1 Guile NEWS --- history of user-visible changes.
2 Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 See the end for copying conditions.
5 Please send Guile bug reports to bug-guile@gnu.org.
8 (During the 1.9 series, we will keep an incremental NEWS for the latest
9 prerelease, and a full NEWS corresponding to 1.8 -> 2.0.)
11 Changes in 1.9.3 (since the 1.9.2 prerelease):
13 ** SRFI-14 char-sets are modified for Unicode
15 The default char-sets are not longer locale dependent and contain
16 characters from the whole Unicode range. There is a new char-set,
17 char-set:designated, which contains all assigned Unicode characters.
18 There is a new debugging function: %char-set-dump.
20 ** Character functions operate on Unicode characters
22 char-upcase and char-downcase use default Unicode casing rules.
23 Character comparisons such as char<? and char-ci<? are now sorting
24 based on Unicode code points.
26 ** Removed deprecated uniform array procedures: scm_make_uve,
27 scm_array_prototype, scm_list_to_uniform_array,
28 scm_dimensions_to_uniform_array, scm_make_ra, scm_shap2ra, scm_cvref,
29 scm_ra_set_contp, scm_aind, scm_raprin1
31 These functions have been deprecated since early 2005.
33 ** scm_array_p has one argument, not two
35 Use of the second argument produced a deprecation warning, so it is
36 unlikely that any code out there actually used this functionality.
38 ** Removed deprecated uniform array procedures:
39 dimensions->uniform-array, list->uniform-array, array-prototype
41 Instead, use make-typed-array, list->typed-array, or array-type,
44 ** And of course, the usual collection of bugfixes
46 Interested users should see the ChangeLog for more information.
48 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
50 ** New readline history functions
52 The (ice-9 readline) module now provides add-history, read-history,
53 write-history and clear-history, which wrap the corresponding GNU
54 History library functions.
57 Changes in 1.9.x (since the 1.8.x series):
59 * New modules (see the manual for details)
61 ** `(srfi srfi-18)', more sophisticated multithreading support
62 ** `(ice-9 i18n)', internationalization support
63 ** `(rnrs bytevector)', the R6RS bytevector API
64 ** `(rnrs io ports)', a subset of the R6RS I/O port API
65 ** `(system xref)', a cross-referencing facility (FIXME undocumented)
67 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
69 ** Guile now can compile Scheme to bytecode for a custom virtual machine.
71 Compiled code loads much faster than Scheme source code, and runs around
72 3 or 4 times as fast, generating much less garbage in the process.
74 ** The stack limit is now initialized from the environment.
76 If getrlimit(2) is available and a stack limit is set, Guile will set
77 its stack limit to 80% of the rlimit. Otherwise the limit is 160000
78 words, a four-fold increase from the earlier default limit.
80 ** New environment variables: GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH,
81 GUILE_SYSTEM_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH
83 GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH is for compiled files what GUILE_LOAD_PATH is
84 for source files. It is a different path, however, because compiled
85 files are architecture-specific. GUILE_SYSTEM_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH is like
88 ** New read-eval-print loop (REPL) implementation
90 Running Guile with no arguments drops the user into the new REPL. While
91 it is self-documenting to an extent, the new REPL has not yet been
92 documented in the manual. This will be fixed before 2.0.
94 ** New `guile-tools' commands: `compile', `disassemble'
96 Pass the `--help' command-line option to these commands for more
99 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
101 ** Procedure removed: `the-environment'
103 This procedure was part of the interpreter's execution model, and does
104 not apply to the compiler.
106 ** Files loaded with `primitive-load-path' will now be compiled
109 If a compiled .go file corresponding to a .scm file is not found or is
110 not fresh, the .scm file will be compiled on the fly, and the resulting
111 .go file stored away. An advisory note will be printed on the console.
113 Note that this mechanism depends on preservation of the .scm and .go
114 modification times; if the .scm or .go files are moved after
115 installation, care should be taken to preserve their original
118 Autocompiled files will be stored in the $XDG_CACHE_HOME/guile/ccache
119 directory, where $XDG_CACHE_HOME defaults to ~/.cache. This directory
120 will be created if needed.
122 To inhibit autocompilation, set the GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE environment
123 variable to 0, or pass --no-autocompile on the Guile command line.
125 Note that there is currently a bug here: automatic compilation will
126 sometimes be attempted when it shouldn't.
128 For example, the old (lang elisp) modules are meant to be interpreted,
129 not compiled. This bug will be fixed before 2.0. FIXME 2.0: Should say
130 something here about module-transformer called for compile.
132 ** New POSIX procedures: `getrlimit' and `setrlimit'
134 Note however that the interface of these functions is likely to change
135 in the next prerelease.
137 ** New procedure in `(oops goops)': `method-formals'
139 ** BUG: (procedure-property func 'arity) does not work on compiled
142 This will be fixed one way or another before 2.0.
144 ** New procedures in (ice-9 session): `add-value-help-handler!',
145 `remove-value-help-handler!', `add-name-help-handler!'
146 `remove-name-help-handler!', `procedure-arguments',
148 The value and name help handlers provide some minimal extensibility to
149 the help interface. Guile-lib's `(texinfo reflection)' uses them, for
150 example, to make stexinfo help documentation available. See those
151 procedures' docstrings for more information.
153 `procedure-arguments' describes the arguments that a procedure can take,
154 combining arity and formals. For example:
156 (procedure-arguments resolve-interface)
157 => ((required . (name)) (rest . args))
159 Additionally, `module-commentary' is now publically exported from
162 ** Deprecated: `procedure->memoizing-macro', `procedure->syntax'
164 These procedures will not work with syncase expansion, and indeed are
165 not used in the normal course of Guile. They are still used by the old
166 Emacs Lisp support, however.
168 ** New language: ECMAScript
170 Guile now ships with one other high-level language supported,
171 ECMAScript. The goal is to support all of version 3.1 of the standard,
172 but not all of the libraries are there yet. This support is not yet
173 documented; ask on the mailing list if you are interested.
175 ** New language: Brainfuck
177 Brainfuck is a toy language that closely models Turing machines. Guile's
178 brainfuck compiler is meant to be an example of implementing other
179 languages. See the manual for details, or
180 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainfuck for more information about the
181 Brainfuck language itself.
183 ** Defmacros may now have docstrings.
185 Indeed, any macro may have a docstring. `object-documentation' from
186 `(ice-9 documentation)' may be used to retrieve the docstring, once you
187 have a macro value -- but see the above note about first-class macros.
188 Docstrings are associated with the syntax transformer procedures.
190 ** The psyntax expander now knows how to interpret the @ and @@ special
193 ** The psyntax expander is now hygienic with respect to modules.
195 Free variables in a macro are scoped in the module that the macro was
196 defined in, not in the module the macro is used in. For example, code
199 (define-module (foo) #:export (bar))
200 (define (helper x) ...)
202 (syntax-rules () ((_ x) (helper x))))
204 (define-module (baz) #:use-module (foo))
207 It used to be you had to export `helper' from `(foo)' as well.
208 Thankfully, this has been fixed.
210 ** New function, `procedure-module'
212 While useful on its own, `procedure-module' is used by psyntax on syntax
213 transformers to determine the module in which to scope introduced
216 ** `eval-case' has been deprecated, and replaced by `eval-when'.
218 The semantics of `eval-when' are easier to understand. It is still
219 missing documentation, however.
221 ** Guile is now more strict about prohibiting definitions in expression
224 Although previous versions of Guile accepted it, the following
225 expression is not valid, in R5RS or R6RS:
227 (if test (define foo 'bar) (define foo 'baz))
229 In this specific case, it would be better to do:
231 (define foo (if test 'bar 'baz))
233 It is certainly possible to circumvent this resriction with e.g.
234 `(module-define! (current-module) 'foo 'baz)'. We would appreciate
235 feedback about this change (a consequence of using psyntax as the
236 default expander), and may choose to revisit this situation before 2.0
237 in response to user feedback.
239 ** Defmacros must now produce valid Scheme expressions.
241 It used to be that defmacros could unquote in Scheme values, as a way of
242 supporting partial evaluation, and avoiding some hygiene issues. For
245 (define (helper x) ...)
246 (define-macro (foo bar)
249 Assuming this macro is in the `(baz)' module, the direct translation of
252 (define (helper x) ...)
253 (define-macro (foo bar)
254 `((@@ (baz) helper) ,bar))
256 Of course, one could just use a hygienic macro instead:
260 ((_ bar) (helper bar))))
262 ** Guile's psyntax now supports docstrings and internal definitions.
264 The following Scheme is not strictly legal:
271 However its intent is fairly clear. Guile interprets "bar" to be the
272 docstring of `foo', and the definition of `baz' is still in definition
275 ** Macros need to be defined before their first use.
277 It used to be that with lazy memoization, this might work:
281 (define-macro (ref x) x)
284 But now, the body of `foo' is interpreted to mean a call to the toplevel
285 `ref' function, instead of a macro expansion. The solution is to define
286 macros before code that uses them.
288 ** Functions needed by macros at expand-time need to be present at
291 For example, this code will work at the REPL:
293 (define (double-helper x) (* x x))
294 (define-macro (double-literal x) (double-helper x))
295 (double-literal 2) => 4
297 But it will not work when a file is compiled, because the definition of
298 `double-helper' is not present at expand-time. The solution is to wrap
299 the definition of `double-helper' in `eval-when':
301 (eval-when (load compile eval)
302 (define (double-helper x) (* x x)))
303 (define-macro (double-literal x) (double-helper x))
304 (double-literal 2) => 4
306 See the (currently missing) documentation for eval-when for more
309 ** New variable, %pre-modules-transformer
311 Need to document this one some more.
313 ** Temporarily removed functions: `macroexpand', `macroexpand-1'
315 `macroexpand' will be added back before 2.0. It is unclear how to
316 implement `macroexpand-1' with syntax-case, though PLT Scheme does prove
319 ** New reader macros: #' #` #, #,@
321 These macros translate, respectively, to `syntax', `quasisyntax',
322 `unsyntax', and `unsyntax-splicing'. See the R6RS for more information.
323 These reader macros may be overridden by `read-hash-extend'.
325 ** Incompatible change to #'
327 Guile did have a #' hash-extension, by default, which just returned the
328 subsequent datum: #'foo => foo. In the unlikely event that anyone
329 actually used this, this behavior may be reinstated via the
330 `read-hash-extend' mechanism.
332 ** Scheme expresssions may be commented out with #;
334 #; comments out an entire expression. See SRFI-62 or the R6RS for more
337 ** `make-stack' with a tail-called procedural narrowing argument no longer
338 works (with compiled procedures)
340 It used to be the case that a captured stack could be narrowed to select
341 calls only up to or from a certain procedure, even if that procedure
342 already tail-called another procedure. This was because the debug
343 information from the original procedure was kept on the stack.
345 Now with the new compiler, the stack only contains active frames from
346 the current continuation. A narrow to a procedure that is not in the
347 stack will result in an empty stack. To fix this, narrow to a procedure
348 that is active in the current continuation, or narrow to a specific
349 number of stack frames.
351 ** backtraces through compiled procedures only show procedures that are
352 active in the current continuation
354 Similarly to the previous issue, backtraces in compiled code may be
355 different from backtraces in interpreted code. There are no semantic
356 differences, however. Please mail bug-guile@gnu.org if you see any
357 deficiencies with Guile's backtraces.
359 ** syntax-rules and syntax-case macros now propagate source information
360 through to the expanded code
362 This should result in better backtraces.
364 ** The currying behavior of `define' has been removed.
366 Before, `(define ((f a) b) (* a b))' would translate to
368 (define f (lambda (a) (lambda (b) (* a b))))
370 Now a syntax error is signaled, as this syntax is not supported by
371 default. If there is sufficient demand, this syntax can be supported
374 ** All modules have names now
376 Before, you could have anonymous modules: modules without names. Now,
377 because of hygiene and macros, all modules have names. If a module was
378 created without a name, the first time `module-name' is called on it, a
379 fresh name will be lazily generated for it.
381 ** Many syntax errors have different texts now
383 Syntax errors still throw to the `syntax-error' key, but the arguments
384 are often different now. Perhaps in the future, Guile will switch to
385 using standard SRFI-35 conditions.
387 ** Returning multiple values to compiled code will silently truncate the
388 values to the expected number
390 For example, the interpreter would raise an error evaluating the form,
391 `(+ (values 1 2) (values 3 4))', because it would see the operands as
392 being two compound "values" objects, to which `+' does not apply.
394 The compiler, on the other hand, receives multiple values on the stack,
395 not as a compound object. Given that it must check the number of values
396 anyway, if too many values are provided for a continuation, it chooses
397 to truncate those values, effectively evaluating `(+ 1 3)' instead.
399 The idea is that the semantics that the compiler implements is more
400 intuitive, and the use of the interpreter will fade out with time.
401 This behavior is allowed both by the R5RS and the R6RS.
403 ** Multiple values in compiled code are not represented by compound
406 This change may manifest itself in the following situation:
408 (let ((val (foo))) (do-something) val)
410 In the interpreter, if `foo' returns multiple values, multiple values
411 are produced from the `let' expression. In the compiler, those values
412 are truncated to the first value, and that first value is returned. In
413 the compiler, if `foo' returns no values, an error will be raised, while
414 the interpreter would proceed.
416 Both of these behaviors are allowed by R5RS and R6RS. The compiler's
417 behavior is more correct, however. If you wish to preserve a potentially
418 multiply-valued return, you will need to set up a multiple-value
419 continuation, using `call-with-values'.
421 ** Defmacros are now implemented in terms of syntax-case.
423 The practical ramification of this is that the `defmacro?' predicate has
424 been removed, along with `defmacro-transformer', `macro-table',
425 `xformer-table', `assert-defmacro?!', `set-defmacro-transformer!' and
426 `defmacro:transformer'. This is because defmacros are simply macros. If
427 any of these procedures provided useful facilities to you, we encourage
428 you to contact the Guile developers.
430 ** psyntax is now the default expander
432 Scheme code is now expanded by default by the psyntax hygienic macro
433 expander. Expansion is performed completely before compilation or
436 Notably, syntax errors will be signalled before interpretation begins.
437 In the past, many syntax errors were only detected at runtime if the
438 code in question was memoized.
440 As part of its expansion, psyntax renames all lexically-bound
441 identifiers. Original identifier names are preserved and given to the
442 compiler, but the interpreter will see the renamed variables, e.g.,
443 `x432' instead of `x'.
445 Note that the psyntax that Guile uses is a fork, as Guile already had
446 modules before incompatible modules were added to psyntax -- about 10
447 years ago! Thus there are surely a number of bugs that have been fixed
448 in psyntax since then. If you find one, please notify bug-guile@gnu.org.
450 ** syntax-rules and syntax-case are available by default.
452 There is no longer any need to import the `(ice-9 syncase)' module
453 (which is now deprecated). The expander may be invoked directly via
454 `sc-expand', though it is normally searched for via the current module
457 Also, the helper routines for syntax-case are available in the default
458 environment as well: `syntax->datum', `datum->syntax',
459 `bound-identifier=?', `free-identifier=?', `generate-temporaries',
460 `identifier?', and `syntax-violation'. See the R6RS for documentation.
462 ** Lexical bindings introduced by hygienic macros may not be referenced
463 by nonhygienic macros.
465 If a lexical binding is introduced by a hygienic macro, it may not be
466 referenced by a nonhygienic macro. For example, this works:
469 (define-macro (bind-x val body)
470 `(let ((x ,val)) ,body))
471 (define-macro (ref x)
478 (define-syntax bind-x
480 ((_ val body) (let ((x val)) body))))
481 (define-macro (ref x)
485 It is not normal to run into this situation with existing code. However,
486 as code is ported over from defmacros to syntax-case, it is possible to
487 run into situations like this. In the future, Guile will probably port
488 its `while' macro to syntax-case, which makes this issue one to know
491 ** Macros may no longer be referenced as first-class values.
493 In the past, you could evaluate e.g. `if', and get its macro value. Now,
494 expanding this form raises a syntax error.
496 Macros still /exist/ as first-class values, but they must be
497 /referenced/ via the module system, e.g. `(module-ref (current-module)
500 This decision may be revisited before the 2.0 release. Feedback welcome
501 to guile-devel@gnu.org (subscription required) or bug-guile@gnu.org (no
502 subscription required).
504 ** Unicode characters
506 Unicode characters may be entered in octal format via e.g. `#\454', or
507 created via (integer->char 300). A hex external representation will
508 probably be introduced at some point.
512 Internally, strings are now represented either in the `latin-1'
513 encoding, one byte per character, or in UTF-32, with four bytes per
514 character. Strings manage their own allocation, switching if needed.
516 Currently no locale conversion is performed. Extended characters may be
517 written in a string using the hexadecimal escapes `\xXX', `\uXXXX', or
518 `\UXXXXXX', for 8-bit, 16-bit, or 24-bit codepoints, respectively.
520 ** Global variables `scm_charnames' and `scm_charnums' are removed
522 These variables contained the names of control characters and were
523 used when writing characters. While these were global, they were
524 never intended to be public API. They have been replaced with private
527 ** EBCDIC support is removed
529 There was an EBCDIC compile flag that altered some of the character
530 processing. It appeared that full EBCDIC support was never completed
531 and was unmaintained.
533 ** New macro type: syncase-macro
535 XXX Need to decide whether to document this for 2.0, probably should:
536 make-syncase-macro, make-extended-syncase-macro, macro-type,
537 syncase-macro-type, syncase-macro-binding
539 ** A new `memoize-symbol' evaluator trap has been added.
541 This trap can be used for efficiently implementing a Scheme code
544 ** Duplicate bindings among used modules are resolved lazily.
546 This slightly improves program startup times.
548 ** New thread cancellation and thread cleanup API
550 See `cancel-thread', `set-thread-cleanup!', and `thread-cleanup'.
552 ** Fix bad interaction between `false-if-exception' and stack-call.
554 Exceptions thrown by `false-if-exception' were erronously causing the
555 stack to be saved, causing later errors to show the incorrectly-saved
556 backtrace. This has been fixed.
558 ** New global variables: %load-compiled-path, %load-compiled-extensions
560 These are analogous to %load-path and %load-extensions.
562 ** New procedure, `make-promise'
564 `(make-promise (lambda () foo))' is equivalent to `(delay foo)'.
566 ** `defined?' may accept a module as its second argument
568 Previously it only accepted internal structures from the evaluator.
570 ** New entry into %guile-build-info: `ccachedir'
572 ** Fix bug in `module-bound?'.
574 `module-bound?' was returning true if a module did have a local
575 variable, but one that was unbound, but another imported module bound
576 the variable. This was an error, and was fixed.
578 ** `(ice-9 syncase)' has been deprecated.
580 As syntax-case is available by default, importing `(ice-9 syncase)' has
581 no effect, and will trigger a deprecation warning.
583 ** Removed deprecated uniform array procedures:
584 dimensions->uniform-array, list->uniform-array, array-prototype
586 Instead, use make-typed-array, list->typed-array, or array-type,
589 * Changes to the C interface
591 ** The GH interface (deprecated in version 1.6, 2001) was removed.
593 ** Internal `scm_i_' functions now have "hidden" linkage with GCC/ELF
595 This makes these internal functions technically not callable from
598 ** Functions for handling `scm_option' now no longer require an argument
599 indicating length of the `scm_t_option' array.
601 ** scm_primitive_load_path has additional argument, exception_on_error
603 ** New C function: scm_module_public_interface
605 This procedure corresponds to Scheme's `module-public-interface'.
607 ** `scm_stat' has an additional argument, `exception_on_error'
608 ** `scm_primitive_load_path' has an additional argument `exception_on_not_found'
610 ** `scm_set_port_seek' and `scm_set_port_truncate' use the `scm_t_off' type
612 Previously they would use the `off_t' type, which is fragile since its
613 definition depends on the application's value for `_FILE_OFFSET_BITS'.
615 ** The `long_long' C type, deprecated in 1.8, has been removed
617 ** Removed deprecated uniform array procedures: scm_make_uve,
618 scm_array_prototype, scm_list_to_uniform_array,
619 scm_dimensions_to_uniform_array, scm_make_ra, scm_shap2ra, scm_cvref,
620 scm_ra_set_contp, scm_aind, scm_raprin1
622 These functions have been deprecated since early 2005.
624 ** scm_array_p has one argument, not two
626 Use of the second argument produced a deprecation warning, so it is
627 unlikely that any code out there actually used this functionality.
629 * Changes to the distribution
631 ** Guile's license is now LGPLv3+
633 In other words the GNU Lesser General Public License, version 3 or
634 later (at the discretion of each person that chooses to redistribute
637 ** `guile-config' will be deprecated in favor of `pkg-config'
639 `guile-config' has been rewritten to get its information from
640 `pkg-config', so this should be a transparent change. Note however that
641 guile.m4 has yet to be modified to call pkg-config instead of
644 ** Guile now provides `guile-2.0.pc' instead of `guile-1.8.pc'
646 Programs that use `pkg-config' to find Guile or one of its Autoconf
647 macros should now require `guile-2.0' instead of `guile-1.8'.
649 ** New installation directory: $(pkglibdir)/1.9/ccache
651 If $(libdir) is /usr/lib, for example, Guile will install its .go files
652 to /usr/lib/guile/1.9/ccache. These files are architecture-specific.
654 ** New dependency: GNU libunistring.
656 See http://www.gnu.org/software/libunistring/, for more information. Our
657 unicode support uses routines from libunistring.
661 Changes in 1.8.8 (since 1.8.7)
665 ** Fix possible buffer overruns when parsing numbers
666 ** Avoid clash with system setjmp/longjmp on IA64
669 Changes in 1.8.7 (since 1.8.6)
671 * New modules (see the manual for details)
673 ** `(srfi srfi-98)', an interface to access environment variables
677 ** Fix compilation with `--disable-deprecated'
678 ** Fix %fast-slot-ref/set!, to avoid possible segmentation fault
679 ** Fix MinGW build problem caused by HAVE_STRUCT_TIMESPEC confusion
680 ** Fix build problem when scm_t_timespec is different from struct timespec
681 ** Fix build when compiled with -Wundef -Werror
682 ** More build fixes for `alphaev56-dec-osf5.1b' (Tru64)
683 ** Build fixes for `powerpc-ibm-aix5.3.0.0' (AIX 5.3)
684 ** With GCC, always compile with `-mieee' on `alpha*' and `sh*'
685 ** Better diagnose broken `(strftime "%z" ...)' in `time.test' (bug #24130)
686 ** Fix parsing of SRFI-88/postfix keywords longer than 128 characters
687 ** Fix reading of complex numbers where both parts are inexact decimals
689 ** Allow @ macro to work with (ice-9 syncase)
691 Previously, use of the @ macro in a module whose code is being
692 transformed by (ice-9 syncase) would cause an "Invalid syntax" error.
693 Now it works as you would expect (giving the value of the specified
696 ** Have `scm_take_locale_symbol ()' return an interned symbol (bug #25865)
699 Changes in 1.8.6 (since 1.8.5)
701 * New features (see the manual for details)
703 ** New convenience function `scm_c_symbol_length ()'
705 ** Single stepping through code from Emacs
707 When you use GDS to evaluate Scheme code from Emacs, you can now use
708 `C-u' to indicate that you want to single step through that code. See
709 `Evaluating Scheme Code' in the manual for more details.
711 ** New "guile(1)" man page!
713 * Changes to the distribution
715 ** Automake's `AM_MAINTAINER_MODE' is no longer used
717 Thus, the `--enable-maintainer-mode' configure option is no longer
718 available: Guile is now always configured in "maintainer mode".
720 ** `ChangeLog' files are no longer updated
722 Instead, changes are detailed in the version control system's logs. See
723 the top-level `ChangeLog' files for details.
728 ** `symbol->string' now returns a read-only string, as per R5RS
729 ** Fix incorrect handling of the FLAGS argument of `fold-matches'
730 ** `guile-config link' now prints `-L$libdir' before `-lguile'
731 ** Fix memory corruption involving GOOPS' `class-redefinition'
732 ** Fix possible deadlock in `mutex-lock'
733 ** Fix build issue on Tru64 and ia64-hp-hpux11.23 (`SCM_UNPACK' macro)
734 ** Fix build issue on mips, mipsel, powerpc and ia64 (stack direction)
735 ** Fix build issue on hppa2.0w-hp-hpux11.11 (`dirent64' and `readdir64_r')
736 ** Fix build issue on i386-unknown-freebsd7.0 ("break strict-aliasing rules")
737 ** Fix misleading output from `(help rationalize)'
738 ** Fix build failure on Debian hppa architecture (bad stack growth detection)
739 ** Fix `gcd' when called with a single, negative argument.
740 ** Fix `Stack overflow' errors seen when building on some platforms
741 ** Fix bug when `scm_with_guile ()' was called several times from the
743 ** The handler of SRFI-34 `with-exception-handler' is now invoked in the
744 dynamic environment of the call to `raise'
745 ** Fix potential deadlock in `make-struct'
746 ** Fix compilation problem with libltdl from Libtool 2.2.x
747 ** Fix sloppy bound checking in `string-{ref,set!}' with the empty string
750 Changes in 1.8.5 (since 1.8.4)
752 * Infrastructure changes
754 ** Guile repository switched from CVS to Git
756 The new repository can be accessed using
757 "git-clone git://git.sv.gnu.org/guile.git", or can be browsed on-line at
758 http://git.sv.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=guile.git . See `README' for details.
760 ** Add support for `pkg-config'
762 See "Autoconf Support" in the manual for details.
764 * New modules (see the manual for details)
768 * New features (see the manual for details)
770 ** New `postfix' read option, for SRFI-88 keyword syntax
771 ** Some I/O primitives have been inlined, which improves I/O performance
772 ** New object-based traps infrastructure
774 This is a GOOPS-based infrastructure that builds on Guile's low-level
775 evaluator trap calls and facilitates the development of debugging
776 features like single-stepping, breakpoints, tracing and profiling.
777 See the `Traps' node of the manual for details.
779 ** New support for working on Guile code from within Emacs
781 Guile now incorporates the `GDS' library (previously distributed
782 separately) for working on Guile code from within Emacs. See the
783 `Using Guile In Emacs' node of the manual for details.
787 ** `scm_add_slot ()' no longer segfaults (fixes bug #22369)
788 ** Fixed `(ice-9 match)' for patterns like `((_ ...) ...)'
790 Previously, expressions like `(match '((foo) (bar)) (((_ ...) ...) #t))'
791 would trigger an unbound variable error for `match:andmap'.
793 ** `(oop goops describe)' now properly provides the `describe' feature
794 ** Fixed `args-fold' from `(srfi srfi-37)'
796 Previously, parsing short option names of argument-less options would
797 lead to a stack overflow.
799 ** `(srfi srfi-35)' is now visible through `cond-expand'
800 ** Fixed type-checking for the second argument of `eval'
801 ** Fixed type-checking for SRFI-1 `partition'
802 ** Fixed `struct-ref' and `struct-set!' on "light structs"
803 ** Honor struct field access rights in GOOPS
804 ** Changed the storage strategy of source properties, which fixes a deadlock
805 ** Allow compilation of Guile-using programs in C99 mode with GCC 4.3 and later
806 ** Fixed build issue for GNU/Linux on IA64
807 ** Fixed build issues on NetBSD 1.6
808 ** Fixed build issue on Solaris 2.10 x86_64
809 ** Fixed build issue with DEC/Compaq/HP's compiler
810 ** Fixed `scm_from_complex_double' build issue on FreeBSD
811 ** Fixed `alloca' build issue on FreeBSD 6
812 ** Removed use of non-portable makefile constructs
813 ** Fixed shadowing of libc's <random.h> on Tru64, which broke compilation
814 ** Make sure all tests honor `$TMPDIR'
817 Changes in 1.8.4 (since 1.8.3)
821 ** CR (ASCII 0x0d) is (again) recognized as a token delimiter by the reader
822 ** Fixed a segmentation fault which occurred when displaying the
823 backtrace of a stack with a promise object (made by `delay') in it.
824 ** Make `accept' leave guile mode while blocking
825 ** `scm_c_read ()' and `scm_c_write ()' now type-check their port argument
826 ** Fixed a build problem on AIX (use of func_data identifier)
827 ** Fixed a segmentation fault which occurred when hashx-ref or hashx-set! was
828 called with an associator proc that returns neither a pair nor #f.
829 ** Secondary threads now always return a valid module for (current-module).
830 ** Avoid MacOS build problems caused by incorrect combination of "64"
831 system and library calls.
832 ** `guile-snarf' now honors `$TMPDIR'
833 ** `guile-config compile' now reports CPPFLAGS used at compile-time
834 ** Fixed build with Sun Studio (Solaris 9)
835 ** Fixed wrong-type-arg errors when creating zero length SRFI-4
836 uniform vectors on AIX.
837 ** Fixed a deadlock that occurs upon GC with multiple threads.
838 ** Fixed compile problem with GCC on Solaris and AIX (use of _Complex_I)
839 ** Fixed autotool-derived build problems on AIX 6.1.
840 ** Fixed NetBSD/alpha support
841 ** Fixed MacOS build problem caused by use of rl_get_keymap(_name)
843 * New modules (see the manual for details)
847 * Documentation fixes and improvements
849 ** Removed premature breakpoint documentation
851 The features described are not available in the series of 1.8.x
852 releases, so the documentation was misleading and has been removed.
854 ** More about Guile's default *random-state* variable
856 ** GOOPS: more about how to use `next-method'
858 * Changes to the distribution
860 ** Corrected a few files that referred incorrectly to the old GPL + special exception licence
862 In fact Guile since 1.8.0 has been licensed with the GNU Lesser
863 General Public License, and the few incorrect files have now been
864 fixed to agree with the rest of the Guile distribution.
866 ** Removed unnecessary extra copies of COPYING*
868 The distribution now contains a single COPYING.LESSER at its top level.
871 Changes in 1.8.3 (since 1.8.2)
873 * New modules (see the manual for details)
880 ** The `(ice-9 slib)' module now works as expected
881 ** Expressions like "(set! 'x #t)" no longer yield a crash
882 ** Warnings about duplicate bindings now go to stderr
883 ** A memory leak in `make-socket-address' was fixed
884 ** Alignment issues (e.g., on SPARC) in network routines were fixed
885 ** A threading issue that showed up at least on NetBSD was fixed
886 ** Build problems on Solaris and IRIX fixed
888 * Implementation improvements
890 ** The reader is now faster, which reduces startup time
891 ** Procedures returned by `record-accessor' and `record-modifier' are faster
894 Changes in 1.8.2 (since 1.8.1):
896 * New procedures (see the manual for details)
898 ** set-program-arguments
901 * Incompatible changes
903 ** The body of a top-level `define' no longer sees the binding being created
905 In a top-level `define', the binding being created is no longer visible
906 from the `define' body. This breaks code like
907 "(define foo (begin (set! foo 1) (+ foo 1)))", where `foo' is now
908 unbound in the body. However, such code was not R5RS-compliant anyway,
913 ** Fractions were not `equal?' if stored in unreduced form.
914 (A subtle problem, since printing a value reduced it, making it work.)
915 ** srfi-60 `copy-bit' failed on 64-bit systems
916 ** "guile --use-srfi" option at the REPL can replace core functions
917 (Programs run with that option were ok, but in the interactive REPL
918 the core bindings got priority, preventing SRFI replacements or
920 ** `regexp-exec' doesn't abort() on #\nul in the input or bad flags arg
921 ** `kill' on mingw throws an error for a PID other than oneself
922 ** Procedure names are attached to procedure-with-setters
923 ** Array read syntax works with negative lower bound
924 ** `array-in-bounds?' fix if an array has different lower bounds on each index
925 ** `*' returns exact 0 for "(* inexact 0)"
926 This follows what it always did for "(* 0 inexact)".
927 ** SRFI-19: Value returned by `(current-time time-process)' was incorrect
928 ** SRFI-19: `date->julian-day' did not account for timezone offset
929 ** `ttyname' no longer crashes when passed a non-tty argument
930 ** `inet-ntop' no longer crashes on SPARC when passed an `AF_INET' address
931 ** Small memory leaks have been fixed in `make-fluid' and `add-history'
932 ** GOOPS: Fixed a bug in `method-more-specific?'
933 ** Build problems on Solaris fixed
934 ** Build problems on HP-UX IA64 fixed
935 ** Build problems on MinGW fixed
938 Changes in 1.8.1 (since 1.8.0):
940 * LFS functions are now used to access 64-bit files on 32-bit systems.
942 * New procedures (see the manual for details)
944 ** primitive-_exit - [Scheme] the-root-module
945 ** scm_primitive__exit - [C]
946 ** make-completion-function - [Scheme] (ice-9 readline)
947 ** scm_c_locale_stringn_to_number - [C]
948 ** scm_srfi1_append_reverse [C]
949 ** scm_srfi1_append_reverse_x [C]
957 ** Build problems have been fixed on MacOS, SunOS, and QNX.
959 ** `strftime' fix sign of %z timezone offset.
961 ** A one-dimensional array can now be 'equal?' to a vector.
963 ** Structures, records, and SRFI-9 records can now be compared with `equal?'.
965 ** SRFI-14 standard char sets are recomputed upon a successful `setlocale'.
967 ** `record-accessor' and `record-modifier' now have strict type checks.
969 Record accessor and modifier procedures now throw an error if the
970 record type of the record they're given is not the type expected.
971 (Previously accessors returned #f and modifiers silently did nothing).
973 ** It is now OK to use both autoload and use-modules on a given module.
975 ** `apply' checks the number of arguments more carefully on "0 or 1" funcs.
977 Previously there was no checking on primatives like make-vector that
978 accept "one or two" arguments. Now there is.
980 ** The srfi-1 assoc function now calls its equality predicate properly.
982 Previously srfi-1 assoc would call the equality predicate with the key
983 last. According to the SRFI, the key should be first.
985 ** A bug in n-par-for-each and n-for-each-par-map has been fixed.
987 ** The array-set! procedure no longer segfaults when given a bit vector.
989 ** Bugs in make-shared-array have been fixed.
991 ** string<? and friends now follow char<? etc order on 8-bit chars.
993 ** The format procedure now handles inf and nan values for ~f correctly.
995 ** exact->inexact should no longer overflow when given certain large fractions.
997 ** srfi-9 accessor and modifier procedures now have strict record type checks.
999 This matches the srfi-9 specification.
1001 ** (ice-9 ftw) procedures won't ignore different files with same inode number.
1003 Previously the (ice-9 ftw) procedures would ignore any file that had
1004 the same inode number as a file they had already seen, even if that
1005 file was on a different device.
1008 Changes in 1.8.0 (changes since the 1.6.x series):
1010 * Changes to the distribution
1012 ** Guile is now licensed with the GNU Lesser General Public License.
1014 ** The manual is now licensed with the GNU Free Documentation License.
1016 ** Guile now requires GNU MP (http://swox.com/gmp).
1018 Guile now uses the GNU MP library for arbitrary precision arithmetic.
1020 ** Guile now has separate private and public configuration headers.
1022 That is, things like HAVE_STRING_H no longer leak from Guile's
1025 ** Guile now provides and uses an "effective" version number.
1027 Guile now provides scm_effective_version and effective-version
1028 functions which return the "effective" version number. This is just
1029 the normal full version string without the final micro-version number,
1030 so the current effective-version is "1.8". The effective version
1031 should remain unchanged during a stable series, and should be used for
1032 items like the versioned share directory name
1033 i.e. /usr/share/guile/1.8.
1035 Providing an unchanging version number during a stable release for
1036 things like the versioned share directory can be particularly
1037 important for Guile "add-on" packages, since it provides a directory
1038 that they can install to that won't be changed out from under them
1039 with each micro release during a stable series.
1041 ** Thread implementation has changed.
1043 When you configure "--with-threads=null", you will get the usual
1044 threading API (call-with-new-thread, make-mutex, etc), but you can't
1045 actually create new threads. Also, "--with-threads=no" is now
1046 equivalent to "--with-threads=null". This means that the thread API
1047 is always present, although you might not be able to create new
1050 When you configure "--with-threads=pthreads" or "--with-threads=yes",
1051 you will get threads that are implemented with the portable POSIX
1052 threads. These threads can run concurrently (unlike the previous
1053 "coop" thread implementation), but need to cooperate for things like
1056 The default is "pthreads", unless your platform doesn't have pthreads,
1057 in which case "null" threads are used.
1059 See the manual for details, nodes "Initialization", "Multi-Threading",
1060 "Blocking", and others.
1062 ** There is the new notion of 'discouraged' features.
1064 This is a milder form of deprecation.
1066 Things that are discouraged should not be used in new code, but it is
1067 OK to leave them in old code for now. When a discouraged feature is
1068 used, no warning message is printed like there is for 'deprecated'
1069 features. Also, things that are merely discouraged are nevertheless
1070 implemented efficiently, while deprecated features can be very slow.
1072 You can omit discouraged features from libguile by configuring it with
1073 the '--disable-discouraged' option.
1075 ** Deprecation warnings can be controlled at run-time.
1077 (debug-enable 'warn-deprecated) switches them on and (debug-disable
1078 'warn-deprecated) switches them off.
1080 ** Support for SRFI 61, extended cond syntax for multiple values has
1083 This SRFI is always available.
1085 ** Support for require-extension, SRFI-55, has been added.
1087 The SRFI-55 special form `require-extension' has been added. It is
1088 available at startup, and provides a portable way to load Scheme
1089 extensions. SRFI-55 only requires support for one type of extension,
1090 "srfi"; so a set of SRFIs may be loaded via (require-extension (srfi 1
1093 ** New module (srfi srfi-26) provides support for `cut' and `cute'.
1095 The (srfi srfi-26) module is an implementation of SRFI-26 which
1096 provides the `cut' and `cute' syntax. These may be used to specialize
1097 parameters without currying.
1099 ** New module (srfi srfi-31)
1101 This is an implementation of SRFI-31 which provides a special form
1102 `rec' for recursive evaluation.
1104 ** The modules (srfi srfi-13), (srfi srfi-14) and (srfi srfi-4) have
1105 been merged with the core, making their functionality always
1108 The modules are still available, tho, and you could use them together
1109 with a renaming import, for example.
1111 ** Guile no longer includes its own version of libltdl.
1113 The official version is good enough now.
1115 ** The --enable-htmldoc option has been removed from 'configure'.
1117 Support for translating the documentation into HTML is now always
1118 provided. Use 'make html'.
1120 ** New module (ice-9 serialize):
1122 (serialize FORM1 ...) and (parallelize FORM1 ...) are useful when you
1123 don't trust the thread safety of most of your program, but where you
1124 have some section(s) of code which you consider can run in parallel to
1125 other sections. See ice-9/serialize.scm for more information.
1127 ** The configure option '--disable-arrays' has been removed.
1129 Support for arrays and uniform numeric arrays is now always included
1132 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
1134 ** New command line option `-L'.
1136 This option adds a directory to the front of the load path.
1138 ** New command line option `--no-debug'.
1140 Specifying `--no-debug' on the command line will keep the debugging
1141 evaluator turned off, even for interactive sessions.
1143 ** User-init file ~/.guile is now loaded with the debugging evaluator.
1145 Previously, the normal evaluator would have been used. Using the
1146 debugging evaluator gives better error messages.
1148 ** The '-e' option now 'read's its argument.
1150 This is to allow the new '(@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME)' construct to
1151 be used with '-e'. For example, you can now write a script like
1154 exec guile -e '(@ (demo) main)' -s "$0" "$@"
1157 (define-module (demo)
1161 (format #t "Demo: ~a~%" args))
1164 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
1166 ** Guardians have changed back to their original semantics
1168 Guardians now behave like described in the paper by Dybvig et al. In
1169 particular, they no longer make guarantees about the order in which
1170 they return objects, and they can no longer be greedy.
1172 They no longer drop cyclic data structures.
1174 The C function scm_make_guardian has been changed incompatibly and no
1175 longer takes the 'greedy_p' argument.
1177 ** New function hashx-remove!
1179 This function completes the set of 'hashx' functions.
1181 ** The concept of dynamic roots has been factored into continuation
1182 barriers and dynamic states.
1184 Each thread has a current dynamic state that carries the values of the
1185 fluids. You can create and copy dynamic states and use them as the
1186 second argument for 'eval'. See "Fluids and Dynamic States" in the
1189 To restrict the influence that captured continuations can have on the
1190 control flow, you can errect continuation barriers. See "Continuation
1191 Barriers" in the manual.
1193 The function call-with-dynamic-root now essentially temporarily
1194 installs a new dynamic state and errects a continuation barrier.
1196 ** The default load path no longer includes "." at the end.
1198 Automatically loading modules from the current directory should not
1199 happen by default. If you want to allow it in a more controlled
1200 manner, set the environment variable GUILE_LOAD_PATH or the Scheme
1201 variable %load-path.
1203 ** The uniform vector and array support has been overhauled.
1205 It now complies with SRFI-4 and the weird prototype based uniform
1206 array creation has been deprecated. See the manual for more details.
1208 Some non-compatible changes have been made:
1209 - characters can no longer be stored into byte arrays.
1210 - strings and bit vectors are no longer considered to be uniform numeric
1212 - array-rank throws an error for non-arrays instead of returning zero.
1213 - array-ref does no longer accept non-arrays when no indices are given.
1215 There is the new notion of 'generalized vectors' and corresponding
1216 procedures like 'generalized-vector-ref'. Generalized vectors include
1217 strings, bitvectors, ordinary vectors, and uniform numeric vectors.
1219 Arrays use generalized vectors as their storage, so that you still
1220 have arrays of characters, bits, etc. However, uniform-array-read!
1221 and uniform-array-write can no longer read/write strings and
1224 ** There is now support for copy-on-write substrings, mutation-sharing
1225 substrings and read-only strings.
1227 Three new procedures are related to this: substring/shared,
1228 substring/copy, and substring/read-only. See the manual for more
1231 ** Backtraces will now highlight the value that caused the error.
1233 By default, these values are enclosed in "{...}", such as in this
1242 <unnamed port>:1:1: In procedure car in expression (car (quote a)):
1243 <unnamed port>:1:1: Wrong type (expecting pair): a
1244 ABORT: (wrong-type-arg)
1246 The prefix and suffix used for highlighting can be set via the two new
1247 printer options 'highlight-prefix' and 'highlight-suffix'. For
1248 example, putting this into ~/.guile will output the bad value in bold
1249 on an ANSI terminal:
1251 (print-set! highlight-prefix "\x1b[1m")
1252 (print-set! highlight-suffix "\x1b[22m")
1255 ** 'gettext' support for internationalization has been added.
1257 See the manual for details.
1259 ** New syntax '@' and '@@':
1261 You can now directly refer to variables exported from a module by
1264 (@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME)
1266 For example (@ (ice-9 pretty-print) pretty-print) will directly access
1267 the pretty-print variable exported from the (ice-9 pretty-print)
1268 module. You don't need to 'use' that module first. You can also use
1269 '@' as a target of 'set!', as in (set! (@ mod var) val).
1271 The related syntax (@@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME) works just like '@',
1272 but it can also access variables that have not been exported. It is
1273 intended only for kluges and temporary fixes and for debugging, not
1276 ** Keyword syntax has been made more disciplined.
1278 Previously, the name of a keyword was read as a 'token' but printed as
1279 a symbol. Now, it is read as a general Scheme datum which must be a
1290 ERROR: In expression (a b c):
1294 ERROR: Unbound variable: foo
1299 ERROR: Wrong type (expecting symbol): 12
1303 ERROR: Wrong type (expecting symbol): (a b c)
1307 ** The printing of symbols that might look like keywords can be
1310 The new printer option 'quote-keywordish-symbols' controls how symbols
1311 are printed that have a colon as their first or last character. The
1312 default now is to only quote a symbol with #{...}# when the read
1313 option 'keywords' is not '#f'. Thus:
1315 guile> (define foo (string->symbol ":foo"))
1316 guile> (read-set! keywords #f)
1319 guile> (read-set! keywords 'prefix)
1322 guile> (print-set! quote-keywordish-symbols #f)
1326 ** 'while' now provides 'break' and 'continue'
1328 break and continue were previously bound in a while loop, but not
1329 documented, and continue didn't quite work properly. The undocumented
1330 parameter to break which gave a return value for the while has been
1333 ** 'call-with-current-continuation' is now also available under the name
1336 ** The module system now checks for duplicate bindings.
1338 The module system now can check for name conflicts among imported
1341 The behavior can be controlled by specifying one or more 'duplicates'
1342 handlers. For example, to make Guile return an error for every name
1345 (define-module (foo)
1350 The new default behavior of the module system when a name collision
1351 has been detected is to
1353 1. Give priority to bindings marked as a replacement.
1354 2. Issue a warning (different warning if overriding core binding).
1355 3. Give priority to the last encountered binding (this corresponds to
1358 If you want the old behavior back without replacements or warnings you
1361 (default-duplicate-binding-handler 'last)
1363 to your .guile init file.
1365 ** New define-module option: :replace
1367 :replace works as :export, but, in addition, marks the binding as a
1370 A typical example is `format' in (ice-9 format) which is a replacement
1371 for the core binding `format'.
1373 ** Adding prefixes to imported bindings in the module system
1375 There is now a new :use-module option :prefix. It can be used to add
1376 a prefix to all imported bindings.
1378 (define-module (foo)
1379 :use-module ((bar) :prefix bar:))
1381 will import all bindings exported from bar, but rename them by adding
1384 ** Conflicting generic functions can be automatically merged.
1386 When two imported bindings conflict and they are both generic
1387 functions, the two functions can now be merged automatically. This is
1388 activated with the 'duplicates' handler 'merge-generics'.
1390 ** New function: effective-version
1392 Returns the "effective" version number. This is just the normal full
1393 version string without the final micro-version number. See "Changes
1394 to the distribution" above.
1396 ** New threading functions: parallel, letpar, par-map, and friends
1398 These are convenient ways to run calculations in parallel in new
1399 threads. See "Parallel forms" in the manual for details.
1401 ** New function 'try-mutex'.
1403 This function will attempt to lock a mutex but will return immediately
1404 instead of blocking and indicate failure.
1406 ** Waiting on a condition variable can have a timeout.
1408 The function 'wait-condition-variable' now takes a third, optional
1409 argument that specifies the point in time where the waiting should be
1412 ** New function 'broadcast-condition-variable'.
1414 ** New functions 'all-threads' and 'current-thread'.
1416 ** Signals and system asyncs work better with threads.
1418 The function 'sigaction' now takes a fourth, optional, argument that
1419 specifies the thread that the handler should run in. When the
1420 argument is omitted, the handler will run in the thread that called
1423 Likewise, 'system-async-mark' takes a second, optional, argument that
1424 specifies the thread that the async should run in. When it is
1425 omitted, the async will run in the thread that called
1426 'system-async-mark'.
1428 C code can use the new functions scm_sigaction_for_thread and
1429 scm_system_async_mark_for_thread to pass the new thread argument.
1431 When a thread blocks on a mutex, a condition variable or is waiting
1432 for IO to be possible, it will still execute system asyncs. This can
1433 be used to interrupt such a thread by making it execute a 'throw', for
1436 ** The function 'system-async' is deprecated.
1438 You can now pass any zero-argument procedure to 'system-async-mark'.
1439 The function 'system-async' will just return its argument unchanged
1442 ** New functions 'call-with-blocked-asyncs' and
1443 'call-with-unblocked-asyncs'
1445 The expression (call-with-blocked-asyncs PROC) will call PROC and will
1446 block execution of system asyncs for the current thread by one level
1447 while PROC runs. Likewise, call-with-unblocked-asyncs will call a
1448 procedure and will unblock the execution of system asyncs by one
1449 level for the current thread.
1451 Only system asyncs are affected by these functions.
1453 ** The functions 'mask-signals' and 'unmask-signals' are deprecated.
1455 Use 'call-with-blocked-asyncs' or 'call-with-unblocked-asyncs'
1456 instead. Those functions are easier to use correctly and can be
1459 ** New function 'unsetenv'.
1461 ** New macro 'define-syntax-public'.
1463 It works like 'define-syntax' and also exports the defined macro (but
1466 ** There is support for Infinity and NaNs.
1468 Following PLT Scheme, Guile can now work with infinite numbers, and
1471 There is new syntax for numbers: "+inf.0" (infinity), "-inf.0"
1472 (negative infinity), "+nan.0" (not-a-number), and "-nan.0" (same as
1473 "+nan.0"). These numbers are inexact and have no exact counterpart.
1475 Dividing by an inexact zero returns +inf.0 or -inf.0, depending on the
1476 sign of the dividend. The infinities are integers, and they answer #t
1477 for both 'even?' and 'odd?'. The +nan.0 value is not an integer and is
1478 not '=' to itself, but '+nan.0' is 'eqv?' to itself.
1489 ERROR: Numerical overflow
1491 Two new predicates 'inf?' and 'nan?' can be used to test for the
1494 ** Inexact zero can have a sign.
1496 Guile can now distinguish between plus and minus inexact zero, if your
1497 platform supports this, too. The two zeros are equal according to
1498 '=', but not according to 'eqv?'. For example
1509 ** Guile now has exact rationals.
1511 Guile can now represent fractions such as 1/3 exactly. Computing with
1512 them is also done exactly, of course:
1517 ** 'floor', 'ceiling', 'round' and 'truncate' now return exact numbers
1518 for exact arguments.
1520 For example: (floor 2) now returns an exact 2 where in the past it
1521 returned an inexact 2.0. Likewise, (floor 5/4) returns an exact 1.
1523 ** inexact->exact no longer returns only integers.
1525 Without exact rationals, the closest exact number was always an
1526 integer, but now inexact->exact returns the fraction that is exactly
1527 equal to a floating point number. For example:
1529 (inexact->exact 1.234)
1530 => 694680242521899/562949953421312
1532 When you want the old behavior, use 'round' explicitly:
1534 (inexact->exact (round 1.234))
1537 ** New function 'rationalize'.
1539 This function finds a simple fraction that is close to a given real
1540 number. For example (and compare with inexact->exact above):
1542 (rationalize (inexact->exact 1.234) 1/2000)
1545 Note that, as required by R5RS, rationalize returns only then an exact
1546 result when both its arguments are exact.
1548 ** 'odd?' and 'even?' work also for inexact integers.
1550 Previously, (odd? 1.0) would signal an error since only exact integers
1551 were recognized as integers. Now (odd? 1.0) returns #t, (odd? 2.0)
1552 returns #f and (odd? 1.5) signals an error.
1554 ** Guile now has uninterned symbols.
1556 The new function 'make-symbol' will return an uninterned symbol. This
1557 is a symbol that is unique and is guaranteed to remain unique.
1558 However, uninterned symbols can not yet be read back in.
1560 Use the new function 'symbol-interned?' to check whether a symbol is
1563 ** pretty-print has more options.
1565 The function pretty-print from the (ice-9 pretty-print) module can now
1566 also be invoked with keyword arguments that control things like
1567 maximum output width. See the manual for details.
1569 ** Variables have no longer a special behavior for `equal?'.
1571 Previously, comparing two variables with `equal?' would recursivly
1572 compare their values. This is no longer done. Variables are now only
1573 `equal?' if they are `eq?'.
1575 ** `(begin)' is now valid.
1577 You can now use an empty `begin' form. It will yield #<unspecified>
1578 when evaluated and simply be ignored in a definition context.
1580 ** Deprecated: procedure->macro
1582 Change your code to use 'define-macro' or r5rs macros. Also, be aware
1583 that macro expansion will not be done during evaluation, but prior to
1586 ** Soft ports now allow a `char-ready?' procedure
1588 The vector argument to `make-soft-port' can now have a length of
1589 either 5 or 6. (Previously the length had to be 5.) The optional 6th
1590 element is interpreted as an `input-waiting' thunk -- i.e. a thunk
1591 that returns the number of characters that can be read immediately
1592 without the soft port blocking.
1594 ** Deprecated: undefine
1596 There is no replacement for undefine.
1598 ** The functions make-keyword-from-dash-symbol and keyword-dash-symbol
1599 have been discouraged.
1601 They are relics from a time where a keyword like #:foo was used
1602 directly as a Tcl option "-foo" and thus keywords were internally
1603 stored as a symbol with a starting dash. We now store a symbol
1606 Use symbol->keyword and keyword->symbol instead.
1608 ** The `cheap' debug option is now obsolete
1610 Evaluator trap calls are now unconditionally "cheap" - in other words,
1611 they pass a debug object to the trap handler rather than a full
1612 continuation. The trap handler code can capture a full continuation
1613 by using `call-with-current-continuation' in the usual way, if it so
1616 The `cheap' option is retained for now so as not to break existing
1617 code which gets or sets it, but setting it now has no effect. It will
1618 be removed in the next major Guile release.
1620 ** Evaluator trap calls now support `tweaking'
1622 `Tweaking' means that the trap handler code can modify the Scheme
1623 expression that is about to be evaluated (in the case of an
1624 enter-frame trap) or the value that is being returned (in the case of
1625 an exit-frame trap). The trap handler code indicates that it wants to
1626 do this by returning a pair whose car is the symbol 'instead and whose
1627 cdr is the modified expression or return value.
1629 * Changes to the C interface
1631 ** The functions scm_hash_fn_remove_x and scm_hashx_remove_x no longer
1632 take a 'delete' function argument.
1634 This argument makes no sense since the delete function is used to
1635 remove a pair from an alist, and this must not be configurable.
1637 This is an incompatible change.
1639 ** The GH interface is now subject to the deprecation mechanism
1641 The GH interface has been deprecated for quite some time but now it is
1642 actually removed from Guile when it is configured with
1643 --disable-deprecated.
1645 See the manual "Transitioning away from GH" for more information.
1647 ** A new family of functions for converting between C values and
1648 Scheme values has been added.
1650 These functions follow a common naming scheme and are designed to be
1651 easier to use, thread-safe and more future-proof than the older
1654 - int scm_is_* (...)
1656 These are predicates that return a C boolean: 1 or 0. Instead of
1657 SCM_NFALSEP, you can now use scm_is_true, for example.
1659 - <type> scm_to_<type> (SCM val, ...)
1661 These are functions that convert a Scheme value into an appropriate
1662 C value. For example, you can use scm_to_int to safely convert from
1665 - SCM scm_from_<type> (<type> val, ...)
1667 These functions convert from a C type to a SCM value; for example,
1668 scm_from_int for ints.
1670 There is a huge number of these functions, for numbers, strings,
1671 symbols, vectors, etc. They are documented in the reference manual in
1672 the API section together with the types that they apply to.
1674 ** New functions for dealing with complex numbers in C have been added.
1676 The new functions are scm_c_make_rectangular, scm_c_make_polar,
1677 scm_c_real_part, scm_c_imag_part, scm_c_magnitude and scm_c_angle.
1678 They work like scm_make_rectangular etc but take or return doubles
1681 ** The function scm_make_complex has been discouraged.
1683 Use scm_c_make_rectangular instead.
1685 ** The INUM macros have been deprecated.
1687 A lot of code uses these macros to do general integer conversions,
1688 although the macros only work correctly with fixnums. Use the
1689 following alternatives.
1691 SCM_INUMP -> scm_is_integer or similar
1692 SCM_NINUMP -> !scm_is_integer or similar
1693 SCM_MAKINUM -> scm_from_int or similar
1694 SCM_INUM -> scm_to_int or similar
1696 SCM_VALIDATE_INUM_* -> Do not use these; scm_to_int, etc. will
1697 do the validating for you.
1699 ** The scm_num2<type> and scm_<type>2num functions and scm_make_real
1700 have been discouraged.
1702 Use the newer scm_to_<type> and scm_from_<type> functions instead for
1703 new code. The functions have been discouraged since they don't fit
1706 ** The 'boolean' macros SCM_FALSEP etc have been discouraged.
1708 They have strange names, especially SCM_NFALSEP, and SCM_BOOLP
1709 evaluates its argument twice. Use scm_is_true, etc. instead for new
1712 ** The macro SCM_EQ_P has been discouraged.
1714 Use scm_is_eq for new code, which fits better into the naming
1717 ** The macros SCM_CONSP, SCM_NCONSP, SCM_NULLP, and SCM_NNULLP have
1720 Use the function scm_is_pair or scm_is_null instead.
1722 ** The functions scm_round and scm_truncate have been deprecated and
1723 are now available as scm_c_round and scm_c_truncate, respectively.
1725 These functions occupy the names that scm_round_number and
1726 scm_truncate_number should have.
1728 ** The functions scm_c_string2str, scm_c_substring2str, and
1729 scm_c_symbol2str have been deprecated.
1731 Use scm_to_locale_stringbuf or similar instead, maybe together with
1734 ** New functions scm_c_make_string, scm_c_string_length,
1735 scm_c_string_ref, scm_c_string_set_x, scm_c_substring,
1736 scm_c_substring_shared, scm_c_substring_copy.
1738 These are like scm_make_string, scm_length, etc. but are slightly
1739 easier to use from C.
1741 ** The macros SCM_STRINGP, SCM_STRING_CHARS, SCM_STRING_LENGTH,
1742 SCM_SYMBOL_CHARS, and SCM_SYMBOL_LENGTH have been deprecated.
1744 They export too many assumptions about the implementation of strings
1745 and symbols that are no longer true in the presence of
1746 mutation-sharing substrings and when Guile switches to some form of
1749 When working with strings, it is often best to use the normal string
1750 functions provided by Guile, such as scm_c_string_ref,
1751 scm_c_string_set_x, scm_string_append, etc. Be sure to look in the
1752 manual since many more such functions are now provided than
1755 When you want to convert a SCM string to a C string, use the
1756 scm_to_locale_string function or similar instead. For symbols, use
1757 scm_symbol_to_string and then work with that string. Because of the
1758 new string representation, scm_symbol_to_string does not need to copy
1759 and is thus quite efficient.
1761 ** Some string, symbol and keyword functions have been discouraged.
1763 They don't fit into the uniform naming scheme and are not explicit
1764 about the character encoding.
1766 Replace according to the following table:
1768 scm_allocate_string -> scm_c_make_string
1769 scm_take_str -> scm_take_locale_stringn
1770 scm_take0str -> scm_take_locale_string
1771 scm_mem2string -> scm_from_locale_stringn
1772 scm_str2string -> scm_from_locale_string
1773 scm_makfrom0str -> scm_from_locale_string
1774 scm_mem2symbol -> scm_from_locale_symboln
1775 scm_mem2uninterned_symbol -> scm_from_locale_stringn + scm_make_symbol
1776 scm_str2symbol -> scm_from_locale_symbol
1778 SCM_SYMBOL_HASH -> scm_hashq
1779 SCM_SYMBOL_INTERNED_P -> scm_symbol_interned_p
1781 scm_c_make_keyword -> scm_from_locale_keyword
1783 ** The functions scm_keyword_to_symbol and sym_symbol_to_keyword are
1784 now also available to C code.
1786 ** SCM_KEYWORDP and SCM_KEYWORDSYM have been deprecated.
1788 Use scm_is_keyword and scm_keyword_to_symbol instead, but note that
1789 the latter returns the true name of the keyword, not the 'dash name',
1790 as SCM_KEYWORDSYM used to do.
1792 ** A new way to access arrays in a thread-safe and efficient way has
1795 See the manual, node "Accessing Arrays From C".
1797 ** The old uniform vector and bitvector implementations have been
1798 unceremoniously removed.
1800 This implementation exposed the details of the tagging system of
1801 Guile. Use the new C API explained in the manual in node "Uniform
1802 Numeric Vectors" and "Bit Vectors", respectively.
1804 The following macros are gone: SCM_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_BASE,
1805 SCM_UVECTOR_MAXLENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_MAKE_UVECTOR_TAG,
1806 SCM_SET_UVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_BITVECTOR_P, SCM_BITVECTOR_BASE,
1807 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_BASE, SCM_BITVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH,
1808 SCM_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_MAKE_BITVECTOR_TAG,
1809 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_BITVEC_REF, SCM_BITVEC_SET,
1812 ** The macros dealing with vectors have been deprecated.
1814 Use the new functions scm_is_vector, scm_vector_elements,
1815 scm_vector_writable_elements, etc, or scm_is_simple_vector,
1816 SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF, SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET, etc instead. See the
1817 manual for more details.
1819 Deprecated are SCM_VECTORP, SCM_VELTS, SCM_VECTOR_MAX_LENGTH,
1820 SCM_VECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_VECTOR_REF, SCM_VECTOR_SET, SCM_WRITABLE_VELTS.
1822 The following macros have been removed: SCM_VECTOR_BASE,
1823 SCM_SET_VECTOR_BASE, SCM_MAKE_VECTOR_TAG, SCM_SET_VECTOR_LENGTH,
1824 SCM_VELTS_AS_STACKITEMS, SCM_SETVELTS, SCM_GC_WRITABLE_VELTS.
1826 ** Some C functions and macros related to arrays have been deprecated.
1828 Migrate according to the following table:
1830 scm_make_uve -> scm_make_typed_array, scm_make_u8vector etc.
1831 scm_make_ra -> scm_make_array
1832 scm_shap2ra -> scm_make_array
1833 scm_cvref -> scm_c_generalized_vector_ref
1834 scm_ra_set_contp -> do not use
1835 scm_aind -> scm_array_handle_pos
1836 scm_raprin1 -> scm_display or scm_write
1838 SCM_ARRAYP -> scm_is_array
1839 SCM_ARRAY_NDIM -> scm_c_array_rank
1840 SCM_ARRAY_DIMS -> scm_array_handle_dims
1841 SCM_ARRAY_CONTP -> do not use
1842 SCM_ARRAY_MEM -> do not use
1843 SCM_ARRAY_V -> scm_array_handle_elements or similar
1844 SCM_ARRAY_BASE -> do not use
1846 ** SCM_CELL_WORD_LOC has been deprecated.
1848 Use the new macro SCM_CELL_OBJECT_LOC instead, which returns a pointer
1849 to a SCM, as opposed to a pointer to a scm_t_bits.
1851 This was done to allow the correct use of pointers into the Scheme
1852 heap. Previously, the heap words were of type scm_t_bits and local
1853 variables and function arguments were of type SCM, making it
1854 non-standards-conformant to have a pointer that can point to both.
1856 ** New macros SCM_SMOB_DATA_2, SCM_SMOB_DATA_3, etc.
1858 These macros should be used instead of SCM_CELL_WORD_2/3 to access the
1859 second and third words of double smobs. Likewise for
1860 SCM_SET_SMOB_DATA_2 and SCM_SET_SMOB_DATA_3.
1862 Also, there is SCM_SMOB_FLAGS and SCM_SET_SMOB_FLAGS that should be
1863 used to get and set the 16 exra bits in the zeroth word of a smob.
1865 And finally, there is SCM_SMOB_OBJECT and SCM_SMOB_SET_OBJECT for
1866 accesing the first immediate word of a smob as a SCM value, and there
1867 is SCM_SMOB_OBJECT_LOC for getting a pointer to the first immediate
1868 smob word. Like wise for SCM_SMOB_OBJECT_2, etc.
1870 ** New way to deal with non-local exits and re-entries.
1872 There is a new set of functions that essentially do what
1873 scm_internal_dynamic_wind does, but in a way that is more convenient
1874 for C code in some situations. Here is a quick example of how to
1875 prevent a potential memory leak:
1882 scm_dynwind_begin (0);
1884 mem = scm_malloc (100);
1885 scm_dynwind_unwind_handler (free, mem, SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY);
1887 /* MEM would leak if BAR throws an error.
1888 SCM_DYNWIND_UNWIND_HANDLER frees it nevertheless.
1895 /* Because of SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY, MEM will be freed by
1896 SCM_DYNWIND_END as well.
1900 For full documentation, see the node "Dynamic Wind" in the manual.
1902 ** New function scm_dynwind_free
1904 This function calls 'free' on a given pointer when a dynwind context
1905 is left. Thus the call to scm_dynwind_unwind_handler above could be
1906 replaced with simply scm_dynwind_free (mem).
1908 ** New functions scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs and
1909 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs
1911 Like scm_call_with_blocked_asyncs etc. but for C functions.
1913 ** New functions scm_dynwind_block_asyncs and scm_dynwind_unblock_asyncs
1915 In addition to scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs you can now also use
1916 scm_dynwind_block_asyncs in a 'dynwind context' (see above). Likewise for
1917 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs and scm_dynwind_unblock_asyncs.
1919 ** The macros SCM_DEFER_INTS, SCM_ALLOW_INTS, SCM_REDEFER_INTS,
1920 SCM_REALLOW_INTS have been deprecated.
1922 They do no longer fulfill their original role of blocking signal
1923 delivery. Depending on what you want to achieve, replace a pair of
1924 SCM_DEFER_INTS and SCM_ALLOW_INTS with a dynwind context that locks a
1925 mutex, blocks asyncs, or both. See node "Critical Sections" in the
1928 ** The value 'scm_mask_ints' is no longer writable.
1930 Previously, you could set scm_mask_ints directly. This is no longer
1931 possible. Use scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs and
1932 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs instead.
1934 ** New way to temporarily set the current input, output or error ports
1936 C code can now use scm_dynwind_current_<foo>_port in a 'dynwind
1937 context' (see above). <foo> is one of "input", "output" or "error".
1939 ** New way to temporarily set fluids
1941 C code can now use scm_dynwind_fluid in a 'dynwind context' (see
1942 above) to temporarily set the value of a fluid.
1944 ** New types scm_t_intmax and scm_t_uintmax.
1946 On platforms that have them, these types are identical to intmax_t and
1947 uintmax_t, respectively. On other platforms, they are identical to
1948 the largest integer types that Guile knows about.
1950 ** The functions scm_unmemocopy and scm_unmemoize have been removed.
1952 You should not have used them.
1954 ** Many public #defines with generic names have been made private.
1956 #defines with generic names like HAVE_FOO or SIZEOF_FOO have been made
1957 private or renamed with a more suitable public name.
1959 ** The macro SCM_TYP16S has been deprecated.
1961 This macro is not intended for public use.
1963 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_INEXACTP has been deprecated.
1965 Use scm_is_true (scm_inexact_p (...)) instead.
1967 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_REALP has been deprecated.
1969 Use scm_is_real instead.
1971 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_COMPLEXP has been deprecated.
1973 Use scm_is_complex instead.
1975 ** Some preprocessor defines have been deprecated.
1977 These defines indicated whether a certain feature was present in Guile
1978 or not. Going forward, assume that the features are always present.
1980 The macros are: USE_THREADS, GUILE_ISELECT, READER_EXTENSIONS,
1981 DEBUG_EXTENSIONS, DYNAMIC_LINKING.
1983 The following macros have been removed completely: MEMOIZE_LOCALS,
1984 SCM_RECKLESS, SCM_CAUTIOUS.
1986 ** The preprocessor define STACK_DIRECTION has been deprecated.
1988 There should be no need to know about the stack direction for ordinary
1991 ** New function: scm_effective_version
1993 Returns the "effective" version number. This is just the normal full
1994 version string without the final micro-version number. See "Changes
1995 to the distribution" above.
1997 ** The function scm_call_with_new_thread has a new prototype.
1999 Instead of taking a list with the thunk and handler, these two
2000 arguments are now passed directly:
2002 SCM scm_call_with_new_thread (SCM thunk, SCM handler);
2004 This is an incompatible change.
2006 ** New snarfer macro SCM_DEFINE_PUBLIC.
2008 This is like SCM_DEFINE, but also calls scm_c_export for the defined
2009 function in the init section.
2011 ** The snarfer macro SCM_SNARF_INIT is now officially supported.
2013 ** Garbage collector rewrite.
2015 The garbage collector is cleaned up a lot, and now uses lazy
2016 sweeping. This is reflected in the output of (gc-stats); since cells
2017 are being freed when they are allocated, the cells-allocated field
2018 stays roughly constant.
2020 For malloc related triggers, the behavior is changed. It uses the same
2021 heuristic as the cell-triggered collections. It may be tuned with the
2022 environment variables GUILE_MIN_YIELD_MALLOC. This is the percentage
2023 for minimum yield of malloc related triggers. The default is 40.
2024 GUILE_INIT_MALLOC_LIMIT sets the initial trigger for doing a GC. The
2027 Debugging operations for the freelist have been deprecated, along with
2028 the C variables that control garbage collection. The environment
2029 variables GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE, GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_2,
2030 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_1, and GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2 should be used.
2032 For understanding the memory usage of a GUILE program, the routine
2033 gc-live-object-stats returns an alist containing the number of live
2034 objects for every type.
2037 ** The function scm_definedp has been renamed to scm_defined_p
2039 The name scm_definedp is deprecated.
2041 ** The struct scm_cell type has been renamed to scm_t_cell
2043 This is in accordance to Guile's naming scheme for types. Note that
2044 the name scm_cell is now used for a function that allocates and
2045 initializes a new cell (see below).
2047 ** New functions for memory management
2049 A new set of functions for memory management has been added since the
2050 old way (scm_must_malloc, scm_must_free, etc) was error prone and
2051 indeed, Guile itself contained some long standing bugs that could
2052 cause aborts in long running programs.
2054 The new functions are more symmetrical and do not need cooperation
2055 from smob free routines, among other improvements.
2057 The new functions are scm_malloc, scm_realloc, scm_calloc, scm_strdup,
2058 scm_strndup, scm_gc_malloc, scm_gc_calloc, scm_gc_realloc,
2059 scm_gc_free, scm_gc_register_collectable_memory, and
2060 scm_gc_unregister_collectable_memory. Refer to the manual for more
2061 details and for upgrading instructions.
2063 The old functions for memory management have been deprecated. They
2064 are: scm_must_malloc, scm_must_realloc, scm_must_free,
2065 scm_must_strdup, scm_must_strndup, scm_done_malloc, scm_done_free.
2067 ** Declarations of exported features are marked with SCM_API.
2069 Every declaration of a feature that belongs to the exported Guile API
2070 has been marked by adding the macro "SCM_API" to the start of the
2071 declaration. This macro can expand into different things, the most
2072 common of which is just "extern" for Unix platforms. On Win32, it can
2073 be used to control which symbols are exported from a DLL.
2075 If you `#define SCM_IMPORT' before including <libguile.h>, SCM_API
2076 will expand into "__declspec (dllimport) extern", which is needed for
2077 linking to the Guile DLL in Windows.
2079 There are also SCM_RL_IMPORT, SCM_SRFI1314_IMPORT, and
2080 SCM_SRFI4_IMPORT, for the corresponding libraries.
2082 ** SCM_NEWCELL and SCM_NEWCELL2 have been deprecated.
2084 Use the new functions scm_cell and scm_double_cell instead. The old
2085 macros had problems because with them allocation and initialization
2086 was separated and the GC could sometimes observe half initialized
2087 cells. Only careful coding by the user of SCM_NEWCELL and
2088 SCM_NEWCELL2 could make this safe and efficient.
2090 ** CHECK_ENTRY, CHECK_APPLY and CHECK_EXIT have been deprecated.
2092 Use the variables scm_check_entry_p, scm_check_apply_p and scm_check_exit_p
2095 ** SRCBRKP has been deprecated.
2097 Use scm_c_source_property_breakpoint_p instead.
2099 ** Deprecated: scm_makmacro
2101 Change your code to use either scm_makmmacro or to define macros in
2102 Scheme, using 'define-macro'.
2104 ** New function scm_c_port_for_each.
2106 This function is like scm_port_for_each but takes a pointer to a C
2107 function as the callback instead of a SCM value.
2109 ** The names scm_internal_select, scm_thread_sleep, and
2110 scm_thread_usleep have been discouraged.
2112 Use scm_std_select, scm_std_sleep, scm_std_usleep instead.
2114 ** The GC can no longer be blocked.
2116 The global flags scm_gc_heap_lock and scm_block_gc have been removed.
2117 The GC can now run (partially) concurrently with other code and thus
2118 blocking it is not well defined.
2120 ** Many definitions have been removed that were previously deprecated.
2122 scm_lisp_nil, scm_lisp_t, s_nil_ify, scm_m_nil_ify, s_t_ify,
2123 scm_m_t_ify, s_0_cond, scm_m_0_cond, s_0_ify, scm_m_0_ify, s_1_ify,
2124 scm_m_1_ify, scm_debug_newcell, scm_debug_newcell2,
2125 scm_tc16_allocated, SCM_SET_SYMBOL_HASH, SCM_IM_NIL_IFY, SCM_IM_T_IFY,
2126 SCM_IM_0_COND, SCM_IM_0_IFY, SCM_IM_1_IFY, SCM_GC_SET_ALLOCATED,
2127 scm_debug_newcell, scm_debug_newcell2, SCM_HUP_SIGNAL, SCM_INT_SIGNAL,
2128 SCM_FPE_SIGNAL, SCM_BUS_SIGNAL, SCM_SEGV_SIGNAL, SCM_ALRM_SIGNAL,
2129 SCM_GC_SIGNAL, SCM_TICK_SIGNAL, SCM_SIG_ORD, SCM_ORD_SIG,
2130 SCM_NUM_SIGS, scm_top_level_lookup_closure_var,
2131 *top-level-lookup-closure*, scm_system_transformer, scm_eval_3,
2132 scm_eval2, root_module_lookup_closure, SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP,
2133 SCM_RWSTRINGP, scm_read_only_string_p, scm_make_shared_substring,
2134 scm_tc7_substring, sym_huh, SCM_VARVCELL, SCM_UDVARIABLEP,
2135 SCM_DEFVARIABLEP, scm_mkbig, scm_big2inum, scm_adjbig, scm_normbig,
2136 scm_copybig, scm_2ulong2big, scm_dbl2big, scm_big2dbl, SCM_FIXNUM_BIT,
2137 SCM_SETCHARS, SCM_SLOPPY_SUBSTRP, SCM_SUBSTR_STR, SCM_SUBSTR_OFFSET,
2138 SCM_LENGTH_MAX, SCM_SETLENGTH, SCM_ROSTRINGP, SCM_ROLENGTH,
2139 SCM_ROCHARS, SCM_ROUCHARS, SCM_SUBSTRP, SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR,
2140 scm_sym2vcell, scm_intern, scm_intern0, scm_sysintern, scm_sysintern0,
2141 scm_sysintern0_no_module_lookup, scm_init_symbols_deprecated,
2142 scm_vector_set_length_x, scm_contregs, scm_debug_info,
2143 scm_debug_frame, SCM_DSIDEVAL, SCM_CONST_LONG, SCM_VCELL,
2144 SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL, SCM_VCELL_INIT, SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL_INIT,
2145 SCM_HUGE_LENGTH, SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR, SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING,
2146 SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING_COPY, SCM_VALIDATE_NULLORROSTRING_COPY,
2147 SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING, DIGITS, scm_small_istr2int, scm_istr2int,
2148 scm_istr2flo, scm_istring2number, scm_istr2int, scm_istr2flo,
2149 scm_istring2number, scm_vtable_index_vcell, scm_si_vcell, SCM_ECONSP,
2150 SCM_NECONSP, SCM_GLOC_VAR, SCM_GLOC_VAL, SCM_GLOC_SET_VAL,
2151 SCM_GLOC_VAL_LOC, scm_make_gloc, scm_gloc_p, scm_tc16_variable,
2152 SCM_CHARS, SCM_LENGTH, SCM_SET_STRING_CHARS, SCM_SET_STRING_LENGTH.
2154 * Changes to bundled modules
2158 Using the (ice-9 debug) module no longer automatically switches Guile
2159 to use the debugging evaluator. If you want to switch to the
2160 debugging evaluator (which is needed for backtrace information if you
2161 hit an error), please add an explicit "(debug-enable 'debug)" to your
2162 code just after the code to use (ice-9 debug).
2165 Changes since Guile 1.4:
2167 * Changes to the distribution
2169 ** A top-level TODO file is included.
2171 ** Guile now uses a versioning scheme similar to that of the Linux kernel.
2173 Guile now always uses three numbers to represent the version,
2174 i.e. "1.6.5". The first number, 1, is the major version number, the
2175 second number, 6, is the minor version number, and the third number,
2176 5, is the micro version number. Changes in major version number
2177 indicate major changes in Guile.
2179 Minor version numbers that are even denote stable releases, and odd
2180 minor version numbers denote development versions (which may be
2181 unstable). The micro version number indicates a minor sub-revision of
2182 a given MAJOR.MINOR release.
2184 In keeping with the new scheme, (minor-version) and scm_minor_version
2185 no longer return everything but the major version number. They now
2186 just return the minor version number. Two new functions
2187 (micro-version) and scm_micro_version have been added to report the
2188 micro version number.
2190 In addition, ./GUILE-VERSION now defines GUILE_MICRO_VERSION.
2192 ** New preprocessor definitions are available for checking versions.
2194 version.h now #defines SCM_MAJOR_VERSION, SCM_MINOR_VERSION, and
2195 SCM_MICRO_VERSION to the appropriate integer values.
2197 ** Guile now actively warns about deprecated features.
2199 The new configure option `--enable-deprecated=LEVEL' and the
2200 environment variable GUILE_WARN_DEPRECATED control this mechanism.
2201 See INSTALL and README for more information.
2203 ** Guile is much more likely to work on 64-bit architectures.
2205 Guile now compiles and passes "make check" with only two UNRESOLVED GC
2206 cases on Alpha and ia64 based machines now. Thanks to John Goerzen
2207 for the use of a test machine, and thanks to Stefan Jahn for ia64
2210 ** New functions: setitimer and getitimer.
2212 These implement a fairly direct interface to the libc functions of the
2215 ** The #. reader extension is now disabled by default.
2217 For safety reasons, #. evaluation is disabled by default. To
2218 re-enable it, set the fluid read-eval? to #t. For example:
2220 (fluid-set! read-eval? #t)
2222 but make sure you realize the potential security risks involved. With
2223 read-eval? enabled, reading a data file from an untrusted source can
2226 ** New SRFI modules have been added:
2228 SRFI-0 `cond-expand' is now supported in Guile, without requiring
2231 (srfi srfi-1) is a library containing many useful pair- and list-processing
2234 (srfi srfi-2) exports and-let*.
2236 (srfi srfi-4) implements homogeneous numeric vector datatypes.
2238 (srfi srfi-6) is a dummy module for now, since guile already provides
2239 all of the srfi-6 procedures by default: open-input-string,
2240 open-output-string, get-output-string.
2242 (srfi srfi-8) exports receive.
2244 (srfi srfi-9) exports define-record-type.
2246 (srfi srfi-10) exports define-reader-ctor and implements the reader
2249 (srfi srfi-11) exports let-values and let*-values.
2251 (srfi srfi-13) implements the SRFI String Library.
2253 (srfi srfi-14) implements the SRFI Character-Set Library.
2255 (srfi srfi-17) implements setter and getter-with-setter and redefines
2256 some accessor procedures as procedures with getters. (such as car,
2257 cdr, vector-ref etc.)
2259 (srfi srfi-19) implements the SRFI Time/Date Library.
2261 ** New scripts / "executable modules"
2263 Subdirectory "scripts" contains Scheme modules that are packaged to
2264 also be executable as scripts. At this time, these scripts are available:
2273 See README there for more info.
2275 These scripts can be invoked from the shell with the new program
2276 "guile-tools", which keeps track of installation directory for you.
2279 $ guile-tools display-commentary srfi/*.scm
2281 guile-tools is copied to the standard $bindir on "make install".
2283 ** New module (ice-9 stack-catch):
2285 stack-catch is like catch, but saves the current state of the stack in
2286 the fluid the-last-stack. This fluid can be useful when using the
2287 debugger and when re-throwing an error.
2289 ** The module (ice-9 and-let*) has been renamed to (ice-9 and-let-star)
2291 This has been done to prevent problems on lesser operating systems
2292 that can't tolerate `*'s in file names. The exported macro continues
2293 to be named `and-let*', of course.
2295 On systems that support it, there is also a compatibility module named
2296 (ice-9 and-let*). It will go away in the next release.
2298 ** New modules (oop goops) etc.:
2301 (oop goops describe)
2303 (oop goops active-slot)
2304 (oop goops composite-slot)
2306 The Guile Object Oriented Programming System (GOOPS) has been
2307 integrated into Guile. For further information, consult the GOOPS
2308 manual and tutorial in the `doc' directory.
2310 ** New module (ice-9 rdelim).
2312 This exports the following procedures which were previously defined
2313 in the default environment:
2315 read-line read-line! read-delimited read-delimited! %read-delimited!
2316 %read-line write-line
2318 For backwards compatibility the definitions are still imported into the
2319 default environment in this version of Guile. However you should add:
2321 (use-modules (ice-9 rdelim))
2323 to any program which uses the definitions, since this may change in
2326 Alternatively, if guile-scsh is installed, the (scsh rdelim) module
2327 can be used for similar functionality.
2329 ** New module (ice-9 rw)
2331 This is a subset of the (scsh rw) module from guile-scsh. Currently
2332 it defines two procedures:
2334 *** New function: read-string!/partial str [port_or_fdes [start [end]]]
2336 Read characters from a port or file descriptor into a string STR.
2337 A port must have an underlying file descriptor -- a so-called
2338 fport. This procedure is scsh-compatible and can efficiently read
2341 *** New function: write-string/partial str [port_or_fdes [start [end]]]
2343 Write characters from a string STR to a port or file descriptor.
2344 A port must have an underlying file descriptor -- a so-called
2345 fport. This procedure is mostly compatible and can efficiently
2346 write large strings.
2348 ** New module (ice-9 match)
2350 This module includes Andrew K. Wright's pattern matcher. See
2351 ice-9/match.scm for brief description or
2353 http://www.star-lab.com/wright/code.html
2355 for complete documentation.
2357 ** New module (ice-9 buffered-input)
2359 This module provides procedures to construct an input port from an
2360 underlying source of input that reads and returns its input in chunks.
2361 The underlying input source is a Scheme procedure, specified by the
2362 caller, which the port invokes whenever it needs more input.
2364 This is useful when building an input port whose back end is Readline
2365 or a UI element such as the GtkEntry widget.
2369 The reference and tutorial documentation that was previously
2370 distributed separately, as `guile-doc', is now included in the core
2371 Guile distribution. The documentation consists of the following
2374 - The Guile Tutorial (guile-tut.texi) contains a tutorial introduction
2377 - The Guile Reference Manual (guile.texi) contains (or is intended to
2378 contain) reference documentation on all aspects of Guile.
2380 - The GOOPS Manual (goops.texi) contains both tutorial-style and
2381 reference documentation for using GOOPS, Guile's Object Oriented
2384 - The Revised^5 Report on the Algorithmic Language Scheme
2387 See the README file in the `doc' directory for more details.
2389 ** There are a couple of examples in the examples/ directory now.
2391 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
2393 ** New command line option `--use-srfi'
2395 Using this option, SRFI modules can be loaded on startup and be
2396 available right from the beginning. This makes programming portable
2397 Scheme programs easier.
2399 The option `--use-srfi' expects a comma-separated list of numbers,
2400 each representing a SRFI number to be loaded into the interpreter
2401 before starting evaluating a script file or the REPL. Additionally,
2402 the feature identifier for the loaded SRFIs is recognized by
2403 `cond-expand' when using this option.
2406 $ guile --use-srfi=8,13
2407 guile> (receive (x z) (values 1 2) (+ 1 2))
2409 guile> (string-pad "bla" 20)
2412 ** Guile now always starts up in the `(guile-user)' module.
2414 Previously, scripts executed via the `-s' option would run in the
2415 `(guile)' module and the repl would run in the `(guile-user)' module.
2416 Now every user action takes place in the `(guile-user)' module by
2419 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
2421 ** Character classifiers work for non-ASCII characters.
2423 The predicates `char-alphabetic?', `char-numeric?',
2424 `char-whitespace?', `char-lower?', `char-upper?' and `char-is-both?'
2425 no longer check whether their arguments are ASCII characters.
2426 Previously, a character would only be considered alphabetic when it
2427 was also ASCII, for example.
2429 ** Previously deprecated Scheme functions have been removed:
2431 tag - no replacement.
2432 fseek - replaced by seek.
2433 list* - replaced by cons*.
2435 ** It's now possible to create modules with controlled environments
2439 (use-modules (ice-9 safe))
2440 (define m (make-safe-module))
2441 ;;; m will now be a module containing only a safe subset of R5RS
2442 (eval '(+ 1 2) m) --> 3
2443 (eval 'load m) --> ERROR: Unbound variable: load
2445 ** Evaluation of "()", the empty list, is now an error.
2447 Previously, the expression "()" evaluated to the empty list. This has
2448 been changed to signal a "missing expression" error. The correct way
2449 to write the empty list as a literal constant is to use quote: "'()".
2451 ** New concept of `Guile Extensions'.
2453 A Guile Extension is just a ordinary shared library that can be linked
2454 at run-time. We found it advantageous to give this simple concept a
2455 dedicated name to distinguish the issues related to shared libraries
2456 from the issues related to the module system.
2458 *** New function: load-extension
2460 Executing (load-extension lib init) is mostly equivalent to
2462 (dynamic-call init (dynamic-link lib))
2464 except when scm_register_extension has been called previously.
2465 Whenever appropriate, you should use `load-extension' instead of
2466 dynamic-link and dynamic-call.
2468 *** New C function: scm_c_register_extension
2470 This function registers a initialization function for use by
2471 `load-extension'. Use it when you don't want specific extensions to
2472 be loaded as shared libraries (for example on platforms that don't
2473 support dynamic linking).
2475 ** Auto-loading of compiled-code modules is deprecated.
2477 Guile used to be able to automatically find and link a shared
2478 library to satisfy requests for a module. For example, the module
2479 `(foo bar)' could be implemented by placing a shared library named
2480 "foo/libbar.so" (or with a different extension) in a directory on the
2483 This has been found to be too tricky, and is no longer supported. The
2484 shared libraries are now called "extensions". You should now write a
2485 small Scheme file that calls `load-extension' to load the shared
2486 library and initialize it explicitly.
2488 The shared libraries themselves should be installed in the usual
2489 places for shared libraries, with names like "libguile-foo-bar".
2491 For example, place this into a file "foo/bar.scm"
2493 (define-module (foo bar))
2495 (load-extension "libguile-foo-bar" "foobar_init")
2497 ** Backward incompatible change: eval EXP ENVIRONMENT-SPECIFIER
2499 `eval' is now R5RS, that is it takes two arguments.
2500 The second argument is an environment specifier, i.e. either
2502 (scheme-report-environment 5)
2503 (null-environment 5)
2504 (interaction-environment)
2510 ** The module system has been made more disciplined.
2512 The function `eval' will save and restore the current module around
2513 the evaluation of the specified expression. While this expression is
2514 evaluated, `(current-module)' will now return the right module, which
2515 is the module specified as the second argument to `eval'.
2517 A consequence of this change is that `eval' is not particularly
2518 useful when you want allow the evaluated code to change what module is
2519 designated as the current module and have this change persist from one
2520 call to `eval' to the next. The read-eval-print-loop is an example
2521 where `eval' is now inadequate. To compensate, there is a new
2522 function `primitive-eval' that does not take a module specifier and
2523 that does not save/restore the current module. You should use this
2524 function together with `set-current-module', `current-module', etc
2525 when you want to have more control over the state that is carried from
2526 one eval to the next.
2528 Additionally, it has been made sure that forms that are evaluated at
2529 the top level are always evaluated with respect to the current module.
2530 Previously, subforms of top-level forms such as `begin', `case',
2531 etc. did not respect changes to the current module although these
2532 subforms are at the top-level as well.
2534 To prevent strange behavior, the forms `define-module',
2535 `use-modules', `use-syntax', and `export' have been restricted to only
2536 work on the top level. The forms `define-public' and
2537 `defmacro-public' only export the new binding on the top level. They
2538 behave just like `define' and `defmacro', respectively, when they are
2539 used in a lexical environment.
2541 Also, `export' will no longer silently re-export bindings imported
2542 from a used module. It will emit a `deprecation' warning and will
2543 cease to perform any re-export in the next version. If you actually
2544 want to re-export bindings, use the new `re-export' in place of
2545 `export'. The new `re-export' will not make copies of variables when
2546 rexporting them, as `export' did wrongly.
2548 ** Module system now allows selection and renaming of imported bindings
2550 Previously, when using `use-modules' or the `#:use-module' clause in
2551 the `define-module' form, all the bindings (association of symbols to
2552 values) for imported modules were added to the "current module" on an
2553 as-is basis. This has been changed to allow finer control through two
2554 new facilities: selection and renaming.
2556 You can now select which of the imported module's bindings are to be
2557 visible in the current module by using the `:select' clause. This
2558 clause also can be used to rename individual bindings. For example:
2560 ;; import all bindings no questions asked
2561 (use-modules (ice-9 common-list))
2563 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them;
2564 ;; the current module sees: every some zonk-y zonk-n
2565 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
2567 (remove-if . zonk-y)
2568 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))))
2570 You can also programmatically rename all selected bindings using the
2571 `:renamer' clause, which specifies a proc that takes a symbol and
2572 returns another symbol. Because it is common practice to use a prefix,
2573 we now provide the convenience procedure `symbol-prefix-proc'. For
2576 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them specifically,
2577 ;; and all four w/ prefix "CL:";
2578 ;; the current module sees: CL:every CL:some CL:zonk-y CL:zonk-n
2579 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
2581 (remove-if . zonk-y)
2582 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))
2583 :renamer (symbol-prefix-proc 'CL:)))
2585 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them specifically,
2586 ;; and all four by upcasing.
2587 ;; the current module sees: EVERY SOME ZONK-Y ZONK-N
2588 (define (upcase-symbol sym)
2589 (string->symbol (string-upcase (symbol->string sym))))
2591 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
2593 (remove-if . zonk-y)
2594 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))
2595 :renamer upcase-symbol))
2597 Note that programmatic renaming is done *after* individual renaming.
2598 Also, the above examples show `use-modules', but the same facilities are
2599 available for the `#:use-module' clause of `define-module'.
2601 See manual for more info.
2603 ** The semantics of guardians have changed.
2605 The changes are for the most part compatible. An important criterion
2606 was to keep the typical usage of guardians as simple as before, but to
2607 make the semantics safer and (as a result) more useful.
2609 *** All objects returned from guardians are now properly alive.
2611 It is now guaranteed that any object referenced by an object returned
2612 from a guardian is alive. It's now impossible for a guardian to
2613 return a "contained" object before its "containing" object.
2615 One incompatible (but probably not very important) change resulting
2616 from this is that it is no longer possible to guard objects that
2617 indirectly reference themselves (i.e. are parts of cycles). If you do
2618 so accidentally, you'll get a warning.
2620 *** There are now two types of guardians: greedy and sharing.
2622 If you call (make-guardian #t) or just (make-guardian), you'll get a
2623 greedy guardian, and for (make-guardian #f) a sharing guardian.
2625 Greedy guardians are the default because they are more "defensive".
2626 You can only greedily guard an object once. If you guard an object
2627 more than once, once in a greedy guardian and the rest of times in
2628 sharing guardians, then it is guaranteed that the object won't be
2629 returned from sharing guardians as long as it is greedily guarded
2632 Guardians returned by calls to `make-guardian' can now take one more
2633 optional parameter, which says whether to throw an error in case an
2634 attempt is made to greedily guard an object that is already greedily
2635 guarded. The default is true, i.e. throw an error. If the parameter
2636 is false, the guardian invocation returns #t if guarding was
2637 successful and #f if it wasn't.
2639 Also, since greedy guarding is, in effect, a side-effecting operation
2640 on objects, a new function is introduced: `destroy-guardian!'.
2641 Invoking this function on a guardian renders it unoperative and, if
2642 the guardian is greedy, clears the "greedily guarded" property of the
2643 objects that were guarded by it, thus undoing the side effect.
2645 Note that all this hair is hardly very important, since guardian
2646 objects are usually permanent.
2648 ** Continuations created by call-with-current-continuation now accept
2649 any number of arguments, as required by R5RS.
2651 ** New function `issue-deprecation-warning'
2653 This function is used to display the deprecation messages that are
2654 controlled by GUILE_WARN_DEPRECATION as explained in the README.
2657 (issue-deprecation-warning "`id' is deprecated. Use `identity' instead.")
2661 ;; `id' is deprecated. Use `identity' instead.
2666 ** New syntax `begin-deprecated'
2668 When deprecated features are included (as determined by the configure
2669 option --enable-deprecated), `begin-deprecated' is identical to
2670 `begin'. When deprecated features are excluded, it always evaluates
2671 to `#f', ignoring the body forms.
2673 ** New function `make-object-property'
2675 This function returns a new `procedure with setter' P that can be used
2676 to attach a property to objects. When calling P as
2680 where `obj' is any kind of object, it attaches `val' to `obj' in such
2681 a way that it can be retrieved by calling P as
2685 This function will replace procedure properties, symbol properties and
2686 source properties eventually.
2688 ** Module (ice-9 optargs) now uses keywords instead of `#&'.
2690 Instead of #&optional, #&key, etc you should now use #:optional,
2691 #:key, etc. Since #:optional is a keyword, you can write it as just
2692 :optional when (read-set! keywords 'prefix) is active.
2694 The old reader syntax `#&' is still supported, but deprecated. It
2695 will be removed in the next release.
2697 ** New define-module option: pure
2699 Tells the module system not to include any bindings from the root
2704 (define-module (totally-empty-module)
2707 ** New define-module option: export NAME1 ...
2709 Export names NAME1 ...
2711 This option is required if you want to be able to export bindings from
2712 a module which doesn't import one of `define-public' or `export'.
2716 (define-module (foo)
2718 :use-module (ice-9 r5rs)
2721 ;;; Note that we're pure R5RS below this point!
2726 ** New function: object->string OBJ
2728 Return a Scheme string obtained by printing a given object.
2730 ** New function: port? X
2732 Returns a boolean indicating whether X is a port. Equivalent to
2733 `(or (input-port? X) (output-port? X))'.
2735 ** New function: file-port?
2737 Determines whether a given object is a port that is related to a file.
2739 ** New function: port-for-each proc
2741 Apply PROC to each port in the Guile port table in turn. The return
2742 value is unspecified. More specifically, PROC is applied exactly once
2743 to every port that exists in the system at the time PORT-FOR-EACH is
2744 invoked. Changes to the port table while PORT-FOR-EACH is running
2745 have no effect as far as PORT-FOR-EACH is concerned.
2747 ** New function: dup2 oldfd newfd
2749 A simple wrapper for the `dup2' system call. Copies the file
2750 descriptor OLDFD to descriptor number NEWFD, replacing the
2751 previous meaning of NEWFD. Both OLDFD and NEWFD must be integers.
2752 Unlike for dup->fdes or primitive-move->fdes, no attempt is made
2753 to move away ports which are using NEWFD. The return value is
2756 ** New function: close-fdes fd
2758 A simple wrapper for the `close' system call. Close file
2759 descriptor FD, which must be an integer. Unlike close (*note
2760 close: Ports and File Descriptors.), the file descriptor will be
2761 closed even if a port is using it. The return value is
2764 ** New function: crypt password salt
2766 Encrypts `password' using the standard unix password encryption
2769 ** New function: chroot path
2771 Change the root directory of the running process to `path'.
2773 ** New functions: getlogin, cuserid
2775 Return the login name or the user name of the current effective user
2778 ** New functions: getpriority which who, setpriority which who prio
2780 Get or set the priority of the running process.
2782 ** New function: getpass prompt
2784 Read a password from the terminal, first displaying `prompt' and
2787 ** New function: flock file operation
2789 Set/remove an advisory shared or exclusive lock on `file'.
2791 ** New functions: sethostname name, gethostname
2793 Set or get the hostname of the machine the current process is running
2796 ** New function: mkstemp! tmpl
2798 mkstemp creates a new unique file in the file system and returns a
2799 new buffered port open for reading and writing to the file. TMPL
2800 is a string specifying where the file should be created: it must
2801 end with `XXXXXX' and will be changed in place to return the name
2802 of the temporary file.
2804 ** New function: open-input-string string
2806 Return an input string port which delivers the characters from
2807 `string'. This procedure, together with `open-output-string' and
2808 `get-output-string' implements SRFI-6.
2810 ** New function: open-output-string
2812 Return an output string port which collects all data written to it.
2813 The data can then be retrieved by `get-output-string'.
2815 ** New function: get-output-string
2817 Return the contents of an output string port.
2819 ** New function: identity
2821 Return the argument.
2823 ** socket, connect, accept etc., now have support for IPv6. IPv6 addresses
2824 are represented in Scheme as integers with normal host byte ordering.
2826 ** New function: inet-pton family address
2828 Convert a printable string network address into an integer. Note that
2829 unlike the C version of this function, the result is an integer with
2830 normal host byte ordering. FAMILY can be `AF_INET' or `AF_INET6'.
2833 (inet-pton AF_INET "127.0.0.1") => 2130706433
2834 (inet-pton AF_INET6 "::1") => 1
2836 ** New function: inet-ntop family address
2838 Convert an integer network address into a printable string. Note that
2839 unlike the C version of this function, the input is an integer with
2840 normal host byte ordering. FAMILY can be `AF_INET' or `AF_INET6'.
2843 (inet-ntop AF_INET 2130706433) => "127.0.0.1"
2844 (inet-ntop AF_INET6 (- (expt 2 128) 1)) =>
2845 ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff
2849 Use `identity' instead.
2855 ** Deprecated: return-it
2859 ** Deprecated: string-character-length
2861 Use `string-length' instead.
2863 ** Deprecated: flags
2865 Use `logior' instead.
2867 ** Deprecated: close-all-ports-except.
2869 This was intended for closing ports in a child process after a fork,
2870 but it has the undesirable side effect of flushing buffers.
2871 port-for-each is more flexible.
2873 ** The (ice-9 popen) module now attempts to set up file descriptors in
2874 the child process from the current Scheme ports, instead of using the
2875 current values of file descriptors 0, 1, and 2 in the parent process.
2877 ** Removed function: builtin-weak-bindings
2879 There is no such concept as a weak binding any more.
2881 ** Removed constants: bignum-radix, scm-line-incrementors
2883 ** define-method: New syntax mandatory.
2885 The new method syntax is now mandatory:
2887 (define-method (NAME ARG-SPEC ...) BODY ...)
2888 (define-method (NAME ARG-SPEC ... . REST-ARG) BODY ...)
2890 ARG-SPEC ::= ARG-NAME | (ARG-NAME TYPE)
2891 REST-ARG ::= ARG-NAME
2893 If you have old code using the old syntax, import
2894 (oop goops old-define-method) before (oop goops) as in:
2896 (use-modules (oop goops old-define-method) (oop goops))
2898 ** Deprecated function: builtin-variable
2899 Removed function: builtin-bindings
2901 There is no longer a distinction between builtin or other variables.
2902 Use module system operations for all variables.
2904 ** Lazy-catch handlers are no longer allowed to return.
2906 That is, a call to `throw', `error', etc is now guaranteed to not
2909 ** Bugfixes for (ice-9 getopt-long)
2911 This module is now tested using test-suite/tests/getopt-long.test.
2912 The following bugs have been fixed:
2914 *** Parsing for options that are specified to have `optional' args now checks
2915 if the next element is an option instead of unconditionally taking it as the
2918 *** An error is now thrown for `--opt=val' when the option description
2919 does not specify `(value #t)' or `(value optional)'. This condition used to
2920 be accepted w/o error, contrary to the documentation.
2922 *** The error message for unrecognized options is now more informative.
2923 It used to be "not a record", an artifact of the implementation.
2925 *** The error message for `--opt' terminating the arg list (no value), when
2926 `(value #t)' is specified, is now more informative. It used to be "not enough
2929 *** "Clumped" single-char args now preserve trailing string, use it as arg.
2930 The expansion used to be like so:
2932 ("-abc5d" "--xyz") => ("-a" "-b" "-c" "--xyz")
2934 Note that the "5d" is dropped. Now it is like so:
2936 ("-abc5d" "--xyz") => ("-a" "-b" "-c" "5d" "--xyz")
2938 This enables single-char options to have adjoining arguments as long as their
2939 constituent characters are not potential single-char options.
2941 ** (ice-9 session) procedure `arity' now works with (ice-9 optargs) `lambda*'
2943 The `lambda*' and derivative forms in (ice-9 optargs) now set a procedure
2944 property `arglist', which can be retrieved by `arity'. The result is that
2945 `arity' can give more detailed information than before:
2949 guile> (use-modules (ice-9 optargs))
2950 guile> (define* (foo #:optional a b c) a)
2952 0 or more arguments in `lambda*:G0'.
2957 3 optional arguments: `a', `b' and `c'.
2958 guile> (define* (bar a b #:key c d #:allow-other-keys) a)
2960 2 required arguments: `a' and `b', 2 keyword arguments: `c'
2961 and `d', other keywords allowed.
2962 guile> (define* (baz a b #:optional c #:rest r) a)
2964 2 required arguments: `a' and `b', 1 optional argument: `c',
2967 * Changes to the C interface
2969 ** Types have been renamed from scm_*_t to scm_t_*.
2971 This has been done for POSIX sake. It reserves identifiers ending
2972 with "_t". What a concept.
2974 The old names are still available with status `deprecated'.
2976 ** scm_t_bits (former scm_bits_t) is now a unsigned type.
2978 ** Deprecated features have been removed.
2982 SCM_INPORTP, SCM_OUTPORTP SCM_ICHRP, SCM_ICHR, SCM_MAKICHR
2983 SCM_SETJMPBUF SCM_NSTRINGP SCM_NRWSTRINGP SCM_NVECTORP SCM_DOUBLE_CELLP
2985 *** C Functions removed
2987 scm_sysmissing scm_tag scm_tc16_flo scm_tc_flo
2988 scm_fseek - replaced by scm_seek.
2989 gc-thunk - replaced by after-gc-hook.
2990 gh_int2scmb - replaced by gh_bool2scm.
2991 scm_tc_dblr - replaced by scm_tc16_real.
2992 scm_tc_dblc - replaced by scm_tc16_complex.
2993 scm_list_star - replaced by scm_cons_star.
2995 ** Deprecated: scm_makfromstr
2997 Use scm_mem2string instead.
2999 ** Deprecated: scm_make_shared_substring
3001 Explicit shared substrings will disappear from Guile.
3003 Instead, "normal" strings will be implemented using sharing
3004 internally, combined with a copy-on-write strategy.
3006 ** Deprecated: scm_read_only_string_p
3008 The concept of read-only strings will disappear in next release of
3011 ** Deprecated: scm_sloppy_memq, scm_sloppy_memv, scm_sloppy_member
3013 Instead, use scm_c_memq or scm_memq, scm_memv, scm_member.
3015 ** New functions: scm_call_0, scm_call_1, scm_call_2, scm_call_3
3017 Call a procedure with the indicated number of arguments. See "Fly
3018 Evaluation" in the manual.
3020 ** New functions: scm_apply_0, scm_apply_1, scm_apply_2, scm_apply_3
3022 Call a procedure with the indicated number of arguments and a list of
3023 further arguments. See "Fly Evaluation" in the manual.
3025 ** New functions: scm_list_1, scm_list_2, scm_list_3, scm_list_4, scm_list_5
3027 Create a list of the given number of elements. See "List
3028 Constructors" in the manual.
3030 ** Renamed function: scm_listify has been replaced by scm_list_n.
3032 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_LIST0, SCM_LIST1, SCM_LIST2, SCM_LIST3, SCM_LIST4,
3033 SCM_LIST5, SCM_LIST6, SCM_LIST7, SCM_LIST8, SCM_LIST9.
3035 Use functions scm_list_N instead.
3037 ** New function: scm_c_read (SCM port, void *buffer, scm_sizet size)
3039 Used by an application to read arbitrary number of bytes from a port.
3040 Same semantics as libc read, except that scm_c_read only returns less
3041 than SIZE bytes if at end-of-file.
3043 Warning: Doesn't update port line and column counts!
3045 ** New function: scm_c_write (SCM port, const void *ptr, scm_sizet size)
3047 Used by an application to write arbitrary number of bytes to an SCM
3048 port. Similar semantics as libc write. However, unlike libc
3049 write, scm_c_write writes the requested number of bytes and has no
3052 Warning: Doesn't update port line and column counts!
3054 ** New function: scm_init_guile ()
3056 In contrast to scm_boot_guile, scm_init_guile will return normally
3057 after initializing Guile. It is not available on all systems, tho.
3059 ** New functions: scm_str2symbol, scm_mem2symbol
3061 The function scm_str2symbol takes a const char* pointing to a zero-terminated
3062 field of characters and creates a scheme symbol object from that C string.
3063 The function scm_mem2symbol takes a const char* and a number of characters and
3064 creates a symbol from the characters in that memory area.
3066 ** New functions: scm_primitive_make_property
3067 scm_primitive_property_ref
3068 scm_primitive_property_set_x
3069 scm_primitive_property_del_x
3071 These functions implement a new way to deal with object properties.
3072 See libguile/properties.c for their documentation.
3074 ** New function: scm_done_free (long size)
3076 This function is the inverse of scm_done_malloc. Use it to report the
3077 amount of smob memory you free. The previous method, which involved
3078 calling scm_done_malloc with negative argument, was somewhat
3079 unintuitive (and is still available, of course).
3081 ** New function: scm_c_memq (SCM obj, SCM list)
3083 This function provides a fast C level alternative for scm_memq for the case
3084 that the list parameter is known to be a proper list. The function is a
3085 replacement for scm_sloppy_memq, but is stricter in its requirements on its
3086 list input parameter, since for anything else but a proper list the function's
3087 behaviour is undefined - it may even crash or loop endlessly. Further, for
3088 the case that the object is not found in the list, scm_c_memq returns #f which
3089 is similar to scm_memq, but different from scm_sloppy_memq's behaviour.
3091 ** New functions: scm_remember_upto_here_1, scm_remember_upto_here_2,
3092 scm_remember_upto_here
3094 These functions replace the function scm_remember.
3096 ** Deprecated function: scm_remember
3098 Use one of the new functions scm_remember_upto_here_1,
3099 scm_remember_upto_here_2 or scm_remember_upto_here instead.
3101 ** New function: scm_allocate_string
3103 This function replaces the function scm_makstr.
3105 ** Deprecated function: scm_makstr
3107 Use the new function scm_allocate_string instead.
3109 ** New global variable scm_gc_running_p introduced.
3111 Use this variable to find out if garbage collection is being executed. Up to
3112 now applications have used scm_gc_heap_lock to test if garbage collection was
3113 running, which also works because of the fact that up to know only the garbage
3114 collector has set this variable. But, this is an implementation detail that
3115 may change. Further, scm_gc_heap_lock is not set throughout gc, thus the use
3116 of this variable is (and has been) not fully safe anyway.
3118 ** New macros: SCM_BITVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH
3120 Use these instead of SCM_LENGTH_MAX.
3122 ** New macros: SCM_CONTINUATION_LENGTH, SCM_CCLO_LENGTH, SCM_STACK_LENGTH,
3123 SCM_STRING_LENGTH, SCM_SYMBOL_LENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_LENGTH,
3124 SCM_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_VECTOR_LENGTH.
3126 Use these instead of SCM_LENGTH.
3128 ** New macros: SCM_SET_CONTINUATION_LENGTH, SCM_SET_STRING_LENGTH,
3129 SCM_SET_SYMBOL_LENGTH, SCM_SET_VECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_LENGTH,
3130 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_LENGTH
3132 Use these instead of SCM_SETLENGTH
3134 ** New macros: SCM_STRING_CHARS, SCM_SYMBOL_CHARS, SCM_CCLO_BASE,
3135 SCM_VECTOR_BASE, SCM_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_BITVECTOR_BASE, SCM_COMPLEX_MEM,
3138 Use these instead of SCM_CHARS, SCM_UCHARS, SCM_ROCHARS, SCM_ROUCHARS or
3141 ** New macros: SCM_SET_BIGNUM_BASE, SCM_SET_STRING_CHARS,
3142 SCM_SET_SYMBOL_CHARS, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_BASE,
3145 Use these instead of SCM_SETCHARS.
3147 ** New macro: SCM_BITVECTOR_P
3149 ** New macro: SCM_STRING_COERCE_0TERMINATION_X
3151 Use instead of SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR.
3153 ** New macros: SCM_DIR_OPEN_P, SCM_DIR_FLAG_OPEN
3155 For directory objects, use these instead of SCM_OPDIRP and SCM_OPN.
3157 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_OUTOFRANGE, SCM_NALLOC, SCM_HUP_SIGNAL,
3158 SCM_INT_SIGNAL, SCM_FPE_SIGNAL, SCM_BUS_SIGNAL, SCM_SEGV_SIGNAL,
3159 SCM_ALRM_SIGNAL, SCM_GC_SIGNAL, SCM_TICK_SIGNAL, SCM_SIG_ORD,
3160 SCM_ORD_SIG, SCM_NUM_SIGS, SCM_SYMBOL_SLOTS, SCM_SLOTS, SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP,
3161 SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR, SCM_FREEP, SCM_NFREEP, SCM_CHARS, SCM_UCHARS,
3162 SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING, SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING_COPY,
3163 SCM_VALIDATE_NULLORROSTRING_COPY, SCM_ROLENGTH, SCM_LENGTH, SCM_HUGE_LENGTH,
3164 SCM_SUBSTRP, SCM_SUBSTR_STR, SCM_SUBSTR_OFFSET, SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR,
3165 SCM_ROSTRINGP, SCM_RWSTRINGP, SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING, SCM_ROCHARS,
3166 SCM_ROUCHARS, SCM_SETLENGTH, SCM_SETCHARS, SCM_LENGTH_MAX, SCM_GC8MARKP,
3167 SCM_SETGC8MARK, SCM_CLRGC8MARK, SCM_GCTYP16, SCM_GCCDR, SCM_SUBR_DOC,
3168 SCM_OPDIRP, SCM_VALIDATE_OPDIR, SCM_WTA, RETURN_SCM_WTA, SCM_CONST_LONG,
3169 SCM_WNA, SCM_FUNC_NAME, SCM_VALIDATE_NUMBER_COPY,
3170 SCM_VALIDATE_NUMBER_DEF_COPY, SCM_SLOPPY_CONSP, SCM_SLOPPY_NCONSP,
3171 SCM_SETAND_CDR, SCM_SETOR_CDR, SCM_SETAND_CAR, SCM_SETOR_CAR
3173 Use SCM_ASSERT_RANGE or SCM_VALIDATE_XXX_RANGE instead of SCM_OUTOFRANGE.
3174 Use scm_memory_error instead of SCM_NALLOC.
3175 Use SCM_STRINGP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP.
3176 Use SCM_VALIDATE_STRING instead of SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR.
3177 Use SCM_FREE_CELL_P instead of SCM_FREEP/SCM_NFREEP
3178 Use a type specific accessor macro instead of SCM_CHARS/SCM_UCHARS.
3179 Use a type specific accessor instead of SCM(_|_RO|_HUGE_)LENGTH.
3180 Use SCM_VALIDATE_(SYMBOL|STRING) instead of SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING.
3181 Use SCM_STRING_COERCE_0TERMINATION_X instead of SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR.
3182 Use SCM_STRINGP or SCM_SYMBOLP instead of SCM_ROSTRINGP.
3183 Use SCM_STRINGP instead of SCM_RWSTRINGP.
3184 Use SCM_VALIDATE_STRING instead of SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING.
3185 Use SCM_STRING_CHARS instead of SCM_ROCHARS.
3186 Use SCM_STRING_UCHARS instead of SCM_ROUCHARS.
3187 Use a type specific setter macro instead of SCM_SETLENGTH.
3188 Use a type specific setter macro instead of SCM_SETCHARS.
3189 Use a type specific length macro instead of SCM_LENGTH_MAX.
3190 Use SCM_GCMARKP instead of SCM_GC8MARKP.
3191 Use SCM_SETGCMARK instead of SCM_SETGC8MARK.
3192 Use SCM_CLRGCMARK instead of SCM_CLRGC8MARK.
3193 Use SCM_TYP16 instead of SCM_GCTYP16.
3194 Use SCM_CDR instead of SCM_GCCDR.
3195 Use SCM_DIR_OPEN_P instead of SCM_OPDIRP.
3196 Use SCM_MISC_ERROR or SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG instead of SCM_WTA.
3197 Use SCM_MISC_ERROR or SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG instead of RETURN_SCM_WTA.
3198 Use SCM_VCELL_INIT instead of SCM_CONST_LONG.
3199 Use SCM_WRONG_NUM_ARGS instead of SCM_WNA.
3200 Use SCM_CONSP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_CONSP.
3201 Use !SCM_CONSP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_NCONSP.
3203 ** Removed function: scm_struct_init
3205 ** Removed variable: scm_symhash_dim
3207 ** Renamed function: scm_make_cont has been replaced by
3208 scm_make_continuation, which has a different interface.
3210 ** Deprecated function: scm_call_catching_errors
3212 Use scm_catch or scm_lazy_catch from throw.[ch] instead.
3214 ** Deprecated function: scm_strhash
3216 Use scm_string_hash instead.
3218 ** Deprecated function: scm_vector_set_length_x
3220 Instead, create a fresh vector of the desired size and copy the contents.
3222 ** scm_gensym has changed prototype
3224 scm_gensym now only takes one argument.
3226 ** Deprecated type tags: scm_tc7_ssymbol, scm_tc7_msymbol, scm_tcs_symbols,
3229 There is now only a single symbol type scm_tc7_symbol.
3230 The tag scm_tc7_lvector was not used anyway.
3232 ** Deprecated function: scm_make_smob_type_mfpe, scm_set_smob_mfpe.
3234 Use scm_make_smob_type and scm_set_smob_XXX instead.
3236 ** New function scm_set_smob_apply.
3238 This can be used to set an apply function to a smob type.
3240 ** Deprecated function: scm_strprint_obj
3242 Use scm_object_to_string instead.
3244 ** Deprecated function: scm_wta
3246 Use scm_wrong_type_arg, or another appropriate error signalling function
3249 ** Explicit support for obarrays has been deprecated.
3251 Use `scm_str2symbol' and the generic hashtable functions instead.
3253 ** The concept of `vcells' has been deprecated.
3255 The data type `variable' is now used exclusively. `Vcells' have been
3256 a low-level concept so you are likely not affected by this change.
3258 *** Deprecated functions: scm_sym2vcell, scm_sysintern,
3259 scm_sysintern0, scm_symbol_value0, scm_intern, scm_intern0.
3261 Use scm_c_define or scm_c_lookup instead, as appropriate.
3263 *** New functions: scm_c_module_lookup, scm_c_lookup,
3264 scm_c_module_define, scm_c_define, scm_module_lookup, scm_lookup,
3265 scm_module_define, scm_define.
3267 These functions work with variables instead of with vcells.
3269 ** New functions for creating and defining `subr's and `gsubr's.
3271 The new functions more clearly distinguish between creating a subr (or
3272 gsubr) object and adding it to the current module.
3274 These new functions are available: scm_c_make_subr, scm_c_define_subr,
3275 scm_c_make_subr_with_generic, scm_c_define_subr_with_generic,
3276 scm_c_make_gsubr, scm_c_define_gsubr, scm_c_make_gsubr_with_generic,
3277 scm_c_define_gsubr_with_generic.
3279 ** Deprecated functions: scm_make_subr, scm_make_subr_opt,
3280 scm_make_subr_with_generic, scm_make_gsubr,
3281 scm_make_gsubr_with_generic.
3283 Use the new ones from above instead.
3285 ** C interface to the module system has changed.
3287 While we suggest that you avoid as many explicit module system
3288 operations from C as possible for the time being, the C interface has
3289 been made more similar to the high-level Scheme module system.
3291 *** New functions: scm_c_define_module, scm_c_use_module,
3292 scm_c_export, scm_c_resolve_module.
3294 They mostly work like their Scheme namesakes. scm_c_define_module
3295 takes a function that is called a context where the new module is
3298 *** Deprecated functions: scm_the_root_module, scm_make_module,
3299 scm_ensure_user_module, scm_load_scheme_module.
3301 Use the new functions instead.
3303 ** Renamed function: scm_internal_with_fluids becomes
3306 scm_internal_with_fluids is available as a deprecated function.
3308 ** New function: scm_c_with_fluid.
3310 Just like scm_c_with_fluids, but takes one fluid and one value instead
3313 ** Deprecated typedefs: long_long, ulong_long.
3315 They are of questionable utility and they pollute the global
3318 ** Deprecated typedef: scm_sizet
3320 It is of questionable utility now that Guile requires ANSI C, and is
3323 ** Deprecated typedefs: scm_port_rw_active, scm_port,
3324 scm_ptob_descriptor, scm_debug_info, scm_debug_frame, scm_fport,
3325 scm_option, scm_rstate, scm_rng, scm_array, scm_array_dim.
3327 Made more compliant with the naming policy by adding a _t at the end.
3329 ** Deprecated functions: scm_mkbig, scm_big2num, scm_adjbig,
3330 scm_normbig, scm_copybig, scm_2ulong2big, scm_dbl2big, scm_big2dbl
3332 With the exception of the mysterious scm_2ulong2big, they are still
3333 available under new names (scm_i_mkbig etc). These functions are not
3334 intended to be used in user code. You should avoid dealing with
3335 bignums directly, and should deal with numbers in general (which can
3338 ** Change in behavior: scm_num2long, scm_num2ulong
3340 The scm_num2[u]long functions don't any longer accept an inexact
3341 argument. This change in behavior is motivated by concordance with
3342 R5RS: It is more common that a primitive doesn't want to accept an
3343 inexact for an exact.
3345 ** New functions: scm_short2num, scm_ushort2num, scm_int2num,
3346 scm_uint2num, scm_size2num, scm_ptrdiff2num, scm_num2short,
3347 scm_num2ushort, scm_num2int, scm_num2uint, scm_num2ptrdiff,
3350 These are conversion functions between the various ANSI C integral
3351 types and Scheme numbers. NOTE: The scm_num2xxx functions don't
3352 accept an inexact argument.
3354 ** New functions: scm_float2num, scm_double2num,
3355 scm_num2float, scm_num2double.
3357 These are conversion functions between the two ANSI C float types and
3360 ** New number validation macros:
3361 SCM_NUM2{SIZE,PTRDIFF,SHORT,USHORT,INT,UINT}[_DEF]
3365 ** New functions: scm_gc_protect_object, scm_gc_unprotect_object
3367 These are just nicer-named old scm_protect_object and
3368 scm_unprotect_object.
3370 ** Deprecated functions: scm_protect_object, scm_unprotect_object
3372 ** New functions: scm_gc_[un]register_root, scm_gc_[un]register_roots
3374 These functions can be used to register pointers to locations that
3377 ** Deprecated function: scm_create_hook.
3379 Its sins are: misleading name, non-modularity and lack of general
3383 Changes since Guile 1.3.4:
3385 * Changes to the distribution
3387 ** Trees from nightly snapshots and CVS now require you to run autogen.sh.
3389 We've changed the way we handle generated files in the Guile source
3390 repository. As a result, the procedure for building trees obtained
3391 from the nightly FTP snapshots or via CVS has changed:
3392 - You must have appropriate versions of autoconf, automake, and
3393 libtool installed on your system. See README for info on how to
3394 obtain these programs.
3395 - Before configuring the tree, you must first run the script
3396 `autogen.sh' at the top of the source tree.
3398 The Guile repository used to contain not only source files, written by
3399 humans, but also some generated files, like configure scripts and
3400 Makefile.in files. Even though the contents of these files could be
3401 derived mechanically from other files present, we thought it would
3402 make the tree easier to build if we checked them into CVS.
3404 However, this approach means that minor differences between
3405 developer's installed tools and habits affected the whole team.
3406 So we have removed the generated files from the repository, and
3407 added the autogen.sh script, which will reconstruct them
3411 ** configure now has experimental options to remove support for certain
3414 --disable-arrays omit array and uniform array support
3415 --disable-posix omit posix interfaces
3416 --disable-networking omit networking interfaces
3417 --disable-regex omit regular expression interfaces
3419 These are likely to become separate modules some day.
3421 ** New configure option --enable-debug-freelist
3423 This enables a debugging version of SCM_NEWCELL(), and also registers
3424 an extra primitive, the setter `gc-set-debug-check-freelist!'.
3426 Configure with the --enable-debug-freelist option to enable
3427 the gc-set-debug-check-freelist! primitive, and then use:
3429 (gc-set-debug-check-freelist! #t) # turn on checking of the freelist
3430 (gc-set-debug-check-freelist! #f) # turn off checking
3432 Checking of the freelist forces a traversal of the freelist and
3433 a garbage collection before each allocation of a cell. This can
3434 slow down the interpreter dramatically, so the setter should be used to
3435 turn on this extra processing only when necessary.
3437 ** New configure option --enable-debug-malloc
3439 Include code for debugging of calls to scm_must_malloc/realloc/free.
3443 1. objects freed by scm_must_free has been mallocated by scm_must_malloc
3444 2. objects reallocated by scm_must_realloc has been allocated by
3446 3. reallocated objects are reallocated with the same what string
3448 But, most importantly, it records the number of allocated objects of
3449 each kind. This is useful when searching for memory leaks.
3451 A Guile compiled with this option provides the primitive
3452 `malloc-stats' which returns an alist with pairs of kind and the
3453 number of objects of that kind.
3455 ** All includes are now referenced relative to the root directory
3457 Since some users have had problems with mixups between Guile and
3458 system headers, we have decided to always refer to Guile headers via
3459 their parent directories. This essentially creates a "private name
3460 space" for Guile headers. This means that the compiler only is given
3461 -I options for the root build and root source directory.
3463 ** Header files kw.h and genio.h have been removed.
3465 ** The module (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style) has been removed.
3467 ** New module (ice-9 documentation)
3469 Implements the interface to documentation strings associated with
3472 ** New module (ice-9 time)
3474 Provides a macro `time', which displays execution time of a given form.
3476 ** New module (ice-9 history)
3478 Loading this module enables value history in the repl.
3480 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
3482 ** New command line option --debug
3484 Start Guile with debugging evaluator and backtraces enabled.
3486 This is useful when debugging your .guile init file or scripts.
3488 ** New help facility
3490 Usage: (help NAME) gives documentation about objects named NAME (a symbol)
3491 (help REGEXP) ditto for objects with names matching REGEXP (a string)
3492 (help 'NAME) gives documentation for NAME, even if it is not an object
3493 (help ,EXPR) gives documentation for object returned by EXPR
3494 (help (my module)) gives module commentary for `(my module)'
3495 (help) gives this text
3497 `help' searches among bindings exported from loaded modules, while
3498 `apropos' searches among bindings visible from the "current" module.
3500 Examples: (help help)
3502 (help "output-string")
3504 ** `help' and `apropos' now prints full module names
3506 ** Dynamic linking now uses libltdl from the libtool package.
3508 The old system dependent code for doing dynamic linking has been
3509 replaced with calls to the libltdl functions which do all the hairy
3512 The major improvement is that you can now directly pass libtool
3513 library names like "libfoo.la" to `dynamic-link' and `dynamic-link'
3514 will be able to do the best shared library job you can get, via
3517 The way dynamic libraries are found has changed and is not really
3518 portable across platforms, probably. It is therefore recommended to
3519 use absolute filenames when possible.
3521 If you pass a filename without an extension to `dynamic-link', it will
3522 try a few appropriate ones. Thus, the most platform ignorant way is
3523 to specify a name like "libfoo", without any directories and
3526 ** Guile COOP threads are now compatible with LinuxThreads
3528 Previously, COOP threading wasn't possible in applications linked with
3529 Linux POSIX threads due to their use of the stack pointer to find the
3530 thread context. This has now been fixed with a workaround which uses
3531 the pthreads to allocate the stack.
3533 ** New primitives: `pkgdata-dir', `site-dir', `library-dir'
3535 ** Positions of erring expression in scripts
3537 With version 1.3.4, the location of the erring expression in Guile
3538 scipts is no longer automatically reported. (This should have been
3539 documented before the 1.3.4 release.)
3541 You can get this information by enabling recording of positions of
3542 source expressions and running the debugging evaluator. Put this at
3543 the top of your script (or in your "site" file):
3545 (read-enable 'positions)
3546 (debug-enable 'debug)
3548 ** Backtraces in scripts
3550 It is now possible to get backtraces in scripts.
3554 (debug-enable 'debug 'backtrace)
3556 at the top of the script.
3558 (The first options enables the debugging evaluator.
3559 The second enables backtraces.)
3561 ** Part of module system symbol lookup now implemented in C
3563 The eval closure of most modules is now implemented in C. Since this
3564 was one of the bottlenecks for loading speed, Guile now loads code
3565 substantially faster than before.
3567 ** Attempting to get the value of an unbound variable now produces
3568 an exception with a key of 'unbound-variable instead of 'misc-error.
3570 ** The initial default output port is now unbuffered if it's using a
3571 tty device. Previously in this situation it was line-buffered.
3573 ** New hook: after-gc-hook
3575 after-gc-hook takes over the role of gc-thunk. This hook is run at
3576 the first SCM_TICK after a GC. (Thus, the code is run at the same
3577 point during evaluation as signal handlers.)
3579 Note that this hook should be used only for diagnostic and debugging
3580 purposes. It is not certain that it will continue to be well-defined
3581 when this hook is run in the future.
3583 C programmers: Note the new C level hooks scm_before_gc_c_hook,
3584 scm_before_sweep_c_hook, scm_after_gc_c_hook.
3586 ** Improvements to garbage collector
3588 Guile 1.4 has a new policy for triggering heap allocation and
3589 determining the sizes of heap segments. It fixes a number of problems
3592 1. The new policy can handle two separate pools of cells
3593 (2-word/4-word) better. (The old policy would run wild, allocating
3594 more and more memory for certain programs.)
3596 2. The old code would sometimes allocate far too much heap so that the
3597 Guile process became gigantic. The new code avoids this.
3599 3. The old code would sometimes allocate too little so that few cells
3600 were freed at GC so that, in turn, too much time was spent in GC.
3602 4. The old code would often trigger heap allocation several times in a
3603 row. (The new scheme predicts how large the segments needs to be
3604 in order not to need further allocation.)
3606 All in all, the new GC policy will make larger applications more
3609 The new GC scheme also is prepared for POSIX threading. Threads can
3610 allocate private pools of cells ("clusters") with just a single
3611 function call. Allocation of single cells from such a cluster can
3612 then proceed without any need of inter-thread synchronization.
3614 ** New environment variables controlling GC parameters
3616 GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE Maximal segment size
3619 Allocation of 2-word cell heaps:
3621 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_1 Size of initial heap segment in bytes
3624 GUILE_MIN_YIELD_1 Minimum number of freed cells at each
3625 GC in percent of total heap size
3628 Allocation of 4-word cell heaps
3629 (used for real numbers and misc other objects):
3631 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_2, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2
3633 (See entry "Way for application to customize GC parameters" under
3634 section "Changes to the scm_ interface" below.)
3636 ** Guile now implements reals using 4-word cells
3638 This speeds up computation with reals. (They were earlier allocated
3639 with `malloc'.) There is still some room for optimizations, however.
3641 ** Some further steps toward POSIX thread support have been taken
3643 *** Guile's critical sections (SCM_DEFER/ALLOW_INTS)
3644 don't have much effect any longer, and many of them will be removed in
3648 are only handled at the top of the evaluator loop, immediately after
3649 I/O, and in scm_equalp.
3651 *** The GC can allocate thread private pools of pairs.
3653 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
3655 ** close-input-port and close-output-port are now R5RS
3657 These procedures have been turned into primitives and have R5RS behaviour.
3659 ** New procedure: simple-format PORT MESSAGE ARG1 ...
3661 (ice-9 boot) makes `format' an alias for `simple-format' until possibly
3662 extended by the more sophisticated version in (ice-9 format)
3664 (simple-format port message . args)
3665 Write MESSAGE to DESTINATION, defaulting to `current-output-port'.
3666 MESSAGE can contain ~A (was %s) and ~S (was %S) escapes. When printed,
3667 the escapes are replaced with corresponding members of ARGS:
3668 ~A formats using `display' and ~S formats using `write'.
3669 If DESTINATION is #t, then use the `current-output-port',
3670 if DESTINATION is #f, then return a string containing the formatted text.
3671 Does not add a trailing newline."
3673 ** string-ref: the second argument is no longer optional.
3675 ** string, list->string: no longer accept strings in their arguments,
3676 only characters, for compatibility with R5RS.
3678 ** New procedure: port-closed? PORT
3679 Returns #t if PORT is closed or #f if it is open.
3681 ** Deprecated: list*
3683 The list* functionality is now provided by cons* (SRFI-1 compliant)
3685 ** New procedure: cons* ARG1 ARG2 ... ARGn
3687 Like `list', but the last arg provides the tail of the constructed list,
3688 returning (cons ARG1 (cons ARG2 (cons ... ARGn))).
3690 Requires at least one argument. If given one argument, that argument
3691 is returned as result.
3693 This function is called `list*' in some other Schemes and in Common LISP.
3695 ** Removed deprecated: serial-map, serial-array-copy!, serial-array-map!
3697 ** New procedure: object-documentation OBJECT
3699 Returns the documentation string associated with OBJECT. The
3700 procedure uses a caching mechanism so that subsequent lookups are
3703 Exported by (ice-9 documentation).
3705 ** module-name now returns full names of modules
3707 Previously, only the last part of the name was returned (`session' for
3708 `(ice-9 session)'). Ex: `(ice-9 session)'.
3710 * Changes to the gh_ interface
3712 ** Deprecated: gh_int2scmb
3714 Use gh_bool2scm instead.
3716 * Changes to the scm_ interface
3718 ** Guile primitives now carry docstrings!
3720 Thanks to Greg Badros!
3722 ** Guile primitives are defined in a new way: SCM_DEFINE/SCM_DEFINE1/SCM_PROC
3724 Now Guile primitives are defined using the SCM_DEFINE/SCM_DEFINE1/SCM_PROC
3725 macros and must contain a docstring that is extracted into foo.doc using a new
3726 guile-doc-snarf script (that uses guile-doc-snarf.awk).
3728 However, a major overhaul of these macros is scheduled for the next release of
3731 ** Guile primitives use a new technique for validation of arguments
3733 SCM_VALIDATE_* macros are defined to ease the redundancy and improve
3734 the readability of argument checking.
3736 ** All (nearly?) K&R prototypes for functions replaced with ANSI C equivalents.
3738 ** New macros: SCM_PACK, SCM_UNPACK
3740 Compose/decompose an SCM value.
3742 The SCM type is now treated as an abstract data type and may be defined as a
3743 long, a void* or as a struct, depending on the architecture and compile time
3744 options. This makes it easier to find several types of bugs, for example when
3745 SCM values are treated as integers without conversion. Values of the SCM type
3746 should be treated as "atomic" values. These macros are used when
3747 composing/decomposing an SCM value, either because you want to access
3748 individual bits, or because you want to treat it as an integer value.
3750 E.g., in order to set bit 7 in an SCM value x, use the expression
3752 SCM_PACK (SCM_UNPACK (x) | 0x80)
3754 ** The name property of hooks is deprecated.
3755 Thus, the use of SCM_HOOK_NAME and scm_make_hook_with_name is deprecated.
3757 You can emulate this feature by using object properties.
3759 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_INPORTP, SCM_OUTPORTP, SCM_CRDY, SCM_ICHRP,
3760 SCM_ICHR, SCM_MAKICHR, SCM_SETJMPBUF, SCM_NSTRINGP, SCM_NRWSTRINGP,
3763 These macros will be removed in a future release of Guile.
3765 ** The following types, functions and macros from numbers.h are deprecated:
3766 scm_dblproc, SCM_UNEGFIXABLE, SCM_FLOBUFLEN, SCM_INEXP, SCM_CPLXP, SCM_REAL,
3767 SCM_IMAG, SCM_REALPART, scm_makdbl, SCM_SINGP, SCM_NUM2DBL, SCM_NO_BIGDIG
3769 ** Port internals: the rw_random variable in the scm_port structure
3770 must be set to non-zero in any random access port. In recent Guile
3771 releases it was only set for bidirectional random-access ports.
3773 ** Port internals: the seek ptob procedure is now responsible for
3774 resetting the buffers if required. The change was made so that in the
3775 special case of reading the current position (i.e., seek p 0 SEEK_CUR)
3776 the fport and strport ptobs can avoid resetting the buffers,
3777 in particular to avoid discarding unread chars. An existing port
3778 type can be fixed by adding something like the following to the
3779 beginning of the ptob seek procedure:
3781 if (pt->rw_active == SCM_PORT_READ)
3782 scm_end_input (object);
3783 else if (pt->rw_active == SCM_PORT_WRITE)
3784 ptob->flush (object);
3786 although to actually avoid resetting the buffers and discard unread
3787 chars requires further hacking that depends on the characteristics
3790 ** Deprecated functions: scm_fseek, scm_tag
3792 These functions are no longer used and will be removed in a future version.
3794 ** The scm_sysmissing procedure is no longer used in libguile.
3795 Unless it turns out to be unexpectedly useful to somebody, it will be
3796 removed in a future version.
3798 ** The format of error message strings has changed
3800 The two C procedures: scm_display_error and scm_error, as well as the
3801 primitive `scm-error', now use scm_simple_format to do their work.
3802 This means that the message strings of all code must be updated to use
3803 ~A where %s was used before, and ~S where %S was used before.
3805 During the period when there still are a lot of old Guiles out there,
3806 you might want to support both old and new versions of Guile.
3808 There are basically two methods to achieve this. Both methods use
3811 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(scm_simple_format)
3813 in your configure.in.
3815 Method 1: Use the string concatenation features of ANSI C's
3820 #ifdef HAVE_SCM_SIMPLE_FORMAT
3826 Then represent each of your error messages using a preprocessor macro:
3828 #define E_SPIDER_ERROR "There's a spider in your " ## FMT_S ## "!!!"
3832 (define fmt-s (if (defined? 'simple-format) "~S" "%S"))
3833 (define make-message string-append)
3835 (define e-spider-error (make-message "There's a spider in your " fmt-s "!!!"))
3837 Method 2: Use the oldfmt function found in doc/oldfmt.c.
3841 scm_misc_error ("picnic", scm_c_oldfmt0 ("There's a spider in your ~S!!!"),
3846 (scm-error 'misc-error "picnic" (oldfmt "There's a spider in your ~S!!!")
3850 ** Deprecated: coop_mutex_init, coop_condition_variable_init
3852 Don't use the functions coop_mutex_init and
3853 coop_condition_variable_init. They will change.
3855 Use scm_mutex_init and scm_cond_init instead.
3857 ** New function: int scm_cond_timedwait (scm_cond_t *COND, scm_mutex_t *MUTEX, const struct timespec *ABSTIME)
3858 `scm_cond_timedwait' atomically unlocks MUTEX and waits on
3859 COND, as `scm_cond_wait' does, but it also bounds the duration
3860 of the wait. If COND has not been signaled before time ABSTIME,
3861 the mutex MUTEX is re-acquired and `scm_cond_timedwait'
3862 returns the error code `ETIMEDOUT'.
3864 The ABSTIME parameter specifies an absolute time, with the same
3865 origin as `time' and `gettimeofday': an ABSTIME of 0 corresponds
3866 to 00:00:00 GMT, January 1, 1970.
3868 ** New function: scm_cond_broadcast (scm_cond_t *COND)
3869 `scm_cond_broadcast' restarts all the threads that are waiting
3870 on the condition variable COND. Nothing happens if no threads are
3873 ** New function: scm_key_create (scm_key_t *KEY, void (*destr_function) (void *))
3874 `scm_key_create' allocates a new TSD key. The key is stored in
3875 the location pointed to by KEY. There is no limit on the number
3876 of keys allocated at a given time. The value initially associated
3877 with the returned key is `NULL' in all currently executing threads.
3879 The DESTR_FUNCTION argument, if not `NULL', specifies a destructor
3880 function associated with the key. When a thread terminates,
3881 DESTR_FUNCTION is called on the value associated with the key in
3882 that thread. The DESTR_FUNCTION is not called if a key is deleted
3883 with `scm_key_delete' or a value is changed with
3884 `scm_setspecific'. The order in which destructor functions are
3885 called at thread termination time is unspecified.
3887 Destructors are not yet implemented.
3889 ** New function: scm_setspecific (scm_key_t KEY, const void *POINTER)
3890 `scm_setspecific' changes the value associated with KEY in the
3891 calling thread, storing the given POINTER instead.
3893 ** New function: scm_getspecific (scm_key_t KEY)
3894 `scm_getspecific' returns the value currently associated with
3895 KEY in the calling thread.
3897 ** New function: scm_key_delete (scm_key_t KEY)
3898 `scm_key_delete' deallocates a TSD key. It does not check
3899 whether non-`NULL' values are associated with that key in the
3900 currently executing threads, nor call the destructor function
3901 associated with the key.
3903 ** New function: scm_c_hook_init (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, void *HOOK_DATA, scm_c_hook_type_t TYPE)
3905 Initialize a C level hook HOOK with associated HOOK_DATA and type
3906 TYPE. (See scm_c_hook_run ().)
3908 ** New function: scm_c_hook_add (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, scm_c_hook_function_t FUNC, void *FUNC_DATA, int APPENDP)
3910 Add hook function FUNC with associated FUNC_DATA to HOOK. If APPENDP
3911 is true, add it last, otherwise first. The same FUNC can be added
3912 multiple times if FUNC_DATA differ and vice versa.
3914 ** New function: scm_c_hook_remove (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, scm_c_hook_function_t FUNC, void *FUNC_DATA)
3916 Remove hook function FUNC with associated FUNC_DATA from HOOK. A
3917 function is only removed if both FUNC and FUNC_DATA matches.
3919 ** New function: void *scm_c_hook_run (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, void *DATA)
3921 Run hook HOOK passing DATA to the hook functions.
3923 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_NORMAL, all hook functions are run. The value
3924 returned is undefined.
3926 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_OR, hook functions are run until a function
3927 returns a non-NULL value. This value is returned as the result of
3928 scm_c_hook_run. If all functions return NULL, NULL is returned.
3930 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_AND, hook functions are run until a function
3931 returns a NULL value, and NULL is returned. If all functions returns
3932 a non-NULL value, the last value is returned.
3934 ** New C level GC hooks
3936 Five new C level hooks has been added to the garbage collector.
3938 scm_before_gc_c_hook
3941 are run before locking and after unlocking the heap. The system is
3942 thus in a mode where evaluation can take place. (Except that
3943 scm_before_gc_c_hook must not allocate new cells.)
3945 scm_before_mark_c_hook
3946 scm_before_sweep_c_hook
3947 scm_after_sweep_c_hook
3949 are run when the heap is locked. These are intended for extension of
3950 the GC in a modular fashion. Examples are the weaks and guardians
3953 ** Way for application to customize GC parameters
3955 The application can set up other default values for the GC heap
3956 allocation parameters
3958 GUILE_INIT_HEAP_SIZE_1, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_1,
3959 GUILE_INIT_HEAP_SIZE_2, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2,
3960 GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE,
3964 scm_default_init_heap_size_1, scm_default_min_yield_1,
3965 scm_default_init_heap_size_2, scm_default_min_yield_2,
3966 scm_default_max_segment_size
3968 respectively before callong scm_boot_guile.
3970 (See entry "New environment variables ..." in section
3971 "Changes to the stand-alone interpreter" above.)
3973 ** scm_protect_object/scm_unprotect_object now nest
3975 This means that you can call scm_protect_object multiple times on an
3976 object and count on the object being protected until
3977 scm_unprotect_object has been call the same number of times.
3979 The functions also have better time complexity.
3981 Still, it is usually possible to structure the application in a way
3982 that you don't need to use these functions. For example, if you use a
3983 protected standard Guile list to keep track of live objects rather
3984 than some custom data type, objects will die a natural death when they
3985 are no longer needed.
3987 ** Deprecated type tags: scm_tc16_flo, scm_tc_flo, scm_tc_dblr, scm_tc_dblc
3989 Guile does not provide the float representation for inexact real numbers any
3990 more. Now, only doubles are used to represent inexact real numbers. Further,
3991 the tag names scm_tc_dblr and scm_tc_dblc have been changed to scm_tc16_real
3992 and scm_tc16_complex, respectively.
3994 ** Removed deprecated type scm_smobfuns
3996 ** Removed deprecated function scm_newsmob
3998 ** Warning: scm_make_smob_type_mfpe might become deprecated in a future release
4000 There is an ongoing discussion among the developers whether to
4001 deprecate `scm_make_smob_type_mfpe' or not. Please use the current
4002 standard interface (scm_make_smob_type, scm_set_smob_XXX) in new code
4003 until this issue has been settled.
4005 ** Removed deprecated type tag scm_tc16_kw
4007 ** Added type tag scm_tc16_keyword
4009 (This was introduced already in release 1.3.4 but was not documented
4012 ** gdb_print now prints "*** Guile not initialized ***" until Guile initialized
4014 * Changes to system call interfaces:
4016 ** The "select" procedure now tests port buffers for the ability to
4017 provide input or accept output. Previously only the underlying file
4018 descriptors were checked.
4020 ** New variable PIPE_BUF: the maximum number of bytes that can be
4021 atomically written to a pipe.
4023 ** If a facility is not available on the system when Guile is
4024 compiled, the corresponding primitive procedure will not be defined.
4025 Previously it would have been defined but would throw a system-error
4026 exception if called. Exception handlers which catch this case may
4027 need minor modification: an error will be thrown with key
4028 'unbound-variable instead of 'system-error. Alternatively it's
4029 now possible to use `defined?' to check whether the facility is
4032 ** Procedures which depend on the timezone should now give the correct
4033 result on systems which cache the TZ environment variable, even if TZ
4034 is changed without calling tzset.
4036 * Changes to the networking interfaces:
4038 ** New functions: htons, ntohs, htonl, ntohl: for converting short and
4039 long integers between network and host format. For now, it's not
4040 particularly convenient to do this kind of thing, but consider:
4042 (define write-network-long
4043 (lambda (value port)
4044 (let ((v (make-uniform-vector 1 1 0)))
4045 (uniform-vector-set! v 0 (htonl value))
4046 (uniform-vector-write v port))))
4048 (define read-network-long
4050 (let ((v (make-uniform-vector 1 1 0)))
4051 (uniform-vector-read! v port)
4052 (ntohl (uniform-vector-ref v 0)))))
4054 ** If inet-aton fails, it now throws an error with key 'misc-error
4055 instead of 'system-error, since errno is not relevant.
4057 ** Certain gethostbyname/gethostbyaddr failures now throw errors with
4058 specific keys instead of 'system-error. The latter is inappropriate
4059 since errno will not have been set. The keys are:
4060 'host-not-found, 'try-again, 'no-recovery and 'no-data.
4062 ** sethostent, setnetent, setprotoent, setservent: now take an
4063 optional argument STAYOPEN, which specifies whether the database
4064 remains open after a database entry is accessed randomly (e.g., using
4065 gethostbyname for the hosts database.) The default is #f. Previously
4069 Changes since Guile 1.3.2:
4071 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
4075 An initial version of the Guile debugger written by Chris Hanson has
4076 been added. The debugger is still under development but is included
4077 in the distribution anyway since it is already quite useful.
4083 after an error to enter the debugger. Type `help' inside the debugger
4084 for a description of available commands.
4086 If you prefer to have stack frames numbered and printed in
4087 anti-chronological order and prefer up in the stack to be down on the
4088 screen as is the case in gdb, you can put
4090 (debug-enable 'backwards)
4092 in your .guile startup file. (However, this means that Guile can't
4093 use indentation to indicate stack level.)
4095 The debugger is autoloaded into Guile at the first use.
4097 ** Further enhancements to backtraces
4099 There is a new debug option `width' which controls the maximum width
4100 on the screen of printed stack frames. Fancy printing parameters
4101 ("level" and "length" as in Common LISP) are adaptively adjusted for
4102 each stack frame to give maximum information while still fitting
4103 within the bounds. If the stack frame can't be made to fit by
4104 adjusting parameters, it is simply cut off at the end. This is marked
4107 ** Some modules are now only loaded when the repl is started
4109 The modules (ice-9 debug), (ice-9 session), (ice-9 threads) and (ice-9
4110 regex) are now loaded into (guile-user) only if the repl has been
4111 started. The effect is that the startup time for scripts has been
4112 reduced to 30% of what it was previously.
4114 Correctly written scripts load the modules they require at the top of
4115 the file and should not be affected by this change.
4117 ** Hooks are now represented as smobs
4119 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
4121 ** Readline support has changed again.
4123 The old (readline-activator) module is gone. Use (ice-9 readline)
4124 instead, which now contains all readline functionality. So the code
4125 to activate readline is now
4127 (use-modules (ice-9 readline))
4130 This should work at any time, including from the guile prompt.
4132 To avoid confusion about the terms of Guile's license, please only
4133 enable readline for your personal use; please don't make it the
4134 default for others. Here is why we make this rather odd-sounding
4137 Guile is normally licensed under a weakened form of the GNU General
4138 Public License, which allows you to link code with Guile without
4139 placing that code under the GPL. This exception is important to some
4142 However, since readline is distributed under the GNU General Public
4143 License, when you link Guile with readline, either statically or
4144 dynamically, you effectively change Guile's license to the strict GPL.
4145 Whenever you link any strictly GPL'd code into Guile, uses of Guile
4146 which are normally permitted become forbidden. This is a rather
4147 non-obvious consequence of the licensing terms.
4149 So, to make sure things remain clear, please let people choose for
4150 themselves whether to link GPL'd libraries like readline with Guile.
4152 ** regexp-substitute/global has changed slightly, but incompatibly.
4154 If you include a function in the item list, the string of the match
4155 object it receives is the same string passed to
4156 regexp-substitute/global, not some suffix of that string.
4157 Correspondingly, the match's positions are relative to the entire
4158 string, not the suffix.
4160 If the regexp can match the empty string, the way matches are chosen
4161 from the string has changed. regexp-substitute/global recognizes the
4162 same set of matches that list-matches does; see below.
4164 ** New function: list-matches REGEXP STRING [FLAGS]
4166 Return a list of match objects, one for every non-overlapping, maximal
4167 match of REGEXP in STRING. The matches appear in left-to-right order.
4168 list-matches only reports matches of the empty string if there are no
4169 other matches which begin on, end at, or include the empty match's
4172 If present, FLAGS is passed as the FLAGS argument to regexp-exec.
4174 ** New function: fold-matches REGEXP STRING INIT PROC [FLAGS]
4176 For each match of REGEXP in STRING, apply PROC to the match object,
4177 and the last value PROC returned, or INIT for the first call. Return
4178 the last value returned by PROC. We apply PROC to the matches as they
4179 appear from left to right.
4181 This function recognizes matches according to the same criteria as
4184 Thus, you could define list-matches like this:
4186 (define (list-matches regexp string . flags)
4187 (reverse! (apply fold-matches regexp string '() cons flags)))
4189 If present, FLAGS is passed as the FLAGS argument to regexp-exec.
4193 *** New function: hook? OBJ
4195 Return #t if OBJ is a hook, otherwise #f.
4197 *** New function: make-hook-with-name NAME [ARITY]
4199 Return a hook with name NAME and arity ARITY. The default value for
4200 ARITY is 0. The only effect of NAME is that it will appear when the
4201 hook object is printed to ease debugging.
4203 *** New function: hook-empty? HOOK
4205 Return #t if HOOK doesn't contain any procedures, otherwise #f.
4207 *** New function: hook->list HOOK
4209 Return a list of the procedures that are called when run-hook is
4212 ** `map' signals an error if its argument lists are not all the same length.
4214 This is the behavior required by R5RS, so this change is really a bug
4215 fix. But it seems to affect a lot of people's code, so we're
4216 mentioning it here anyway.
4218 ** Print-state handling has been made more transparent
4220 Under certain circumstances, ports are represented as a port with an
4221 associated print state. Earlier, this pair was represented as a pair
4222 (see "Some magic has been added to the printer" below). It is now
4223 indistinguishable (almost; see `get-print-state') from a port on the
4226 *** New function: port-with-print-state OUTPUT-PORT PRINT-STATE
4228 Return a new port with the associated print state PRINT-STATE.
4230 *** New function: get-print-state OUTPUT-PORT
4232 Return the print state associated with this port if it exists,
4233 otherwise return #f.
4235 *** New function: directory-stream? OBJECT
4237 Returns true iff OBJECT is a directory stream --- the sort of object
4238 returned by `opendir'.
4240 ** New function: using-readline?
4242 Return #t if readline is in use in the current repl.
4244 ** structs will be removed in 1.4
4246 Structs will be replaced in Guile 1.4. We will merge GOOPS into Guile
4247 and use GOOPS objects as the fundamental record type.
4249 * Changes to the scm_ interface
4251 ** structs will be removed in 1.4
4253 The entire current struct interface (struct.c, struct.h) will be
4254 replaced in Guile 1.4. We will merge GOOPS into libguile and use
4255 GOOPS objects as the fundamental record type.
4257 ** The internal representation of subr's has changed
4259 Instead of giving a hint to the subr name, the CAR field of the subr
4260 now contains an index to a subr entry in scm_subr_table.
4262 *** New variable: scm_subr_table
4264 An array of subr entries. A subr entry contains the name, properties
4265 and documentation associated with the subr. The properties and
4266 documentation slots are not yet used.
4268 ** A new scheme for "forwarding" calls to a builtin to a generic function
4270 It is now possible to extend the functionality of some Guile
4271 primitives by letting them defer a call to a GOOPS generic function on
4272 argument mismatch. This means that there is no loss of efficiency in
4277 (use-modules (oop goops)) ; Must be GOOPS version 0.2.
4278 (define-method + ((x <string>) (y <string>))
4279 (string-append x y))
4281 + will still be as efficient as usual in numerical calculations, but
4282 can also be used for concatenating strings.
4284 Who will be the first one to extend Guile's numerical tower to
4285 rationals? :) [OK, there a few other things to fix before this can
4286 be made in a clean way.]
4288 *** New snarf macros for defining primitives: SCM_GPROC, SCM_GPROC1
4290 New macro: SCM_GPROC (CNAME, SNAME, REQ, OPT, VAR, CFUNC, GENERIC)
4292 New macro: SCM_GPROC1 (CNAME, SNAME, TYPE, CFUNC, GENERIC)
4294 These do the same job as SCM_PROC and SCM_PROC1, but they also define
4295 a variable GENERIC which can be used by the dispatch macros below.
4297 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
4299 *** New macros for forwarding control to a generic on arg type error
4301 New macro: SCM_WTA_DISPATCH_1 (GENERIC, ARG1, POS, SUBR)
4303 New macro: SCM_WTA_DISPATCH_2 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, POS, SUBR)
4305 These correspond to the scm_wta function call, and have the same
4306 behaviour until the user has called the GOOPS primitive
4307 `enable-primitive-generic!'. After that, these macros will apply the
4308 generic function GENERIC to the argument(s) instead of calling
4311 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
4313 *** New macros for argument testing with generic dispatch
4315 New macro: SCM_GASSERT1 (COND, GENERIC, ARG1, POS, SUBR)
4317 New macro: SCM_GASSERT2 (COND, GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, POS, SUBR)
4319 These correspond to the SCM_ASSERT macro, but will defer control to
4320 GENERIC on error after `enable-primitive-generic!' has been called.
4322 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
4324 ** New function: SCM scm_eval_body (SCM body, SCM env)
4326 Evaluates the body of a special form.
4328 ** The internal representation of struct's has changed
4330 Previously, four slots were allocated for the procedure(s) of entities
4331 and operators. The motivation for this representation had to do with
4332 the structure of the evaluator, the wish to support tail-recursive
4333 generic functions, and efficiency. Since the generic function
4334 dispatch mechanism has changed, there is no longer a need for such an
4335 expensive representation, and the representation has been simplified.
4337 This should not make any difference for most users.
4339 ** GOOPS support has been cleaned up.
4341 Some code has been moved from eval.c to objects.c and code in both of
4342 these compilation units has been cleaned up and better structured.
4344 *** New functions for applying generic functions
4346 New function: SCM scm_apply_generic (GENERIC, ARGS)
4347 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_0 (GENERIC)
4348 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_1 (GENERIC, ARG1)
4349 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_2 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2)
4350 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_3 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, ARG3)
4352 ** Deprecated function: scm_make_named_hook
4354 It is now replaced by:
4356 ** New function: SCM scm_create_hook (const char *name, int arity)
4358 Creates a hook in the same way as make-hook above but also
4359 binds a variable named NAME to it.
4361 This is the typical way of creating a hook from C code.
4363 Currently, the variable is created in the "current" module.
4364 This might change when we get the new module system.
4366 [The behaviour is identical to scm_make_named_hook.]
4370 Changes since Guile 1.3:
4372 * Changes to mailing lists
4374 ** Some of the Guile mailing lists have moved to sourceware.cygnus.com.
4376 See the README file to find current addresses for all the Guile
4379 * Changes to the distribution
4381 ** Readline support is no longer included with Guile by default.
4383 Based on the different license terms of Guile and Readline, we
4384 concluded that Guile should not *by default* cause the linking of
4385 Readline into an application program. Readline support is now offered
4386 as a separate module, which is linked into an application only when
4387 you explicitly specify it.
4389 Although Guile is GNU software, its distribution terms add a special
4390 exception to the usual GNU General Public License (GPL). Guile's
4391 license includes a clause that allows you to link Guile with non-free
4392 programs. We add this exception so as not to put Guile at a
4393 disadvantage vis-a-vis other extensibility packages that support other
4396 In contrast, the GNU Readline library is distributed under the GNU
4397 General Public License pure and simple. This means that you may not
4398 link Readline, even dynamically, into an application unless it is
4399 distributed under a free software license that is compatible the GPL.
4401 Because of this difference in distribution terms, an application that
4402 can use Guile may not be able to use Readline. Now users will be
4403 explicitly offered two independent decisions about the use of these
4406 You can activate the readline support by issuing
4408 (use-modules (readline-activator))
4411 from your ".guile" file, for example.
4413 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
4415 ** All builtins now print as primitives.
4416 Previously builtin procedures not belonging to the fundamental subr
4417 types printed as #<compiled closure #<primitive-procedure gsubr-apply>>.
4418 Now, they print as #<primitive-procedure NAME>.
4420 ** Backtraces slightly more intelligible.
4421 gsubr-apply and macro transformer application frames no longer appear
4424 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
4426 ** Guile now correctly handles internal defines by rewriting them into
4427 their equivalent letrec. Previously, internal defines would
4428 incrementally add to the innermost environment, without checking
4429 whether the restrictions specified in RnRS were met. This lead to the
4430 correct behaviour when these restriction actually were met, but didn't
4431 catch all illegal uses. Such an illegal use could lead to crashes of
4432 the Guile interpreter or or other unwanted results. An example of
4433 incorrect internal defines that made Guile behave erratically:
4445 The problem with this example is that the definition of `c' uses the
4446 value of `b' directly. This confuses the meoization machine of Guile
4447 so that the second call of `b' (this time in a larger environment that
4448 also contains bindings for `c' and `d') refers to the binding of `c'
4449 instead of `a'. You could also make Guile crash with a variation on
4454 (define (b flag) (if flag a 1))
4455 (define c (1+ (b flag)))
4463 From now on, Guile will issue an `Unbound variable: b' error message
4468 A hook contains a list of functions which should be called on
4469 particular occasions in an existing program. Hooks are used for
4472 A window manager might have a hook before-window-map-hook. The window
4473 manager uses the function run-hooks to call all functions stored in
4474 before-window-map-hook each time a window is mapped. The user can
4475 store functions in the hook using add-hook!.
4477 In Guile, hooks are first class objects.
4479 *** New function: make-hook [N_ARGS]
4481 Return a hook for hook functions which can take N_ARGS arguments.
4482 The default value for N_ARGS is 0.
4484 (See also scm_make_named_hook below.)
4486 *** New function: add-hook! HOOK PROC [APPEND_P]
4488 Put PROC at the beginning of the list of functions stored in HOOK.
4489 If APPEND_P is supplied, and non-false, put PROC at the end instead.
4491 PROC must be able to take the number of arguments specified when the
4494 If PROC already exists in HOOK, then remove it first.
4496 *** New function: remove-hook! HOOK PROC
4498 Remove PROC from the list of functions in HOOK.
4500 *** New function: reset-hook! HOOK
4502 Clear the list of hook functions stored in HOOK.
4504 *** New function: run-hook HOOK ARG1 ...
4506 Run all hook functions stored in HOOK with arguments ARG1 ... .
4507 The number of arguments supplied must correspond to the number given
4508 when the hook was created.
4510 ** The function `dynamic-link' now takes optional keyword arguments.
4511 The only keyword argument that is currently defined is `:global
4512 BOOL'. With it, you can control whether the shared library will be
4513 linked in global mode or not. In global mode, the symbols from the
4514 linked library can be used to resolve references from other
4515 dynamically linked libraries. In non-global mode, the linked
4516 library is essentially invisible and can only be accessed via
4517 `dynamic-func', etc. The default is now to link in global mode.
4518 Previously, the default has been non-global mode.
4520 The `#:global' keyword is only effective on platforms that support
4521 the dlopen family of functions.
4523 ** New function `provided?'
4525 - Function: provided? FEATURE
4526 Return true iff FEATURE is supported by this installation of
4527 Guile. FEATURE must be a symbol naming a feature; the global
4528 variable `*features*' is a list of available features.
4530 ** Changes to the module (ice-9 expect):
4532 *** The expect-strings macro now matches `$' in a regular expression
4533 only at a line-break or end-of-file by default. Previously it would
4534 match the end of the string accumulated so far. The old behaviour
4535 can be obtained by setting the variable `expect-strings-exec-flags'
4538 *** The expect-strings macro now uses a variable `expect-strings-exec-flags'
4539 for the regexp-exec flags. If `regexp/noteol' is included, then `$'
4540 in a regular expression will still match before a line-break or
4541 end-of-file. The default is `regexp/noteol'.
4543 *** The expect-strings macro now uses a variable
4544 `expect-strings-compile-flags' for the flags to be supplied to
4545 `make-regexp'. The default is `regexp/newline', which was previously
4548 *** The expect macro now supplies two arguments to a match procedure:
4549 the current accumulated string and a flag to indicate whether
4550 end-of-file has been reached. Previously only the string was supplied.
4551 If end-of-file is reached, the match procedure will be called an
4552 additional time with the same accumulated string as the previous call
4553 but with the flag set.
4555 ** New module (ice-9 format), implementing the Common Lisp `format' function.
4557 This code, and the documentation for it that appears here, was
4558 borrowed from SLIB, with minor adaptations for Guile.
4560 - Function: format DESTINATION FORMAT-STRING . ARGUMENTS
4561 An almost complete implementation of Common LISP format description
4562 according to the CL reference book `Common LISP' from Guy L.
4563 Steele, Digital Press. Backward compatible to most of the
4564 available Scheme format implementations.
4566 Returns `#t', `#f' or a string; has side effect of printing
4567 according to FORMAT-STRING. If DESTINATION is `#t', the output is
4568 to the current output port and `#t' is returned. If DESTINATION
4569 is `#f', a formatted string is returned as the result of the call.
4570 NEW: If DESTINATION is a string, DESTINATION is regarded as the
4571 format string; FORMAT-STRING is then the first argument and the
4572 output is returned as a string. If DESTINATION is a number, the
4573 output is to the current error port if available by the
4574 implementation. Otherwise DESTINATION must be an output port and
4577 FORMAT-STRING must be a string. In case of a formatting error
4578 format returns `#f' and prints a message on the current output or
4579 error port. Characters are output as if the string were output by
4580 the `display' function with the exception of those prefixed by a
4581 tilde (~). For a detailed description of the FORMAT-STRING syntax
4582 please consult a Common LISP format reference manual. For a test
4583 suite to verify this format implementation load `formatst.scm'.
4584 Please send bug reports to `lutzeb@cs.tu-berlin.de'.
4586 Note: `format' is not reentrant, i.e. only one `format'-call may
4587 be executed at a time.
4590 *** Format Specification (Format version 3.0)
4592 Please consult a Common LISP format reference manual for a detailed
4593 description of the format string syntax. For a demonstration of the
4594 implemented directives see `formatst.scm'.
4596 This implementation supports directive parameters and modifiers (`:'
4597 and `@' characters). Multiple parameters must be separated by a comma
4598 (`,'). Parameters can be numerical parameters (positive or negative),
4599 character parameters (prefixed by a quote character (`''), variable
4600 parameters (`v'), number of rest arguments parameter (`#'), empty and
4601 default parameters. Directive characters are case independent. The
4602 general form of a directive is:
4604 DIRECTIVE ::= ~{DIRECTIVE-PARAMETER,}[:][@]DIRECTIVE-CHARACTER
4606 DIRECTIVE-PARAMETER ::= [ [-|+]{0-9}+ | 'CHARACTER | v | # ]
4608 *** Implemented CL Format Control Directives
4610 Documentation syntax: Uppercase characters represent the
4611 corresponding control directive characters. Lowercase characters
4612 represent control directive parameter descriptions.
4615 Any (print as `display' does).
4619 `~MINCOL,COLINC,MINPAD,PADCHARA'
4623 S-expression (print as `write' does).
4627 `~MINCOL,COLINC,MINPAD,PADCHARS'
4633 print number sign always.
4636 print comma separated.
4638 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARD'
4644 print number sign always.
4647 print comma separated.
4649 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARX'
4655 print number sign always.
4658 print comma separated.
4660 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARO'
4666 print number sign always.
4669 print comma separated.
4671 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARB'
4676 `~N,MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARR'
4680 print a number as a Roman numeral.
4683 print a number as an "old fashioned" Roman numeral.
4686 print a number as an ordinal English number.
4689 print a number as a cardinal English number.
4694 prints `y' and `ies'.
4697 as `~P but jumps 1 argument backward.'
4700 as `~@P but jumps 1 argument backward.'
4705 prints a character as the reader can understand it (i.e. `#\'
4709 prints a character as emacs does (eg. `^C' for ASCII 03).
4712 Fixed-format floating-point (prints a flonum like MMM.NNN).
4713 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHARF'
4715 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4718 Exponential floating-point (prints a flonum like MMM.NNN`E'EE).
4719 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,EXPONENTDIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHAR,EXPONENTCHARE'
4721 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4724 General floating-point (prints a flonum either fixed or
4726 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,EXPONENTDIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHAR,EXPONENTCHARG'
4728 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4731 Dollars floating-point (prints a flonum in fixed with signs
4733 `~DIGITS,SCALE,WIDTH,PADCHAR$'
4735 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4738 A sign is always printed and appears before the padding.
4741 The sign appears before the padding.
4749 print newline if not at the beginning of the output line.
4751 prints `~&' and then N-1 newlines.
4756 print N page separators.
4766 newline is ignored, white space left.
4769 newline is left, white space ignored.
4774 relative tabulation.
4780 Indirection (expects indirect arguments as a list).
4782 extracts indirect arguments from format arguments.
4785 Case conversion (converts by `string-downcase').
4787 converts by `string-capitalize'.
4790 converts by `string-capitalize-first'.
4793 converts by `string-upcase'.
4796 Argument Jumping (jumps 1 argument forward).
4798 jumps N arguments forward.
4801 jumps 1 argument backward.
4804 jumps N arguments backward.
4807 jumps to the 0th argument.
4810 jumps to the Nth argument (beginning from 0)
4812 `~[STR0~;STR1~;...~;STRN~]'
4813 Conditional Expression (numerical clause conditional).
4815 take argument from N.
4818 true test conditional.
4821 if-else-then conditional.
4827 default clause follows.
4830 Iteration (args come from the next argument (a list)).
4832 at most N iterations.
4835 args from next arg (a list of lists).
4838 args from the rest of arguments.
4841 args from the rest args (lists).
4852 aborts if N <= M <= K
4854 *** Not Implemented CL Format Control Directives
4857 print `#f' as an empty list (see below).
4860 print `#f' as an empty list (see below).
4866 (sorry I don't understand its semantics completely)
4868 *** Extended, Replaced and Additional Control Directives
4870 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHD'
4871 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHX'
4872 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHO'
4873 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHB'
4874 `~N,MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHR'
4875 COMMAWIDTH is the number of characters between two comma
4879 print a R4RS complex number as `~F~@Fi' with passed parameters for
4883 Pretty print formatting of an argument for scheme code lists.
4889 Flushes the output if format DESTINATION is a port.
4892 Print a `#\space' character
4894 print N `#\space' characters.
4897 Print a `#\tab' character
4899 print N `#\tab' characters.
4902 Takes N as an integer representation for a character. No arguments
4903 are consumed. N is converted to a character by `integer->char'. N
4904 must be a positive decimal number.
4907 Print out readproof. Prints out internal objects represented as
4908 `#<...>' as strings `"#<...>"' so that the format output can always
4909 be processed by `read'.
4912 Print out readproof. Prints out internal objects represented as
4913 `#<...>' as strings `"#<...>"' so that the format output can always
4914 be processed by `read'.
4917 Prints information and a copyright notice on the format
4920 prints format version.
4923 may also print number strings, i.e. passing a number as a string
4924 and format it accordingly.
4926 *** Configuration Variables
4928 The format module exports some configuration variables to suit the
4929 systems and users needs. There should be no modification necessary for
4930 the configuration that comes with Guile. Format detects automatically
4931 if the running scheme system implements floating point numbers and
4934 format:symbol-case-conv
4935 Symbols are converted by `symbol->string' so the case type of the
4936 printed symbols is implementation dependent.
4937 `format:symbol-case-conv' is a one arg closure which is either
4938 `#f' (no conversion), `string-upcase', `string-downcase' or
4939 `string-capitalize'. (default `#f')
4941 format:iobj-case-conv
4942 As FORMAT:SYMBOL-CASE-CONV but applies for the representation of
4943 implementation internal objects. (default `#f')
4946 The character prefixing the exponent value in `~E' printing.
4949 *** Compatibility With Other Format Implementations
4955 Downward compatible except for padding support and `~A', `~S',
4956 `~P', `~X' uppercase printing. SLIB format 1.4 uses C-style
4957 `printf' padding support which is completely replaced by the CL
4958 `format' padding style.
4961 Downward compatible except for `~', which is not documented
4962 (ignores all characters inside the format string up to a newline
4963 character). (7.1 implements `~a', `~s', ~NEWLINE, `~~', `~%',
4964 numerical and variable parameters and `:/@' modifiers in the CL
4968 Downward compatible except for `~A' and `~S' which print in
4969 uppercase. (Elk implements `~a', `~s', `~~', and `~%' (no
4970 directive parameters or modifiers)).
4973 Downward compatible except for an optional destination parameter:
4974 S2C accepts a format call without a destination which returns a
4975 formatted string. This is equivalent to a #f destination in S2C.
4976 (S2C implements `~a', `~s', `~c', `~%', and `~~' (no directive
4977 parameters or modifiers)).
4980 ** Changes to string-handling functions.
4982 These functions were added to support the (ice-9 format) module, above.
4984 *** New function: string-upcase STRING
4985 *** New function: string-downcase STRING
4987 These are non-destructive versions of the existing string-upcase! and
4988 string-downcase! functions.
4990 *** New function: string-capitalize! STRING
4991 *** New function: string-capitalize STRING
4993 These functions convert the first letter of each word in the string to
4996 (string-capitalize "howdy there")
4999 As with the other functions, string-capitalize! modifies the string in
5000 place, while string-capitalize returns a modified copy of its argument.
5002 *** New function: string-ci->symbol STRING
5004 Return a symbol whose name is STRING, but having the same case as if
5005 the symbol had be read by `read'.
5007 Guile can be configured to be sensitive or insensitive to case
5008 differences in Scheme identifiers. If Guile is case-insensitive, all
5009 symbols are converted to lower case on input. The `string-ci->symbol'
5010 function returns a symbol whose name in STRING, transformed as Guile
5011 would if STRING were input.
5013 *** New function: substring-move! STRING1 START END STRING2 START
5015 Copy the substring of STRING1 from START (inclusive) to END
5016 (exclusive) to STRING2 at START. STRING1 and STRING2 may be the same
5017 string, and the source and destination areas may overlap; in all
5018 cases, the function behaves as if all the characters were copied
5021 *** Extended functions: substring-move-left! substring-move-right!
5023 These functions now correctly copy arbitrarily overlapping substrings;
5024 they are both synonyms for substring-move!.
5027 ** New module (ice-9 getopt-long), with the function `getopt-long'.
5029 getopt-long is a function for parsing command-line arguments in a
5030 manner consistent with other GNU programs.
5032 (getopt-long ARGS GRAMMAR)
5033 Parse the arguments ARGS according to the argument list grammar GRAMMAR.
5035 ARGS should be a list of strings. Its first element should be the
5036 name of the program; subsequent elements should be the arguments
5037 that were passed to the program on the command line. The
5038 `program-arguments' procedure returns a list of this form.
5040 GRAMMAR is a list of the form:
5041 ((OPTION (PROPERTY VALUE) ...) ...)
5043 Each OPTION should be a symbol. `getopt-long' will accept a
5044 command-line option named `--OPTION'.
5045 Each option can have the following (PROPERTY VALUE) pairs:
5047 (single-char CHAR) --- Accept `-CHAR' as a single-character
5048 equivalent to `--OPTION'. This is how to specify traditional
5050 (required? BOOL) --- If BOOL is true, the option is required.
5051 getopt-long will raise an error if it is not found in ARGS.
5052 (value BOOL) --- If BOOL is #t, the option accepts a value; if
5053 it is #f, it does not; and if it is the symbol
5054 `optional', the option may appear in ARGS with or
5056 (predicate FUNC) --- If the option accepts a value (i.e. you
5057 specified `(value #t)' for this option), then getopt
5058 will apply FUNC to the value, and throw an exception
5059 if it returns #f. FUNC should be a procedure which
5060 accepts a string and returns a boolean value; you may
5061 need to use quasiquotes to get it into GRAMMAR.
5063 The (PROPERTY VALUE) pairs may occur in any order, but each
5064 property may occur only once. By default, options do not have
5065 single-character equivalents, are not required, and do not take
5068 In ARGS, single-character options may be combined, in the usual
5069 Unix fashion: ("-x" "-y") is equivalent to ("-xy"). If an option
5070 accepts values, then it must be the last option in the
5071 combination; the value is the next argument. So, for example, using
5072 the following grammar:
5073 ((apples (single-char #\a))
5074 (blimps (single-char #\b) (value #t))
5075 (catalexis (single-char #\c) (value #t)))
5076 the following argument lists would be acceptable:
5077 ("-a" "-b" "bang" "-c" "couth") ("bang" and "couth" are the values
5078 for "blimps" and "catalexis")
5079 ("-ab" "bang" "-c" "couth") (same)
5080 ("-ac" "couth" "-b" "bang") (same)
5081 ("-abc" "couth" "bang") (an error, since `-b' is not the
5082 last option in its combination)
5084 If an option's value is optional, then `getopt-long' decides
5085 whether it has a value by looking at what follows it in ARGS. If
5086 the next element is a string, and it does not appear to be an
5087 option itself, then that string is the option's value.
5089 The value of a long option can appear as the next element in ARGS,
5090 or it can follow the option name, separated by an `=' character.
5091 Thus, using the same grammar as above, the following argument lists
5093 ("--apples" "Braeburn" "--blimps" "Goodyear")
5094 ("--apples=Braeburn" "--blimps" "Goodyear")
5095 ("--blimps" "Goodyear" "--apples=Braeburn")
5097 If the option "--" appears in ARGS, argument parsing stops there;
5098 subsequent arguments are returned as ordinary arguments, even if
5099 they resemble options. So, in the argument list:
5100 ("--apples" "Granny Smith" "--" "--blimp" "Goodyear")
5101 `getopt-long' will recognize the `apples' option as having the
5102 value "Granny Smith", but it will not recognize the `blimp'
5103 option; it will return the strings "--blimp" and "Goodyear" as
5104 ordinary argument strings.
5106 The `getopt-long' function returns the parsed argument list as an
5107 assocation list, mapping option names --- the symbols from GRAMMAR
5108 --- onto their values, or #t if the option does not accept a value.
5109 Unused options do not appear in the alist.
5111 All arguments that are not the value of any option are returned
5112 as a list, associated with the empty list.
5114 `getopt-long' throws an exception if:
5115 - it finds an unrecognized option in ARGS
5116 - a required option is omitted
5117 - an option that requires an argument doesn't get one
5118 - an option that doesn't accept an argument does get one (this can
5119 only happen using the long option `--opt=value' syntax)
5120 - an option predicate fails
5125 `((lockfile-dir (required? #t)
5128 (predicate ,file-is-directory?))
5129 (verbose (required? #f)
5132 (x-includes (single-char #\x))
5133 (rnet-server (single-char #\y)
5134 (predicate ,string?))))
5136 (getopt-long '("my-prog" "-vk" "/tmp" "foo1" "--x-includes=/usr/include"
5137 "--rnet-server=lamprod" "--" "-fred" "foo2" "foo3")
5139 => ((() "foo1" "-fred" "foo2" "foo3")
5140 (rnet-server . "lamprod")
5141 (x-includes . "/usr/include")
5142 (lockfile-dir . "/tmp")
5145 ** The (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style) module is obsolete; use (ice-9 getopt-long).
5147 It will be removed in a few releases.
5149 ** New syntax: lambda*
5150 ** New syntax: define*
5151 ** New syntax: define*-public
5152 ** New syntax: defmacro*
5153 ** New syntax: defmacro*-public
5154 Guile now supports optional arguments.
5156 `lambda*', `define*', `define*-public', `defmacro*' and
5157 `defmacro*-public' are identical to the non-* versions except that
5158 they use an extended type of parameter list that has the following BNF
5159 syntax (parentheses are literal, square brackets indicate grouping,
5160 and `*', `+' and `?' have the usual meaning):
5162 ext-param-list ::= ( [identifier]* [#&optional [ext-var-decl]+]?
5163 [#&key [ext-var-decl]+ [#&allow-other-keys]?]?
5164 [[#&rest identifier]|[. identifier]]? ) | [identifier]
5166 ext-var-decl ::= identifier | ( identifier expression )
5168 The semantics are best illustrated with the following documentation
5169 and examples for `lambda*':
5172 lambda extended for optional and keyword arguments
5174 lambda* creates a procedure that takes optional arguments. These
5175 are specified by putting them inside brackets at the end of the
5176 paramater list, but before any dotted rest argument. For example,
5177 (lambda* (a b #&optional c d . e) '())
5178 creates a procedure with fixed arguments a and b, optional arguments c
5179 and d, and rest argument e. If the optional arguments are omitted
5180 in a call, the variables for them are unbound in the procedure. This
5181 can be checked with the bound? macro.
5183 lambda* can also take keyword arguments. For example, a procedure
5185 (lambda* (#&key xyzzy larch) '())
5186 can be called with any of the argument lists (#:xyzzy 11)
5187 (#:larch 13) (#:larch 42 #:xyzzy 19) (). Whichever arguments
5188 are given as keywords are bound to values.
5190 Optional and keyword arguments can also be given default values
5191 which they take on when they are not present in a call, by giving a
5192 two-item list in place of an optional argument, for example in:
5193 (lambda* (foo #&optional (bar 42) #&key (baz 73)) (list foo bar baz))
5194 foo is a fixed argument, bar is an optional argument with default
5195 value 42, and baz is a keyword argument with default value 73.
5196 Default value expressions are not evaluated unless they are needed
5197 and until the procedure is called.
5199 lambda* now supports two more special parameter list keywords.
5201 lambda*-defined procedures now throw an error by default if a
5202 keyword other than one of those specified is found in the actual
5203 passed arguments. However, specifying #&allow-other-keys
5204 immediately after the kyword argument declarations restores the
5205 previous behavior of ignoring unknown keywords. lambda* also now
5206 guarantees that if the same keyword is passed more than once, the
5207 last one passed is the one that takes effect. For example,
5208 ((lambda* (#&key (heads 0) (tails 0)) (display (list heads tails)))
5209 #:heads 37 #:tails 42 #:heads 99)
5210 would result in (99 47) being displayed.
5212 #&rest is also now provided as a synonym for the dotted syntax rest
5213 argument. The argument lists (a . b) and (a #&rest b) are equivalent in
5214 all respects to lambda*. This is provided for more similarity to DSSSL,
5215 MIT-Scheme and Kawa among others, as well as for refugees from other
5218 Further documentation may be found in the optargs.scm file itself.
5220 The optional argument module also exports the macros `let-optional',
5221 `let-optional*', `let-keywords', `let-keywords*' and `bound?'. These
5222 are not documented here because they may be removed in the future, but
5223 full documentation is still available in optargs.scm.
5225 ** New syntax: and-let*
5226 Guile now supports the `and-let*' form, described in the draft SRFI-2.
5228 Syntax: (land* (<clause> ...) <body> ...)
5229 Each <clause> should have one of the following forms:
5230 (<variable> <expression>)
5233 Each <variable> or <bound-variable> should be an identifier. Each
5234 <expression> should be a valid expression. The <body> should be a
5235 possibly empty sequence of expressions, like the <body> of a
5238 Semantics: A LAND* expression is evaluated by evaluating the
5239 <expression> or <bound-variable> of each of the <clause>s from
5240 left to right. The value of the first <expression> or
5241 <bound-variable> that evaluates to a false value is returned; the
5242 remaining <expression>s and <bound-variable>s are not evaluated.
5243 The <body> forms are evaluated iff all the <expression>s and
5244 <bound-variable>s evaluate to true values.
5246 The <expression>s and the <body> are evaluated in an environment
5247 binding each <variable> of the preceding (<variable> <expression>)
5248 clauses to the value of the <expression>. Later bindings
5249 shadow earlier bindings.
5251 Guile's and-let* macro was contributed by Michael Livshin.
5253 ** New sorting functions
5255 *** New function: sorted? SEQUENCE LESS?
5256 Returns `#t' when the sequence argument is in non-decreasing order
5257 according to LESS? (that is, there is no adjacent pair `... x y
5258 ...' for which `(less? y x)').
5260 Returns `#f' when the sequence contains at least one out-of-order
5261 pair. It is an error if the sequence is neither a list nor a
5264 *** New function: merge LIST1 LIST2 LESS?
5265 LIST1 and LIST2 are sorted lists.
5266 Returns the sorted list of all elements in LIST1 and LIST2.
5268 Assume that the elements a and b1 in LIST1 and b2 in LIST2 are "equal"
5269 in the sense that (LESS? x y) --> #f for x, y in {a, b1, b2},
5270 and that a < b1 in LIST1. Then a < b1 < b2 in the result.
5271 (Here "<" should read "comes before".)
5273 *** New procedure: merge! LIST1 LIST2 LESS?
5274 Merges two lists, re-using the pairs of LIST1 and LIST2 to build
5275 the result. If the code is compiled, and LESS? constructs no new
5276 pairs, no pairs at all will be allocated. The first pair of the
5277 result will be either the first pair of LIST1 or the first pair of
5280 *** New function: sort SEQUENCE LESS?
5281 Accepts either a list or a vector, and returns a new sequence
5282 which is sorted. The new sequence is the same type as the input.
5283 Always `(sorted? (sort sequence less?) less?)'. The original
5284 sequence is not altered in any way. The new sequence shares its
5285 elements with the old one; no elements are copied.
5287 *** New procedure: sort! SEQUENCE LESS
5288 Returns its sorted result in the original boxes. No new storage is
5289 allocated at all. Proper usage: (set! slist (sort! slist <))
5291 *** New function: stable-sort SEQUENCE LESS?
5292 Similar to `sort' but stable. That is, if "equal" elements are
5293 ordered a < b in the original sequence, they will have the same order
5296 *** New function: stable-sort! SEQUENCE LESS?
5297 Similar to `sort!' but stable.
5298 Uses temporary storage when sorting vectors.
5300 *** New functions: sort-list, sort-list!
5301 Added for compatibility with scsh.
5303 ** New built-in random number support
5305 *** New function: random N [STATE]
5306 Accepts a positive integer or real N and returns a number of the
5307 same type between zero (inclusive) and N (exclusive). The values
5308 returned have a uniform distribution.
5310 The optional argument STATE must be of the type produced by
5311 `copy-random-state' or `seed->random-state'. It defaults to the value
5312 of the variable `*random-state*'. This object is used to maintain the
5313 state of the pseudo-random-number generator and is altered as a side
5314 effect of the `random' operation.
5316 *** New variable: *random-state*
5317 Holds a data structure that encodes the internal state of the
5318 random-number generator that `random' uses by default. The nature
5319 of this data structure is implementation-dependent. It may be
5320 printed out and successfully read back in, but may or may not
5321 function correctly as a random-number state object in another
5324 *** New function: copy-random-state [STATE]
5325 Returns a new object of type suitable for use as the value of the
5326 variable `*random-state*' and as a second argument to `random'.
5327 If argument STATE is given, a copy of it is returned. Otherwise a
5328 copy of `*random-state*' is returned.
5330 *** New function: seed->random-state SEED
5331 Returns a new object of type suitable for use as the value of the
5332 variable `*random-state*' and as a second argument to `random'.
5333 SEED is a string or a number. A new state is generated and
5334 initialized using SEED.
5336 *** New function: random:uniform [STATE]
5337 Returns an uniformly distributed inexact real random number in the
5338 range between 0 and 1.
5340 *** New procedure: random:solid-sphere! VECT [STATE]
5341 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers the sum of whose
5342 squares is less than 1.0. Thinking of VECT as coordinates in
5343 space of dimension N = `(vector-length VECT)', the coordinates are
5344 uniformly distributed within the unit N-shere. The sum of the
5345 squares of the numbers is returned. VECT can be either a vector
5346 or a uniform vector of doubles.
5348 *** New procedure: random:hollow-sphere! VECT [STATE]
5349 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers the sum of whose squares
5350 is equal to 1.0. Thinking of VECT as coordinates in space of
5351 dimension n = `(vector-length VECT)', the coordinates are uniformly
5352 distributed over the surface of the unit n-shere. VECT can be either
5353 a vector or a uniform vector of doubles.
5355 *** New function: random:normal [STATE]
5356 Returns an inexact real in a normal distribution with mean 0 and
5357 standard deviation 1. For a normal distribution with mean M and
5358 standard deviation D use `(+ M (* D (random:normal)))'.
5360 *** New procedure: random:normal-vector! VECT [STATE]
5361 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers which are independent and
5362 standard normally distributed (i.e., with mean 0 and variance 1).
5363 VECT can be either a vector or a uniform vector of doubles.
5365 *** New function: random:exp STATE
5366 Returns an inexact real in an exponential distribution with mean 1.
5367 For an exponential distribution with mean U use (* U (random:exp)).
5369 ** The range of logand, logior, logxor, logtest, and logbit? have changed.
5371 These functions now operate on numbers in the range of a C unsigned
5374 These functions used to operate on numbers in the range of a C signed
5375 long; however, this seems inappropriate, because Guile integers don't
5378 ** New function: make-guardian
5379 This is an implementation of guardians as described in
5380 R. Kent Dybvig, Carl Bruggeman, and David Eby (1993) "Guardians in a
5381 Generation-Based Garbage Collector" ACM SIGPLAN Conference on
5382 Programming Language Design and Implementation, June 1993
5383 ftp://ftp.cs.indiana.edu/pub/scheme-repository/doc/pubs/guardians.ps.gz
5385 ** New functions: delq1!, delv1!, delete1!
5386 These procedures behave similar to delq! and friends but delete only
5387 one object if at all.
5389 ** New function: unread-string STRING PORT
5390 Unread STRING to PORT, that is, push it back onto the port so that
5391 next read operation will work on the pushed back characters.
5393 ** unread-char can now be called multiple times
5394 If unread-char is called multiple times, the unread characters will be
5395 read again in last-in first-out order.
5397 ** the procedures uniform-array-read! and uniform-array-write! now
5398 work on any kind of port, not just ports which are open on a file.
5400 ** Now 'l' in a port mode requests line buffering.
5402 ** The procedure truncate-file now works on string ports as well
5403 as file ports. If the size argument is omitted, the current
5404 file position is used.
5406 ** new procedure: seek PORT/FDES OFFSET WHENCE
5407 The arguments are the same as for the old fseek procedure, but it
5408 works on string ports as well as random-access file ports.
5410 ** the fseek procedure now works on string ports, since it has been
5411 redefined using seek.
5413 ** the setvbuf procedure now uses a default size if mode is _IOFBF and
5414 size is not supplied.
5416 ** the newline procedure no longer flushes the port if it's not
5417 line-buffered: previously it did if it was the current output port.
5419 ** open-pipe and close-pipe are no longer primitive procedures, but
5420 an emulation can be obtained using `(use-modules (ice-9 popen))'.
5422 ** the freopen procedure has been removed.
5424 ** new procedure: drain-input PORT
5425 Drains PORT's read buffers (including any pushed-back characters)
5426 and returns the contents as a single string.
5428 ** New function: map-in-order PROC LIST1 LIST2 ...
5429 Version of `map' which guarantees that the procedure is applied to the
5430 lists in serial order.
5432 ** Renamed `serial-array-copy!' and `serial-array-map!' to
5433 `array-copy-in-order!' and `array-map-in-order!'. The old names are
5434 now obsolete and will go away in release 1.5.
5436 ** New syntax: collect BODY1 ...
5437 Version of `begin' which returns a list of the results of the body
5438 forms instead of the result of the last body form. In contrast to
5439 `begin', `collect' allows an empty body.
5441 ** New functions: read-history FILENAME, write-history FILENAME
5442 Read/write command line history from/to file. Returns #t on success
5443 and #f if an error occured.
5445 ** `ls' and `lls' in module (ice-9 ls) now handle no arguments.
5447 These procedures return a list of definitions available in the specified
5448 argument, a relative module reference. In the case of no argument,
5449 `(current-module)' is now consulted for definitions to return, instead
5450 of simply returning #f, the former behavior.
5452 ** The #/ syntax for lists is no longer supported.
5454 Earlier versions of Scheme accepted this syntax, but printed a
5457 ** Guile no longer consults the SCHEME_LOAD_PATH environment variable.
5459 Instead, you should set GUILE_LOAD_PATH to tell Guile where to find
5462 * Changes to the gh_ interface
5466 Now takes a second argument which is the result array. If this
5467 pointer is NULL, a new array is malloced (the old behaviour).
5469 ** gh_chars2byvect, gh_shorts2svect, gh_floats2fvect, gh_scm2chars,
5470 gh_scm2shorts, gh_scm2longs, gh_scm2floats
5474 * Changes to the scm_ interface
5476 ** Function: scm_make_named_hook (char* name, int n_args)
5478 Creates a hook in the same way as make-hook above but also
5479 binds a variable named NAME to it.
5481 This is the typical way of creating a hook from C code.
5483 Currently, the variable is created in the "current" module. This
5484 might change when we get the new module system.
5486 ** The smob interface
5488 The interface for creating smobs has changed. For documentation, see
5489 data-rep.info (made from guile-core/doc/data-rep.texi).
5491 *** Deprecated function: SCM scm_newsmob (scm_smobfuns *)
5493 >>> This function will be removed in 1.3.4. <<<
5497 *** Function: SCM scm_make_smob_type (const char *name, scm_sizet size)
5498 This function adds a new smob type, named NAME, with instance size
5499 SIZE to the system. The return value is a tag that is used in
5500 creating instances of the type. If SIZE is 0, then no memory will
5501 be allocated when instances of the smob are created, and nothing
5502 will be freed by the default free function.
5504 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_mark (long tc, SCM (*mark) (SCM))
5505 This function sets the smob marking procedure for the smob type
5506 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5507 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5509 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_free (long tc, SCM (*mark) (SCM))
5510 This function sets the smob freeing procedure for the smob type
5511 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5512 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5514 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_print (tc, print)
5516 - Function: void scm_set_smob_print (long tc,
5517 scm_sizet (*print) (SCM,
5521 This function sets the smob printing procedure for the smob type
5522 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5523 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5525 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_equalp (long tc, SCM (*equalp) (SCM, SCM))
5526 This function sets the smob equality-testing predicate for the
5527 smob type specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5528 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5530 *** Macro: void SCM_NEWSMOB (SCM var, long tc, void *data)
5531 Make VALUE contain a smob instance of the type with type code TC and
5532 smob data DATA. VALUE must be previously declared as C type `SCM'.
5534 *** Macro: fn_returns SCM_RETURN_NEWSMOB (long tc, void *data)
5535 This macro expands to a block of code that creates a smob instance
5536 of the type with type code TC and smob data DATA, and returns that
5537 `SCM' value. It should be the last piece of code in a block.
5539 ** The interfaces for using I/O ports and implementing port types
5540 (ptobs) have changed significantly. The new interface is based on
5541 shared access to buffers and a new set of ptob procedures.
5543 *** scm_newptob has been removed
5547 *** Function: SCM scm_make_port_type (type_name, fill_buffer, write_flush)
5549 - Function: SCM scm_make_port_type (char *type_name,
5550 int (*fill_buffer) (SCM port),
5551 void (*write_flush) (SCM port));
5553 Similarly to the new smob interface, there is a set of function
5554 setters by which the user can customize the behaviour of his port
5555 type. See ports.h (scm_set_port_XXX).
5557 ** scm_strport_to_string: New function: creates a new string from
5558 a string port's buffer.
5560 ** Plug in interface for random number generators
5561 The variable `scm_the_rng' in random.c contains a value and three
5562 function pointers which together define the current random number
5563 generator being used by the Scheme level interface and the random
5564 number library functions.
5566 The user is free to replace the default generator with the generator
5569 *** Variable: size_t scm_the_rng.rstate_size
5570 The size of the random state type used by the current RNG
5573 *** Function: unsigned long scm_the_rng.random_bits (scm_rstate *STATE)
5574 Given the random STATE, return 32 random bits.
5576 *** Function: void scm_the_rng.init_rstate (scm_rstate *STATE, chars *S, int N)
5577 Seed random state STATE using string S of length N.
5579 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_the_rng.copy_rstate (scm_rstate *STATE)
5580 Given random state STATE, return a malloced copy.
5583 The default RNG is the MWC (Multiply With Carry) random number
5584 generator described by George Marsaglia at the Department of
5585 Statistics and Supercomputer Computations Research Institute, The
5586 Florida State University (http://stat.fsu.edu/~geo).
5588 It uses 64 bits, has a period of 4578426017172946943 (4.6e18), and
5589 passes all tests in the DIEHARD test suite
5590 (http://stat.fsu.edu/~geo/diehard.html). The generation of 32 bits
5591 costs one multiply and one add on platforms which either supports long
5592 longs (gcc does this on most systems) or have 64 bit longs. The cost
5593 is four multiply on other systems but this can be optimized by writing
5594 scm_i_uniform32 in assembler.
5596 These functions are provided through the scm_the_rng interface for use
5597 by libguile and the application.
5599 *** Function: unsigned long scm_i_uniform32 (scm_i_rstate *STATE)
5600 Given the random STATE, return 32 random bits.
5601 Don't use this function directly. Instead go through the plugin
5602 interface (see "Plug in interface" above).
5604 *** Function: void scm_i_init_rstate (scm_i_rstate *STATE, char *SEED, int N)
5605 Initialize STATE using SEED of length N.
5607 *** Function: scm_i_rstate *scm_i_copy_rstate (scm_i_rstate *STATE)
5608 Return a malloc:ed copy of STATE. This function can easily be re-used
5609 in the interfaces to other RNGs.
5611 ** Random number library functions
5612 These functions use the current RNG through the scm_the_rng interface.
5613 It might be a good idea to use these functions from your C code so
5614 that only one random generator is used by all code in your program.
5616 The default random state is stored in:
5618 *** Variable: SCM scm_var_random_state
5619 Contains the vcell of the Scheme variable "*random-state*" which is
5620 used as default state by all random number functions in the Scheme
5625 double x = scm_c_uniform01 (SCM_RSTATE (SCM_CDR (scm_var_random_state)));
5627 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_c_default_rstate (void)
5628 This is a convenience function which returns the value of
5629 scm_var_random_state. An error message is generated if this value
5630 isn't a random state.
5632 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_c_make_rstate (char *SEED, int LENGTH)
5633 Make a new random state from the string SEED of length LENGTH.
5635 It is generally not a good idea to use multiple random states in a
5636 program. While subsequent random numbers generated from one random
5637 state are guaranteed to be reasonably independent, there is no such
5638 guarantee for numbers generated from different random states.
5640 *** Macro: unsigned long scm_c_uniform32 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5641 Return 32 random bits.
5643 *** Function: double scm_c_uniform01 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5644 Return a sample from the uniform(0,1) distribution.
5646 *** Function: double scm_c_normal01 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5647 Return a sample from the normal(0,1) distribution.
5649 *** Function: double scm_c_exp1 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5650 Return a sample from the exp(1) distribution.
5652 *** Function: unsigned long scm_c_random (scm_rstate *STATE, unsigned long M)
5653 Return a sample from the discrete uniform(0,M) distribution.
5655 *** Function: SCM scm_c_random_bignum (scm_rstate *STATE, SCM M)
5656 Return a sample from the discrete uniform(0,M) distribution.
5657 M must be a bignum object. The returned value may be an INUM.
5661 Changes in Guile 1.3 (released Monday, October 19, 1998):
5663 * Changes to the distribution
5665 ** We renamed the SCHEME_LOAD_PATH environment variable to GUILE_LOAD_PATH.
5666 To avoid conflicts, programs should name environment variables after
5667 themselves, except when there's a common practice establishing some
5670 For now, Guile supports both GUILE_LOAD_PATH and SCHEME_LOAD_PATH,
5671 giving the former precedence, and printing a warning message if the
5672 latter is set. Guile 1.4 will not recognize SCHEME_LOAD_PATH at all.
5674 ** The header files related to multi-byte characters have been removed.
5675 They were: libguile/extchrs.h and libguile/mbstrings.h. Any C code
5676 which referred to these explicitly will probably need to be rewritten,
5677 since the support for the variant string types has been removed; see
5680 ** The header files append.h and sequences.h have been removed. These
5681 files implemented non-R4RS operations which would encourage
5682 non-portable programming style and less easy-to-read code.
5684 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
5686 ** New procedures have been added to implement a "batch mode":
5688 *** Function: batch-mode?
5690 Returns a boolean indicating whether the interpreter is in batch
5693 *** Function: set-batch-mode?! ARG
5695 If ARG is true, switches the interpreter to batch mode. The `#f'
5696 case has not been implemented.
5698 ** Guile now provides full command-line editing, when run interactively.
5699 To use this feature, you must have the readline library installed.
5700 The Guile build process will notice it, and automatically include
5703 The readline library is available via anonymous FTP from any GNU
5704 mirror site; the canonical location is "ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu".
5706 ** the-last-stack is now a fluid.
5708 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
5710 ** You can now use the `guile-config' utility to build programs that use Guile.
5712 Guile now includes a command-line utility called `guile-config', which
5713 can provide information about how to compile and link programs that
5716 *** `guile-config compile' prints any C compiler flags needed to use Guile.
5717 You should include this command's output on the command line you use
5718 to compile C or C++ code that #includes the Guile header files. It's
5719 usually just a `-I' flag to help the compiler find the Guile headers.
5722 *** `guile-config link' prints any linker flags necessary to link with Guile.
5724 This command writes to its standard output a list of flags which you
5725 must pass to the linker to link your code against the Guile library.
5726 The flags include '-lguile' itself, any other libraries the Guile
5727 library depends upon, and any `-L' flags needed to help the linker
5728 find those libraries.
5730 For example, here is a Makefile rule that builds a program named 'foo'
5731 from the object files ${FOO_OBJECTS}, and links them against Guile:
5734 ${CC} ${CFLAGS} ${FOO_OBJECTS} `guile-config link` -o foo
5736 Previous Guile releases recommended that you use autoconf to detect
5737 which of a predefined set of libraries were present on your system.
5738 It is more robust to use `guile-config', since it records exactly which
5739 libraries the installed Guile library requires.
5741 This was originally called `build-guile', but was renamed to
5742 `guile-config' before Guile 1.3 was released, to be consistent with
5743 the analogous script for the GTK+ GUI toolkit, which is called
5747 ** Use the GUILE_FLAGS macro in your configure.in file to find Guile.
5749 If you are using the GNU autoconf package to configure your program,
5750 you can use the GUILE_FLAGS autoconf macro to call `guile-config'
5751 (described above) and gather the necessary values for use in your
5754 The GUILE_FLAGS macro expands to configure script code which runs the
5755 `guile-config' script, to find out where Guile's header files and
5756 libraries are installed. It sets two variables, marked for
5757 substitution, as by AC_SUBST.
5759 GUILE_CFLAGS --- flags to pass to a C or C++ compiler to build
5760 code that uses Guile header files. This is almost always just a
5763 GUILE_LDFLAGS --- flags to pass to the linker to link a
5764 program against Guile. This includes `-lguile' for the Guile
5765 library itself, any libraries that Guile itself requires (like
5766 -lqthreads), and so on. It may also include a -L flag to tell the
5767 compiler where to find the libraries.
5769 GUILE_FLAGS is defined in the file guile.m4, in the top-level
5770 directory of the Guile distribution. You can copy it into your
5771 package's aclocal.m4 file, and then use it in your configure.in file.
5773 If you are using the `aclocal' program, distributed with GNU automake,
5774 to maintain your aclocal.m4 file, the Guile installation process
5775 installs guile.m4 where aclocal will find it. All you need to do is
5776 use GUILE_FLAGS in your configure.in file, and then run `aclocal';
5777 this will copy the definition of GUILE_FLAGS into your aclocal.m4
5781 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
5783 ** Multi-byte strings have been removed, as have multi-byte and wide
5784 ports. We felt that these were the wrong approach to
5785 internationalization support.
5787 ** New function: readline [PROMPT]
5788 Read a line from the terminal, and allow the user to edit it,
5789 prompting with PROMPT. READLINE provides a large set of Emacs-like
5790 editing commands, lets the user recall previously typed lines, and
5791 works on almost every kind of terminal, including dumb terminals.
5793 READLINE assumes that the cursor is at the beginning of the line when
5794 it is invoked. Thus, you can't print a prompt yourself, and then call
5795 READLINE; you need to package up your prompt as a string, pass it to
5796 the function, and let READLINE print the prompt itself. This is
5797 because READLINE needs to know the prompt's screen width.
5799 For Guile to provide this function, you must have the readline
5800 library, version 2.1 or later, installed on your system. Readline is
5801 available via anonymous FTP from prep.ai.mit.edu in pub/gnu, or from
5802 any GNU mirror site.
5804 See also ADD-HISTORY function.
5806 ** New function: add-history STRING
5807 Add STRING as the most recent line in the history used by the READLINE
5808 command. READLINE does not add lines to the history itself; you must
5809 call ADD-HISTORY to make previous input available to the user.
5811 ** The behavior of the read-line function has changed.
5813 This function now uses standard C library functions to read the line,
5814 for speed. This means that it doesn not respect the value of
5815 scm-line-incrementors; it assumes that lines are delimited with
5818 (Note that this is read-line, the function that reads a line of text
5819 from a port, not readline, the function that reads a line from a
5820 terminal, providing full editing capabilities.)
5822 ** New module (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style): Parse command-line arguments.
5824 This module provides some simple argument parsing. It exports one
5827 Function: getopt-gnu-style ARG-LS
5828 Parse a list of program arguments into an alist of option
5831 Each item in the list of program arguments is examined to see if
5832 it meets the syntax of a GNU long-named option. An argument like
5833 `--MUMBLE' produces an element of the form (MUMBLE . #t) in the
5834 returned alist, where MUMBLE is a keyword object with the same
5835 name as the argument. An argument like `--MUMBLE=FROB' produces
5836 an element of the form (MUMBLE . FROB), where FROB is a string.
5838 As a special case, the returned alist also contains a pair whose
5839 car is the symbol `rest'. The cdr of this pair is a list
5840 containing all the items in the argument list that are not options
5841 of the form mentioned above.
5843 The argument `--' is treated specially: all items in the argument
5844 list appearing after such an argument are not examined, and are
5845 returned in the special `rest' list.
5847 This function does not parse normal single-character switches.
5848 You will need to parse them out of the `rest' list yourself.
5850 ** The read syntax for byte vectors and short vectors has changed.
5852 Instead of #bytes(...), write #y(...).
5854 Instead of #short(...), write #h(...).
5856 This may seem nutty, but, like the other uniform vectors, byte vectors
5857 and short vectors want to have the same print and read syntax (and,
5858 more basic, want to have read syntax!). Changing the read syntax to
5859 use multiple characters after the hash sign breaks with the
5860 conventions used in R5RS and the conventions used for the other
5861 uniform vectors. It also introduces complexity in the current reader,
5862 both on the C and Scheme levels. (The Right solution is probably to
5863 change the syntax and prototypes for uniform vectors entirely.)
5866 ** The new module (ice-9 session) provides useful interactive functions.
5868 *** New procedure: (apropos REGEXP OPTION ...)
5870 Display a list of top-level variables whose names match REGEXP, and
5871 the modules they are imported from. Each OPTION should be one of the
5874 value --- Show the value of each matching variable.
5875 shadow --- Show bindings shadowed by subsequently imported modules.
5876 full --- Same as both `shadow' and `value'.
5880 guile> (apropos "trace" 'full)
5881 debug: trace #<procedure trace args>
5882 debug: untrace #<procedure untrace args>
5883 the-scm-module: display-backtrace #<compiled-closure #<primitive-procedure gsubr-apply>>
5884 the-scm-module: before-backtrace-hook ()
5885 the-scm-module: backtrace #<primitive-procedure backtrace>
5886 the-scm-module: after-backtrace-hook ()
5887 the-scm-module: has-shown-backtrace-hint? #f
5890 ** There are new functions and syntax for working with macros.
5892 Guile implements macros as a special object type. Any variable whose
5893 top-level binding is a macro object acts as a macro. The macro object
5894 specifies how the expression should be transformed before evaluation.
5896 *** Macro objects now print in a reasonable way, resembling procedures.
5898 *** New function: (macro? OBJ)
5899 True iff OBJ is a macro object.
5901 *** New function: (primitive-macro? OBJ)
5902 Like (macro? OBJ), but true only if OBJ is one of the Guile primitive
5903 macro transformers, implemented in eval.c rather than Scheme code.
5905 Why do we have this function?
5906 - For symmetry with procedure? and primitive-procedure?,
5907 - to allow custom print procedures to tell whether a macro is
5908 primitive, and display it differently, and
5909 - to allow compilers and user-written evaluators to distinguish
5910 builtin special forms from user-defined ones, which could be
5913 *** New function: (macro-type OBJ)
5914 Return a value indicating what kind of macro OBJ is. Possible return
5917 The symbol `syntax' --- a macro created by procedure->syntax.
5918 The symbol `macro' --- a macro created by procedure->macro.
5919 The symbol `macro!' --- a macro created by procedure->memoizing-macro.
5920 The boolean #f --- if OBJ is not a macro object.
5922 *** New function: (macro-name MACRO)
5923 Return the name of the macro object MACRO's procedure, as returned by
5926 *** New function: (macro-transformer MACRO)
5927 Return the transformer procedure for MACRO.
5929 *** New syntax: (use-syntax MODULE ... TRANSFORMER)
5931 Specify a new macro expander to use in the current module. Each
5932 MODULE is a module name, with the same meaning as in the `use-modules'
5933 form; each named module's exported bindings are added to the current
5934 top-level environment. TRANSFORMER is an expression evaluated in the
5935 resulting environment which must yield a procedure to use as the
5936 module's eval transformer: every expression evaluated in this module
5937 is passed to this function, and the result passed to the Guile
5940 *** macro-eval! is removed. Use local-eval instead.
5942 ** Some magic has been added to the printer to better handle user
5943 written printing routines (like record printers, closure printers).
5945 The problem is that these user written routines must have access to
5946 the current `print-state' to be able to handle fancy things like
5947 detection of circular references. These print-states have to be
5948 passed to the builtin printing routines (display, write, etc) to
5949 properly continue the print chain.
5951 We didn't want to change all existing print code so that it
5952 explicitly passes thru a print state in addition to a port. Instead,
5953 we extented the possible values that the builtin printing routines
5954 accept as a `port'. In addition to a normal port, they now also take
5955 a pair of a normal port and a print-state. Printing will go to the
5956 port and the print-state will be used to control the detection of
5957 circular references, etc. If the builtin function does not care for a
5958 print-state, it is simply ignored.
5960 User written callbacks are now called with such a pair as their
5961 `port', but because every function now accepts this pair as a PORT
5962 argument, you don't have to worry about that. In fact, it is probably
5963 safest to not check for these pairs.
5965 However, it is sometimes necessary to continue a print chain on a
5966 different port, for example to get a intermediate string
5967 representation of the printed value, mangle that string somehow, and
5968 then to finally print the mangled string. Use the new function
5970 inherit-print-state OLD-PORT NEW-PORT
5972 for this. It constructs a new `port' that prints to NEW-PORT but
5973 inherits the print-state of OLD-PORT.
5975 ** struct-vtable-offset renamed to vtable-offset-user
5977 ** New constants: vtable-index-layout, vtable-index-vtable, vtable-index-printer
5979 ** There is now a third optional argument to make-vtable-vtable
5980 (and fourth to make-struct) when constructing new types (vtables).
5981 This argument initializes field vtable-index-printer of the vtable.
5983 ** The detection of circular references has been extended to structs.
5984 That is, a structure that -- in the process of being printed -- prints
5985 itself does not lead to infinite recursion.
5987 ** There is now some basic support for fluids. Please read
5988 "libguile/fluid.h" to find out more. It is accessible from Scheme with
5989 the following functions and macros:
5991 Function: make-fluid
5993 Create a new fluid object. Fluids are not special variables or
5994 some other extension to the semantics of Scheme, but rather
5995 ordinary Scheme objects. You can store them into variables (that
5996 are still lexically scoped, of course) or into any other place you
5997 like. Every fluid has a initial value of `#f'.
5999 Function: fluid? OBJ
6001 Test whether OBJ is a fluid.
6003 Function: fluid-ref FLUID
6004 Function: fluid-set! FLUID VAL
6006 Access/modify the fluid FLUID. Modifications are only visible
6007 within the current dynamic root (that includes threads).
6009 Function: with-fluids* FLUIDS VALUES THUNK
6011 FLUIDS is a list of fluids and VALUES a corresponding list of
6012 values for these fluids. Before THUNK gets called the values are
6013 installed in the fluids and the old values of the fluids are
6014 saved in the VALUES list. When the flow of control leaves THUNK
6015 or reenters it, the values get swapped again. You might think of
6016 this as a `safe-fluid-excursion'. Note that the VALUES list is
6017 modified by `with-fluids*'.
6019 Macro: with-fluids ((FLUID VALUE) ...) FORM ...
6021 The same as `with-fluids*' but with a different syntax. It looks
6022 just like `let', but both FLUID and VALUE are evaluated. Remember,
6023 fluids are not special variables but ordinary objects. FLUID
6024 should evaluate to a fluid.
6026 ** Changes to system call interfaces:
6028 *** close-port, close-input-port and close-output-port now return a
6029 boolean instead of an `unspecified' object. #t means that the port
6030 was successfully closed, while #f means it was already closed. It is
6031 also now possible for these procedures to raise an exception if an
6032 error occurs (some errors from write can be delayed until close.)
6034 *** the first argument to chmod, fcntl, ftell and fseek can now be a
6037 *** the third argument to fcntl is now optional.
6039 *** the first argument to chown can now be a file descriptor or a port.
6041 *** the argument to stat can now be a port.
6043 *** The following new procedures have been added (most use scsh
6046 *** procedure: close PORT/FD
6047 Similar to close-port (*note close-port: Closing Ports.), but also
6048 works on file descriptors. A side effect of closing a file
6049 descriptor is that any ports using that file descriptor are moved
6050 to a different file descriptor and have their revealed counts set
6053 *** procedure: port->fdes PORT
6054 Returns the integer file descriptor underlying PORT. As a side
6055 effect the revealed count of PORT is incremented.
6057 *** procedure: fdes->ports FDES
6058 Returns a list of existing ports which have FDES as an underlying
6059 file descriptor, without changing their revealed counts.
6061 *** procedure: fdes->inport FDES
6062 Returns an existing input port which has FDES as its underlying
6063 file descriptor, if one exists, and increments its revealed count.
6064 Otherwise, returns a new input port with a revealed count of 1.
6066 *** procedure: fdes->outport FDES
6067 Returns an existing output port which has FDES as its underlying
6068 file descriptor, if one exists, and increments its revealed count.
6069 Otherwise, returns a new output port with a revealed count of 1.
6071 The next group of procedures perform a `dup2' system call, if NEWFD
6072 (an integer) is supplied, otherwise a `dup'. The file descriptor to be
6073 duplicated can be supplied as an integer or contained in a port. The
6074 type of value returned varies depending on which procedure is used.
6076 All procedures also have the side effect when performing `dup2' that
6077 any ports using NEWFD are moved to a different file descriptor and have
6078 their revealed counts set to zero.
6080 *** procedure: dup->fdes PORT/FD [NEWFD]
6081 Returns an integer file descriptor.
6083 *** procedure: dup->inport PORT/FD [NEWFD]
6084 Returns a new input port using the new file descriptor.
6086 *** procedure: dup->outport PORT/FD [NEWFD]
6087 Returns a new output port using the new file descriptor.
6089 *** procedure: dup PORT/FD [NEWFD]
6090 Returns a new port if PORT/FD is a port, with the same mode as the
6091 supplied port, otherwise returns an integer file descriptor.
6093 *** procedure: dup->port PORT/FD MODE [NEWFD]
6094 Returns a new port using the new file descriptor. MODE supplies a
6095 mode string for the port (*note open-file: File Ports.).
6097 *** procedure: setenv NAME VALUE
6098 Modifies the environment of the current process, which is also the
6099 default environment inherited by child processes.
6101 If VALUE is `#f', then NAME is removed from the environment.
6102 Otherwise, the string NAME=VALUE is added to the environment,
6103 replacing any existing string with name matching NAME.
6105 The return value is unspecified.
6107 *** procedure: truncate-file OBJ SIZE
6108 Truncates the file referred to by OBJ to at most SIZE bytes. OBJ
6109 can be a string containing a file name or an integer file
6110 descriptor or port open for output on the file. The underlying
6111 system calls are `truncate' and `ftruncate'.
6113 The return value is unspecified.
6115 *** procedure: setvbuf PORT MODE [SIZE]
6116 Set the buffering mode for PORT. MODE can be:
6124 block buffered, using a newly allocated buffer of SIZE bytes.
6125 However if SIZE is zero or unspecified, the port will be made
6128 This procedure should not be used after I/O has been performed with
6131 Ports are usually block buffered by default, with a default buffer
6132 size. Procedures e.g., *Note open-file: File Ports, which accept a
6133 mode string allow `0' to be added to request an unbuffered port.
6135 *** procedure: fsync PORT/FD
6136 Copies any unwritten data for the specified output file descriptor
6137 to disk. If PORT/FD is a port, its buffer is flushed before the
6138 underlying file descriptor is fsync'd. The return value is
6141 *** procedure: open-fdes PATH FLAGS [MODES]
6142 Similar to `open' but returns a file descriptor instead of a port.
6144 *** procedure: execle PATH ENV [ARG] ...
6145 Similar to `execl', but the environment of the new process is
6146 specified by ENV, which must be a list of strings as returned by
6147 the `environ' procedure.
6149 This procedure is currently implemented using the `execve' system
6150 call, but we call it `execle' because of its Scheme calling
6153 *** procedure: strerror ERRNO
6154 Returns the Unix error message corresponding to ERRNO, an integer.
6156 *** procedure: primitive-exit [STATUS]
6157 Terminate the current process without unwinding the Scheme stack.
6158 This is would typically be useful after a fork. The exit status
6159 is STATUS if supplied, otherwise zero.
6161 *** procedure: times
6162 Returns an object with information about real and processor time.
6163 The following procedures accept such an object as an argument and
6164 return a selected component:
6167 The current real time, expressed as time units relative to an
6171 The CPU time units used by the calling process.
6174 The CPU time units used by the system on behalf of the
6178 The CPU time units used by terminated child processes of the
6179 calling process, whose status has been collected (e.g., using
6183 Similarly, the CPU times units used by the system on behalf of
6184 terminated child processes.
6186 ** Removed: list-length
6187 ** Removed: list-append, list-append!
6188 ** Removed: list-reverse, list-reverse!
6190 ** array-map renamed to array-map!
6192 ** serial-array-map renamed to serial-array-map!
6194 ** catch doesn't take #f as first argument any longer
6196 Previously, it was possible to pass #f instead of a key to `catch'.
6197 That would cause `catch' to pass a jump buffer object to the procedure
6198 passed as second argument. The procedure could then use this jump
6199 buffer objekt as an argument to throw.
6201 This mechanism has been removed since its utility doesn't motivate the
6202 extra complexity it introduces.
6204 ** The `#/' notation for lists now provokes a warning message from Guile.
6205 This syntax will be removed from Guile in the near future.
6207 To disable the warning message, set the GUILE_HUSH environment
6208 variable to any non-empty value.
6210 ** The newline character now prints as `#\newline', following the
6211 normal Scheme notation, not `#\nl'.
6213 * Changes to the gh_ interface
6215 ** The gh_enter function now takes care of loading the Guile startup files.
6216 gh_enter works by calling scm_boot_guile; see the remarks below.
6218 ** Function: void gh_write (SCM x)
6220 Write the printed representation of the scheme object x to the current
6221 output port. Corresponds to the scheme level `write'.
6223 ** gh_list_length renamed to gh_length.
6225 ** vector handling routines
6227 Several major changes. In particular, gh_vector() now resembles
6228 (vector ...) (with a caveat -- see manual), and gh_make_vector() now
6229 exists and behaves like (make-vector ...). gh_vset() and gh_vref()
6230 have been renamed gh_vector_set_x() and gh_vector_ref(). Some missing
6231 vector-related gh_ functions have been implemented.
6233 ** pair and list routines
6235 Implemented several of the R4RS pair and list functions that were
6238 ** gh_scm2doubles, gh_doubles2scm, gh_doubles2dvect
6240 New function. Converts double arrays back and forth between Scheme
6243 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6245 ** The function scm_boot_guile now takes care of loading the startup files.
6247 Guile's primary initialization function, scm_boot_guile, now takes
6248 care of loading `boot-9.scm', in the `ice-9' module, to initialize
6249 Guile, define the module system, and put together some standard
6250 bindings. It also loads `init.scm', which is intended to hold
6251 site-specific initialization code.
6253 Since Guile cannot operate properly until boot-9.scm is loaded, there
6254 is no reason to separate loading boot-9.scm from Guile's other
6255 initialization processes.
6257 This job used to be done by scm_compile_shell_switches, which didn't
6258 make much sense; in particular, it meant that people using Guile for
6259 non-shell-like applications had to jump through hoops to get Guile
6260 initialized properly.
6262 ** The function scm_compile_shell_switches no longer loads the startup files.
6263 Now, Guile always loads the startup files, whenever it is initialized;
6264 see the notes above for scm_boot_guile and scm_load_startup_files.
6266 ** Function: scm_load_startup_files
6267 This new function takes care of loading Guile's initialization file
6268 (`boot-9.scm'), and the site initialization file, `init.scm'. Since
6269 this is always called by the Guile initialization process, it's
6270 probably not too useful to call this yourself, but it's there anyway.
6272 ** The semantics of smob marking have changed slightly.
6274 The smob marking function (the `mark' member of the scm_smobfuns
6275 structure) is no longer responsible for setting the mark bit on the
6276 smob. The generic smob handling code in the garbage collector will
6277 set this bit. The mark function need only ensure that any other
6278 objects the smob refers to get marked.
6280 Note that this change means that the smob's GC8MARK bit is typically
6281 already set upon entry to the mark function. Thus, marking functions
6282 which look like this:
6285 if (SCM_GC8MARKP (ptr))
6287 SCM_SETGC8MARK (ptr);
6288 ... mark objects to which the smob refers ...
6291 are now incorrect, since they will return early, and fail to mark any
6292 other objects the smob refers to. Some code in the Guile library used
6295 ** The semantics of the I/O port functions in scm_ptobfuns have changed.
6297 If you have implemented your own I/O port type, by writing the
6298 functions required by the scm_ptobfuns and then calling scm_newptob,
6299 you will need to change your functions slightly.
6301 The functions in a scm_ptobfuns structure now expect the port itself
6302 as their argument; they used to expect the `stream' member of the
6303 port's scm_port_table structure. This allows functions in an
6304 scm_ptobfuns structure to easily access the port's cell (and any flags
6305 it its CAR), and the port's scm_port_table structure.
6307 Guile now passes the I/O port itself as the `port' argument in the
6308 following scm_ptobfuns functions:
6310 int (*free) (SCM port);
6311 int (*fputc) (int, SCM port);
6312 int (*fputs) (char *, SCM port);
6313 scm_sizet (*fwrite) SCM_P ((char *ptr,
6317 int (*fflush) (SCM port);
6318 int (*fgetc) (SCM port);
6319 int (*fclose) (SCM port);
6321 The interfaces to the `mark', `print', `equalp', and `fgets' methods
6324 If you have existing code which defines its own port types, it is easy
6325 to convert your code to the new interface; simply apply SCM_STREAM to
6326 the port argument to yield the value you code used to expect.
6328 Note that since both the port and the stream have the same type in the
6329 C code --- they are both SCM values --- the C compiler will not remind
6330 you if you forget to update your scm_ptobfuns functions.
6333 ** Function: int scm_internal_select (int fds,
6337 struct timeval *timeout);
6339 This is a replacement for the `select' function provided by the OS.
6340 It enables I/O blocking and sleeping to happen for one cooperative
6341 thread without blocking other threads. It also avoids busy-loops in
6342 these situations. It is intended that all I/O blocking and sleeping
6343 will finally go through this function. Currently, this function is
6344 only available on systems providing `gettimeofday' and `select'.
6346 ** Function: SCM scm_internal_stack_catch (SCM tag,
6347 scm_catch_body_t body,
6349 scm_catch_handler_t handler,
6352 A new sibling to the other two C level `catch' functions
6353 scm_internal_catch and scm_internal_lazy_catch. Use it if you want
6354 the stack to be saved automatically into the variable `the-last-stack'
6355 (scm_the_last_stack_var) on error. This is necessary if you want to
6356 use advanced error reporting, such as calling scm_display_error and
6357 scm_display_backtrace. (They both take a stack object as argument.)
6359 ** Function: SCM scm_spawn_thread (scm_catch_body_t body,
6361 scm_catch_handler_t handler,
6364 Spawns a new thread. It does a job similar to
6365 scm_call_with_new_thread but takes arguments more suitable when
6366 spawning threads from application C code.
6368 ** The hook scm_error_callback has been removed. It was originally
6369 intended as a way for the user to install his own error handler. But
6370 that method works badly since it intervenes between throw and catch,
6371 thereby changing the semantics of expressions like (catch #t ...).
6372 The correct way to do it is to use one of the C level catch functions
6373 in throw.c: scm_internal_catch/lazy_catch/stack_catch.
6375 ** Removed functions:
6377 scm_obj_length, scm_list_length, scm_list_append, scm_list_append_x,
6378 scm_list_reverse, scm_list_reverse_x
6380 ** New macros: SCM_LISTn where n is one of the integers 0-9.
6382 These can be used for pretty list creation from C. The idea is taken
6383 from Erick Gallesio's STk.
6385 ** scm_array_map renamed to scm_array_map_x
6387 ** mbstrings are now removed
6389 This means that the type codes scm_tc7_mb_string and
6390 scm_tc7_mb_substring has been removed.
6392 ** scm_gen_putc, scm_gen_puts, scm_gen_write, and scm_gen_getc have changed.
6394 Since we no longer support multi-byte strings, these I/O functions
6395 have been simplified, and renamed. Here are their old names, and
6396 their new names and arguments:
6398 scm_gen_putc -> void scm_putc (int c, SCM port);
6399 scm_gen_puts -> void scm_puts (char *s, SCM port);
6400 scm_gen_write -> void scm_lfwrite (char *ptr, scm_sizet size, SCM port);
6401 scm_gen_getc -> void scm_getc (SCM port);
6404 ** The macros SCM_TYP7D and SCM_TYP7SD has been removed.
6406 ** The macro SCM_TYP7S has taken the role of the old SCM_TYP7D
6408 SCM_TYP7S now masks away the bit which distinguishes substrings from
6411 ** scm_catch_body_t: Backward incompatible change!
6413 Body functions to scm_internal_catch and friends do not any longer
6414 take a second argument. This is because it is no longer possible to
6415 pass a #f arg to catch.
6417 ** Calls to scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect now nest properly.
6419 The function scm_protect_object protects its argument from being freed
6420 by the garbage collector. scm_unprotect_object removes that
6423 These functions now nest properly. That is, for every object O, there
6424 is a counter which scm_protect_object(O) increments and
6425 scm_unprotect_object(O) decrements, if the counter is greater than
6426 zero. Every object's counter is zero when it is first created. If an
6427 object's counter is greater than zero, the garbage collector will not
6428 reclaim its storage.
6430 This allows you to use scm_protect_object in your code without
6431 worrying that some other function you call will call
6432 scm_unprotect_object, and allow it to be freed. Assuming that the
6433 functions you call are well-behaved, and unprotect only those objects
6434 they protect, you can follow the same rule and have confidence that
6435 objects will be freed only at appropriate times.
6438 Changes in Guile 1.2 (released Tuesday, June 24 1997):
6440 * Changes to the distribution
6442 ** Nightly snapshots are now available from ftp.red-bean.com.
6443 The old server, ftp.cyclic.com, has been relinquished to its rightful
6446 Nightly snapshots of the Guile development sources are now available via
6447 anonymous FTP from ftp.red-bean.com, as /pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz.
6449 Via the web, that's: ftp://ftp.red-bean.com/pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz
6450 For getit, that's: ftp.red-bean.com:/pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz
6452 ** To run Guile without installing it, the procedure has changed a bit.
6454 If you used a separate build directory to compile Guile, you'll need
6455 to include the build directory in SCHEME_LOAD_PATH, as well as the
6456 source directory. See the `INSTALL' file for examples.
6458 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
6460 ** The standard Guile load path for Scheme code now includes
6461 $(datadir)/guile (usually /usr/local/share/guile). This means that
6462 you can install your own Scheme files there, and Guile will find them.
6463 (Previous versions of Guile only checked a directory whose name
6464 contained the Guile version number, so you had to re-install or move
6465 your Scheme sources each time you installed a fresh version of Guile.)
6467 The load path also includes $(datadir)/guile/site; we recommend
6468 putting individual Scheme files there. If you want to install a
6469 package with multiple source files, create a directory for them under
6472 ** Guile 1.2 will now use the Rx regular expression library, if it is
6473 installed on your system. When you are linking libguile into your own
6474 programs, this means you will have to link against -lguile, -lqt (if
6475 you configured Guile with thread support), and -lrx.
6477 If you are using autoconf to generate configuration scripts for your
6478 application, the following lines should suffice to add the appropriate
6479 libraries to your link command:
6481 ### Find Rx, quickthreads and libguile.
6482 AC_CHECK_LIB(rx, main)
6483 AC_CHECK_LIB(qt, main)
6484 AC_CHECK_LIB(guile, scm_shell)
6486 The Guile 1.2 distribution does not contain sources for the Rx
6487 library, as Guile 1.0 did. If you want to use Rx, you'll need to
6488 retrieve it from a GNU FTP site and install it separately.
6490 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
6492 ** The dynamic linking features of Guile are now enabled by default.
6493 You can disable them by giving the `--disable-dynamic-linking' option
6496 (dynamic-link FILENAME)
6498 Find the object file denoted by FILENAME (a string) and link it
6499 into the running Guile application. When everything works out,
6500 return a Scheme object suitable for representing the linked object
6501 file. Otherwise an error is thrown. How object files are
6502 searched is system dependent.
6504 (dynamic-object? VAL)
6506 Determine whether VAL represents a dynamically linked object file.
6508 (dynamic-unlink DYNOBJ)
6510 Unlink the indicated object file from the application. DYNOBJ
6511 should be one of the values returned by `dynamic-link'.
6513 (dynamic-func FUNCTION DYNOBJ)
6515 Search the C function indicated by FUNCTION (a string or symbol)
6516 in DYNOBJ and return some Scheme object that can later be used
6517 with `dynamic-call' to actually call this function. Right now,
6518 these Scheme objects are formed by casting the address of the
6519 function to `long' and converting this number to its Scheme
6522 (dynamic-call FUNCTION DYNOBJ)
6524 Call the C function indicated by FUNCTION and DYNOBJ. The
6525 function is passed no arguments and its return value is ignored.
6526 When FUNCTION is something returned by `dynamic-func', call that
6527 function and ignore DYNOBJ. When FUNCTION is a string (or symbol,
6528 etc.), look it up in DYNOBJ; this is equivalent to
6530 (dynamic-call (dynamic-func FUNCTION DYNOBJ) #f)
6532 Interrupts are deferred while the C function is executing (with
6533 SCM_DEFER_INTS/SCM_ALLOW_INTS).
6535 (dynamic-args-call FUNCTION DYNOBJ ARGS)
6537 Call the C function indicated by FUNCTION and DYNOBJ, but pass it
6538 some arguments and return its return value. The C function is
6539 expected to take two arguments and return an `int', just like
6542 int c_func (int argc, char **argv);
6544 ARGS must be a list of strings and is converted into an array of
6545 `char *'. The array is passed in ARGV and its size in ARGC. The
6546 return value is converted to a Scheme number and returned from the
6547 call to `dynamic-args-call'.
6549 When dynamic linking is disabled or not supported on your system,
6550 the above functions throw errors, but they are still available.
6552 Here is a small example that works on GNU/Linux:
6554 (define libc-obj (dynamic-link "libc.so"))
6555 (dynamic-args-call 'rand libc-obj '())
6557 See the file `libguile/DYNAMIC-LINKING' for additional comments.
6559 ** The #/ syntax for module names is depreciated, and will be removed
6560 in a future version of Guile. Instead of
6568 The latter syntax is more consistent with existing Lisp practice.
6570 ** Guile now does fancier printing of structures. Structures are the
6571 underlying implementation for records, which in turn are used to
6572 implement modules, so all of these object now print differently and in
6573 a more informative way.
6575 The Scheme printer will examine the builtin variable *struct-printer*
6576 whenever it needs to print a structure object. When this variable is
6577 not `#f' it is deemed to be a procedure and will be applied to the
6578 structure object and the output port. When *struct-printer* is `#f'
6579 or the procedure return `#f' the structure object will be printed in
6580 the boring #<struct 80458270> form.
6582 This hook is used by some routines in ice-9/boot-9.scm to implement
6583 type specific printing routines. Please read the comments there about
6586 One of the more specific uses of structs are records. The printing
6587 procedure that could be passed to MAKE-RECORD-TYPE is now actually
6588 called. It should behave like a *struct-printer* procedure (described
6591 ** Guile now supports a new R4RS-compliant syntax for keywords. A
6592 token of the form #:NAME, where NAME has the same syntax as a Scheme
6593 symbol, is the external representation of the keyword named NAME.
6594 Keyword objects print using this syntax as well, so values containing
6595 keyword objects can be read back into Guile. When used in an
6596 expression, keywords are self-quoting objects.
6598 Guile suports this read syntax, and uses this print syntax, regardless
6599 of the current setting of the `keyword' read option. The `keyword'
6600 read option only controls whether Guile recognizes the `:NAME' syntax,
6601 which is incompatible with R4RS. (R4RS says such token represent
6604 ** Guile has regular expression support again. Guile 1.0 included
6605 functions for matching regular expressions, based on the Rx library.
6606 In Guile 1.1, the Guile/Rx interface was removed to simplify the
6607 distribution, and thus Guile had no regular expression support. Guile
6608 1.2 again supports the most commonly used functions, and supports all
6609 of SCSH's regular expression functions.
6611 If your system does not include a POSIX regular expression library,
6612 and you have not linked Guile with a third-party regexp library such as
6613 Rx, these functions will not be available. You can tell whether your
6614 Guile installation includes regular expression support by checking
6615 whether the `*features*' list includes the `regex' symbol.
6617 *** regexp functions
6619 By default, Guile supports POSIX extended regular expressions. That
6620 means that the characters `(', `)', `+' and `?' are special, and must
6621 be escaped if you wish to match the literal characters.
6623 This regular expression interface was modeled after that implemented
6624 by SCSH, the Scheme Shell. It is intended to be upwardly compatible
6625 with SCSH regular expressions.
6627 **** Function: string-match PATTERN STR [START]
6628 Compile the string PATTERN into a regular expression and compare
6629 it with STR. The optional numeric argument START specifies the
6630 position of STR at which to begin matching.
6632 `string-match' returns a "match structure" which describes what,
6633 if anything, was matched by the regular expression. *Note Match
6634 Structures::. If STR does not match PATTERN at all,
6635 `string-match' returns `#f'.
6637 Each time `string-match' is called, it must compile its PATTERN
6638 argument into a regular expression structure. This operation is
6639 expensive, which makes `string-match' inefficient if the same regular
6640 expression is used several times (for example, in a loop). For better
6641 performance, you can compile a regular expression in advance and then
6642 match strings against the compiled regexp.
6644 **** Function: make-regexp STR [FLAGS]
6645 Compile the regular expression described by STR, and return the
6646 compiled regexp structure. If STR does not describe a legal
6647 regular expression, `make-regexp' throws a
6648 `regular-expression-syntax' error.
6650 FLAGS may be the bitwise-or of one or more of the following:
6652 **** Constant: regexp/extended
6653 Use POSIX Extended Regular Expression syntax when interpreting
6654 STR. If not set, POSIX Basic Regular Expression syntax is used.
6655 If the FLAGS argument is omitted, we assume regexp/extended.
6657 **** Constant: regexp/icase
6658 Do not differentiate case. Subsequent searches using the
6659 returned regular expression will be case insensitive.
6661 **** Constant: regexp/newline
6662 Match-any-character operators don't match a newline.
6664 A non-matching list ([^...]) not containing a newline matches a
6667 Match-beginning-of-line operator (^) matches the empty string
6668 immediately after a newline, regardless of whether the FLAGS
6669 passed to regexp-exec contain regexp/notbol.
6671 Match-end-of-line operator ($) matches the empty string
6672 immediately before a newline, regardless of whether the FLAGS
6673 passed to regexp-exec contain regexp/noteol.
6675 **** Function: regexp-exec REGEXP STR [START [FLAGS]]
6676 Match the compiled regular expression REGEXP against `str'. If
6677 the optional integer START argument is provided, begin matching
6678 from that position in the string. Return a match structure
6679 describing the results of the match, or `#f' if no match could be
6682 FLAGS may be the bitwise-or of one or more of the following:
6684 **** Constant: regexp/notbol
6685 The match-beginning-of-line operator always fails to match (but
6686 see the compilation flag regexp/newline above) This flag may be
6687 used when different portions of a string are passed to
6688 regexp-exec and the beginning of the string should not be
6689 interpreted as the beginning of the line.
6691 **** Constant: regexp/noteol
6692 The match-end-of-line operator always fails to match (but see the
6693 compilation flag regexp/newline above)
6695 **** Function: regexp? OBJ
6696 Return `#t' if OBJ is a compiled regular expression, or `#f'
6699 Regular expressions are commonly used to find patterns in one string
6700 and replace them with the contents of another string.
6702 **** Function: regexp-substitute PORT MATCH [ITEM...]
6703 Write to the output port PORT selected contents of the match
6704 structure MATCH. Each ITEM specifies what should be written, and
6705 may be one of the following arguments:
6707 * A string. String arguments are written out verbatim.
6709 * An integer. The submatch with that number is written.
6711 * The symbol `pre'. The portion of the matched string preceding
6712 the regexp match is written.
6714 * The symbol `post'. The portion of the matched string
6715 following the regexp match is written.
6717 PORT may be `#f', in which case nothing is written; instead,
6718 `regexp-substitute' constructs a string from the specified ITEMs
6721 **** Function: regexp-substitute/global PORT REGEXP TARGET [ITEM...]
6722 Similar to `regexp-substitute', but can be used to perform global
6723 substitutions on STR. Instead of taking a match structure as an
6724 argument, `regexp-substitute/global' takes two string arguments: a
6725 REGEXP string describing a regular expression, and a TARGET string
6726 which should be matched against this regular expression.
6728 Each ITEM behaves as in REGEXP-SUBSTITUTE, with the following
6731 * A function may be supplied. When this function is called, it
6732 will be passed one argument: a match structure for a given
6733 regular expression match. It should return a string to be
6734 written out to PORT.
6736 * The `post' symbol causes `regexp-substitute/global' to recurse
6737 on the unmatched portion of STR. This *must* be supplied in
6738 order to perform global search-and-replace on STR; if it is
6739 not present among the ITEMs, then `regexp-substitute/global'
6740 will return after processing a single match.
6742 *** Match Structures
6744 A "match structure" is the object returned by `string-match' and
6745 `regexp-exec'. It describes which portion of a string, if any, matched
6746 the given regular expression. Match structures include: a reference to
6747 the string that was checked for matches; the starting and ending
6748 positions of the regexp match; and, if the regexp included any
6749 parenthesized subexpressions, the starting and ending positions of each
6752 In each of the regexp match functions described below, the `match'
6753 argument must be a match structure returned by a previous call to
6754 `string-match' or `regexp-exec'. Most of these functions return some
6755 information about the original target string that was matched against a
6756 regular expression; we will call that string TARGET for easy reference.
6758 **** Function: regexp-match? OBJ
6759 Return `#t' if OBJ is a match structure returned by a previous
6760 call to `regexp-exec', or `#f' otherwise.
6762 **** Function: match:substring MATCH [N]
6763 Return the portion of TARGET matched by subexpression number N.
6764 Submatch 0 (the default) represents the entire regexp match. If
6765 the regular expression as a whole matched, but the subexpression
6766 number N did not match, return `#f'.
6768 **** Function: match:start MATCH [N]
6769 Return the starting position of submatch number N.
6771 **** Function: match:end MATCH [N]
6772 Return the ending position of submatch number N.
6774 **** Function: match:prefix MATCH
6775 Return the unmatched portion of TARGET preceding the regexp match.
6777 **** Function: match:suffix MATCH
6778 Return the unmatched portion of TARGET following the regexp match.
6780 **** Function: match:count MATCH
6781 Return the number of parenthesized subexpressions from MATCH.
6782 Note that the entire regular expression match itself counts as a
6783 subexpression, and failed submatches are included in the count.
6785 **** Function: match:string MATCH
6786 Return the original TARGET string.
6788 *** Backslash Escapes
6790 Sometimes you will want a regexp to match characters like `*' or `$'
6791 exactly. For example, to check whether a particular string represents
6792 a menu entry from an Info node, it would be useful to match it against
6793 a regexp like `^* [^:]*::'. However, this won't work; because the
6794 asterisk is a metacharacter, it won't match the `*' at the beginning of
6795 the string. In this case, we want to make the first asterisk un-magic.
6797 You can do this by preceding the metacharacter with a backslash
6798 character `\'. (This is also called "quoting" the metacharacter, and
6799 is known as a "backslash escape".) When Guile sees a backslash in a
6800 regular expression, it considers the following glyph to be an ordinary
6801 character, no matter what special meaning it would ordinarily have.
6802 Therefore, we can make the above example work by changing the regexp to
6803 `^\* [^:]*::'. The `\*' sequence tells the regular expression engine
6804 to match only a single asterisk in the target string.
6806 Since the backslash is itself a metacharacter, you may force a
6807 regexp to match a backslash in the target string by preceding the
6808 backslash with itself. For example, to find variable references in a
6809 TeX program, you might want to find occurrences of the string `\let\'
6810 followed by any number of alphabetic characters. The regular expression
6811 `\\let\\[A-Za-z]*' would do this: the double backslashes in the regexp
6812 each match a single backslash in the target string.
6814 **** Function: regexp-quote STR
6815 Quote each special character found in STR with a backslash, and
6816 return the resulting string.
6818 *Very important:* Using backslash escapes in Guile source code (as
6819 in Emacs Lisp or C) can be tricky, because the backslash character has
6820 special meaning for the Guile reader. For example, if Guile encounters
6821 the character sequence `\n' in the middle of a string while processing
6822 Scheme code, it replaces those characters with a newline character.
6823 Similarly, the character sequence `\t' is replaced by a horizontal tab.
6824 Several of these "escape sequences" are processed by the Guile reader
6825 before your code is executed. Unrecognized escape sequences are
6826 ignored: if the characters `\*' appear in a string, they will be
6827 translated to the single character `*'.
6829 This translation is obviously undesirable for regular expressions,
6830 since we want to be able to include backslashes in a string in order to
6831 escape regexp metacharacters. Therefore, to make sure that a backslash
6832 is preserved in a string in your Guile program, you must use *two*
6833 consecutive backslashes:
6835 (define Info-menu-entry-pattern (make-regexp "^\\* [^:]*"))
6837 The string in this example is preprocessed by the Guile reader before
6838 any code is executed. The resulting argument to `make-regexp' is the
6839 string `^\* [^:]*', which is what we really want.
6841 This also means that in order to write a regular expression that
6842 matches a single backslash character, the regular expression string in
6843 the source code must include *four* backslashes. Each consecutive pair
6844 of backslashes gets translated by the Guile reader to a single
6845 backslash, and the resulting double-backslash is interpreted by the
6846 regexp engine as matching a single backslash character. Hence:
6848 (define tex-variable-pattern (make-regexp "\\\\let\\\\=[A-Za-z]*"))
6850 The reason for the unwieldiness of this syntax is historical. Both
6851 regular expression pattern matchers and Unix string processing systems
6852 have traditionally used backslashes with the special meanings described
6853 above. The POSIX regular expression specification and ANSI C standard
6854 both require these semantics. Attempting to abandon either convention
6855 would cause other kinds of compatibility problems, possibly more severe
6856 ones. Therefore, without extending the Scheme reader to support
6857 strings with different quoting conventions (an ungainly and confusing
6858 extension when implemented in other languages), we must adhere to this
6859 cumbersome escape syntax.
6861 * Changes to the gh_ interface
6863 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6865 * Changes to system call interfaces:
6867 ** The value returned by `raise' is now unspecified. It throws an exception
6870 *** A new procedure `sigaction' can be used to install signal handlers
6872 (sigaction signum [action] [flags])
6874 signum is the signal number, which can be specified using the value
6877 If action is omitted, sigaction returns a pair: the CAR is the current
6878 signal hander, which will be either an integer with the value SIG_DFL
6879 (default action) or SIG_IGN (ignore), or the Scheme procedure which
6880 handles the signal, or #f if a non-Scheme procedure handles the
6881 signal. The CDR contains the current sigaction flags for the handler.
6883 If action is provided, it is installed as the new handler for signum.
6884 action can be a Scheme procedure taking one argument, or the value of
6885 SIG_DFL (default action) or SIG_IGN (ignore), or #f to restore
6886 whatever signal handler was installed before sigaction was first used.
6887 Flags can optionally be specified for the new handler (SA_RESTART is
6888 always used if the system provides it, so need not be specified.) The
6889 return value is a pair with information about the old handler as
6892 This interface does not provide access to the "signal blocking"
6893 facility. Maybe this is not needed, since the thread support may
6894 provide solutions to the problem of consistent access to data
6897 *** A new procedure `flush-all-ports' is equivalent to running
6898 `force-output' on every port open for output.
6900 ** Guile now provides information on how it was built, via the new
6901 global variable, %guile-build-info. This variable records the values
6902 of the standard GNU makefile directory variables as an assocation
6903 list, mapping variable names (symbols) onto directory paths (strings).
6904 For example, to find out where the Guile link libraries were
6905 installed, you can say:
6907 guile -c "(display (assq-ref %guile-build-info 'libdir)) (newline)"
6910 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6912 ** The new function scm_handle_by_message_noexit is just like the
6913 existing scm_handle_by_message function, except that it doesn't call
6914 exit to terminate the process. Instead, it prints a message and just
6915 returns #f. This might be a more appropriate catch-all handler for
6916 new dynamic roots and threads.
6919 Changes in Guile 1.1 (released Friday, May 16 1997):
6921 * Changes to the distribution.
6923 The Guile 1.0 distribution has been split up into several smaller
6925 guile-core --- the Guile interpreter itself.
6926 guile-tcltk --- the interface between the Guile interpreter and
6927 Tcl/Tk; Tcl is an interpreter for a stringy language, and Tk
6928 is a toolkit for building graphical user interfaces.
6929 guile-rgx-ctax --- the interface between Guile and the Rx regular
6930 expression matcher, and the translator for the Ctax
6931 programming language. These are packaged together because the
6932 Ctax translator uses Rx to parse Ctax source code.
6934 This NEWS file describes the changes made to guile-core since the 1.0
6937 We no longer distribute the documentation, since it was either out of
6938 date, or incomplete. As soon as we have current documentation, we
6943 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
6945 ** guile now accepts command-line arguments compatible with SCSH, Olin
6946 Shivers' Scheme Shell.
6948 In general, arguments are evaluated from left to right, but there are
6949 exceptions. The following switches stop argument processing, and
6950 stash all remaining command-line arguments as the value returned by
6951 the (command-line) function.
6952 -s SCRIPT load Scheme source code from FILE, and exit
6953 -c EXPR evalute Scheme expression EXPR, and exit
6954 -- stop scanning arguments; run interactively
6956 The switches below are processed as they are encountered.
6957 -l FILE load Scheme source code from FILE
6958 -e FUNCTION after reading script, apply FUNCTION to
6959 command line arguments
6960 -ds do -s script at this point
6961 --emacs enable Emacs protocol (experimental)
6962 -h, --help display this help and exit
6963 -v, --version display version information and exit
6964 \ read arguments from following script lines
6966 So, for example, here is a Guile script named `ekko' (thanks, Olin)
6967 which re-implements the traditional "echo" command:
6969 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
6972 (map (lambda (arg) (display arg) (display " "))
6976 (main (command-line))
6978 Suppose we invoke this script as follows:
6980 ekko a speckled gecko
6982 Through the magic of Unix script processing (triggered by the `#!'
6983 token at the top of the file), /usr/local/bin/guile receives the
6984 following list of command-line arguments:
6986 ("-s" "./ekko" "a" "speckled" "gecko")
6988 Unix inserts the name of the script after the argument specified on
6989 the first line of the file (in this case, "-s"), and then follows that
6990 with the arguments given to the script. Guile loads the script, which
6991 defines the `main' function, and then applies it to the list of
6992 remaining command-line arguments, ("a" "speckled" "gecko").
6994 In Unix, the first line of a script file must take the following form:
6996 #!INTERPRETER ARGUMENT
6998 where INTERPRETER is the absolute filename of the interpreter
6999 executable, and ARGUMENT is a single command-line argument to pass to
7002 You may only pass one argument to the interpreter, and its length is
7003 limited. These restrictions can be annoying to work around, so Guile
7004 provides a general mechanism (borrowed from, and compatible with,
7005 SCSH) for circumventing them.
7007 If the ARGUMENT in a Guile script is a single backslash character,
7008 `\', Guile will open the script file, parse arguments from its second
7009 and subsequent lines, and replace the `\' with them. So, for example,
7010 here is another implementation of the `ekko' script:
7012 #!/usr/local/bin/guile \
7016 (for-each (lambda (arg) (display arg) (display " "))
7020 If the user invokes this script as follows:
7022 ekko a speckled gecko
7024 Unix expands this into
7026 /usr/local/bin/guile \ ekko a speckled gecko
7028 When Guile sees the `\' argument, it replaces it with the arguments
7029 read from the second line of the script, producing:
7031 /usr/local/bin/guile -e main -s ekko a speckled gecko
7033 This tells Guile to load the `ekko' script, and apply the function
7034 `main' to the argument list ("a" "speckled" "gecko").
7036 Here is how Guile parses the command-line arguments:
7037 - Each space character terminates an argument. This means that two
7038 spaces in a row introduce an empty-string argument.
7039 - The tab character is not permitted (unless you quote it with the
7040 backslash character, as described below), to avoid confusion.
7041 - The newline character terminates the sequence of arguments, and will
7042 also terminate a final non-empty argument. (However, a newline
7043 following a space will not introduce a final empty-string argument;
7044 it only terminates the argument list.)
7045 - The backslash character is the escape character. It escapes
7046 backslash, space, tab, and newline. The ANSI C escape sequences
7047 like \n and \t are also supported. These produce argument
7048 constituents; the two-character combination \n doesn't act like a
7049 terminating newline. The escape sequence \NNN for exactly three
7050 octal digits reads as the character whose ASCII code is NNN. As
7051 above, characters produced this way are argument constituents.
7052 Backslash followed by other characters is not allowed.
7054 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
7056 ** Guile now builds and installs a shared guile library, if your
7057 system support shared libraries. (It still builds a static library on
7058 all systems.) Guile automatically detects whether your system
7059 supports shared libraries. To prevent Guile from buildisg shared
7060 libraries, pass the `--disable-shared' flag to the configure script.
7062 Guile takes longer to compile when it builds shared libraries, because
7063 it must compile every file twice --- once to produce position-
7064 independent object code, and once to produce normal object code.
7066 ** The libthreads library has been merged into libguile.
7068 To link a program against Guile, you now need only link against
7069 -lguile and -lqt; -lthreads is no longer needed. If you are using
7070 autoconf to generate configuration scripts for your application, the
7071 following lines should suffice to add the appropriate libraries to
7074 ### Find quickthreads and libguile.
7075 AC_CHECK_LIB(qt, main)
7076 AC_CHECK_LIB(guile, scm_shell)
7078 * Changes to Scheme functions
7080 ** Guile Scheme's special syntax for keyword objects is now optional,
7081 and disabled by default.
7083 The syntax variation from R4RS made it difficult to port some
7084 interesting packages to Guile. The routines which accepted keyword
7085 arguments (mostly in the module system) have been modified to also
7086 accept symbols whose names begin with `:'.
7088 To change the keyword syntax, you must first import the (ice-9 debug)
7090 (use-modules (ice-9 debug))
7092 Then you can enable the keyword syntax as follows:
7093 (read-set! keywords 'prefix)
7095 To disable keyword syntax, do this:
7096 (read-set! keywords #f)
7098 ** Many more primitive functions accept shared substrings as
7099 arguments. In the past, these functions required normal, mutable
7100 strings as arguments, although they never made use of this
7103 ** The uniform array functions now operate on byte vectors. These
7104 functions are `array-fill!', `serial-array-copy!', `array-copy!',
7105 `serial-array-map', `array-map', `array-for-each', and
7108 ** The new functions `trace' and `untrace' implement simple debugging
7109 support for Scheme functions.
7111 The `trace' function accepts any number of procedures as arguments,
7112 and tells the Guile interpreter to display each procedure's name and
7113 arguments each time the procedure is invoked. When invoked with no
7114 arguments, `trace' returns the list of procedures currently being
7117 The `untrace' function accepts any number of procedures as arguments,
7118 and tells the Guile interpreter not to trace them any more. When
7119 invoked with no arguments, `untrace' untraces all curretly traced
7122 The tracing in Guile has an advantage over most other systems: we
7123 don't create new procedure objects, but mark the procedure objects
7124 themselves. This means that anonymous and internal procedures can be
7127 ** The function `assert-repl-prompt' has been renamed to
7128 `set-repl-prompt!'. It takes one argument, PROMPT.
7129 - If PROMPT is #f, the Guile read-eval-print loop will not prompt.
7130 - If PROMPT is a string, we use it as a prompt.
7131 - If PROMPT is a procedure accepting no arguments, we call it, and
7132 display the result as a prompt.
7133 - Otherwise, we display "> ".
7135 ** The new function `eval-string' reads Scheme expressions from a
7136 string and evaluates them, returning the value of the last expression
7137 in the string. If the string contains no expressions, it returns an
7140 ** The new function `thunk?' returns true iff its argument is a
7141 procedure of zero arguments.
7143 ** `defined?' is now a builtin function, instead of syntax. This
7144 means that its argument should be quoted. It returns #t iff its
7145 argument is bound in the current module.
7147 ** The new syntax `use-modules' allows you to add new modules to your
7148 environment without re-typing a complete `define-module' form. It
7149 accepts any number of module names as arguments, and imports their
7150 public bindings into the current module.
7152 ** The new function (module-defined? NAME MODULE) returns true iff
7153 NAME, a symbol, is defined in MODULE, a module object.
7155 ** The new function `builtin-bindings' creates and returns a hash
7156 table containing copies of all the root module's bindings.
7158 ** The new function `builtin-weak-bindings' does the same as
7159 `builtin-bindings', but creates a doubly-weak hash table.
7161 ** The `equal?' function now considers variable objects to be
7162 equivalent if they have the same name and the same value.
7164 ** The new function `command-line' returns the command-line arguments
7165 given to Guile, as a list of strings.
7167 When using guile as a script interpreter, `command-line' returns the
7168 script's arguments; those processed by the interpreter (like `-s' or
7169 `-c') are omitted. (In other words, you get the normal, expected
7170 behavior.) Any application that uses scm_shell to process its
7171 command-line arguments gets this behavior as well.
7173 ** The new function `load-user-init' looks for a file called `.guile'
7174 in the user's home directory, and loads it if it exists. This is
7175 mostly for use by the code generated by scm_compile_shell_switches,
7176 but we thought it might also be useful in other circumstances.
7178 ** The new function `log10' returns the base-10 logarithm of its
7181 ** Changes to I/O functions
7183 *** The functions `read', `primitive-load', `read-and-eval!', and
7184 `primitive-load-path' no longer take optional arguments controlling
7185 case insensitivity and a `#' parser.
7187 Case sensitivity is now controlled by a read option called
7188 `case-insensitive'. The user can add new `#' syntaxes with the
7189 `read-hash-extend' function (see below).
7191 *** The new function `read-hash-extend' allows the user to change the
7192 syntax of Guile Scheme in a somewhat controlled way.
7194 (read-hash-extend CHAR PROC)
7195 When parsing S-expressions, if we read a `#' character followed by
7196 the character CHAR, use PROC to parse an object from the stream.
7197 If PROC is #f, remove any parsing procedure registered for CHAR.
7199 The reader applies PROC to two arguments: CHAR and an input port.
7201 *** The new functions read-delimited and read-delimited! provide a
7202 general mechanism for doing delimited input on streams.
7204 (read-delimited DELIMS [PORT HANDLE-DELIM])
7205 Read until we encounter one of the characters in DELIMS (a string),
7206 or end-of-file. PORT is the input port to read from; it defaults to
7207 the current input port. The HANDLE-DELIM parameter determines how
7208 the terminating character is handled; it should be one of the
7211 'trim omit delimiter from result
7212 'peek leave delimiter character in input stream
7213 'concat append delimiter character to returned value
7214 'split return a pair: (RESULT . TERMINATOR)
7216 HANDLE-DELIM defaults to 'peek.
7218 (read-delimited! DELIMS BUF [PORT HANDLE-DELIM START END])
7219 A side-effecting variant of `read-delimited'.
7221 The data is written into the string BUF at the indices in the
7222 half-open interval [START, END); the default interval is the whole
7223 string: START = 0 and END = (string-length BUF). The values of
7224 START and END must specify a well-defined interval in BUF, i.e.
7225 0 <= START <= END <= (string-length BUF).
7227 It returns NBYTES, the number of bytes read. If the buffer filled
7228 up without a delimiter character being found, it returns #f. If the
7229 port is at EOF when the read starts, it returns the EOF object.
7231 If an integer is returned (i.e., the read is successfully terminated
7232 by reading a delimiter character), then the HANDLE-DELIM parameter
7233 determines how to handle the terminating character. It is described
7234 above, and defaults to 'peek.
7236 (The descriptions of these functions were borrowed from the SCSH
7237 manual, by Olin Shivers and Brian Carlstrom.)
7239 *** The `%read-delimited!' function is the primitive used to implement
7240 `read-delimited' and `read-delimited!'.
7242 (%read-delimited! DELIMS BUF GOBBLE? [PORT START END])
7244 This returns a pair of values: (TERMINATOR . NUM-READ).
7245 - TERMINATOR describes why the read was terminated. If it is a
7246 character or the eof object, then that is the value that terminated
7247 the read. If it is #f, the function filled the buffer without finding
7248 a delimiting character.
7249 - NUM-READ is the number of characters read into BUF.
7251 If the read is successfully terminated by reading a delimiter
7252 character, then the gobble? parameter determines what to do with the
7253 terminating character. If true, the character is removed from the
7254 input stream; if false, the character is left in the input stream
7255 where a subsequent read operation will retrieve it. In either case,
7256 the character is also the first value returned by the procedure call.
7258 (The descriptions of this function was borrowed from the SCSH manual,
7259 by Olin Shivers and Brian Carlstrom.)
7261 *** The `read-line' and `read-line!' functions have changed; they now
7262 trim the terminator by default; previously they appended it to the
7263 returned string. For the old behavior, use (read-line PORT 'concat).
7265 *** The functions `uniform-array-read!' and `uniform-array-write!' now
7266 take new optional START and END arguments, specifying the region of
7267 the array to read and write.
7269 *** The `ungetc-char-ready?' function has been removed. We feel it's
7270 inappropriate for an interface to expose implementation details this
7273 ** Changes to the Unix library and system call interface
7275 *** The new fcntl function provides access to the Unix `fcntl' system
7278 (fcntl PORT COMMAND VALUE)
7279 Apply COMMAND to PORT's file descriptor, with VALUE as an argument.
7280 Values for COMMAND are:
7282 F_DUPFD duplicate a file descriptor
7283 F_GETFD read the descriptor's close-on-exec flag
7284 F_SETFD set the descriptor's close-on-exec flag to VALUE
7285 F_GETFL read the descriptor's flags, as set on open
7286 F_SETFL set the descriptor's flags, as set on open to VALUE
7287 F_GETOWN return the process ID of a socket's owner, for SIGIO
7288 F_SETOWN set the process that owns a socket to VALUE, for SIGIO
7289 FD_CLOEXEC not sure what this is
7291 For details, see the documentation for the fcntl system call.
7293 *** The arguments to `select' have changed, for compatibility with
7294 SCSH. The TIMEOUT parameter may now be non-integral, yielding the
7295 expected behavior. The MILLISECONDS parameter has been changed to
7296 MICROSECONDS, to more closely resemble the underlying system call.
7297 The RVEC, WVEC, and EVEC arguments can now be vectors; the type of the
7298 corresponding return set will be the same.
7300 *** The arguments to the `mknod' system call have changed. They are
7303 (mknod PATH TYPE PERMS DEV)
7304 Create a new file (`node') in the file system. PATH is the name of
7305 the file to create. TYPE is the kind of file to create; it should
7306 be 'fifo, 'block-special, or 'char-special. PERMS specifies the
7307 permission bits to give the newly created file. If TYPE is
7308 'block-special or 'char-special, DEV specifies which device the
7309 special file refers to; its interpretation depends on the kind of
7310 special file being created.
7312 *** The `fork' function has been renamed to `primitive-fork', to avoid
7313 clashing with various SCSH forks.
7315 *** The `recv' and `recvfrom' functions have been renamed to `recv!'
7316 and `recvfrom!'. They no longer accept a size for a second argument;
7317 you must pass a string to hold the received value. They no longer
7318 return the buffer. Instead, `recv' returns the length of the message
7319 received, and `recvfrom' returns a pair containing the packet's length
7320 and originating address.
7322 *** The file descriptor datatype has been removed, as have the
7323 `read-fd', `write-fd', `close', `lseek', and `dup' functions.
7324 We plan to replace these functions with a SCSH-compatible interface.
7326 *** The `create' function has been removed; it's just a special case
7329 *** There are new functions to break down process termination status
7330 values. In the descriptions below, STATUS is a value returned by
7333 (status:exit-val STATUS)
7334 If the child process exited normally, this function returns the exit
7335 code for the child process (i.e., the value passed to exit, or
7336 returned from main). If the child process did not exit normally,
7337 this function returns #f.
7339 (status:stop-sig STATUS)
7340 If the child process was suspended by a signal, this function
7341 returns the signal that suspended the child. Otherwise, it returns
7344 (status:term-sig STATUS)
7345 If the child process terminated abnormally, this function returns
7346 the signal that terminated the child. Otherwise, this function
7349 POSIX promises that exactly one of these functions will return true on
7350 a valid STATUS value.
7352 These functions are compatible with SCSH.
7354 *** There are new accessors and setters for the broken-out time vectors
7355 returned by `localtime', `gmtime', and that ilk. They are:
7357 Component Accessor Setter
7358 ========================= ============ ============
7359 seconds tm:sec set-tm:sec
7360 minutes tm:min set-tm:min
7361 hours tm:hour set-tm:hour
7362 day of the month tm:mday set-tm:mday
7363 month tm:mon set-tm:mon
7364 year tm:year set-tm:year
7365 day of the week tm:wday set-tm:wday
7366 day in the year tm:yday set-tm:yday
7367 daylight saving time tm:isdst set-tm:isdst
7368 GMT offset, seconds tm:gmtoff set-tm:gmtoff
7369 name of time zone tm:zone set-tm:zone
7371 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `uname',
7372 describing the host system:
7375 ============================================== ================
7376 name of the operating system implementation utsname:sysname
7377 network name of this machine utsname:nodename
7378 release level of the operating system utsname:release
7379 version level of the operating system utsname:version
7380 machine hardware platform utsname:machine
7382 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getpw',
7383 `getpwnam', `getpwuid', and `getpwent', describing entries from the
7384 system's user database:
7387 ====================== =================
7388 user name passwd:name
7389 user password passwd:passwd
7392 real name passwd:gecos
7393 home directory passwd:dir
7394 shell program passwd:shell
7396 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getgr',
7397 `getgrnam', `getgrgid', and `getgrent', describing entries from the
7398 system's group database:
7401 ======================= ============
7402 group name group:name
7403 group password group:passwd
7405 group members group:mem
7407 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `gethost',
7408 `gethostbyaddr', `gethostbyname', and `gethostent', describing
7412 ========================= ===============
7413 official name of host hostent:name
7414 alias list hostent:aliases
7415 host address type hostent:addrtype
7416 length of address hostent:length
7417 list of addresses hostent:addr-list
7419 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getnet',
7420 `getnetbyaddr', `getnetbyname', and `getnetent', describing internet
7424 ========================= ===============
7425 official name of net netent:name
7426 alias list netent:aliases
7427 net number type netent:addrtype
7428 net number netent:net
7430 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getproto',
7431 `getprotobyname', `getprotobynumber', and `getprotoent', describing
7435 ========================= ===============
7436 official protocol name protoent:name
7437 alias list protoent:aliases
7438 protocol number protoent:proto
7440 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getserv',
7441 `getservbyname', `getservbyport', and `getservent', describing
7445 ========================= ===============
7446 official service name servent:name
7447 alias list servent:aliases
7448 port number servent:port
7449 protocol to use servent:proto
7451 *** There are new accessors for the sockaddr structures returned by
7452 `accept', `getsockname', `getpeername', `recvfrom!':
7455 ======================================== ===============
7456 address format (`family') sockaddr:fam
7457 path, for file domain addresses sockaddr:path
7458 address, for internet domain addresses sockaddr:addr
7459 TCP or UDP port, for internet sockaddr:port
7461 *** The `getpwent', `getgrent', `gethostent', `getnetent',
7462 `getprotoent', and `getservent' functions now return #f at the end of
7463 the user database. (They used to throw an exception.)
7465 Note that calling MUMBLEent function is equivalent to calling the
7466 corresponding MUMBLE function with no arguments.
7468 *** The `setpwent', `setgrent', `sethostent', `setnetent',
7469 `setprotoent', and `setservent' routines now take no arguments.
7471 *** The `gethost', `getproto', `getnet', and `getserv' functions now
7472 provide more useful information when they throw an exception.
7474 *** The `lnaof' function has been renamed to `inet-lnaof'.
7476 *** Guile now claims to have the `current-time' feature.
7478 *** The `mktime' function now takes an optional second argument ZONE,
7479 giving the time zone to use for the conversion. ZONE should be a
7480 string, in the same format as expected for the "TZ" environment variable.
7482 *** The `strptime' function now returns a pair (TIME . COUNT), where
7483 TIME is the parsed time as a vector, and COUNT is the number of
7484 characters from the string left unparsed. This function used to
7485 return the remaining characters as a string.
7487 *** The `gettimeofday' function has replaced the old `time+ticks' function.
7488 The return value is now (SECONDS . MICROSECONDS); the fractional
7489 component is no longer expressed in "ticks".
7491 *** The `ticks/sec' constant has been removed, in light of the above change.
7493 * Changes to the gh_ interface
7495 ** gh_eval_str() now returns an SCM object which is the result of the
7498 ** gh_scm2str() now copies the Scheme data to a caller-provided C
7501 ** gh_scm2newstr() now makes a C array, copies the Scheme data to it,
7502 and returns the array
7504 ** gh_scm2str0() is gone: there is no need to distinguish
7505 null-terminated from non-null-terminated, since gh_scm2newstr() allows
7506 the user to interpret the data both ways.
7508 * Changes to the scm_ interface
7510 ** The new function scm_symbol_value0 provides an easy way to get a
7511 symbol's value from C code:
7513 SCM scm_symbol_value0 (char *NAME)
7514 Return the value of the symbol named by the null-terminated string
7515 NAME in the current module. If the symbol named NAME is unbound in
7516 the current module, return SCM_UNDEFINED.
7518 ** The new function scm_sysintern0 creates new top-level variables,
7519 without assigning them a value.
7521 SCM scm_sysintern0 (char *NAME)
7522 Create a new Scheme top-level variable named NAME. NAME is a
7523 null-terminated string. Return the variable's value cell.
7525 ** The function scm_internal_catch is the guts of catch. It handles
7526 all the mechanics of setting up a catch target, invoking the catch
7527 body, and perhaps invoking the handler if the body does a throw.
7529 The function is designed to be usable from C code, but is general
7530 enough to implement all the semantics Guile Scheme expects from throw.
7532 TAG is the catch tag. Typically, this is a symbol, but this function
7533 doesn't actually care about that.
7535 BODY is a pointer to a C function which runs the body of the catch;
7536 this is the code you can throw from. We call it like this:
7537 BODY (BODY_DATA, JMPBUF)
7539 BODY_DATA is just the BODY_DATA argument we received; we pass it
7540 through to BODY as its first argument. The caller can make
7541 BODY_DATA point to anything useful that BODY might need.
7542 JMPBUF is the Scheme jmpbuf object corresponding to this catch,
7543 which we have just created and initialized.
7545 HANDLER is a pointer to a C function to deal with a throw to TAG,
7546 should one occur. We call it like this:
7547 HANDLER (HANDLER_DATA, THROWN_TAG, THROW_ARGS)
7549 HANDLER_DATA is the HANDLER_DATA argument we recevied; it's the
7550 same idea as BODY_DATA above.
7551 THROWN_TAG is the tag that the user threw to; usually this is
7552 TAG, but it could be something else if TAG was #t (i.e., a
7553 catch-all), or the user threw to a jmpbuf.
7554 THROW_ARGS is the list of arguments the user passed to the THROW
7557 BODY_DATA is just a pointer we pass through to BODY. HANDLER_DATA
7558 is just a pointer we pass through to HANDLER. We don't actually
7559 use either of those pointers otherwise ourselves. The idea is
7560 that, if our caller wants to communicate something to BODY or
7561 HANDLER, it can pass a pointer to it as MUMBLE_DATA, which BODY and
7562 HANDLER can then use. Think of it as a way to make BODY and
7563 HANDLER closures, not just functions; MUMBLE_DATA points to the
7566 Of course, it's up to the caller to make sure that any data a
7567 MUMBLE_DATA needs is protected from GC. A common way to do this is
7568 to make MUMBLE_DATA a pointer to data stored in an automatic
7569 structure variable; since the collector must scan the stack for
7570 references anyway, this assures that any references in MUMBLE_DATA
7573 ** The new function scm_internal_lazy_catch is exactly like
7574 scm_internal_catch, except:
7576 - It does not unwind the stack (this is the major difference).
7577 - If handler returns, its value is returned from the throw.
7578 - BODY always receives #f as its JMPBUF argument (since there's no
7579 jmpbuf associated with a lazy catch, because we don't unwind the
7582 ** scm_body_thunk is a new body function you can pass to
7583 scm_internal_catch if you want the body to be like Scheme's `catch'
7584 --- a thunk, or a function of one argument if the tag is #f.
7586 BODY_DATA is a pointer to a scm_body_thunk_data structure, which
7587 contains the Scheme procedure to invoke as the body, and the tag
7588 we're catching. If the tag is #f, then we pass JMPBUF (created by
7589 scm_internal_catch) to the body procedure; otherwise, the body gets
7592 ** scm_handle_by_proc is a new handler function you can pass to
7593 scm_internal_catch if you want the handler to act like Scheme's catch
7594 --- call a procedure with the tag and the throw arguments.
7596 If the user does a throw to this catch, this function runs a handler
7597 procedure written in Scheme. HANDLER_DATA is a pointer to an SCM
7598 variable holding the Scheme procedure object to invoke. It ought to
7599 be a pointer to an automatic variable (i.e., one living on the stack),
7600 or the procedure object should be otherwise protected from GC.
7602 ** scm_handle_by_message is a new handler function to use with
7603 `scm_internal_catch' if you want Guile to print a message and die.
7604 It's useful for dealing with throws to uncaught keys at the top level.
7606 HANDLER_DATA, if non-zero, is assumed to be a char * pointing to a
7607 message header to print; if zero, we use "guile" instead. That
7608 text is followed by a colon, then the message described by ARGS.
7610 ** The return type of scm_boot_guile is now void; the function does
7611 not return a value, and indeed, never returns at all.
7613 ** The new function scm_shell makes it easy for user applications to
7614 process command-line arguments in a way that is compatible with the
7615 stand-alone guile interpreter (which is in turn compatible with SCSH,
7618 To use the scm_shell function, first initialize any guile modules
7619 linked into your application, and then call scm_shell with the values
7620 of ARGC and ARGV your `main' function received. scm_shell will add
7621 any SCSH-style meta-arguments from the top of the script file to the
7622 argument vector, and then process the command-line arguments. This
7623 generally means loading a script file or starting up an interactive
7624 command interpreter. For details, see "Changes to the stand-alone
7627 ** The new functions scm_get_meta_args and scm_count_argv help you
7628 implement the SCSH-style meta-argument, `\'.
7630 char **scm_get_meta_args (int ARGC, char **ARGV)
7631 If the second element of ARGV is a string consisting of a single
7632 backslash character (i.e. "\\" in Scheme notation), open the file
7633 named by the following argument, parse arguments from it, and return
7634 the spliced command line. The returned array is terminated by a
7637 For details of argument parsing, see above, under "guile now accepts
7638 command-line arguments compatible with SCSH..."
7640 int scm_count_argv (char **ARGV)
7641 Count the arguments in ARGV, assuming it is terminated by a null
7644 For an example of how these functions might be used, see the source
7645 code for the function scm_shell in libguile/script.c.
7647 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
7650 ** The new function scm_compile_shell_switches turns an array of
7651 command-line arguments into Scheme code to carry out the actions they
7652 describe. Given ARGC and ARGV, it returns a Scheme expression to
7653 evaluate, and calls scm_set_program_arguments to make any remaining
7654 command-line arguments available to the Scheme code. For example,
7655 given the following arguments:
7657 -e main -s ekko a speckled gecko
7659 scm_set_program_arguments will return the following expression:
7661 (begin (load "ekko") (main (command-line)) (quit))
7663 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
7666 ** The function scm_shell_usage prints a usage message appropriate for
7667 an interpreter that uses scm_compile_shell_switches to handle its
7668 command-line arguments.
7670 void scm_shell_usage (int FATAL, char *MESSAGE)
7671 Print a usage message to the standard error output. If MESSAGE is
7672 non-zero, write it before the usage message, followed by a newline.
7673 If FATAL is non-zero, exit the process, using FATAL as the
7674 termination status. (If you want to be compatible with Guile,
7675 always use 1 as the exit status when terminating due to command-line
7678 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
7681 ** scm_eval_0str now returns SCM_UNSPECIFIED if the string contains no
7682 expressions. It used to return SCM_EOL. Earth-shattering.
7684 ** The macros for declaring scheme objects in C code have been
7685 rearranged slightly. They are now:
7687 SCM_SYMBOL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7688 Declare a static SCM variable named C_NAME, and initialize it to
7689 point to the Scheme symbol whose name is SCHEME_NAME. C_NAME should
7690 be a C identifier, and SCHEME_NAME should be a C string.
7692 SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7693 Just like SCM_SYMBOL, but make C_NAME globally visible.
7695 SCM_VCELL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7696 Create a global variable at the Scheme level named SCHEME_NAME.
7697 Declare a static SCM variable named C_NAME, and initialize it to
7698 point to the Scheme variable's value cell.
7700 SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7701 Just like SCM_VCELL, but make C_NAME globally visible.
7703 The `guile-snarf' script writes initialization code for these macros
7704 to its standard output, given C source code as input.
7706 The SCM_GLOBAL macro is gone.
7708 ** The scm_read_line and scm_read_line_x functions have been replaced
7709 by Scheme code based on the %read-delimited! procedure (known to C
7710 code as scm_read_delimited_x). See its description above for more
7713 ** The function scm_sys_open has been renamed to scm_open. It now
7714 returns a port instead of an FD object.
7716 * The dynamic linking support has changed. For more information, see
7717 libguile/DYNAMIC-LINKING.
7722 User-visible changes from Thursday, September 5, 1996 until Guile 1.0
7725 * Changes to the 'guile' program:
7727 ** Guile now loads some new files when it starts up. Guile first
7728 searches the load path for init.scm, and loads it if found. Then, if
7729 Guile is not being used to execute a script, and the user's home
7730 directory contains a file named `.guile', Guile loads that.
7732 ** You can now use Guile as a shell script interpreter.
7734 To paraphrase the SCSH manual:
7736 When Unix tries to execute an executable file whose first two
7737 characters are the `#!', it treats the file not as machine code to
7738 be directly executed by the native processor, but as source code
7739 to be executed by some interpreter. The interpreter to use is
7740 specified immediately after the #! sequence on the first line of
7741 the source file. The kernel reads in the name of the interpreter,
7742 and executes that instead. It passes the interpreter the source
7743 filename as its first argument, with the original arguments
7744 following. Consult the Unix man page for the `exec' system call
7745 for more information.
7747 Now you can use Guile as an interpreter, using a mechanism which is a
7748 compatible subset of that provided by SCSH.
7750 Guile now recognizes a '-s' command line switch, whose argument is the
7751 name of a file of Scheme code to load. It also treats the two
7752 characters `#!' as the start of a comment, terminated by `!#'. Thus,
7753 to make a file of Scheme code directly executable by Unix, insert the
7754 following two lines at the top of the file:
7756 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
7759 Guile treats the argument of the `-s' command-line switch as the name
7760 of a file of Scheme code to load, and treats the sequence `#!' as the
7761 start of a block comment, terminated by `!#'.
7763 For example, here's a version of 'echo' written in Scheme:
7765 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
7767 (let loop ((args (cdr (program-arguments))))
7770 (display (car args))
7771 (if (pair? (cdr args))
7773 (loop (cdr args)))))
7776 Why does `#!' start a block comment terminated by `!#', instead of the
7777 end of the line? That is the notation SCSH uses, and although we
7778 don't yet support the other SCSH features that motivate that choice,
7779 we would like to be backward-compatible with any existing Guile
7780 scripts once we do. Furthermore, if the path to Guile on your system
7781 is too long for your kernel, you can start the script with this
7785 exec /really/long/path/to/guile -s "$0" ${1+"$@"}
7788 Note that some very old Unix systems don't support the `#!' syntax.
7791 ** You can now run Guile without installing it.
7793 Previous versions of the interactive Guile interpreter (`guile')
7794 couldn't start up unless Guile's Scheme library had been installed;
7795 they used the value of the environment variable `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH'
7796 later on in the startup process, but not to find the startup code
7797 itself. Now Guile uses `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH' in all searches for Scheme
7800 To run Guile without installing it, build it in the normal way, and
7801 then set the environment variable `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH' to a
7802 colon-separated list of directories, including the top-level directory
7803 of the Guile sources. For example, if you unpacked Guile so that the
7804 full filename of this NEWS file is /home/jimb/guile-1.0b3/NEWS, then
7807 export SCHEME_LOAD_PATH=/home/jimb/my-scheme:/home/jimb/guile-1.0b3
7810 ** Guile's read-eval-print loop no longer prints #<unspecified>
7811 results. If the user wants to see this, she can evaluate the
7812 expression (assert-repl-print-unspecified #t), perhaps in her startup
7815 ** Guile no longer shows backtraces by default when an error occurs;
7816 however, it does display a message saying how to get one, and how to
7817 request that they be displayed by default. After an error, evaluate
7819 to see a backtrace, and
7820 (debug-enable 'backtrace)
7821 to see them by default.
7825 * Changes to Guile Scheme:
7827 ** Guile now distinguishes between #f and the empty list.
7829 This is for compatibility with the IEEE standard, the (possibly)
7830 upcoming Revised^5 Report on Scheme, and many extant Scheme
7833 Guile used to have #f and '() denote the same object, to make Scheme's
7834 type system more compatible with Emacs Lisp's. However, the change
7835 caused too much trouble for Scheme programmers, and we found another
7836 way to reconcile Emacs Lisp with Scheme that didn't require this.
7839 ** Guile's delq, delv, delete functions, and their destructive
7840 counterparts, delq!, delv!, and delete!, now remove all matching
7841 elements from the list, not just the first. This matches the behavior
7842 of the corresponding Emacs Lisp functions, and (I believe) the Maclisp
7843 functions which inspired them.
7845 I recognize that this change may break code in subtle ways, but it
7846 seems best to make the change before the FSF's first Guile release,
7850 ** The compiled-library-path function has been deleted from libguile.
7852 ** The facilities for loading Scheme source files have changed.
7854 *** The variable %load-path now tells Guile which directories to search
7855 for Scheme code. Its value is a list of strings, each of which names
7858 *** The variable %load-extensions now tells Guile which extensions to
7859 try appending to a filename when searching the load path. Its value
7860 is a list of strings. Its default value is ("" ".scm").
7862 *** (%search-load-path FILENAME) searches the directories listed in the
7863 value of the %load-path variable for a Scheme file named FILENAME,
7864 with all the extensions listed in %load-extensions. If it finds a
7865 match, then it returns its full filename. If FILENAME is absolute, it
7866 returns it unchanged. Otherwise, it returns #f.
7868 %search-load-path will not return matches that refer to directories.
7870 *** (primitive-load FILENAME :optional CASE-INSENSITIVE-P SHARP)
7871 uses %seach-load-path to find a file named FILENAME, and loads it if
7872 it finds it. If it can't read FILENAME for any reason, it throws an
7875 The arguments CASE-INSENSITIVE-P and SHARP are interpreted as by the
7878 *** load uses the same searching semantics as primitive-load.
7880 *** The functions %try-load, try-load-with-path, %load, load-with-path,
7881 basic-try-load-with-path, basic-load-with-path, try-load-module-with-
7882 path, and load-module-with-path have been deleted. The functions
7883 above should serve their purposes.
7885 *** If the value of the variable %load-hook is a procedure,
7886 `primitive-load' applies its value to the name of the file being
7887 loaded (without the load path directory name prepended). If its value
7888 is #f, it is ignored. Otherwise, an error occurs.
7890 This is mostly useful for printing load notification messages.
7893 ** The function `eval!' is no longer accessible from the scheme level.
7894 We can't allow operations which introduce glocs into the scheme level,
7895 because Guile's type system can't handle these as data. Use `eval' or
7896 `read-and-eval!' (see below) as replacement.
7898 ** The new function read-and-eval! reads an expression from PORT,
7899 evaluates it, and returns the result. This is more efficient than
7900 simply calling `read' and `eval', since it is not necessary to make a
7901 copy of the expression for the evaluator to munge.
7903 Its optional arguments CASE_INSENSITIVE_P and SHARP are interpreted as
7904 for the `read' function.
7907 ** The function `int?' has been removed; its definition was identical
7908 to that of `integer?'.
7910 ** The functions `<?', `<?', `<=?', `=?', `>?', and `>=?'. Code should
7911 use the R4RS names for these functions.
7913 ** The function object-properties no longer returns the hash handle;
7914 it simply returns the object's property list.
7916 ** Many functions have been changed to throw errors, instead of
7917 returning #f on failure. The point of providing exception handling in
7918 the language is to simplify the logic of user code, but this is less
7919 useful if Guile's primitives don't throw exceptions.
7921 ** The function `fileno' has been renamed from `%fileno'.
7923 ** The function primitive-mode->fdes returns #t or #f now, not 1 or 0.
7926 * Changes to Guile's C interface:
7928 ** The library's initialization procedure has been simplified.
7929 scm_boot_guile now has the prototype:
7931 void scm_boot_guile (int ARGC,
7933 void (*main_func) (),
7936 scm_boot_guile calls MAIN_FUNC, passing it CLOSURE, ARGC, and ARGV.
7937 MAIN_FUNC should do all the work of the program (initializing other
7938 packages, reading user input, etc.) before returning. When MAIN_FUNC
7939 returns, call exit (0); this function never returns. If you want some
7940 other exit value, MAIN_FUNC may call exit itself.
7942 scm_boot_guile arranges for program-arguments to return the strings
7943 given by ARGC and ARGV. If MAIN_FUNC modifies ARGC/ARGV, should call
7944 scm_set_program_arguments with the final list, so Scheme code will
7945 know which arguments have been processed.
7947 scm_boot_guile establishes a catch-all catch handler which prints an
7948 error message and exits the process. This means that Guile exits in a
7949 coherent way when system errors occur and the user isn't prepared to
7950 handle it. If the user doesn't like this behavior, they can establish
7951 their own universal catcher in MAIN_FUNC to shadow this one.
7953 Why must the caller do all the real work from MAIN_FUNC? The garbage
7954 collector assumes that all local variables of type SCM will be above
7955 scm_boot_guile's stack frame on the stack. If you try to manipulate
7956 SCM values after this function returns, it's the luck of the draw
7957 whether the GC will be able to find the objects you allocate. So,
7958 scm_boot_guile function exits, rather than returning, to discourage
7959 people from making that mistake.
7961 The IN, OUT, and ERR arguments were removed; there are other
7962 convenient ways to override these when desired.
7964 The RESULT argument was deleted; this function should never return.
7966 The BOOT_CMD argument was deleted; the MAIN_FUNC argument is more
7970 ** Guile's header files should no longer conflict with your system's
7973 In order to compile code which #included <libguile.h>, previous
7974 versions of Guile required you to add a directory containing all the
7975 Guile header files to your #include path. This was a problem, since
7976 Guile's header files have names which conflict with many systems'
7979 Now only <libguile.h> need appear in your #include path; you must
7980 refer to all Guile's other header files as <libguile/mumble.h>.
7981 Guile's installation procedure puts libguile.h in $(includedir), and
7982 the rest in $(includedir)/libguile.
7985 ** Two new C functions, scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect_object,
7986 have been added to the Guile library.
7988 scm_protect_object (OBJ) protects OBJ from the garbage collector.
7989 OBJ will not be freed, even if all other references are dropped,
7990 until someone does scm_unprotect_object (OBJ). Both functions
7993 Note that calls to scm_protect_object do not nest. You can call
7994 scm_protect_object any number of times on a given object, and the
7995 next call to scm_unprotect_object will unprotect it completely.
7997 Basically, scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect_object just
7998 maintain a list of references to things. Since the GC knows about
7999 this list, all objects it mentions stay alive. scm_protect_object
8000 adds its argument to the list; scm_unprotect_object remove its
8001 argument from the list.
8004 ** scm_eval_0str now returns the value of the last expression
8007 ** The new function scm_read_0str reads an s-expression from a
8008 null-terminated string, and returns it.
8010 ** The new function `scm_stdio_to_port' converts a STDIO file pointer
8011 to a Scheme port object.
8013 ** The new function `scm_set_program_arguments' allows C code to set
8014 the value returned by the Scheme `program-arguments' function.
8019 * Guile no longer includes sophisticated Tcl/Tk support.
8021 The old Tcl/Tk support was unsatisfying to us, because it required the
8022 user to link against the Tcl library, as well as Tk and Guile. The
8023 interface was also un-lispy, in that it preserved Tcl/Tk's practice of
8024 referring to widgets by names, rather than exporting widgets to Scheme
8025 code as a special datatype.
8027 In the Usenix Tk Developer's Workshop held in July 1996, the Tcl/Tk
8028 maintainers described some very interesting changes in progress to the
8029 Tcl/Tk internals, which would facilitate clean interfaces between lone
8030 Tk and other interpreters --- even for garbage-collected languages
8031 like Scheme. They expected the new Tk to be publicly available in the
8034 Since it seems that Guile might soon have a new, cleaner interface to
8035 lone Tk, and that the old Guile/Tk glue code would probably need to be
8036 completely rewritten, we (Jim Blandy and Richard Stallman) have
8037 decided not to support the old code. We'll spend the time instead on
8038 a good interface to the newer Tk, as soon as it is available.
8040 Until then, gtcltk-lib provides trivial, low-maintenance functionality.
8043 Copyright information:
8045 Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
8047 Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies
8048 of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the
8049 copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved,
8050 thus giving the recipient permission to redistribute in turn.
8052 Permission is granted to distribute modified versions
8053 of this document, or of portions of it,
8054 under the above conditions, provided also that they
8055 carry prominent notices stating who last changed them.
8060 paragraph-separate: "[
\f]*$"