *** New function: stable-sort SEQUENCE LESS?
6787 Similar to `sort' but stable. That is, if "equal" elements are
6788 ordered a < b in the original sequence, they will have the same order
6791 *** New function: stable-sort! SEQUENCE LESS?
6792 Similar to `sort!' but stable.
6793 Uses temporary storage when sorting vectors.
6795 *** New functions: sort-list, sort-list!
6796 Added for compatibility with scsh.
6798 ** New built-in random number support
6800 *** New function: random N [STATE]
6801 Accepts a positive integer or real N and returns a number of the
6802 same type between zero (inclusive) and N (exclusive). The values
6803 returned have a uniform distribution.
6805 The optional argument STATE must be of the type produced by
6806 `copy-random-state' or `seed->random-state'. It defaults to the value
6807 of the variable `*random-state*'. This object is used to maintain the
6808 state of the pseudo-random-number generator and is altered as a side
6809 effect of the `random' operation.
6811 *** New variable: *random-state*
6812 Holds a data structure that encodes the internal state of the
6813 random-number generator that `random' uses by default. The nature
6814 of this data structure is implementation-dependent. It may be
6815 printed out and successfully read back in, but may or may not
6816 function correctly as a random-number state object in another
6819 *** New function: copy-random-state [STATE]
6820 Returns a new object of type suitable for use as the value of the
6821 variable `*random-state*' and as a second argument to `random'.
6822 If argument STATE is given, a copy of it is returned. Otherwise a
6823 copy of `*random-state*' is returned.
6825 *** New function: seed->random-state SEED
6826 Returns a new object of type suitable for use as the value of the
6827 variable `*random-state*' and as a second argument to `random'.
6828 SEED is a string or a number. A new state is generated and
6829 initialized using SEED.
6831 *** New function: random:uniform [STATE]
6832 Returns an uniformly distributed inexact real random number in the
6833 range between 0 and 1.
6835 *** New procedure: random:solid-sphere! VECT [STATE]
6836 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers the sum of whose
6837 squares is less than 1.0. Thinking of VECT as coordinates in
6838 space of dimension N = `(vector-length VECT)', the coordinates are
6839 uniformly distributed within the unit N-shere. The sum of the
6840 squares of the numbers is returned. VECT can be either a vector
6841 or a uniform vector of doubles.
6843 *** New procedure: random:hollow-sphere! VECT [STATE]
6844 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers the sum of whose squares
6845 is equal to 1.0. Thinking of VECT as coordinates in space of
6846 dimension n = `(vector-length VECT)', the coordinates are uniformly
6847 distributed over the surface of the unit n-shere. VECT can be either
6848 a vector or a uniform vector of doubles.
6850 *** New function: random:normal [STATE]
6851 Returns an inexact real in a normal distribution with mean 0 and
6852 standard deviation 1. For a normal distribution with mean M and
6853 standard deviation D use `(+ M (* D (random:normal)))'.
6855 *** New procedure: random:normal-vector! VECT [STATE]
6856 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers which are independent and
6857 standard normally distributed (i.e., with mean 0 and variance 1).
6858 VECT can be either a vector or a uniform vector of doubles.
6860 *** New function: random:exp STATE
6861 Returns an inexact real in an exponential distribution with mean 1.
6862 For an exponential distribution with mean U use (* U (random:exp)).
6864 ** The range of logand, logior, logxor, logtest, and logbit? have changed.
6866 These functions now operate on numbers in the range of a C unsigned
6869 These functions used to operate on numbers in the range of a C signed
6870 long; however, this seems inappropriate, because Guile integers don't
6873 ** New function: make-guardian
6874 This is an implementation of guardians as described in
6875 R. Kent Dybvig, Carl Bruggeman, and David Eby (1993) "Guardians in a
6876 Generation-Based Garbage Collector" ACM SIGPLAN Conference on
6877 Programming Language Design and Implementation, June 1993
6878 ftp://ftp.cs.indiana.edu/pub/scheme-repository/doc/pubs/guardians.ps.gz
6880 ** New functions: delq1!, delv1!, delete1!
6881 These procedures behave similar to delq! and friends but delete only
6882 one object if at all.
6884 ** New function: unread-string STRING PORT
6885 Unread STRING to PORT, that is, push it back onto the port so that
6886 next read operation will work on the pushed back characters.
6888 ** unread-char can now be called multiple times
6889 If unread-char is called multiple times, the unread characters will be
6890 read again in last-in first-out order.
6892 ** the procedures uniform-array-read! and uniform-array-write! now
6893 work on any kind of port, not just ports which are open on a file.
6895 ** Now 'l' in a port mode requests line buffering.
6897 ** The procedure truncate-file now works on string ports as well
6898 as file ports. If the size argument is omitted, the current
6899 file position is used.
6901 ** new procedure: seek PORT/FDES OFFSET WHENCE
6902 The arguments are the same as for the old fseek procedure, but it
6903 works on string ports as well as random-access file ports.
6905 ** the fseek procedure now works on string ports, since it has been
6906 redefined using seek.
6908 ** the setvbuf procedure now uses a default size if mode is _IOFBF and
6909 size is not supplied.
6911 ** the newline procedure no longer flushes the port if it's not
6912 line-buffered: previously it did if it was the current output port.
6914 ** open-pipe and close-pipe are no longer primitive procedures, but
6915 an emulation can be obtained using `(use-modules (ice-9 popen))'.
6917 ** the freopen procedure has been removed.
6919 ** new procedure: drain-input PORT
6920 Drains PORT's read buffers (including any pushed-back characters)
6921 and returns the contents as a single string.
6923 ** New function: map-in-order PROC LIST1 LIST2 ...
6924 Version of `map' which guarantees that the procedure is applied to the
6925 lists in serial order.
6927 ** Renamed `serial-array-copy!' and `serial-array-map!' to
6928 `array-copy-in-order!' and `array-map-in-order!'. The old names are
6929 now obsolete and will go away in release 1.5.
6931 ** New syntax: collect BODY1 ...
6932 Version of `begin' which returns a list of the results of the body
6933 forms instead of the result of the last body form. In contrast to
6934 `begin', `collect' allows an empty body.
6936 ** New functions: read-history FILENAME, write-history FILENAME
6937 Read/write command line history from/to file. Returns #t on success
6938 and #f if an error occured.
6940 ** `ls' and `lls' in module (ice-9 ls) now handle no arguments.
6942 These procedures return a list of definitions available in the specified
6943 argument, a relative module reference. In the case of no argument,
6944 `(current-module)' is now consulted for definitions to return, instead
6945 of simply returning #f, the former behavior.
6947 ** The #/ syntax for lists is no longer supported.
6949 Earlier versions of Scheme accepted this syntax, but printed a
6952 ** Guile no longer consults the SCHEME_LOAD_PATH environment variable.
6954 Instead, you should set GUILE_LOAD_PATH to tell Guile where to find
6957 * Changes to the gh_ interface
6961 Now takes a second argument which is the result array. If this
6962 pointer is NULL, a new array is malloced (the old behaviour).
6964 ** gh_chars2byvect, gh_shorts2svect, gh_floats2fvect, gh_scm2chars,
6965 gh_scm2shorts, gh_scm2longs, gh_scm2floats
6969 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6971 ** Function: scm_make_named_hook (char* name, int n_args)
6973 Creates a hook in the same way as make-hook above but also
6974 binds a variable named NAME to it.
6976 This is the typical way of creating a hook from C code.
6978 Currently, the variable is created in the "current" module. This
6979 might change when we get the new module system.
6981 ** The smob interface
6983 The interface for creating smobs has changed. For documentation, see
6984 data-rep.info (made from guile-core/doc/data-rep.texi).
6986 *** Deprecated function: SCM scm_newsmob (scm_smobfuns *)
6988 >>> This function will be removed in 1.3.4. <<<
6992 *** Function: SCM scm_make_smob_type (const char *name, scm_sizet size)
6993 This function adds a new smob type, named NAME, with instance size
6994 SIZE to the system. The return value is a tag that is used in
6995 creating instances of the type. If SIZE is 0, then no memory will
6996 be allocated when instances of the smob are created, and nothing
6997 will be freed by the default free function.
6999 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_mark (long tc, SCM (*mark) (SCM))
7000 This function sets the smob marking procedure for the smob type
7001 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
7002 `scm_make_smob_type'.
7004 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_free (long tc, SCM (*mark) (SCM))
7005 This function sets the smob freeing procedure for the smob type
7006 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
7007 `scm_make_smob_type'.
7009 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_print (tc, print)
7011 - Function: void scm_set_smob_print (long tc,
7012 scm_sizet (*print) (SCM,
7016 This function sets the smob printing procedure for the smob type
7017 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
7018 `scm_make_smob_type'.
7020 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_equalp (long tc, SCM (*equalp) (SCM, SCM))
7021 This function sets the smob equality-testing predicate for the
7022 smob type specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
7023 `scm_make_smob_type'.
7025 *** Macro: void SCM_NEWSMOB (SCM var, long tc, void *data)
7026 Make VALUE contain a smob instance of the type with type code TC and
7027 smob data DATA. VALUE must be previously declared as C type `SCM'.
7029 *** Macro: fn_returns SCM_RETURN_NEWSMOB (long tc, void *data)
7030 This macro expands to a block of code that creates a smob instance
7031 of the type with type code TC and smob data DATA, and returns that
7032 `SCM' value. It should be the last piece of code in a block.
7034 ** The interfaces for using I/O ports and implementing port types
7035 (ptobs) have changed significantly. The new interface is based on
7036 shared access to buffers and a new set of ptob procedures.
7038 *** scm_newptob has been removed
7042 *** Function: SCM scm_make_port_type (type_name, fill_buffer, write_flush)
7044 - Function: SCM scm_make_port_type (char *type_name,
7045 int (*fill_buffer) (SCM port),
7046 void (*write_flush) (SCM port));
7048 Similarly to the new smob interface, there is a set of function
7049 setters by which the user can customize the behaviour of his port
7050 type. See ports.h (scm_set_port_XXX).
7052 ** scm_strport_to_string: New function: creates a new string from
7053 a string port's buffer.
7055 ** Plug in interface for random number generators
7056 The variable `scm_the_rng' in random.c contains a value and three
7057 function pointers which together define the current random number
7058 generator being used by the Scheme level interface and the random
7059 number library functions.
7061 The user is free to replace the default generator with the generator
7064 *** Variable: size_t scm_the_rng.rstate_size
7065 The size of the random state type used by the current RNG
7068 *** Function: unsigned long scm_the_rng.random_bits (scm_rstate *STATE)
7069 Given the random STATE, return 32 random bits.
7071 *** Function: void scm_the_rng.init_rstate (scm_rstate *STATE, chars *S, int N)
7072 Seed random state STATE using string S of length N.
7074 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_the_rng.copy_rstate (scm_rstate *STATE)
7075 Given random state STATE, return a malloced copy.
7078 The default RNG is the MWC (Multiply With Carry) random number
7079 generator described by George Marsaglia at the Department of
7080 Statistics and Supercomputer Computations Research Institute, The
7081 Florida State University (http://stat.fsu.edu/~geo).
7083 It uses 64 bits, has a period of 4578426017172946943 (4.6e18), and
7084 passes all tests in the DIEHARD test suite
7085 (http://stat.fsu.edu/~geo/diehard.html). The generation of 32 bits
7086 costs one multiply and one add on platforms which either supports long
7087 longs (gcc does this on most systems) or have 64 bit longs. The cost
7088 is four multiply on other systems but this can be optimized by writing
7089 scm_i_uniform32 in assembler.
7091 These functions are provided through the scm_the_rng interface for use
7092 by libguile and the application.
7094 *** Function: unsigned long scm_i_uniform32 (scm_i_rstate *STATE)
7095 Given the random STATE, return 32 random bits.
7096 Don't use this function directly. Instead go through the plugin
7097 interface (see "Plug in interface" above).
7099 *** Function: void scm_i_init_rstate (scm_i_rstate *STATE, char *SEED, int N)
7100 Initialize STATE using SEED of length N.
7102 *** Function: scm_i_rstate *scm_i_copy_rstate (scm_i_rstate *STATE)
7103 Return a malloc:ed copy of STATE. This function can easily be re-used
7104 in the interfaces to other RNGs.
7106 ** Random number library functions
7107 These functions use the current RNG through the scm_the_rng interface.
7108 It might be a good idea to use these functions from your C code so
7109 that only one random generator is used by all code in your program.
7111 The default random state is stored in:
7113 *** Variable: SCM scm_var_random_state
7114 Contains the vcell of the Scheme variable "*random-state*" which is
7115 used as default state by all random number functions in the Scheme
7120 double x = scm_c_uniform01 (SCM_RSTATE (SCM_CDR (scm_var_random_state)));
7122 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_c_default_rstate (void)
7123 This is a convenience function which returns the value of
7124 scm_var_random_state. An error message is generated if this value
7125 isn't a random state.
7127 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_c_make_rstate (char *SEED, int LENGTH)
7128 Make a new random state from the string SEED of length LENGTH.
7130 It is generally not a good idea to use multiple random states in a
7131 program. While subsequent random numbers generated from one random
7132 state are guaranteed to be reasonably independent, there is no such
7133 guarantee for numbers generated from different random states.
7135 *** Macro: unsigned long scm_c_uniform32 (scm_rstate *STATE)
7136 Return 32 random bits.
7138 *** Function: double scm_c_uniform01 (scm_rstate *STATE)
7139 Return a sample from the uniform(0,1) distribution.
7141 *** Function: double scm_c_normal01 (scm_rstate *STATE)
7142 Return a sample from the normal(0,1) distribution.
7144 *** Function: double scm_c_exp1 (scm_rstate *STATE)
7145 Return a sample from the exp(1) distribution.
7147 *** Function: unsigned long scm_c_random (scm_rstate *STATE, unsigned long M)
7148 Return a sample from the discrete uniform(0,M) distribution.
7150 *** Function: SCM scm_c_random_bignum (scm_rstate *STATE, SCM M)
7151 Return a sample from the discrete uniform(0,M) distribution.
7152 M must be a bignum object. The returned value may be an INUM.
7156 Changes in Guile 1.3 (released Monday, October 19, 1998):
7158 * Changes to the distribution
7160 ** We renamed the SCHEME_LOAD_PATH environment variable to GUILE_LOAD_PATH.
7161 To avoid conflicts, programs should name environment variables after
7162 themselves, except when there's a common practice establishing some
7165 For now, Guile supports both GUILE_LOAD_PATH and SCHEME_LOAD_PATH,
7166 giving the former precedence, and printing a warning message if the
7167 latter is set. Guile 1.4 will not recognize SCHEME_LOAD_PATH at all.
7169 ** The header files related to multi-byte characters have been removed.
7170 They were: libguile/extchrs.h and libguile/mbstrings.h. Any C code
7171 which referred to these explicitly will probably need to be rewritten,
7172 since the support for the variant string types has been removed; see
7175 ** The header files append.h and sequences.h have been removed. These
7176 files implemented non-R4RS operations which would encourage
7177 non-portable programming style and less easy-to-read code.
7179 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
7181 ** New procedures have been added to implement a "batch mode":
7183 *** Function: batch-mode?
7185 Returns a boolean indicating whether the interpreter is in batch
7188 *** Function: set-batch-mode?! ARG
7190 If ARG is true, switches the interpreter to batch mode. The `#f'
7191 case has not been implemented.
7193 ** Guile now provides full command-line editing, when run interactively.
7194 To use this feature, you must have the readline library installed.
7195 The Guile build process will notice it, and automatically include
7198 The readline library is available via anonymous FTP from any GNU
7199 mirror site; the canonical location is "ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu".
7201 ** the-last-stack is now a fluid.
7203 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
7205 ** You can now use the `guile-config' utility to build programs that use Guile.
7207 Guile now includes a command-line utility called `guile-config', which
7208 can provide information about how to compile and link programs that
7211 *** `guile-config compile' prints any C compiler flags needed to use Guile.
7212 You should include this command's output on the command line you use
7213 to compile C or C++ code that #includes the Guile header files. It's
7214 usually just a `-I' flag to help the compiler find the Guile headers.
7217 *** `guile-config link' prints any linker flags necessary to link with Guile.
7219 This command writes to its standard output a list of flags which you
7220 must pass to the linker to link your code against the Guile library.
7221 The flags include '-lguile' itself, any other libraries the Guile
7222 library depends upon, and any `-L' flags needed to help the linker
7223 find those libraries.
7225 For example, here is a Makefile rule that builds a program named 'foo'
7226 from the object files ${FOO_OBJECTS}, and links them against Guile:
7229 ${CC} ${CFLAGS} ${FOO_OBJECTS} `guile-config link` -o foo
7231 Previous Guile releases recommended that you use autoconf to detect
7232 which of a predefined set of libraries were present on your system.
7233 It is more robust to use `guile-config', since it records exactly which
7234 libraries the installed Guile library requires.
7236 This was originally called `build-guile', but was renamed to
7237 `guile-config' before Guile 1.3 was released, to be consistent with
7238 the analogous script for the GTK+ GUI toolkit, which is called
7242 ** Use the GUILE_FLAGS macro in your configure.in file to find Guile.
7244 If you are using the GNU autoconf package to configure your program,
7245 you can use the GUILE_FLAGS autoconf macro to call `guile-config'
7246 (described above) and gather the necessary values for use in your
7249 The GUILE_FLAGS macro expands to configure script code which runs the
7250 `guile-config' script, to find out where Guile's header files and
7251 libraries are installed. It sets two variables, marked for
7252 substitution, as by AC_SUBST.
7254 GUILE_CFLAGS --- flags to pass to a C or C++ compiler to build
7255 code that uses Guile header files. This is almost always just a
7258 GUILE_LDFLAGS --- flags to pass to the linker to link a
7259 program against Guile. This includes `-lguile' for the Guile
7260 library itself, any libraries that Guile itself requires (like
7261 -lqthreads), and so on. It may also include a -L flag to tell the
7262 compiler where to find the libraries.
7264 GUILE_FLAGS is defined in the file guile.m4, in the top-level
7265 directory of the Guile distribution. You can copy it into your
7266 package's aclocal.m4 file, and then use it in your configure.in file.
7268 If you are using the `aclocal' program, distributed with GNU automake,
7269 to maintain your aclocal.m4 file, the Guile installation process
7270 installs guile.m4 where aclocal will find it. All you need to do is
7271 use GUILE_FLAGS in your configure.in file, and then run `aclocal';
7272 this will copy the definition of GUILE_FLAGS into your aclocal.m4
7276 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
7278 ** Multi-byte strings have been removed, as have multi-byte and wide
7279 ports. We felt that these were the wrong approach to
7280 internationalization support.
7282 ** New function: readline [PROMPT]
7283 Read a line from the terminal, and allow the user to edit it,
7284 prompting with PROMPT. READLINE provides a large set of Emacs-like
7285 editing commands, lets the user recall previously typed lines, and
7286 works on almost every kind of terminal, including dumb terminals.
7288 READLINE assumes that the cursor is at the beginning of the line when
7289 it is invoked. Thus, you can't print a prompt yourself, and then call
7290 READLINE; you need to package up your prompt as a string, pass it to
7291 the function, and let READLINE print the prompt itself. This is
7292 because READLINE needs to know the prompt's screen width.
7294 For Guile to provide this function, you must have the readline
7295 library, version 2.1 or later, installed on your system. Readline is
7296 available via anonymous FTP from prep.ai.mit.edu in pub/gnu, or from
7297 any GNU mirror site.
7299 See also ADD-HISTORY function.
7301 ** New function: add-history STRING
7302 Add STRING as the most recent line in the history used by the READLINE
7303 command. READLINE does not add lines to the history itself; you must
7304 call ADD-HISTORY to make previous input available to the user.
7306 ** The behavior of the read-line function has changed.
7308 This function now uses standard C library functions to read the line,
7309 for speed. This means that it doesn not respect the value of
7310 scm-line-incrementors; it assumes that lines are delimited with
7313 (Note that this is read-line, the function that reads a line of text
7314 from a port, not readline, the function that reads a line from a
7315 terminal, providing full editing capabilities.)
7317 ** New module (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style): Parse command-line arguments.
7319 This module provides some simple argument parsing. It exports one
7322 Function: getopt-gnu-style ARG-LS
7323 Parse a list of program arguments into an alist of option
7326 Each item in the list of program arguments is examined to see if
7327 it meets the syntax of a GNU long-named option. An argument like
7328 `--MUMBLE' produces an element of the form (MUMBLE . #t) in the
7329 returned alist, where MUMBLE is a keyword object with the same
7330 name as the argument. An argument like `--MUMBLE=FROB' produces
7331 an element of the form (MUMBLE . FROB), where FROB is a string.
7333 As a special case, the returned alist also contains a pair whose
7334 car is the symbol `rest'. The cdr of this pair is a list
7335 containing all the items in the argument list that are not options
7336 of the form mentioned above.
7338 The argument `--' is treated specially: all items in the argument
7339 list appearing after such an argument are not examined, and are
7340 returned in the special `rest' list.
7342 This function does not parse normal single-character switches.
7343 You will need to parse them out of the `rest' list yourself.
7345 ** The read syntax for byte vectors and short vectors has changed.
7347 Instead of #bytes(...), write #y(...).
7349 Instead of #short(...), write #h(...).
7351 This may seem nutty, but, like the other uniform vectors, byte vectors
7352 and short vectors want to have the same print and read syntax (and,
7353 more basic, want to have read syntax!). Changing the read syntax to
7354 use multiple characters after the hash sign breaks with the
7355 conventions used in R5RS and the conventions used for the other
7356 uniform vectors. It also introduces complexity in the current reader,
7357 both on the C and Scheme levels. (The Right solution is probably to
7358 change the syntax and prototypes for uniform vectors entirely.)
7361 ** The new module (ice-9 session) provides useful interactive functions.
7363 *** New procedure: (apropos REGEXP OPTION ...)
7365 Display a list of top-level variables whose names match REGEXP, and
7366 the modules they are imported from. Each OPTION should be one of the
7369 value --- Show the value of each matching variable.
7370 shadow --- Show bindings shadowed by subsequently imported modules.
7371 full --- Same as both `shadow' and `value'.
7375 guile> (apropos "trace" 'full)
7376 debug: trace #<procedure trace args>
7377 debug: untrace #<procedure untrace args>
7378 the-scm-module: display-backtrace #<compiled-closure #<primitive-procedure gsubr-apply>>
7379 the-scm-module: before-backtrace-hook ()
7380 the-scm-module: backtrace #<primitive-procedure backtrace>
7381 the-scm-module: after-backtrace-hook ()
7382 the-scm-module: has-shown-backtrace-hint? #f
7385 ** There are new functions and syntax for working with macros.
7387 Guile implements macros as a special object type. Any variable whose
7388 top-level binding is a macro object acts as a macro. The macro object
7389 specifies how the expression should be transformed before evaluation.
7391 *** Macro objects now print in a reasonable way, resembling procedures.
7393 *** New function: (macro? OBJ)
7394 True iff OBJ is a macro object.
7396 *** New function: (primitive-macro? OBJ)
7397 Like (macro? OBJ), but true only if OBJ is one of the Guile primitive
7398 macro transformers, implemented in eval.c rather than Scheme code.
7400 Why do we have this function?
7401 - For symmetry with procedure? and primitive-procedure?,
7402 - to allow custom print procedures to tell whether a macro is
7403 primitive, and display it differently, and
7404 - to allow compilers and user-written evaluators to distinguish
7405 builtin special forms from user-defined ones, which could be
7408 *** New function: (macro-type OBJ)
7409 Return a value indicating what kind of macro OBJ is. Possible return
7412 The symbol `syntax' --- a macro created by procedure->syntax.
7413 The symbol `macro' --- a macro created by procedure->macro.
7414 The symbol `macro!' --- a macro created by procedure->memoizing-macro.
7415 The boolean #f --- if OBJ is not a macro object.
7417 *** New function: (macro-name MACRO)
7418 Return the name of the macro object MACRO's procedure, as returned by
7421 *** New function: (macro-transformer MACRO)
7422 Return the transformer procedure for MACRO.
7424 *** New syntax: (use-syntax MODULE ... TRANSFORMER)
7426 Specify a new macro expander to use in the current module. Each
7427 MODULE is a module name, with the same meaning as in the `use-modules'
7428 form; each named module's exported bindings are added to the current
7429 top-level environment. TRANSFORMER is an expression evaluated in the
7430 resulting environment which must yield a procedure to use as the
7431 module's eval transformer: every expression evaluated in this module
7432 is passed to this function, and the result passed to the Guile
7435 *** macro-eval! is removed. Use local-eval instead.
7437 ** Some magic has been added to the printer to better handle user
7438 written printing routines (like record printers, closure printers).
7440 The problem is that these user written routines must have access to
7441 the current `print-state' to be able to handle fancy things like
7442 detection of circular references. These print-states have to be
7443 passed to the builtin printing routines (display, write, etc) to
7444 properly continue the print chain.
7446 We didn't want to change all existing print code so that it
7447 explicitly passes thru a print state in addition to a port. Instead,
7448 we extented the possible values that the builtin printing routines
7449 accept as a `port'. In addition to a normal port, they now also take
7450 a pair of a normal port and a print-state. Printing will go to the
7451 port and the print-state will be used to control the detection of
7452 circular references, etc. If the builtin function does not care for a
7453 print-state, it is simply ignored.
7455 User written callbacks are now called with such a pair as their
7456 `port', but because every function now accepts this pair as a PORT
7457 argument, you don't have to worry about that. In fact, it is probably
7458 safest to not check for these pairs.
7460 However, it is sometimes necessary to continue a print chain on a
7461 different port, for example to get a intermediate string
7462 representation of the printed value, mangle that string somehow, and
7463 then to finally print the mangled string. Use the new function
7465 inherit-print-state OLD-PORT NEW-PORT
7467 for this. It constructs a new `port' that prints to NEW-PORT but
7468 inherits the print-state of OLD-PORT.
7470 ** struct-vtable-offset renamed to vtable-offset-user
7472 ** New constants: vtable-index-layout, vtable-index-vtable, vtable-index-printer
7474 ** There is now a third optional argument to make-vtable-vtable
7475 (and fourth to make-struct) when constructing new types (vtables).
7476 This argument initializes field vtable-index-printer of the vtable.
7478 ** The detection of circular references has been extended to structs.
7479 That is, a structure that -- in the process of being printed -- prints
7480 itself does not lead to infinite recursion.
7482 ** There is now some basic support for fluids. Please read
7483 "libguile/fluid.h" to find out more. It is accessible from Scheme with
7484 the following functions and macros:
7486 Function: make-fluid
7488 Create a new fluid object. Fluids are not special variables or
7489 some other extension to the semantics of Scheme, but rather
7490 ordinary Scheme objects. You can store them into variables (that
7491 are still lexically scoped, of course) or into any other place you
7492 like. Every fluid has a initial value of `#f'.
7494 Function: fluid? OBJ
7496 Test whether OBJ is a fluid.
7498 Function: fluid-ref FLUID
7499 Function: fluid-set! FLUID VAL
7501 Access/modify the fluid FLUID. Modifications are only visible
7502 within the current dynamic root (that includes threads).
7504 Function: with-fluids* FLUIDS VALUES THUNK
7506 FLUIDS is a list of fluids and VALUES a corresponding list of
7507 values for these fluids. Before THUNK gets called the values are
7508 installed in the fluids and the old values of the fluids are
7509 saved in the VALUES list. When the flow of control leaves THUNK
7510 or reenters it, the values get swapped again. You might think of
7511 this as a `safe-fluid-excursion'. Note that the VALUES list is
7512 modified by `with-fluids*'.
7514 Macro: with-fluids ((FLUID VALUE) ...) FORM ...
7516 The same as `with-fluids*' but with a different syntax. It looks
7517 just like `let', but both FLUID and VALUE are evaluated. Remember,
7518 fluids are not special variables but ordinary objects. FLUID
7519 should evaluate to a fluid.
7521 ** Changes to system call interfaces:
7523 *** close-port, close-input-port and close-output-port now return a
7524 boolean instead of an `unspecified' object. #t means that the port
7525 was successfully closed, while #f means it was already closed. It is
7526 also now possible for these procedures to raise an exception if an
7527 error occurs (some errors from write can be delayed until close.)
7529 *** the first argument to chmod, fcntl, ftell and fseek can now be a
7532 *** the third argument to fcntl is now optional.
7534 *** the first argument to chown can now be a file descriptor or a port.
7536 *** the argument to stat can now be a port.
7538 *** The following new procedures have been added (most use scsh
7541 *** procedure: close PORT/FD
7542 Similar to close-port (*note close-port: Closing Ports.), but also
7543 works on file descriptors. A side effect of closing a file
7544 descriptor is that any ports using that file descriptor are moved
7545 to a different file descriptor and have their revealed counts set
7548 *** procedure: port->fdes PORT
7549 Returns the integer file descriptor underlying PORT. As a side
7550 effect the revealed count of PORT is incremented.
7552 *** procedure: fdes->ports FDES
7553 Returns a list of existing ports which have FDES as an underlying
7554 file descriptor, without changing their revealed counts.
7556 *** procedure: fdes->inport FDES
7557 Returns an existing input port which has FDES as its underlying
7558 file descriptor, if one exists, and increments its revealed count.
7559 Otherwise, returns a new input port with a revealed count of 1.
7561 *** procedure: fdes->outport FDES
7562 Returns an existing output port which has FDES as its underlying
7563 file descriptor, if one exists, and increments its revealed count.
7564 Otherwise, returns a new output port with a revealed count of 1.
7566 The next group of procedures perform a `dup2' system call, if NEWFD
7567 (an integer) is supplied, otherwise a `dup'. The file descriptor to be
7568 duplicated can be supplied as an integer or contained in a port. The
7569 type of value returned varies depending on which procedure is used.
7571 All procedures also have the side effect when performing `dup2' that
7572 any ports using NEWFD are moved to a different file descriptor and have
7573 their revealed counts set to zero.
7575 *** procedure: dup->fdes PORT/FD [NEWFD]
7576 Returns an integer file descriptor.
7578 *** procedure: dup->inport PORT/FD [NEWFD]
7579 Returns a new input port using the new file descriptor.
7581 *** procedure: dup->outport PORT/FD [NEWFD]
7582 Returns a new output port using the new file descriptor.
7584 *** procedure: dup PORT/FD [NEWFD]
7585 Returns a new port if PORT/FD is a port, with the same mode as the
7586 supplied port, otherwise returns an integer file descriptor.
7588 *** procedure: dup->port PORT/FD MODE [NEWFD]
7589 Returns a new port using the new file descriptor. MODE supplies a
7590 mode string for the port (*note open-file: File Ports.).
7592 *** procedure: setenv NAME VALUE
7593 Modifies the environment of the current process, which is also the
7594 default environment inherited by child processes.
7596 If VALUE is `#f', then NAME is removed from the environment.
7597 Otherwise, the string NAME=VALUE is added to the environment,
7598 replacing any existing string with name matching NAME.
7600 The return value is unspecified.
7602 *** procedure: truncate-file OBJ SIZE
7603 Truncates the file referred to by OBJ to at most SIZE bytes. OBJ
7604 can be a string containing a file name or an integer file
7605 descriptor or port open for output on the file. The underlying
7606 system calls are `truncate' and `ftruncate'.
7608 The return value is unspecified.
7610 *** procedure: setvbuf PORT MODE [SIZE]
7611 Set the buffering mode for PORT. MODE can be:
7619 block buffered, using a newly allocated buffer of SIZE bytes.
7620 However if SIZE is zero or unspecified, the port will be made
7623 This procedure should not be used after I/O has been performed with
7626 Ports are usually block buffered by default, with a default buffer
7627 size. Procedures e.g., *Note open-file: File Ports, which accept a
7628 mode string allow `0' to be added to request an unbuffered port.
7630 *** procedure: fsync PORT/FD
7631 Copies any unwritten data for the specified output file descriptor
7632 to disk. If PORT/FD is a port, its buffer is flushed before the
7633 underlying file descriptor is fsync'd. The return value is
7636 *** procedure: open-fdes PATH FLAGS [MODES]
7637 Similar to `open' but returns a file descriptor instead of a port.
7639 *** procedure: execle PATH ENV [ARG] ...
7640 Similar to `execl', but the environment of the new process is
7641 specified by ENV, which must be a list of strings as returned by
7642 the `environ' procedure.
7644 This procedure is currently implemented using the `execve' system
7645 call, but we call it `execle' because of its Scheme calling
7648 *** procedure: strerror ERRNO
7649 Returns the Unix error message corresponding to ERRNO, an integer.
7651 *** procedure: primitive-exit [STATUS]
7652 Terminate the current process without unwinding the Scheme stack.
7653 This is would typically be useful after a fork. The exit status
7654 is STATUS if supplied, otherwise zero.
7656 *** procedure: times
7657 Returns an object with information about real and processor time.
7658 The following procedures accept such an object as an argument and
7659 return a selected component:
7662 The current real time, expressed as time units relative to an
7666 The CPU time units used by the calling process.
7669 The CPU time units used by the system on behalf of the
7673 The CPU time units used by terminated child processes of the
7674 calling process, whose status has been collected (e.g., using
7678 Similarly, the CPU times units used by the system on behalf of
7679 terminated child processes.
7681 ** Removed: list-length
7682 ** Removed: list-append, list-append!
7683 ** Removed: list-reverse, list-reverse!
7685 ** array-map renamed to array-map!
7687 ** serial-array-map renamed to serial-array-map!
7689 ** catch doesn't take #f as first argument any longer
7691 Previously, it was possible to pass #f instead of a key to `catch'.
7692 That would cause `catch' to pass a jump buffer object to the procedure
7693 passed as second argument. The procedure could then use this jump
7694 buffer objekt as an argument to throw.
7696 This mechanism has been removed since its utility doesn't motivate the
7697 extra complexity it introduces.
7699 ** The `#/' notation for lists now provokes a warning message from Guile.
7700 This syntax will be removed from Guile in the near future.
7702 To disable the warning message, set the GUILE_HUSH environment
7703 variable to any non-empty value.
7705 ** The newline character now prints as `#\newline', following the
7706 normal Scheme notation, not `#\nl'.
7708 * Changes to the gh_ interface
7710 ** The gh_enter function now takes care of loading the Guile startup files.
7711 gh_enter works by calling scm_boot_guile; see the remarks below.
7713 ** Function: void gh_write (SCM x)
7715 Write the printed representation of the scheme object x to the current
7716 output port. Corresponds to the scheme level `write'.
7718 ** gh_list_length renamed to gh_length.
7720 ** vector handling routines
7722 Several major changes. In particular, gh_vector() now resembles
7723 (vector ...) (with a caveat -- see manual), and gh_make_vector() now
7724 exists and behaves like (make-vector ...). gh_vset() and gh_vref()
7725 have been renamed gh_vector_set_x() and gh_vector_ref(). Some missing
7726 vector-related gh_ functions have been implemented.
7728 ** pair and list routines
7730 Implemented several of the R4RS pair and list functions that were
7733 ** gh_scm2doubles, gh_doubles2scm, gh_doubles2dvect
7735 New function. Converts double arrays back and forth between Scheme
7738 * Changes to the scm_ interface
7740 ** The function scm_boot_guile now takes care of loading the startup files.
7742 Guile's primary initialization function, scm_boot_guile, now takes
7743 care of loading `boot-9.scm', in the `ice-9' module, to initialize
7744 Guile, define the module system, and put together some standard
7745 bindings. It also loads `init.scm', which is intended to hold
7746 site-specific initialization code.
7748 Since Guile cannot operate properly until boot-9.scm is loaded, there
7749 is no reason to separate loading boot-9.scm from Guile's other
7750 initialization processes.
7752 This job used to be done by scm_compile_shell_switches, which didn't
7753 make much sense; in particular, it meant that people using Guile for
7754 non-shell-like applications had to jump through hoops to get Guile
7755 initialized properly.
7757 ** The function scm_compile_shell_switches no longer loads the startup files.
7758 Now, Guile always loads the startup files, whenever it is initialized;
7759 see the notes above for scm_boot_guile and scm_load_startup_files.
7761 ** Function: scm_load_startup_files
7762 This new function takes care of loading Guile's initialization file
7763 (`boot-9.scm'), and the site initialization file, `init.scm'. Since
7764 this is always called by the Guile initialization process, it's
7765 probably not too useful to call this yourself, but it's there anyway.
7767 ** The semantics of smob marking have changed slightly.
7769 The smob marking function (the `mark' member of the scm_smobfuns
7770 structure) is no longer responsible for setting the mark bit on the
7771 smob. The generic smob handling code in the garbage collector will
7772 set this bit. The mark function need only ensure that any other
7773 objects the smob refers to get marked.
7775 Note that this change means that the smob's GC8MARK bit is typically
7776 already set upon entry to the mark function. Thus, marking functions
7777 which look like this:
7780 if (SCM_GC8MARKP (ptr))
7782 SCM_SETGC8MARK (ptr);
7783 ... mark objects to which the smob refers ...
7786 are now incorrect, since they will return early, and fail to mark any
7787 other objects the smob refers to. Some code in the Guile library used
7790 ** The semantics of the I/O port functions in scm_ptobfuns have changed.
7792 If you have implemented your own I/O port type, by writing the
7793 functions required by the scm_ptobfuns and then calling scm_newptob,
7794 you will need to change your functions slightly.
7796 The functions in a scm_ptobfuns structure now expect the port itself
7797 as their argument; they used to expect the `stream' member of the
7798 port's scm_port_table structure. This allows functions in an
7799 scm_ptobfuns structure to easily access the port's cell (and any flags
7800 it its CAR), and the port's scm_port_table structure.
7802 Guile now passes the I/O port itself as the `port' argument in the
7803 following scm_ptobfuns functions:
7805 int (*free) (SCM port);
7806 int (*fputc) (int, SCM port);
7807 int (*fputs) (char *, SCM port);
7808 scm_sizet (*fwrite) SCM_P ((char *ptr,
7812 int (*fflush) (SCM port);
7813 int (*fgetc) (SCM port);
7814 int (*fclose) (SCM port);
7816 The interfaces to the `mark', `print', `equalp', and `fgets' methods
7819 If you have existing code which defines its own port types, it is easy
7820 to convert your code to the new interface; simply apply SCM_STREAM to
7821 the port argument to yield the value you code used to expect.
7823 Note that since both the port and the stream have the same type in the
7824 C code --- they are both SCM values --- the C compiler will not remind
7825 you if you forget to update your scm_ptobfuns functions.
7828 ** Function: int scm_internal_select (int fds,
7832 struct timeval *timeout);
7834 This is a replacement for the `select' function provided by the OS.
7835 It enables I/O blocking and sleeping to happen for one cooperative
7836 thread without blocking other threads. It also avoids busy-loops in
7837 these situations. It is intended that all I/O blocking and sleeping
7838 will finally go through this function. Currently, this function is
7839 only available on systems providing `gettimeofday' and `select'.
7841 ** Function: SCM scm_internal_stack_catch (SCM tag,
7842 scm_catch_body_t body,
7844 scm_catch_handler_t handler,
7847 A new sibling to the other two C level `catch' functions
7848 scm_internal_catch and scm_internal_lazy_catch. Use it if you want
7849 the stack to be saved automatically into the variable `the-last-stack'
7850 (scm_the_last_stack_var) on error. This is necessary if you want to
7851 use advanced error reporting, such as calling scm_display_error and
7852 scm_display_backtrace. (They both take a stack object as argument.)
7854 ** Function: SCM scm_spawn_thread (scm_catch_body_t body,
7856 scm_catch_handler_t handler,
7859 Spawns a new thread. It does a job similar to
7860 scm_call_with_new_thread but takes arguments more suitable when
7861 spawning threads from application C code.
7863 ** The hook scm_error_callback has been removed. It was originally
7864 intended as a way for the user to install his own error handler. But
7865 that method works badly since it intervenes between throw and catch,
7866 thereby changing the semantics of expressions like (catch #t ...).
7867 The correct way to do it is to use one of the C level catch functions
7868 in throw.c: scm_internal_catch/lazy_catch/stack_catch.
7870 ** Removed functions:
7872 scm_obj_length, scm_list_length, scm_list_append, scm_list_append_x,
7873 scm_list_reverse, scm_list_reverse_x
7875 ** New macros: SCM_LISTn where n is one of the integers 0-9.
7877 These can be used for pretty list creation from C. The idea is taken
7878 from Erick Gallesio's STk.
7880 ** scm_array_map renamed to scm_array_map_x
7882 ** mbstrings are now removed
7884 This means that the type codes scm_tc7_mb_string and
7885 scm_tc7_mb_substring has been removed.
7887 ** scm_gen_putc, scm_gen_puts, scm_gen_write, and scm_gen_getc have changed.
7889 Since we no longer support multi-byte strings, these I/O functions
7890 have been simplified, and renamed. Here are their old names, and
7891 their new names and arguments:
7893 scm_gen_putc -> void scm_putc (int c, SCM port);
7894 scm_gen_puts -> void scm_puts (char *s, SCM port);
7895 scm_gen_write -> void scm_lfwrite (char *ptr, scm_sizet size, SCM port);
7896 scm_gen_getc -> void scm_getc (SCM port);
7899 ** The macros SCM_TYP7D and SCM_TYP7SD has been removed.
7901 ** The macro SCM_TYP7S has taken the role of the old SCM_TYP7D
7903 SCM_TYP7S now masks away the bit which distinguishes substrings from
7906 ** scm_catch_body_t: Backward incompatible change!
7908 Body functions to scm_internal_catch and friends do not any longer
7909 take a second argument. This is because it is no longer possible to
7910 pass a #f arg to catch.
7912 ** Calls to scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect now nest properly.
7914 The function scm_protect_object protects its argument from being freed
7915 by the garbage collector. scm_unprotect_object removes that
7918 These functions now nest properly. That is, for every object O, there
7919 is a counter which scm_protect_object(O) increments and
7920 scm_unprotect_object(O) decrements, if the counter is greater than
7921 zero. Every object's counter is zero when it is first created. If an
7922 object's counter is greater than zero, the garbage collector will not
7923 reclaim its storage.
7925 This allows you to use scm_protect_object in your code without
7926 worrying that some other function you call will call
7927 scm_unprotect_object, and allow it to be freed. Assuming that the
7928 functions you call are well-behaved, and unprotect only those objects
7929 they protect, you can follow the same rule and have confidence that
7930 objects will be freed only at appropriate times.
7933 Changes in Guile 1.2 (released Tuesday, June 24 1997):
7935 * Changes to the distribution
7937 ** Nightly snapshots are now available from ftp.red-bean.com.
7938 The old server, ftp.cyclic.com, has been relinquished to its rightful
7941 Nightly snapshots of the Guile development sources are now available via
7942 anonymous FTP from ftp.red-bean.com, as /pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz.
7944 Via the web, that's: ftp://ftp.red-bean.com/pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz
7945 For getit, that's: ftp.red-bean.com:/pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz
7947 ** To run Guile without installing it, the procedure has changed a bit.
7949 If you used a separate build directory to compile Guile, you'll need
7950 to include the build directory in SCHEME_LOAD_PATH, as well as the
7951 source directory. See the `INSTALL' file for examples.
7953 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
7955 ** The standard Guile load path for Scheme code now includes
7956 $(datadir)/guile (usually /usr/local/share/guile). This means that
7957 you can install your own Scheme files there, and Guile will find them.
7958 (Previous versions of Guile only checked a directory whose name
7959 contained the Guile version number, so you had to re-install or move
7960 your Scheme sources each time you installed a fresh version of Guile.)
7962 The load path also includes $(datadir)/guile/site; we recommend
7963 putting individual Scheme files there. If you want to install a
7964 package with multiple source files, create a directory for them under
7967 ** Guile 1.2 will now use the Rx regular expression library, if it is
7968 installed on your system. When you are linking libguile into your own
7969 programs, this means you will have to link against -lguile, -lqt (if
7970 you configured Guile with thread support), and -lrx.
7972 If you are using autoconf to generate configuration scripts for your
7973 application, the following lines should suffice to add the appropriate
7974 libraries to your link command:
7976 ### Find Rx, quickthreads and libguile.
7977 AC_CHECK_LIB(rx, main)
7978 AC_CHECK_LIB(qt, main)
7979 AC_CHECK_LIB(guile, scm_shell)
7981 The Guile 1.2 distribution does not contain sources for the Rx
7982 library, as Guile 1.0 did. If you want to use Rx, you'll need to
7983 retrieve it from a GNU FTP site and install it separately.
7985 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
7987 ** The dynamic linking features of Guile are now enabled by default.
7988 You can disable them by giving the `--disable-dynamic-linking' option
7991 (dynamic-link FILENAME)
7993 Find the object file denoted by FILENAME (a string) and link it
7994 into the running Guile application. When everything works out,
7995 return a Scheme object suitable for representing the linked object
7996 file. Otherwise an error is thrown. How object files are
7997 searched is system dependent.
7999 (dynamic-object? VAL)
8001 Determine whether VAL represents a dynamically linked object file.
8003 (dynamic-unlink DYNOBJ)
8005 Unlink the indicated object file from the application. DYNOBJ
8006 should be one of the values returned by `dynamic-link'.
8008 (dynamic-func FUNCTION DYNOBJ)
8010 Search the C function indicated by FUNCTION (a string or symbol)
8011 in DYNOBJ and return some Scheme object that can later be used
8012 with `dynamic-call' to actually call this function. Right now,
8013 these Scheme objects are formed by casting the address of the
8014 function to `long' and converting this number to its Scheme
8017 (dynamic-call FUNCTION DYNOBJ)
8019 Call the C function indicated by FUNCTION and DYNOBJ. The
8020 function is passed no arguments and its return value is ignored.
8021 When FUNCTION is something returned by `dynamic-func', call that
8022 function and ignore DYNOBJ. When FUNCTION is a string (or symbol,
8023 etc.), look it up in DYNOBJ; this is equivalent to
8025 (dynamic-call (dynamic-func FUNCTION DYNOBJ) #f)
8027 Interrupts are deferred while the C function is executing (with
8028 SCM_DEFER_INTS/SCM_ALLOW_INTS).
8030 (dynamic-args-call FUNCTION DYNOBJ ARGS)
8032 Call the C function indicated by FUNCTION and DYNOBJ, but pass it
8033 some arguments and return its return value. The C function is
8034 expected to take two arguments and return an `int', just like
8037 int c_func (int argc, char **argv);
8039 ARGS must be a list of strings and is converted into an array of
8040 `char *'. The array is passed in ARGV and its size in ARGC. The
8041 return value is converted to a Scheme number and returned from the
8042 call to `dynamic-args-call'.
8044 When dynamic linking is disabled or not supported on your system,
8045 the above functions throw errors, but they are still available.
8047 Here is a small example that works on GNU/Linux:
8049 (define libc-obj (dynamic-link "libc.so"))
8050 (dynamic-args-call 'rand libc-obj '())
8052 See the file `libguile/DYNAMIC-LINKING' for additional comments.
8054 ** The #/ syntax for module names is depreciated, and will be removed
8055 in a future version of Guile. Instead of
8063 The latter syntax is more consistent with existing Lisp practice.
8065 ** Guile now does fancier printing of structures. Structures are the
8066 underlying implementation for records, which in turn are used to
8067 implement modules, so all of these object now print differently and in
8068 a more informative way.
8070 The Scheme printer will examine the builtin variable *struct-printer*
8071 whenever it needs to print a structure object. When this variable is
8072 not `#f' it is deemed to be a procedure and will be applied to the
8073 structure object and the output port. When *struct-printer* is `#f'
8074 or the procedure return `#f' the structure object will be printed in
8075 the boring #<struct 80458270> form.
8077 This hook is used by some routines in ice-9/boot-9.scm to implement
8078 type specific printing routines. Please read the comments there about
8081 One of the more specific uses of structs are records. The printing
8082 procedure that could be passed to MAKE-RECORD-TYPE is now actually
8083 called. It should behave like a *struct-printer* procedure (described
8086 ** Guile now supports a new R4RS-compliant syntax for keywords. A
8087 token of the form #:NAME, where NAME has the same syntax as a Scheme
8088 symbol, is the external representation of the keyword named NAME.
8089 Keyword objects print using this syntax as well, so values containing
8090 keyword objects can be read back into Guile. When used in an
8091 expression, keywords are self-quoting objects.
8093 Guile suports this read syntax, and uses this print syntax, regardless
8094 of the current setting of the `keyword' read option. The `keyword'
8095 read option only controls whether Guile recognizes the `:NAME' syntax,
8096 which is incompatible with R4RS. (R4RS says such token represent
8099 ** Guile has regular expression support again. Guile 1.0 included
8100 functions for matching regular expressions, based on the Rx library.
8101 In Guile 1.1, the Guile/Rx interface was removed to simplify the
8102 distribution, and thus Guile had no regular expression support. Guile
8103 1.2 again supports the most commonly used functions, and supports all
8104 of SCSH's regular expression functions.
8106 If your system does not include a POSIX regular expression library,
8107 and you have not linked Guile with a third-party regexp library such as
8108 Rx, these functions will not be available. You can tell whether your
8109 Guile installation includes regular expression support by checking
8110 whether the `*features*' list includes the `regex' symbol.
8112 *** regexp functions
8114 By default, Guile supports POSIX extended regular expressions. That
8115 means that the characters `(', `)', `+' and `?' are special, and must
8116 be escaped if you wish to match the literal characters.
8118 This regular expression interface was modeled after that implemented
8119 by SCSH, the Scheme Shell. It is intended to be upwardly compatible
8120 with SCSH regular expressions.
8122 **** Function: string-match PATTERN STR [START]
8123 Compile the string PATTERN into a regular expression and compare
8124 it with STR. The optional numeric argument START specifies the
8125 position of STR at which to begin matching.
8127 `string-match' returns a "match structure" which describes what,
8128 if anything, was matched by the regular expression. *Note Match
8129 Structures::. If STR does not match PATTERN at all,
8130 `string-match' returns `#f'.
8132 Each time `string-match' is called, it must compile its PATTERN
8133 argument into a regular expression structure. This operation is
8134 expensive, which makes `string-match' inefficient if the same regular
8135 expression is used several times (for example, in a loop). For better
8136 performance, you can compile a regular expression in advance and then
8137 match strings against the compiled regexp.
8139 **** Function: make-regexp STR [FLAGS]
8140 Compile the regular expression described by STR, and return the
8141 compiled regexp structure. If STR does not describe a legal
8142 regular expression, `make-regexp' throws a
8143 `regular-expression-syntax' error.
8145 FLAGS may be the bitwise-or of one or more of the following:
8147 **** Constant: regexp/extended
8148 Use POSIX Extended Regular Expression syntax when interpreting
8149 STR. If not set, POSIX Basic Regular Expression syntax is used.
8150 If the FLAGS argument is omitted, we assume regexp/extended.
8152 **** Constant: regexp/icase
8153 Do not differentiate case. Subsequent searches using the
8154 returned regular expression will be case insensitive.
8156 **** Constant: regexp/newline
8157 Match-any-character operators don't match a newline.
8159 A non-matching list ([^...]) not containing a newline matches a
8162 Match-beginning-of-line operator (^) matches the empty string
8163 immediately after a newline, regardless of whether the FLAGS
8164 passed to regexp-exec contain regexp/notbol.
8166 Match-end-of-line operator ($) matches the empty string
8167 immediately before a newline, regardless of whether the FLAGS
8168 passed to regexp-exec contain regexp/noteol.
8170 **** Function: regexp-exec REGEXP STR [START [FLAGS]]
8171 Match the compiled regular expression REGEXP against `str'. If
8172 the optional integer START argument is provided, begin matching
8173 from that position in the string. Return a match structure
8174 describing the results of the match, or `#f' if no match could be
8177 FLAGS may be the bitwise-or of one or more of the following:
8179 **** Constant: regexp/notbol
8180 The match-beginning-of-line operator always fails to match (but
8181 see the compilation flag regexp/newline above) This flag may be
8182 used when different portions of a string are passed to
8183 regexp-exec and the beginning of the string should not be
8184 interpreted as the beginning of the line.
8186 **** Constant: regexp/noteol
8187 The match-end-of-line operator always fails to match (but see the
8188 compilation flag regexp/newline above)
8190 **** Function: regexp? OBJ
8191 Return `#t' if OBJ is a compiled regular expression, or `#f'
8194 Regular expressions are commonly used to find patterns in one string
8195 and replace them with the contents of another string.
8197 **** Function: regexp-substitute PORT MATCH [ITEM...]
8198 Write to the output port PORT selected contents of the match
8199 structure MATCH. Each ITEM specifies what should be written, and
8200 may be one of the following arguments:
8202 * A string. String arguments are written out verbatim.
8204 * An integer. The submatch with that number is written.
8206 * The symbol `pre'. The portion of the matched string preceding
8207 the regexp match is written.
8209 * The symbol `post'. The portion of the matched string
8210 following the regexp match is written.
8212 PORT may be `#f', in which case nothing is written; instead,
8213 `regexp-substitute' constructs a string from the specified ITEMs
8216 **** Function: regexp-substitute/global PORT REGEXP TARGET [ITEM...]
8217 Similar to `regexp-substitute', but can be used to perform global
8218 substitutions on STR. Instead of taking a match structure as an
8219 argument, `regexp-substitute/global' takes two string arguments: a
8220 REGEXP string describing a regular expression, and a TARGET string
8221 which should be matched against this regular expression.
8223 Each ITEM behaves as in REGEXP-SUBSTITUTE, with the following
8226 * A function may be supplied. When this function is called, it
8227 will be passed one argument: a match structure for a given
8228 regular expression match. It should return a string to be
8229 written out to PORT.
8231 * The `post' symbol causes `regexp-substitute/global' to recurse
8232 on the unmatched portion of STR. This *must* be supplied in
8233 order to perform global search-and-replace on STR; if it is
8234 not present among the ITEMs, then `regexp-substitute/global'
8235 will return after processing a single match.
8237 *** Match Structures
8239 A "match structure" is the object returned by `string-match' and
8240 `regexp-exec'. It describes which portion of a string, if any, matched
8241 the given regular expression. Match structures include: a reference to
8242 the string that was checked for matches; the starting and ending
8243 positions of the regexp match; and, if the regexp included any
8244 parenthesized subexpressions, the starting and ending positions of each
8247 In each of the regexp match functions described below, the `match'
8248 argument must be a match structure returned by a previous call to
8249 `string-match' or `regexp-exec'. Most of these functions return some
8250 information about the original target string that was matched against a
8251 regular expression; we will call that string TARGET for easy reference.
8253 **** Function: regexp-match? OBJ
8254 Return `#t' if OBJ is a match structure returned by a previous
8255 call to `regexp-exec', or `#f' otherwise.
8257 **** Function: match:substring MATCH [N]
8258 Return the portion of TARGET matched by subexpression number N.
8259 Submatch 0 (the default) represents the entire regexp match. If
8260 the regular expression as a whole matched, but the subexpression
8261 number N did not match, return `#f'.
8263 **** Function: match:start MATCH [N]
8264 Return the starting position of submatch number N.
8266 **** Function: match:end MATCH [N]
8267 Return the ending position of submatch number N.
8269 **** Function: match:prefix MATCH
8270 Return the unmatched portion of TARGET preceding the regexp match.
8272 **** Function: match:suffix MATCH
8273 Return the unmatched portion of TARGET following the regexp match.
8275 **** Function: match:count MATCH
8276 Return the number of parenthesized subexpressions from MATCH.
8277 Note that the entire regular expression match itself counts as a
8278 subexpression, and failed submatches are included in the count.
8280 **** Function: match:string MATCH
8281 Return the original TARGET string.
8283 *** Backslash Escapes
8285 Sometimes you will want a regexp to match characters like `*' or `$'
8286 exactly. For example, to check whether a particular string represents
8287 a menu entry from an Info node, it would be useful to match it against
8288 a regexp like `^* [^:]*::'. However, this won't work; because the
8289 asterisk is a metacharacter, it won't match the `*' at the beginning of
8290 the string. In this case, we want to make the first asterisk un-magic.
8292 You can do this by preceding the metacharacter with a backslash
8293 character `\'. (This is also called "quoting" the metacharacter, and
8294 is known as a "backslash escape".) When Guile sees a backslash in a
8295 regular expression, it considers the following glyph to be an ordinary
8296 character, no matter what special meaning it would ordinarily have.
8297 Therefore, we can make the above example work by changing the regexp to
8298 `^\* [^:]*::'. The `\*' sequence tells the regular expression engine
8299 to match only a single asterisk in the target string.
8301 Since the backslash is itself a metacharacter, you may force a
8302 regexp to match a backslash in the target string by preceding the
8303 backslash with itself. For example, to find variable references in a
8304 TeX program, you might want to find occurrences of the string `\let\'
8305 followed by any number of alphabetic characters. The regular expression
8306 `\\let\\[A-Za-z]*' would do this: the double backslashes in the regexp
8307 each match a single backslash in the target string.
8309 **** Function: regexp-quote STR
8310 Quote each special character found in STR with a backslash, and
8311 return the resulting string.
8313 *Very important:* Using backslash escapes in Guile source code (as
8314 in Emacs Lisp or C) can be tricky, because the backslash character has
8315 special meaning for the Guile reader. For example, if Guile encounters
8316 the character sequence `\n' in the middle of a string while processing
8317 Scheme code, it replaces those characters with a newline character.
8318 Similarly, the character sequence `\t' is replaced by a horizontal tab.
8319 Several of these "escape sequences" are processed by the Guile reader
8320 before your code is executed. Unrecognized escape sequences are
8321 ignored: if the characters `\*' appear in a string, they will be
8322 translated to the single character `*'.
8324 This translation is obviously undesirable for regular expressions,
8325 since we want to be able to include backslashes in a string in order to
8326 escape regexp metacharacters. Therefore, to make sure that a backslash
8327 is preserved in a string in your Guile program, you must use *two*
8328 consecutive backslashes:
8330 (define Info-menu-entry-pattern (make-regexp "^\\* [^:]*"))
8332 The string in this example is preprocessed by the Guile reader before
8333 any code is executed. The resulting argument to `make-regexp' is the
8334 string `^\* [^:]*', which is what we really want.
8336 This also means that in order to write a regular expression that
8337 matches a single backslash character, the regular expression string in
8338 the source code must include *four* backslashes. Each consecutive pair
8339 of backslashes gets translated by the Guile reader to a single
8340 backslash, and the resulting double-backslash is interpreted by the
8341 regexp engine as matching a single backslash character. Hence:
8343 (define tex-variable-pattern (make-regexp "\\\\let\\\\=[A-Za-z]*"))
8345 The reason for the unwieldiness of this syntax is historical. Both
8346 regular expression pattern matchers and Unix string processing systems
8347 have traditionally used backslashes with the special meanings described
8348 above. The POSIX regular expression specification and ANSI C standard
8349 both require these semantics. Attempting to abandon either convention
8350 would cause other kinds of compatibility problems, possibly more severe
8351 ones. Therefore, without extending the Scheme reader to support
8352 strings with different quoting conventions (an ungainly and confusing
8353 extension when implemented in other languages), we must adhere to this
8354 cumbersome escape syntax.
8356 * Changes to the gh_ interface
8358 * Changes to the scm_ interface
8360 * Changes to system call interfaces:
8362 ** The value returned by `raise' is now unspecified. It throws an exception
8365 *** A new procedure `sigaction' can be used to install signal handlers
8367 (sigaction signum [action] [flags])
8369 signum is the signal number, which can be specified using the value
8372 If action is omitted, sigaction returns a pair: the CAR is the current
8373 signal hander, which will be either an integer with the value SIG_DFL
8374 (default action) or SIG_IGN (ignore), or the Scheme procedure which
8375 handles the signal, or #f if a non-Scheme procedure handles the
8376 signal. The CDR contains the current sigaction flags for the handler.
8378 If action is provided, it is installed as the new handler for signum.
8379 action can be a Scheme procedure taking one argument, or the value of
8380 SIG_DFL (default action) or SIG_IGN (ignore), or #f to restore
8381 whatever signal handler was installed before sigaction was first used.
8382 Flags can optionally be specified for the new handler (SA_RESTART is
8383 always used if the system provides it, so need not be specified.) The
8384 return value is a pair with information about the old handler as
8387 This interface does not provide access to the "signal blocking"
8388 facility. Maybe this is not needed, since the thread support may
8389 provide solutions to the problem of consistent access to data
8392 *** A new procedure `flush-all-ports' is equivalent to running
8393 `force-output' on every port open for output.
8395 ** Guile now provides information on how it was built, via the new
8396 global variable, %guile-build-info. This variable records the values
8397 of the standard GNU makefile directory variables as an assocation
8398 list, mapping variable names (symbols) onto directory paths (strings).
8399 For example, to find out where the Guile link libraries were
8400 installed, you can say:
8402 guile -c "(display (assq-ref %guile-build-info 'libdir)) (newline)"
8405 * Changes to the scm_ interface
8407 ** The new function scm_handle_by_message_noexit is just like the
8408 existing scm_handle_by_message function, except that it doesn't call
8409 exit to terminate the process. Instead, it prints a message and just
8410 returns #f. This might be a more appropriate catch-all handler for
8411 new dynamic roots and threads.
8414 Changes in Guile 1.1 (released Friday, May 16 1997):
8416 * Changes to the distribution.
8418 The Guile 1.0 distribution has been split up into several smaller
8420 guile-core --- the Guile interpreter itself.
8421 guile-tcltk --- the interface between the Guile interpreter and
8422 Tcl/Tk; Tcl is an interpreter for a stringy language, and Tk
8423 is a toolkit for building graphical user interfaces.
8424 guile-rgx-ctax --- the interface between Guile and the Rx regular
8425 expression matcher, and the translator for the Ctax
8426 programming language. These are packaged together because the
8427 Ctax translator uses Rx to parse Ctax source code.
8429 This NEWS file describes the changes made to guile-core since the 1.0
8432 We no longer distribute the documentation, since it was either out of
8433 date, or incomplete. As soon as we have current documentation, we
8438 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
8440 ** guile now accepts command-line arguments compatible with SCSH, Olin
8441 Shivers' Scheme Shell.
8443 In general, arguments are evaluated from left to right, but there are
8444 exceptions. The following switches stop argument processing, and
8445 stash all remaining command-line arguments as the value returned by
8446 the (command-line) function.
8447 -s SCRIPT load Scheme source code from FILE, and exit
8448 -c EXPR evalute Scheme expression EXPR, and exit
8449 -- stop scanning arguments; run interactively
8451 The switches below are processed as they are encountered.
8452 -l FILE load Scheme source code from FILE
8453 -e FUNCTION after reading script, apply FUNCTION to
8454 command line arguments
8455 -ds do -s script at this point
8456 --emacs enable Emacs protocol (experimental)
8457 -h, --help display this help and exit
8458 -v, --version display version information and exit
8459 \ read arguments from following script lines
8461 So, for example, here is a Guile script named `ekko' (thanks, Olin)
8462 which re-implements the traditional "echo" command:
8464 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
8467 (map (lambda (arg) (display arg) (display " "))
8471 (main (command-line))
8473 Suppose we invoke this script as follows:
8475 ekko a speckled gecko
8477 Through the magic of Unix script processing (triggered by the `#!'
8478 token at the top of the file), /usr/local/bin/guile receives the
8479 following list of command-line arguments:
8481 ("-s" "./ekko" "a" "speckled" "gecko")
8483 Unix inserts the name of the script after the argument specified on
8484 the first line of the file (in this case, "-s"), and then follows that
8485 with the arguments given to the script. Guile loads the script, which
8486 defines the `main' function, and then applies it to the list of
8487 remaining command-line arguments, ("a" "speckled" "gecko").
8489 In Unix, the first line of a script file must take the following form:
8491 #!INTERPRETER ARGUMENT
8493 where INTERPRETER is the absolute filename of the interpreter
8494 executable, and ARGUMENT is a single command-line argument to pass to
8497 You may only pass one argument to the interpreter, and its length is
8498 limited. These restrictions can be annoying to work around, so Guile
8499 provides a general mechanism (borrowed from, and compatible with,
8500 SCSH) for circumventing them.
8502 If the ARGUMENT in a Guile script is a single backslash character,
8503 `\', Guile will open the script file, parse arguments from its second
8504 and subsequent lines, and replace the `\' with them. So, for example,
8505 here is another implementation of the `ekko' script:
8507 #!/usr/local/bin/guile \
8511 (for-each (lambda (arg) (display arg) (display " "))
8515 If the user invokes this script as follows:
8517 ekko a speckled gecko
8519 Unix expands this into
8521 /usr/local/bin/guile \ ekko a speckled gecko
8523 When Guile sees the `\' argument, it replaces it with the arguments
8524 read from the second line of the script, producing:
8526 /usr/local/bin/guile -e main -s ekko a speckled gecko
8528 This tells Guile to load the `ekko' script, and apply the function
8529 `main' to the argument list ("a" "speckled" "gecko").
8531 Here is how Guile parses the command-line arguments:
8532 - Each space character terminates an argument. This means that two
8533 spaces in a row introduce an empty-string argument.
8534 - The tab character is not permitted (unless you quote it with the
8535 backslash character, as described below), to avoid confusion.
8536 - The newline character terminates the sequence of arguments, and will
8537 also terminate a final non-empty argument. (However, a newline
8538 following a space will not introduce a final empty-string argument;
8539 it only terminates the argument list.)
8540 - The backslash character is the escape character. It escapes
8541 backslash, space, tab, and newline. The ANSI C escape sequences
8542 like \n and \t are also supported. These produce argument
8543 constituents; the two-character combination \n doesn't act like a
8544 terminating newline. The escape sequence \NNN for exactly three
8545 octal digits reads as the character whose ASCII code is NNN. As
8546 above, characters produced this way are argument constituents.
8547 Backslash followed by other characters is not allowed.
8549 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
8551 ** Guile now builds and installs a shared guile library, if your
8552 system support shared libraries. (It still builds a static library on
8553 all systems.) Guile automatically detects whether your system
8554 supports shared libraries. To prevent Guile from buildisg shared
8555 libraries, pass the `--disable-shared' flag to the configure script.
8557 Guile takes longer to compile when it builds shared libraries, because
8558 it must compile every file twice --- once to produce position-
8559 independent object code, and once to produce normal object code.
8561 ** The libthreads library has been merged into libguile.
8563 To link a program against Guile, you now need only link against
8564 -lguile and -lqt; -lthreads is no longer needed. If you are using
8565 autoconf to generate configuration scripts for your application, the
8566 following lines should suffice to add the appropriate libraries to
8569 ### Find quickthreads and libguile.
8570 AC_CHECK_LIB(qt, main)
8571 AC_CHECK_LIB(guile, scm_shell)
8573 * Changes to Scheme functions
8575 ** Guile Scheme's special syntax for keyword objects is now optional,
8576 and disabled by default.
8578 The syntax variation from R4RS made it difficult to port some
8579 interesting packages to Guile. The routines which accepted keyword
8580 arguments (mostly in the module system) have been modified to also
8581 accept symbols whose names begin with `:'.
8583 To change the keyword syntax, you must first import the (ice-9 debug)
8585 (use-modules (ice-9 debug))
8587 Then you can enable the keyword syntax as follows:
8588 (read-set! keywords 'prefix)
8590 To disable keyword syntax, do this:
8591 (read-set! keywords #f)
8593 ** Many more primitive functions accept shared substrings as
8594 arguments. In the past, these functions required normal, mutable
8595 strings as arguments, although they never made use of this
8598 ** The uniform array functions now operate on byte vectors. These
8599 functions are `array-fill!', `serial-array-copy!', `array-copy!',
8600 `serial-array-map', `array-map', `array-for-each', and
8603 ** The new functions `trace' and `untrace' implement simple debugging
8604 support for Scheme functions.
8606 The `trace' function accepts any number of procedures as arguments,
8607 and tells the Guile interpreter to display each procedure's name and
8608 arguments each time the procedure is invoked. When invoked with no
8609 arguments, `trace' returns the list of procedures currently being
8612 The `untrace' function accepts any number of procedures as arguments,
8613 and tells the Guile interpreter not to trace them any more. When
8614 invoked with no arguments, `untrace' untraces all curretly traced
8617 The tracing in Guile has an advantage over most other systems: we
8618 don't create new procedure objects, but mark the procedure objects
8619 themselves. This means that anonymous and internal procedures can be
8622 ** The function `assert-repl-prompt' has been renamed to
8623 `set-repl-prompt!'. It takes one argument, PROMPT.
8624 - If PROMPT is #f, the Guile read-eval-print loop will not prompt.
8625 - If PROMPT is a string, we use it as a prompt.
8626 - If PROMPT is a procedure accepting no arguments, we call it, and
8627 display the result as a prompt.
8628 - Otherwise, we display "> ".
8630 ** The new function `eval-string' reads Scheme expressions from a
8631 string and evaluates them, returning the value of the last expression
8632 in the string. If the string contains no expressions, it returns an
8635 ** The new function `thunk?' returns true iff its argument is a
8636 procedure of zero arguments.
8638 ** `defined?' is now a builtin function, instead of syntax. This
8639 means that its argument should be quoted. It returns #t iff its
8640 argument is bound in the current module.
8642 ** The new syntax `use-modules' allows you to add new modules to your
8643 environment without re-typing a complete `define-module' form. It
8644 accepts any number of module names as arguments, and imports their
8645 public bindings into the current module.
8647 ** The new function (module-defined? NAME MODULE) returns true iff
8648 NAME, a symbol, is defined in MODULE, a module object.
8650 ** The new function `builtin-bindings' creates and returns a hash
8651 table containing copies of all the root module's bindings.
8653 ** The new function `builtin-weak-bindings' does the same as
8654 `builtin-bindings', but creates a doubly-weak hash table.
8656 ** The `equal?' function now considers variable objects to be
8657 equivalent if they have the same name and the same value.
8659 ** The new function `command-line' returns the command-line arguments
8660 given to Guile, as a list of strings.
8662 When using guile as a script interpreter, `command-line' returns the
8663 script's arguments; those processed by the interpreter (like `-s' or
8664 `-c') are omitted. (In other words, you get the normal, expected
8665 behavior.) Any application that uses scm_shell to process its
8666 command-line arguments gets this behavior as well.
8668 ** The new function `load-user-init' looks for a file called `.guile'
8669 in the user's home directory, and loads it if it exists. This is
8670 mostly for use by the code generated by scm_compile_shell_switches,
8671 but we thought it might also be useful in other circumstances.
8673 ** The new function `log10' returns the base-10 logarithm of its
8676 ** Changes to I/O functions
8678 *** The functions `read', `primitive-load', `read-and-eval!', and
8679 `primitive-load-path' no longer take optional arguments controlling
8680 case insensitivity and a `#' parser.
8682 Case sensitivity is now controlled by a read option called
8683 `case-insensitive'. The user can add new `#' syntaxes with the
8684 `read-hash-extend' function (see below).
8686 *** The new function `read-hash-extend' allows the user to change the
8687 syntax of Guile Scheme in a somewhat controlled way.
8689 (read-hash-extend CHAR PROC)
8690 When parsing S-expressions, if we read a `#' character followed by
8691 the character CHAR, use PROC to parse an object from the stream.
8692 If PROC is #f, remove any parsing procedure registered for CHAR.
8694 The reader applies PROC to two arguments: CHAR and an input port.
8696 *** The new functions read-delimited and read-delimited! provide a
8697 general mechanism for doing delimited input on streams.
8699 (read-delimited DELIMS [PORT HANDLE-DELIM])
8700 Read until we encounter one of the characters in DELIMS (a string),
8701 or end-of-file. PORT is the input port to read from; it defaults to
8702 the current input port. The HANDLE-DELIM parameter determines how
8703 the terminating character is handled; it should be one of the
8706 'trim omit delimiter from result
8707 'peek leave delimiter character in input stream
8708 'concat append delimiter character to returned value
8709 'split return a pair: (RESULT . TERMINATOR)
8711 HANDLE-DELIM defaults to 'peek.
8713 (read-delimited! DELIMS BUF [PORT HANDLE-DELIM START END])
8714 A side-effecting variant of `read-delimited'.
8716 The data is written into the string BUF at the indices in the
8717 half-open interval [START, END); the default interval is the whole
8718 string: START = 0 and END = (string-length BUF). The values of
8719 START and END must specify a well-defined interval in BUF, i.e.
8720 0 <= START <= END <= (string-length BUF).
8722 It returns NBYTES, the number of bytes read. If the buffer filled
8723 up without a delimiter character being found, it returns #f. If the
8724 port is at EOF when the read starts, it returns the EOF object.
8726 If an integer is returned (i.e., the read is successfully terminated
8727 by reading a delimiter character), then the HANDLE-DELIM parameter
8728 determines how to handle the terminating character. It is described
8729 above, and defaults to 'peek.
8731 (The descriptions of these functions were borrowed from the SCSH
8732 manual, by Olin Shivers and Brian Carlstrom.)
8734 *** The `%read-delimited!' function is the primitive used to implement
8735 `read-delimited' and `read-delimited!'.
8737 (%read-delimited! DELIMS BUF GOBBLE? [PORT START END])
8739 This returns a pair of values: (TERMINATOR . NUM-READ).
8740 - TERMINATOR describes why the read was terminated. If it is a
8741 character or the eof object, then that is the value that terminated
8742 the read. If it is #f, the function filled the buffer without finding
8743 a delimiting character.
8744 - NUM-READ is the number of characters read into BUF.
8746 If the read is successfully terminated by reading a delimiter
8747 character, then the gobble? parameter determines what to do with the
8748 terminating character. If true, the character is removed from the
8749 input stream; if false, the character is left in the input stream
8750 where a subsequent read operation will retrieve it. In either case,
8751 the character is also the first value returned by the procedure call.
8753 (The descriptions of this function was borrowed from the SCSH manual,
8754 by Olin Shivers and Brian Carlstrom.)
8756 *** The `read-line' and `read-line!' functions have changed; they now
8757 trim the terminator by default; previously they appended it to the
8758 returned string. For the old behavior, use (read-line PORT 'concat).
8760 *** The functions `uniform-array-read!' and `uniform-array-write!' now
8761 take new optional START and END arguments, specifying the region of
8762 the array to read and write.
8764 *** The `ungetc-char-ready?' function has been removed. We feel it's
8765 inappropriate for an interface to expose implementation details this
8768 ** Changes to the Unix library and system call interface
8770 *** The new fcntl function provides access to the Unix `fcntl' system
8773 (fcntl PORT COMMAND VALUE)
8774 Apply COMMAND to PORT's file descriptor, with VALUE as an argument.
8775 Values for COMMAND are:
8777 F_DUPFD duplicate a file descriptor
8778 F_GETFD read the descriptor's close-on-exec flag
8779 F_SETFD set the descriptor's close-on-exec flag to VALUE
8780 F_GETFL read the descriptor's flags, as set on open
8781 F_SETFL set the descriptor's flags, as set on open to VALUE
8782 F_GETOWN return the process ID of a socket's owner, for SIGIO
8783 F_SETOWN set the process that owns a socket to VALUE, for SIGIO
8784 FD_CLOEXEC not sure what this is
8786 For details, see the documentation for the fcntl system call.
8788 *** The arguments to `select' have changed, for compatibility with
8789 SCSH. The TIMEOUT parameter may now be non-integral, yielding the
8790 expected behavior. The MILLISECONDS parameter has been changed to
8791 MICROSECONDS, to more closely resemble the underlying system call.
8792 The RVEC, WVEC, and EVEC arguments can now be vectors; the type of the
8793 corresponding return set will be the same.
8795 *** The arguments to the `mknod' system call have changed. They are
8798 (mknod PATH TYPE PERMS DEV)
8799 Create a new file (`node') in the file system. PATH is the name of
8800 the file to create. TYPE is the kind of file to create; it should
8801 be 'fifo, 'block-special, or 'char-special. PERMS specifies the
8802 permission bits to give the newly created file. If TYPE is
8803 'block-special or 'char-special, DEV specifies which device the
8804 special file refers to; its interpretation depends on the kind of
8805 special file being created.
8807 *** The `fork' function has been renamed to `primitive-fork', to avoid
8808 clashing with various SCSH forks.
8810 *** The `recv' and `recvfrom' functions have been renamed to `recv!'
8811 and `recvfrom!'. They no longer accept a size for a second argument;
8812 you must pass a string to hold the received value. They no longer
8813 return the buffer. Instead, `recv' returns the length of the message
8814 received, and `recvfrom' returns a pair containing the packet's length
8815 and originating address.
8817 *** The file descriptor datatype has been removed, as have the
8818 `read-fd', `write-fd', `close', `lseek', and `dup' functions.
8819 We plan to replace these functions with a SCSH-compatible interface.
8821 *** The `create' function has been removed; it's just a special case
8824 *** There are new functions to break down process termination status
8825 values. In the descriptions below, STATUS is a value returned by
8828 (status:exit-val STATUS)
8829 If the child process exited normally, this function returns the exit
8830 code for the child process (i.e., the value passed to exit, or
8831 returned from main). If the child process did not exit normally,
8832 this function returns #f.
8834 (status:stop-sig STATUS)
8835 If the child process was suspended by a signal, this function
8836 returns the signal that suspended the child. Otherwise, it returns
8839 (status:term-sig STATUS)
8840 If the child process terminated abnormally, this function returns
8841 the signal that terminated the child. Otherwise, this function
8844 POSIX promises that exactly one of these functions will return true on
8845 a valid STATUS value.
8847 These functions are compatible with SCSH.
8849 *** There are new accessors and setters for the broken-out time vectors
8850 returned by `localtime', `gmtime', and that ilk. They are:
8852 Component Accessor Setter
8853 ========================= ============ ============
8854 seconds tm:sec set-tm:sec
8855 minutes tm:min set-tm:min
8856 hours tm:hour set-tm:hour
8857 day of the month tm:mday set-tm:mday
8858 month tm:mon set-tm:mon
8859 year tm:year set-tm:year
8860 day of the week tm:wday set-tm:wday
8861 day in the year tm:yday set-tm:yday
8862 daylight saving time tm:isdst set-tm:isdst
8863 GMT offset, seconds tm:gmtoff set-tm:gmtoff
8864 name of time zone tm:zone set-tm:zone
8866 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `uname',
8867 describing the host system:
8870 ============================================== ================
8871 name of the operating system implementation utsname:sysname
8872 network name of this machine utsname:nodename
8873 release level of the operating system utsname:release
8874 version level of the operating system utsname:version
8875 machine hardware platform utsname:machine
8877 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getpw',
8878 `getpwnam', `getpwuid', and `getpwent', describing entries from the
8879 system's user database:
8882 ====================== =================
8883 user name passwd:name
8884 user password passwd:passwd
8887 real name passwd:gecos
8888 home directory passwd:dir
8889 shell program passwd:shell
8891 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getgr',
8892 `getgrnam', `getgrgid', and `getgrent', describing entries from the
8893 system's group database:
8896 ======================= ============
8897 group name group:name
8898 group password group:passwd
8900 group members group:mem
8902 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `gethost',
8903 `gethostbyaddr', `gethostbyname', and `gethostent', describing
8907 ========================= ===============
8908 official name of host hostent:name
8909 alias list hostent:aliases
8910 host address type hostent:addrtype
8911 length of address hostent:length
8912 list of addresses hostent:addr-list
8914 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getnet',
8915 `getnetbyaddr', `getnetbyname', and `getnetent', describing internet
8919 ========================= ===============
8920 official name of net netent:name
8921 alias list netent:aliases
8922 net number type netent:addrtype
8923 net number netent:net
8925 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getproto',
8926 `getprotobyname', `getprotobynumber', and `getprotoent', describing
8930 ========================= ===============
8931 official protocol name protoent:name
8932 alias list protoent:aliases
8933 protocol number protoent:proto
8935 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getserv',
8936 `getservbyname', `getservbyport', and `getservent', describing
8940 ========================= ===============
8941 official service name servent:name
8942 alias list servent:aliases
8943 port number servent:port
8944 protocol to use servent:proto
8946 *** There are new accessors for the sockaddr structures returned by
8947 `accept', `getsockname', `getpeername', `recvfrom!':
8950 ======================================== ===============
8951 address format (`family') sockaddr:fam
8952 path, for file domain addresses sockaddr:path
8953 address, for internet domain addresses sockaddr:addr
8954 TCP or UDP port, for internet sockaddr:port
8956 *** The `getpwent', `getgrent', `gethostent', `getnetent',
8957 `getprotoent', and `getservent' functions now return #f at the end of
8958 the user database. (They used to throw an exception.)
8960 Note that calling MUMBLEent function is equivalent to calling the
8961 corresponding MUMBLE function with no arguments.
8963 *** The `setpwent', `setgrent', `sethostent', `setnetent',
8964 `setprotoent', and `setservent' routines now take no arguments.
8966 *** The `gethost', `getproto', `getnet', and `getserv' functions now
8967 provide more useful information when they throw an exception.
8969 *** The `lnaof' function has been renamed to `inet-lnaof'.
8971 *** Guile now claims to have the `current-time' feature.
8973 *** The `mktime' function now takes an optional second argument ZONE,
8974 giving the time zone to use for the conversion. ZONE should be a
8975 string, in the same format as expected for the "TZ" environment variable.
8977 *** The `strptime' function now returns a pair (TIME . COUNT), where
8978 TIME is the parsed time as a vector, and COUNT is the number of
8979 characters from the string left unparsed. This function used to
8980 return the remaining characters as a string.
8982 *** The `gettimeofday' function has replaced the old `time+ticks' function.
8983 The return value is now (SECONDS . MICROSECONDS); the fractional
8984 component is no longer expressed in "ticks".
8986 *** The `ticks/sec' constant has been removed, in light of the above change.
8988 * Changes to the gh_ interface
8990 ** gh_eval_str() now returns an SCM object which is the result of the
8993 ** gh_scm2str() now copies the Scheme data to a caller-provided C
8996 ** gh_scm2newstr() now makes a C array, copies the Scheme data to it,
8997 and returns the array
8999 ** gh_scm2str0() is gone: there is no need to distinguish
9000 null-terminated from non-null-terminated, since gh_scm2newstr() allows
9001 the user to interpret the data both ways.
9003 * Changes to the scm_ interface
9005 ** The new function scm_symbol_value0 provides an easy way to get a
9006 symbol's value from C code:
9008 SCM scm_symbol_value0 (char *NAME)
9009 Return the value of the symbol named by the null-terminated string
9010 NAME in the current module. If the symbol named NAME is unbound in
9011 the current module, return SCM_UNDEFINED.
9013 ** The new function scm_sysintern0 creates new top-level variables,
9014 without assigning them a value.
9016 SCM scm_sysintern0 (char *NAME)
9017 Create a new Scheme top-level variable named NAME. NAME is a
9018 null-terminated string. Return the variable's value cell.
9020 ** The function scm_internal_catch is the guts of catch. It handles
9021 all the mechanics of setting up a catch target, invoking the catch
9022 body, and perhaps invoking the handler if the body does a throw.
9024 The function is designed to be usable from C code, but is general
9025 enough to implement all the semantics Guile Scheme expects from throw.
9027 TAG is the catch tag. Typically, this is a symbol, but this function
9028 doesn't actually care about that.
9030 BODY is a pointer to a C function which runs the body of the catch;
9031 this is the code you can throw from. We call it like this:
9032 BODY (BODY_DATA, JMPBUF)
9034 BODY_DATA is just the BODY_DATA argument we received; we pass it
9035 through to BODY as its first argument. The caller can make
9036 BODY_DATA point to anything useful that BODY might need.
9037 JMPBUF is the Scheme jmpbuf object corresponding to this catch,
9038 which we have just created and initialized.
9040 HANDLER is a pointer to a C function to deal with a throw to TAG,
9041 should one occur. We call it like this:
9042 HANDLER (HANDLER_DATA, THROWN_TAG, THROW_ARGS)
9044 HANDLER_DATA is the HANDLER_DATA argument we recevied; it's the
9045 same idea as BODY_DATA above.
9046 THROWN_TAG is the tag that the user threw to; usually this is
9047 TAG, but it could be something else if TAG was #t (i.e., a
9048 catch-all), or the user threw to a jmpbuf.
9049 THROW_ARGS is the list of arguments the user passed to the THROW
9052 BODY_DATA is just a pointer we pass through to BODY. HANDLER_DATA
9053 is just a pointer we pass through to HANDLER. We don't actually
9054 use either of those pointers otherwise ourselves. The idea is
9055 that, if our caller wants to communicate something to BODY or
9056 HANDLER, it can pass a pointer to it as MUMBLE_DATA, which BODY and
9057 HANDLER can then use. Think of it as a way to make BODY and
9058 HANDLER closures, not just functions; MUMBLE_DATA points to the
9061 Of course, it's up to the caller to make sure that any data a
9062 MUMBLE_DATA needs is protected from GC. A common way to do this is
9063 to make MUMBLE_DATA a pointer to data stored in an automatic
9064 structure variable; since the collector must scan the stack for
9065 references anyway, this assures that any references in MUMBLE_DATA
9068 ** The new function scm_internal_lazy_catch is exactly like
9069 scm_internal_catch, except:
9071 - It does not unwind the stack (this is the major difference).
9072 - If handler returns, its value is returned from the throw.
9073 - BODY always receives #f as its JMPBUF argument (since there's no
9074 jmpbuf associated with a lazy catch, because we don't unwind the
9077 ** scm_body_thunk is a new body function you can pass to
9078 scm_internal_catch if you want the body to be like Scheme's `catch'
9079 --- a thunk, or a function of one argument if the tag is #f.
9081 BODY_DATA is a pointer to a scm_body_thunk_data structure, which
9082 contains the Scheme procedure to invoke as the body, and the tag
9083 we're catching. If the tag is #f, then we pass JMPBUF (created by
9084 scm_internal_catch) to the body procedure; otherwise, the body gets
9087 ** scm_handle_by_proc is a new handler function you can pass to
9088 scm_internal_catch if you want the handler to act like Scheme's catch
9089 --- call a procedure with the tag and the throw arguments.
9091 If the user does a throw to this catch, this function runs a handler
9092 procedure written in Scheme. HANDLER_DATA is a pointer to an SCM
9093 variable holding the Scheme procedure object to invoke. It ought to
9094 be a pointer to an automatic variable (i.e., one living on the stack),
9095 or the procedure object should be otherwise protected from GC.
9097 ** scm_handle_by_message is a new handler function to use with
9098 `scm_internal_catch' if you want Guile to print a message and die.
9099 It's useful for dealing with throws to uncaught keys at the top level.
9101 HANDLER_DATA, if non-zero, is assumed to be a char * pointing to a
9102 message header to print; if zero, we use "guile" instead. That
9103 text is followed by a colon, then the message described by ARGS.
9105 ** The return type of scm_boot_guile is now void; the function does
9106 not return a value, and indeed, never returns at all.
9108 ** The new function scm_shell makes it easy for user applications to
9109 process command-line arguments in a way that is compatible with the
9110 stand-alone guile interpreter (which is in turn compatible with SCSH,
9113 To use the scm_shell function, first initialize any guile modules
9114 linked into your application, and then call scm_shell with the values
9115 of ARGC and ARGV your `main' function received. scm_shell will add
9116 any SCSH-style meta-arguments from the top of the script file to the
9117 argument vector, and then process the command-line arguments. This
9118 generally means loading a script file or starting up an interactive
9119 command interpreter. For details, see "Changes to the stand-alone
9122 ** The new functions scm_get_meta_args and scm_count_argv help you
9123 implement the SCSH-style meta-argument, `\'.
9125 char **scm_get_meta_args (int ARGC, char **ARGV)
9126 If the second element of ARGV is a string consisting of a single
9127 backslash character (i.e. "\\" in Scheme notation), open the file
9128 named by the following argument, parse arguments from it, and return
9129 the spliced command line. The returned array is terminated by a
9132 For details of argument parsing, see above, under "guile now accepts
9133 command-line arguments compatible with SCSH..."
9135 int scm_count_argv (char **ARGV)
9136 Count the arguments in ARGV, assuming it is terminated by a null
9139 For an example of how these functions might be used, see the source
9140 code for the function scm_shell in libguile/script.c.
9142 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
9145 ** The new function scm_compile_shell_switches turns an array of
9146 command-line arguments into Scheme code to carry out the actions they
9147 describe. Given ARGC and ARGV, it returns a Scheme expression to
9148 evaluate, and calls scm_set_program_arguments to make any remaining
9149 command-line arguments available to the Scheme code. For example,
9150 given the following arguments:
9152 -e main -s ekko a speckled gecko
9154 scm_set_program_arguments will return the following expression:
9156 (begin (load "ekko") (main (command-line)) (quit))
9158 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
9161 ** The function scm_shell_usage prints a usage message appropriate for
9162 an interpreter that uses scm_compile_shell_switches to handle its
9163 command-line arguments.
9165 void scm_shell_usage (int FATAL, char *MESSAGE)
9166 Print a usage message to the standard error output. If MESSAGE is
9167 non-zero, write it before the usage message, followed by a newline.
9168 If FATAL is non-zero, exit the process, using FATAL as the
9169 termination status. (If you want to be compatible with Guile,
9170 always use 1 as the exit status when terminating due to command-line
9173 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
9176 ** scm_eval_0str now returns SCM_UNSPECIFIED if the string contains no
9177 expressions. It used to return SCM_EOL. Earth-shattering.
9179 ** The macros for declaring scheme objects in C code have been
9180 rearranged slightly. They are now:
9182 SCM_SYMBOL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
9183 Declare a static SCM variable named C_NAME, and initialize it to
9184 point to the Scheme symbol whose name is SCHEME_NAME. C_NAME should
9185 be a C identifier, and SCHEME_NAME should be a C string.
9187 SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
9188 Just like SCM_SYMBOL, but make C_NAME globally visible.
9190 SCM_VCELL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
9191 Create a global variable at the Scheme level named SCHEME_NAME.
9192 Declare a static SCM variable named C_NAME, and initialize it to
9193 point to the Scheme variable's value cell.
9195 SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
9196 Just like SCM_VCELL, but make C_NAME globally visible.
9198 The `guile-snarf' script writes initialization code for these macros
9199 to its standard output, given C source code as input.
9201 The SCM_GLOBAL macro is gone.
9203 ** The scm_read_line and scm_read_line_x functions have been replaced
9204 by Scheme code based on the %read-delimited! procedure (known to C
9205 code as scm_read_delimited_x). See its description above for more
9208 ** The function scm_sys_open has been renamed to scm_open. It now
9209 returns a port instead of an FD object.
9211 * The dynamic linking support has changed. For more information, see
9212 libguile/DYNAMIC-LINKING.
9217 User-visible changes from Thursday, September 5, 1996 until Guile 1.0
9220 * Changes to the 'guile' program:
9222 ** Guile now loads some new files when it starts up. Guile first
9223 searches the load path for init.scm, and loads it if found. Then, if
9224 Guile is not being used to execute a script, and the user's home
9225 directory contains a file named `.guile', Guile loads that.
9227 ** You can now use Guile as a shell script interpreter.
9229 To paraphrase the SCSH manual:
9231 When Unix tries to execute an executable file whose first two
9232 characters are the `#!', it treats the file not as machine code to
9233 be directly executed by the native processor, but as source code
9234 to be executed by some interpreter. The interpreter to use is
9235 specified immediately after the #! sequence on the first line of
9236 the source file. The kernel reads in the name of the interpreter,
9237 and executes that instead. It passes the interpreter the source
9238 filename as its first argument, with the original arguments
9239 following. Consult the Unix man page for the `exec' system call
9240 for more information.
9242 Now you can use Guile as an interpreter, using a mechanism which is a
9243 compatible subset of that provided by SCSH.
9245 Guile now recognizes a '-s' command line switch, whose argument is the
9246 name of a file of Scheme code to load. It also treats the two
9247 characters `#!' as the start of a comment, terminated by `!#'. Thus,
9248 to make a file of Scheme code directly executable by Unix, insert the
9249 following two lines at the top of the file:
9251 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
9254 Guile treats the argument of the `-s' command-line switch as the name
9255 of a file of Scheme code to load, and treats the sequence `#!' as the
9256 start of a block comment, terminated by `!#'.
9258 For example, here's a version of 'echo' written in Scheme:
9260 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
9262 (let loop ((args (cdr (program-arguments))))
9265 (display (car args))
9266 (if (pair? (cdr args))
9268 (loop (cdr args)))))
9271 Why does `#!' start a block comment terminated by `!#', instead of the
9272 end of the line? That is the notation SCSH uses, and although we
9273 don't yet support the other SCSH features that motivate that choice,
9274 we would like to be backward-compatible with any existing Guile
9275 scripts once we do. Furthermore, if the path to Guile on your system
9276 is too long for your kernel, you can start the script with this
9280 exec /really/long/path/to/guile -s "$0" ${1+"$@"}
9283 Note that some very old Unix systems don't support the `#!' syntax.
9286 ** You can now run Guile without installing it.
9288 Previous versions of the interactive Guile interpreter (`guile')
9289 couldn't start up unless Guile's Scheme library had been installed;
9290 they used the value of the environment variable `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH'
9291 later on in the startup process, but not to find the startup code
9292 itself. Now Guile uses `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH' in all searches for Scheme
9295 To run Guile without installing it, build it in the normal way, and
9296 then set the environment variable `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH' to a
9297 colon-separated list of directories, including the top-level directory
9298 of the Guile sources. For example, if you unpacked Guile so that the
9299 full filename of this NEWS file is /home/jimb/guile-1.0b3/NEWS, then
9302 export SCHEME_LOAD_PATH=/home/jimb/my-scheme:/home/jimb/guile-1.0b3
9305 ** Guile's read-eval-print loop no longer prints #<unspecified>
9306 results. If the user wants to see this, she can evaluate the
9307 expression (assert-repl-print-unspecified #t), perhaps in her startup
9310 ** Guile no longer shows backtraces by default when an error occurs;
9311 however, it does display a message saying how to get one, and how to
9312 request that they be displayed by default. After an error, evaluate
9314 to see a backtrace, and
9315 (debug-enable 'backtrace)
9316 to see them by default.
9320 * Changes to Guile Scheme:
9322 ** Guile now distinguishes between #f and the empty list.
9324 This is for compatibility with the IEEE standard, the (possibly)
9325 upcoming Revised^5 Report on Scheme, and many extant Scheme
9328 Guile used to have #f and '() denote the same object, to make Scheme's
9329 type system more compatible with Emacs Lisp's. However, the change
9330 caused too much trouble for Scheme programmers, and we found another
9331 way to reconcile Emacs Lisp with Scheme that didn't require this.
9334 ** Guile's delq, delv, delete functions, and their destructive
9335 counterparts, delq!, delv!, and delete!, now remove all matching
9336 elements from the list, not just the first. This matches the behavior
9337 of the corresponding Emacs Lisp functions, and (I believe) the Maclisp
9338 functions which inspired them.
9340 I recognize that this change may break code in subtle ways, but it
9341 seems best to make the change before the FSF's first Guile release,
9345 ** The compiled-library-path function has been deleted from libguile.
9347 ** The facilities for loading Scheme source files have changed.
9349 *** The variable %load-path now tells Guile which directories to search
9350 for Scheme code. Its value is a list of strings, each of which names
9353 *** The variable %load-extensions now tells Guile which extensions to
9354 try appending to a filename when searching the load path. Its value
9355 is a list of strings. Its default value is ("" ".scm").
9357 *** (%search-load-path FILENAME) searches the directories listed in the
9358 value of the %load-path variable for a Scheme file named FILENAME,
9359 with all the extensions listed in %load-extensions. If it finds a
9360 match, then it returns its full filename. If FILENAME is absolute, it
9361 returns it unchanged. Otherwise, it returns #f.
9363 %search-load-path will not return matches that refer to directories.
9365 *** (primitive-load FILENAME :optional CASE-INSENSITIVE-P SHARP)
9366 uses %seach-load-path to find a file named FILENAME, and loads it if
9367 it finds it. If it can't read FILENAME for any reason, it throws an
9370 The arguments CASE-INSENSITIVE-P and SHARP are interpreted as by the
9373 *** load uses the same searching semantics as primitive-load.
9375 *** The functions %try-load, try-load-with-path, %load, load-with-path,
9376 basic-try-load-with-path, basic-load-with-path, try-load-module-with-
9377 path, and load-module-with-path have been deleted. The functions
9378 above should serve their purposes.
9380 *** If the value of the variable %load-hook is a procedure,
9381 `primitive-load' applies its value to the name of the file being
9382 loaded (without the load path directory name prepended). If its value
9383 is #f, it is ignored. Otherwise, an error occurs.
9385 This is mostly useful for printing load notification messages.
9388 ** The function `eval!' is no longer accessible from the scheme level.
9389 We can't allow operations which introduce glocs into the scheme level,
9390 because Guile's type system can't handle these as data. Use `eval' or
9391 `read-and-eval!' (see below) as replacement.
9393 ** The new function read-and-eval! reads an expression from PORT,
9394 evaluates it, and returns the result. This is more efficient than
9395 simply calling `read' and `eval', since it is not necessary to make a
9396 copy of the expression for the evaluator to munge.
9398 Its optional arguments CASE_INSENSITIVE_P and SHARP are interpreted as
9399 for the `read' function.
9402 ** The function `int?' has been removed; its definition was identical
9403 to that of `integer?'.
9405 ** The functions `<?', `<?', `<=?', `=?', `>?', and `>=?'. Code should
9406 use the R4RS names for these functions.
9408 ** The function object-properties no longer returns the hash handle;
9409 it simply returns the object's property list.
9411 ** Many functions have been changed to throw errors, instead of
9412 returning #f on failure. The point of providing exception handling in
9413 the language is to simplify the logic of user code, but this is less
9414 useful if Guile's primitives don't throw exceptions.
9416 ** The function `fileno' has been renamed from `%fileno'.
9418 ** The function primitive-mode->fdes returns #t or #f now, not 1 or 0.
9421 * Changes to Guile's C interface:
9423 ** The library's initialization procedure has been simplified.
9424 scm_boot_guile now has the prototype:
9426 void scm_boot_guile (int ARGC,
9428 void (*main_func) (),
9431 scm_boot_guile calls MAIN_FUNC, passing it CLOSURE, ARGC, and ARGV.
9432 MAIN_FUNC should do all the work of the program (initializing other
9433 packages, reading user input, etc.) before returning. When MAIN_FUNC
9434 returns, call exit (0); this function never returns. If you want some
9435 other exit value, MAIN_FUNC may call exit itself.
9437 scm_boot_guile arranges for program-arguments to return the strings
9438 given by ARGC and ARGV. If MAIN_FUNC modifies ARGC/ARGV, should call
9439 scm_set_program_arguments with the final list, so Scheme code will
9440 know which arguments have been processed.
9442 scm_boot_guile establishes a catch-all catch handler which prints an
9443 error message and exits the process. This means that Guile exits in a
9444 coherent way when system errors occur and the user isn't prepared to
9445 handle it. If the user doesn't like this behavior, they can establish
9446 their own universal catcher in MAIN_FUNC to shadow this one.
9448 Why must the caller do all the real work from MAIN_FUNC? The garbage
9449 collector assumes that all local variables of type SCM will be above
9450 scm_boot_guile's stack frame on the stack. If you try to manipulate
9451 SCM values after this function returns, it's the luck of the draw
9452 whether the GC will be able to find the objects you allocate. So,
9453 scm_boot_guile function exits, rather than returning, to discourage
9454 people from making that mistake.
9456 The IN, OUT, and ERR arguments were removed; there are other
9457 convenient ways to override these when desired.
9459 The RESULT argument was deleted; this function should never return.
9461 The BOOT_CMD argument was deleted; the MAIN_FUNC argument is more
9465 ** Guile's header files should no longer conflict with your system's
9468 In order to compile code which #included <libguile.h>, previous
9469 versions of Guile required you to add a directory containing all the
9470 Guile header files to your #include path. This was a problem, since
9471 Guile's header files have names which conflict with many systems'
9474 Now only <libguile.h> need appear in your #include path; you must
9475 refer to all Guile's other header files as <libguile/mumble.h>.
9476 Guile's installation procedure puts libguile.h in $(includedir), and
9477 the rest in $(includedir)/libguile.
9480 ** Two new C functions, scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect_object,
9481 have been added to the Guile library.
9483 scm_protect_object (OBJ) protects OBJ from the garbage collector.
9484 OBJ will not be freed, even if all other references are dropped,
9485 until someone does scm_unprotect_object (OBJ). Both functions
9488 Note that calls to scm_protect_object do not nest. You can call
9489 scm_protect_object any number of times on a given object, and the
9490 next call to scm_unprotect_object will unprotect it completely.
9492 Basically, scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect_object just
9493 maintain a list of references to things. Since the GC knows about
9494 this list, all objects it mentions stay alive. scm_protect_object
9495 adds its argument to the list; scm_unprotect_object remove its
9496 argument from the list.
9499 ** scm_eval_0str now returns the value of the last expression
9502 ** The new function scm_read_0str reads an s-expression from a
9503 null-terminated string, and returns it.
9505 ** The new function `scm_stdio_to_port' converts a STDIO file pointer
9506 to a Scheme port object.
9508 ** The new function `scm_set_program_arguments' allows C code to set
9509 the value returned by the Scheme `program-arguments' function.
9514 * Guile no longer includes sophisticated Tcl/Tk support.
9516 The old Tcl/Tk support was unsatisfying to us, because it required the
9517 user to link against the Tcl library, as well as Tk and Guile. The
9518 interface was also un-lispy, in that it preserved Tcl/Tk's practice of
9519 referring to widgets by names, rather than exporting widgets to Scheme
9520 code as a special datatype.
9522 In the Usenix Tk Developer's Workshop held in July 1996, the Tcl/Tk
9523 maintainers described some very interesting changes in progress to the
9524 Tcl/Tk internals, which would facilitate clean interfaces between lone
9525 Tk and other interpreters --- even for garbage-collected languages
9526 like Scheme. They expected the new Tk to be publicly available in the
9529 Since it seems that Guile might soon have a new, cleaner interface to
9530 lone Tk, and that the old Guile/Tk glue code would probably need to be
9531 completely rewritten, we (Jim Blandy and Richard Stallman) have
9532 decided not to support the old code. We'll spend the time instead on
9533 a good interface to the newer Tk, as soon as it is available.
9535 Until then, gtcltk-lib provides trivial, low-maintenance functionality.
9538 Copyright information:
9540 Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
9542 Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies
9543 of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the
9544 copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved,
9545 thus giving the recipient permission to redistribute in turn.
9547 Permission is granted to distribute modified versions
9548 of this document, or of portions of it,
9549 under the above conditions, provided also that they
9550 carry prominent notices stating who last changed them.
9555 paragraph-separate: "[
\f]*$"