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 Changes in 1.9.1 (changes since the 1.8.x series):
10 ** The stack limit is now initialized from the environment.
12 If getrlimit(2) is available and a stack limit is set, Guile will set
13 its stack limit to 80% of the rlimit. Otherwise the limit is 160000
14 words, a four-fold increase from the earlier default limit.
16 ** Fix bad interaction between `false-if-exception' and stack-call.
18 Exceptions thrown by `false-if-exception' were erronously causing the
19 stack to be saved, causing later errors to show the incorrectly-saved
20 backtrace. This has been fixed.
22 ** Files loaded with primitive-load-path will now be compiled
25 If a compiled .go file corresponding to a .scm file is not found or is
26 not fresh, the .scm file will be compiled on the fly, and the resulting
27 .go file stored away. An advisory note will be printed on the console.
29 Note that this mechanism depends on preservation of the .scm and .go
30 modification times; if the .scm or .go files are moved after
31 installation, care should be taken to preserve their original
34 Autocompiled files will be stored in the user's ~/.guile-ccache
35 directory, which will be created if needed. This is analogous to
36 ccache's behavior for C files.
38 To inhibit autocompilation, set the GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE environment
39 variable to 0, or pass --no-autocompile on the Guile command line.
41 ** New environment variables: GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH,
42 GUILE_SYSTEM_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH
44 GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH is for compiled files what GUILE_LOAD_PATH is
45 for source files. It is a different path, however, because compiled
46 files are architecture-specific. GUILE_SYSTEM_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH is like
49 ** New global variables: %load-compiled-path, %load-compiled-extensions
51 These are analogous to %load-path and %load-extensions.
53 ** New installation directory: $(pkglibdir)/1.9/ccache
55 If $(libdir) is /usr/lib, for example, Guile will install its .go files
56 to /usr/lib/guile/1.9/ccache. These files are architecture-specific.
58 ** scm_primitive_load_path has additional argument, exception_on_error
60 ** scm_stat has additional argument, exception_on_error
62 ** New entry into %guile-build-info: `ccachedir'
64 Probably should be removed?
66 ** New reader macros: #' #` #, #,@
68 These macros translate, respectively, to `syntax', `quasisyntax',
69 `unsyntax', and `unsyntax-splicing'. See the R6RS for more information.
70 These reader macros may be overridden by `read-hash-extend'.
72 ** Incompatible change to #'
74 Guile did have a #' hash-extension, by default, which just returned the
75 subsequent datum: #'foo => foo. In the unlikely event that anyone
76 actually used this, this behavior may be reinstated via the
77 `read-hash-extend' mechanism.
79 ** Scheme expresssions may be commented out with #;
81 #; comments out an entire expression. See the R6RS for more information.
83 ** make-stack with a tail-called procedural narrowing argument no longer
84 works (with compiled procedures)
86 It used to be the case that a captured stack could be narrowed to select
87 calls only up to or from a certain procedure, even if that procedure
88 already tail-called another procedure. This was because the debug
89 information from the original procedure was kept on the stack.
91 Now with the new compiler, the stack only contains active frames from
92 the current continuation. A narrow to a procedure that is not in the
93 stack will result in an empty stack. To fix this, narrow to a procedure
94 that is active in the current continuation, or narrow to a specific
95 number of stack frames.
97 ** backtraces through compiled procedures only show procedures that are
98 active in the current continuation
100 Similarly to the previous issue, backtraces in compiled code may be
101 different from backtraces in interpreted code. There are no semantic
102 differences, however. Please mail bug-guile@gnu.org if you see any
103 deficiencies with Guile's backtraces.
105 ** syntax-rules and syntax-case macros now propagate source information
106 through to the expanded code
108 This should result in better backtraces.
110 ** The currying behavior of `define' has been removed.
112 Before, `(define ((f a) b) (* a b))' would translate to
114 (define f (lambda (a) (lambda (b) (* a b))))
116 Now a syntax error is signalled, as this syntax is not supported by
117 default. If there is sufficient demand, this syntax can be supported
120 ** All modules have names now
122 Before, you could have anonymous modules: modules without names. Now,
123 because of hygiene and macros, all modules have names. If a module was
124 created without a name, the first time `module-name' is called on it, a
125 fresh name will be lazily generated for it.
127 ** Many syntax errors have different texts now
129 Syntax errors still throw to the `syntax-error' key, but the arguments
130 are often different now. Perhaps in the future, Guile will switch to
131 using standard srfi-35 conditions.
133 ** Returning multiple values to compiled code will silently truncate the
134 values to the expected number
136 For example, the interpreter would raise an error evaluating the form,
137 `(+ (values 1 2) (values 3 4))', because it would see the operands as
138 being two compound "values" objects, to which `+' does not apply.
140 The compiler, on the other hand, receives multiple values on the stack,
141 not as a compound object. Given that it must check the number of values
142 anyway, if too many values are provided for a continuation, it chooses
143 to truncate those values, effectively evaluating `(+ 1 3)' instead.
145 The idea is that the semantics that the compiler implements is more
146 intuitive, and the use of the interpreter will fade out with time.
147 This behavior is allowed both by the R5RS and the R6RS.
149 ** Multiple values in compiled code are not represented by compound
152 This change may manifest itself in the following situation:
154 (let ((val (foo))) (do-something) val)
156 In the interpreter, if `foo' returns multiple values, multiple values
157 are produced from the `let' expression. In the compiler, those values
158 are truncated to the first value, and that first value is returned. In
159 the compiler, if `foo' returns no values, an error will be raised, while
160 the interpreter would proceed.
162 Both of these behaviors are allowed by R5RS and R6RS. The compiler's
163 behavior is more correct, however. If you wish to preserve a potentially
164 multiply-valued return, you will need to set up a multiple-value
165 continuation, using `call-with-values'.
167 ** Defmacros are now implemented in terms of syntax-case.
169 The practical ramification of this is that the `defmacro?' predicate has
170 been removed, along with `defmacro-transformer', `macro-table',
171 `xformer-table', `assert-defmacro?!', `set-defmacro-transformer!' and
172 `defmacro:transformer'. This is because defmacros are simply macros. If
173 any of these procedures provided useful facilities to you, we encourage
174 you to contact the Guile developers.
176 ** psyntax is now the default expander
178 Scheme code is now expanded by default by the psyntax hygienic macro
179 expander. Expansion is performed completely before compilation or
182 Notably, syntax errors will be signalled before interpretation begins.
183 In the past, many syntax errors were only detected at runtime if the
184 code in question was memoized.
186 As part of its expansion, psyntax renames all lexically-bound
187 identifiers. Original identifier names are preserved and given to the
188 compiler, but the interpreter will see the renamed variables, e.g.,
189 `x432' instead of `x'.
191 Note that the psyntax that Guile uses is a fork, as Guile already had
192 modules before incompatible modules were added to psyntax -- about 10
193 years ago! Thus there are surely a number of bugs that have been fixed
194 in psyntax since then. If you find one, please notify bug-guile@gnu.org.
196 ** syntax-rules and syntax-case are available by default.
198 There is no longer any need to import the `(ice-9 syncase)' module
199 (which is now deprecated). The expander may be invoked directly via
200 `sc-expand', though it is normally searched for via the current module
203 Also, the helper routines for syntax-case are available in the default
204 environment as well: `syntax->datum', `datum->syntax',
205 `bound-identifier=?', `free-identifier=?', `generate-temporaries',
206 `identifier?', and `syntax-violation'. See the R6RS for documentation.
208 ** Lexical bindings introduced by hygienic macros may not be referenced
209 by nonhygienic macros.
211 If a lexical binding is introduced by a hygienic macro, it may not be
212 referenced by a nonhygienic macro. For example, this works:
215 (define-macro (bind-x val body)
216 `(let ((x ,val)) ,body))
217 (define-macro (ref x)
224 (define-syntax bind-x
226 ((_ val body) (let ((x val)) body))))
227 (define-macro (ref x)
231 It is not normal to run into this situation with existing code. However,
232 as code is ported over from defmacros to syntax-case, it is possible to
233 run into situations like this. In the future, Guile will probably port
234 its `while' macro to syntax-case, which makes this issue one to know
237 ** Macros may no longer be referenced as first-class values.
239 In the past, you could evaluate e.g. `if', and get its macro value. Now,
240 expanding this form raises a syntax error.
242 Macros still /exist/ as first-class values, but they must be
243 /referenced/ via the module system, e.g. `(module-ref (current-module)
246 This decision may be revisited before the 2.0 release. Feedback welcome
247 to guile-devel@gnu.org (subscription required) or bug-guile@gnu.org (no
248 subscription required).
250 ** New macro type: syncase-macro
252 XXX Need to decide whether to document this for 2.0, probably should:
253 make-syncase-macro, make-extended-syncase-macro, macro-type,
254 syncase-macro-type, syncase-macro-binding
256 ** `(ice-9 syncase)' has been deprecated.
258 As syntax-case is available by default, importing `(ice-9 syncase)' has
259 no effect, and will trigger a deprecation warning.
261 ** Fix bug in `module-bound?'.
263 `module-bound?' was returning true if a module did have a local
264 variable, but one that was unbound, but another imported module bound
265 the variable. This was an error, and was fixed.
267 ** BUG: Automatic compilation will be attempted when it shouldn't.
269 For example, the old (lang elisp) modules are meant to be interpreted,
270 not compiled. This bug will be fixed before 2.0. FIXME 2.0: Should say
271 something here about module-transformer called for compile.
273 ** Defmacros may now have docstrings.
275 Indeed, any macro may have a docstring. `object-documentation' from
276 `(ice-9 documentation)' may be used to retrieve the docstring, once you
277 have a macro value -- but see the above note about first-class macros.
278 Docstrings are associated with the syntax transformer procedures.
280 ** `eval-case' has been deprecated, and replaced by `eval-when'.
282 The semantics of `eval-when' are easier to understand. It is still
283 missing documentation, however.
285 ** Guile is now more strict about prohibiting definitions in expression
288 Although previous versions of Guile accepted it, the following
289 expression is not valid, in R5RS or R6RS:
291 (if test (define foo 'bar) (define foo 'baz))
293 In this specific case, it would be better to do:
295 (define foo (if test 'bar 'baz))
297 It is certainly possible to circumvent this resriction with e.g.
298 `(module-define! (current-module) 'foo 'baz)'. We would appreciate
299 feedback about this change (a consequence of using psyntax as the
300 default expander), and may choose to revisit this situation before 2.0
301 in response to user feedback.
303 ** Defmacros must now produce valid Scheme expressions.
305 It used to be that defmacros could unquote in Scheme values, as a way of
306 supporting partial evaluation, and avoiding some hygiene issues. For
309 (define (helper x) ...)
310 (define-macro (foo bar)
313 Assuming this macro is in the `(baz)' module, the direct translation of
316 (define (helper x) ...)
317 (define-macro (foo bar)
318 `((@@ (baz) helper) ,bar))
320 Of course, one could just use a hygienic macro instead:
324 ((_ bar) (helper bar))))
326 ** Guile's psyntax now supports docstrings and internal definitions.
328 The following Scheme is not strictly legal:
335 However its intent is fairly clear. Guile interprets "bar" to be the
336 docstring of `foo', and the definition of `baz' is still in definition
339 ** Macros need to be defined before their first use.
341 It used to be that with lazy memoization, this might work:
345 (define-macro (ref x) x)
348 But now, the body of `foo' is interpreted to mean a call to the toplevel
349 `ref' function, instead of a macro expansion. The solution is to define
350 macros before code that uses them.
352 ** Functions needed by macros at expand-time need to be present at
355 For example, this code will work at the REPL:
357 (define (double-helper x) (* x x))
358 (define-macro (double-literal x) (double-helper x))
359 (double-literal 2) => 4
361 But it will not work when a file is compiled, because the definition of
362 `double-helper' is not present at expand-time. The solution is to wrap
363 the definition of `double-helper' in `eval-when':
365 (eval-when (load compile eval)
366 (define (double-helper x) (* x x)))
367 (define-macro (double-literal x) (double-helper x))
368 (double-literal 2) => 4
370 See the (currently missing) documentation for eval-when for more
373 ** New variable, %pre-modules-transformer
375 Need to document this one some more.
377 ** Temporarily removed functions: `macroexpand', `macroexpand-1'
379 `macroexpand' will be added back before 2.0. It is unclear how to
380 implement `macroexpand-1' with syntax-case, though PLT Scheme does prove
383 ** New module: (rnrs bytevector)
385 See the R6RS for more information.
387 ** New dependency: GNU libunistring.
394 more robust threading support.
396 syncase knows about @/@@
398 macros and hygiene and modules
400 eval-closure-module? what?
402 procedure-module / scm_procedure_module
404 guile-config info sitedir change -- 922d369
406 guile-config and pkg-config
408 (system xref), procedure-callers, procedure-callees, can work as
409 variables get redefined
411 getrlimit and setrlimit wrappers
413 FIXME: getrlimit crazy namespaces...
417 BUG? procedure-property 'arity on compiled procedures will be wrong
419 BUG: SCM_SNAME -> SCM_SUBR_NAME
422 add-value-help-handler! remove-value-help-handler!
423 add-name-help-handler! remove-name-help-handler!
424 export module-commentary
427 procedure->memoizing-macro, procedure->syntax totally superdeprecated?
429 FIXME: update copyrights
435 guile-tools compile, guile-tools disassemble (does that work?)
437 BUG: stack walks to see number of frames, then fills those frames.
438 sometimes those numbers differ, warning to console, a test case would be
441 FIXME: dance disassembly bug
445 <method> has formals, body slots; (make-procedure & procedure ?)
449 removed (the-environment)
451 new function: scm_module_public_interface
453 BUG: help at guile prompt
455 new procedure, make-promise
457 * New modules (see the manual for details)
459 ** `(srfi srfi-18)', multithreading support
460 ** The `(ice-9 i18n)' module provides internationalization support
462 * Changes to the distribution
464 ** Guile's license is now LGPLv3+
466 In other words the GNU Lesser General Public License, version 3 or
467 later (at the discretion of each person that chooses to redistribute
470 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
471 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
473 ** A new 'memoize-symbol evaluator trap has been added. This trap can
474 be used for efficiently implementing a Scheme code coverage.
476 ** Duplicate bindings among used modules are resolved lazily.
477 This slightly improves program startup times.
479 ** New thread cancellation and thread cleanup API
480 See `cancel-thread', `set-thread-cleanup!', and `thread-cleanup'.
482 * Changes to the C interface
484 ** The GH interface (deprecated in version 1.6, 2001) was removed.
486 ** Internal `scm_i_' functions now have "hidden" linkage with GCC/ELF
488 This makes these internal functions technically not callable from
491 ** Functions for handling `scm_option' now no longer require an argument
492 indicating length of the `scm_t_option' array.
495 Changes in 1.8.7 (since 1.8.6)
497 * New modules (see the manual for details)
499 ** `(srfi srfi-98)', an interface to access environment variables
503 ** Fix compilation with `--disable-deprecated'
504 ** Fix %fast-slot-ref/set!, to avoid possible segmentation fault
505 ** Fix MinGW build problem caused by HAVE_STRUCT_TIMESPEC confusion
506 ** Fix build problem when scm_t_timespec is different from struct timespec
507 ** Fix build when compiled with -Wundef -Werror
508 ** More build fixes for `alphaev56-dec-osf5.1b' (Tru64)
509 ** With GCC, always compile with `-mieee' on `alpha*' and `sh*'
510 ** Better diagnose broken `(strftime "%z" ...)' in `time.test' (bug #24130)
511 ** Fix parsing of SRFI-88/postfix keywords longer than 128 characters
513 ** Allow @ macro to work with (ice-9 syncase)
515 Previously, use of the @ macro in a module whose code is being
516 transformed by (ice-9 syncase) would cause an "Invalid syntax" error.
517 Now it works as you would expect (giving the value of the specified
520 ** Have `scm_take_locale_symbol ()' return an interned symbol (bug #25865)
523 Changes in 1.8.6 (since 1.8.5)
525 * New features (see the manual for details)
527 ** New convenience function `scm_c_symbol_length ()'
529 ** Single stepping through code from Emacs
531 When you use GDS to evaluate Scheme code from Emacs, you can now use
532 `C-u' to indicate that you want to single step through that code. See
533 `Evaluating Scheme Code' in the manual for more details.
535 ** New "guile(1)" man page!
537 * Changes to the distribution
539 ** Automake's `AM_MAINTAINER_MODE' is no longer used
541 Thus, the `--enable-maintainer-mode' configure option is no longer
542 available: Guile is now always configured in "maintainer mode".
544 ** `ChangeLog' files are no longer updated
546 Instead, changes are detailed in the version control system's logs. See
547 the top-level `ChangeLog' files for details.
552 ** `symbol->string' now returns a read-only string, as per R5RS
553 ** Fix incorrect handling of the FLAGS argument of `fold-matches'
554 ** `guile-config link' now prints `-L$libdir' before `-lguile'
555 ** Fix memory corruption involving GOOPS' `class-redefinition'
556 ** Fix possible deadlock in `mutex-lock'
557 ** Fix build issue on Tru64 and ia64-hp-hpux11.23 (`SCM_UNPACK' macro)
558 ** Fix build issue on mips, mipsel, powerpc and ia64 (stack direction)
559 ** Fix build issue on hppa2.0w-hp-hpux11.11 (`dirent64' and `readdir64_r')
560 ** Fix build issue on i386-unknown-freebsd7.0 ("break strict-aliasing rules")
561 ** Fix misleading output from `(help rationalize)'
562 ** Fix build failure on Debian hppa architecture (bad stack growth detection)
563 ** Fix `gcd' when called with a single, negative argument.
564 ** Fix `Stack overflow' errors seen when building on some platforms
565 ** Fix bug when `scm_with_guile ()' was called several times from the
567 ** The handler of SRFI-34 `with-exception-handler' is now invoked in the
568 dynamic environment of the call to `raise'
569 ** Fix potential deadlock in `make-struct'
570 ** Fix compilation problem with libltdl from Libtool 2.2.x
571 ** Fix sloppy bound checking in `string-{ref,set!}' with the empty string
574 Changes in 1.8.5 (since 1.8.4)
576 * Infrastructure changes
578 ** Guile repository switched from CVS to Git
580 The new repository can be accessed using
581 "git-clone git://git.sv.gnu.org/guile.git", or can be browsed on-line at
582 http://git.sv.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=guile.git . See `README' for details.
584 ** Add support for `pkg-config'
586 See "Autoconf Support" in the manual for details.
588 * New modules (see the manual for details)
592 * New features (see the manual for details)
594 ** New `postfix' read option, for SRFI-88 keyword syntax
595 ** Some I/O primitives have been inlined, which improves I/O performance
596 ** New object-based traps infrastructure
598 This is a GOOPS-based infrastructure that builds on Guile's low-level
599 evaluator trap calls and facilitates the development of debugging
600 features like single-stepping, breakpoints, tracing and profiling.
601 See the `Traps' node of the manual for details.
603 ** New support for working on Guile code from within Emacs
605 Guile now incorporates the `GDS' library (previously distributed
606 separately) for working on Guile code from within Emacs. See the
607 `Using Guile In Emacs' node of the manual for details.
611 ** `scm_add_slot ()' no longer segfaults (fixes bug #22369)
612 ** Fixed `(ice-9 match)' for patterns like `((_ ...) ...)'
614 Previously, expressions like `(match '((foo) (bar)) (((_ ...) ...) #t))'
615 would trigger an unbound variable error for `match:andmap'.
617 ** `(oop goops describe)' now properly provides the `describe' feature
618 ** Fixed `args-fold' from `(srfi srfi-37)'
620 Previously, parsing short option names of argument-less options would
621 lead to a stack overflow.
623 ** `(srfi srfi-35)' is now visible through `cond-expand'
624 ** Fixed type-checking for the second argument of `eval'
625 ** Fixed type-checking for SRFI-1 `partition'
626 ** Fixed `struct-ref' and `struct-set!' on "light structs"
627 ** Honor struct field access rights in GOOPS
628 ** Changed the storage strategy of source properties, which fixes a deadlock
629 ** Allow compilation of Guile-using programs in C99 mode with GCC 4.3 and later
630 ** Fixed build issue for GNU/Linux on IA64
631 ** Fixed build issues on NetBSD 1.6
632 ** Fixed build issue on Solaris 2.10 x86_64
633 ** Fixed build issue with DEC/Compaq/HP's compiler
634 ** Fixed `scm_from_complex_double' build issue on FreeBSD
635 ** Fixed `alloca' build issue on FreeBSD 6
636 ** Removed use of non-portable makefile constructs
637 ** Fixed shadowing of libc's <random.h> on Tru64, which broke compilation
638 ** Make sure all tests honor `$TMPDIR'
640 * Changes to the distribution
644 We've started collecting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and will
645 distribute these (with answers!) in future Guile releases.
648 Changes in 1.8.4 (since 1.8.3)
652 ** CR (ASCII 0x0d) is (again) recognized as a token delimiter by the reader
653 ** Fixed a segmentation fault which occurred when displaying the
654 backtrace of a stack with a promise object (made by `delay') in it.
655 ** Make `accept' leave guile mode while blocking
656 ** `scm_c_read ()' and `scm_c_write ()' now type-check their port argument
657 ** Fixed a build problem on AIX (use of func_data identifier)
658 ** Fixed a segmentation fault which occurred when hashx-ref or hashx-set! was
659 called with an associator proc that returns neither a pair nor #f.
660 ** Secondary threads now always return a valid module for (current-module).
661 ** Avoid MacOS build problems caused by incorrect combination of "64"
662 system and library calls.
663 ** `guile-snarf' now honors `$TMPDIR'
664 ** `guile-config compile' now reports CPPFLAGS used at compile-time
665 ** Fixed build with Sun Studio (Solaris 9)
666 ** Fixed wrong-type-arg errors when creating zero length SRFI-4
667 uniform vectors on AIX.
668 ** Fixed a deadlock that occurs upon GC with multiple threads.
669 ** Fixed compile problem with GCC on Solaris and AIX (use of _Complex_I)
670 ** Fixed autotool-derived build problems on AIX 6.1.
671 ** Fixed NetBSD/alpha support
672 ** Fixed MacOS build problem caused by use of rl_get_keymap(_name)
674 * New modules (see the manual for details)
678 * Documentation fixes and improvements
680 ** Removed premature breakpoint documentation
682 The features described are not available in the series of 1.8.x
683 releases, so the documentation was misleading and has been removed.
685 ** More about Guile's default *random-state* variable
687 ** GOOPS: more about how to use `next-method'
689 * Changes to the distribution
691 ** Corrected a few files that referred incorrectly to the old GPL + special exception licence
693 In fact Guile since 1.8.0 has been licensed with the GNU Lesser
694 General Public License, and the few incorrect files have now been
695 fixed to agree with the rest of the Guile distribution.
697 ** Removed unnecessary extra copies of COPYING*
699 The distribution now contains a single COPYING.LESSER at its top level.
702 Changes in 1.8.3 (since 1.8.2)
704 * New modules (see the manual for details)
711 ** The `(ice-9 slib)' module now works as expected
712 ** Expressions like "(set! 'x #t)" no longer yield a crash
713 ** Warnings about duplicate bindings now go to stderr
714 ** A memory leak in `make-socket-address' was fixed
715 ** Alignment issues (e.g., on SPARC) in network routines were fixed
716 ** A threading issue that showed up at least on NetBSD was fixed
717 ** Build problems on Solaris and IRIX fixed
719 * Implementation improvements
721 ** The reader is now faster, which reduces startup time
722 ** Procedures returned by `record-accessor' and `record-modifier' are faster
725 Changes in 1.8.2 (since 1.8.1):
727 * New procedures (see the manual for details)
729 ** set-program-arguments
732 * Incompatible changes
734 ** The body of a top-level `define' no longer sees the binding being created
736 In a top-level `define', the binding being created is no longer visible
737 from the `define' body. This breaks code like
738 "(define foo (begin (set! foo 1) (+ foo 1)))", where `foo' is now
739 unbound in the body. However, such code was not R5RS-compliant anyway,
744 ** Fractions were not `equal?' if stored in unreduced form.
745 (A subtle problem, since printing a value reduced it, making it work.)
746 ** srfi-60 `copy-bit' failed on 64-bit systems
747 ** "guile --use-srfi" option at the REPL can replace core functions
748 (Programs run with that option were ok, but in the interactive REPL
749 the core bindings got priority, preventing SRFI replacements or
751 ** `regexp-exec' doesn't abort() on #\nul in the input or bad flags arg
752 ** `kill' on mingw throws an error for a PID other than oneself
753 ** Procedure names are attached to procedure-with-setters
754 ** Array read syntax works with negative lower bound
755 ** `array-in-bounds?' fix if an array has different lower bounds on each index
756 ** `*' returns exact 0 for "(* inexact 0)"
757 This follows what it always did for "(* 0 inexact)".
758 ** SRFI-19: Value returned by `(current-time time-process)' was incorrect
759 ** SRFI-19: `date->julian-day' did not account for timezone offset
760 ** `ttyname' no longer crashes when passed a non-tty argument
761 ** `inet-ntop' no longer crashes on SPARC when passed an `AF_INET' address
762 ** Small memory leaks have been fixed in `make-fluid' and `add-history'
763 ** GOOPS: Fixed a bug in `method-more-specific?'
764 ** Build problems on Solaris fixed
765 ** Build problems on HP-UX IA64 fixed
766 ** Build problems on MinGW fixed
769 Changes in 1.8.1 (since 1.8.0):
771 * LFS functions are now used to access 64-bit files on 32-bit systems.
773 * New procedures (see the manual for details)
775 ** primitive-_exit - [Scheme] the-root-module
776 ** scm_primitive__exit - [C]
777 ** make-completion-function - [Scheme] (ice-9 readline)
778 ** scm_c_locale_stringn_to_number - [C]
779 ** scm_srfi1_append_reverse [C]
780 ** scm_srfi1_append_reverse_x [C]
788 ** Build problems have been fixed on MacOS, SunOS, and QNX.
790 ** `strftime' fix sign of %z timezone offset.
792 ** A one-dimensional array can now be 'equal?' to a vector.
794 ** Structures, records, and SRFI-9 records can now be compared with `equal?'.
796 ** SRFI-14 standard char sets are recomputed upon a successful `setlocale'.
798 ** `record-accessor' and `record-modifier' now have strict type checks.
800 Record accessor and modifier procedures now throw an error if the
801 record type of the record they're given is not the type expected.
802 (Previously accessors returned #f and modifiers silently did nothing).
804 ** It is now OK to use both autoload and use-modules on a given module.
806 ** `apply' checks the number of arguments more carefully on "0 or 1" funcs.
808 Previously there was no checking on primatives like make-vector that
809 accept "one or two" arguments. Now there is.
811 ** The srfi-1 assoc function now calls its equality predicate properly.
813 Previously srfi-1 assoc would call the equality predicate with the key
814 last. According to the SRFI, the key should be first.
816 ** A bug in n-par-for-each and n-for-each-par-map has been fixed.
818 ** The array-set! procedure no longer segfaults when given a bit vector.
820 ** Bugs in make-shared-array have been fixed.
822 ** string<? and friends now follow char<? etc order on 8-bit chars.
824 ** The format procedure now handles inf and nan values for ~f correctly.
826 ** exact->inexact should no longer overflow when given certain large fractions.
828 ** srfi-9 accessor and modifier procedures now have strict record type checks.
830 This matches the srfi-9 specification.
832 ** (ice-9 ftw) procedures won't ignore different files with same inode number.
834 Previously the (ice-9 ftw) procedures would ignore any file that had
835 the same inode number as a file they had already seen, even if that
836 file was on a different device.
839 Changes in 1.8.0 (changes since the 1.6.x series):
841 * Changes to the distribution
843 ** Guile is now licensed with the GNU Lesser General Public License.
845 ** The manual is now licensed with the GNU Free Documentation License.
847 ** Guile now requires GNU MP (http://swox.com/gmp).
849 Guile now uses the GNU MP library for arbitrary precision arithmetic.
851 ** Guile now has separate private and public configuration headers.
853 That is, things like HAVE_STRING_H no longer leak from Guile's
856 ** Guile now provides and uses an "effective" version number.
858 Guile now provides scm_effective_version and effective-version
859 functions which return the "effective" version number. This is just
860 the normal full version string without the final micro-version number,
861 so the current effective-version is "1.8". The effective version
862 should remain unchanged during a stable series, and should be used for
863 items like the versioned share directory name
864 i.e. /usr/share/guile/1.8.
866 Providing an unchanging version number during a stable release for
867 things like the versioned share directory can be particularly
868 important for Guile "add-on" packages, since it provides a directory
869 that they can install to that won't be changed out from under them
870 with each micro release during a stable series.
872 ** Thread implementation has changed.
874 When you configure "--with-threads=null", you will get the usual
875 threading API (call-with-new-thread, make-mutex, etc), but you can't
876 actually create new threads. Also, "--with-threads=no" is now
877 equivalent to "--with-threads=null". This means that the thread API
878 is always present, although you might not be able to create new
881 When you configure "--with-threads=pthreads" or "--with-threads=yes",
882 you will get threads that are implemented with the portable POSIX
883 threads. These threads can run concurrently (unlike the previous
884 "coop" thread implementation), but need to cooperate for things like
887 The default is "pthreads", unless your platform doesn't have pthreads,
888 in which case "null" threads are used.
890 See the manual for details, nodes "Initialization", "Multi-Threading",
891 "Blocking", and others.
893 ** There is the new notion of 'discouraged' features.
895 This is a milder form of deprecation.
897 Things that are discouraged should not be used in new code, but it is
898 OK to leave them in old code for now. When a discouraged feature is
899 used, no warning message is printed like there is for 'deprecated'
900 features. Also, things that are merely discouraged are nevertheless
901 implemented efficiently, while deprecated features can be very slow.
903 You can omit discouraged features from libguile by configuring it with
904 the '--disable-discouraged' option.
906 ** Deprecation warnings can be controlled at run-time.
908 (debug-enable 'warn-deprecated) switches them on and (debug-disable
909 'warn-deprecated) switches them off.
911 ** Support for SRFI 61, extended cond syntax for multiple values has
914 This SRFI is always available.
916 ** Support for require-extension, SRFI-55, has been added.
918 The SRFI-55 special form `require-extension' has been added. It is
919 available at startup, and provides a portable way to load Scheme
920 extensions. SRFI-55 only requires support for one type of extension,
921 "srfi"; so a set of SRFIs may be loaded via (require-extension (srfi 1
924 ** New module (srfi srfi-26) provides support for `cut' and `cute'.
926 The (srfi srfi-26) module is an implementation of SRFI-26 which
927 provides the `cut' and `cute' syntax. These may be used to specialize
928 parameters without currying.
930 ** New module (srfi srfi-31)
932 This is an implementation of SRFI-31 which provides a special form
933 `rec' for recursive evaluation.
935 ** The modules (srfi srfi-13), (srfi srfi-14) and (srfi srfi-4) have
936 been merged with the core, making their functionality always
939 The modules are still available, tho, and you could use them together
940 with a renaming import, for example.
942 ** Guile no longer includes its own version of libltdl.
944 The official version is good enough now.
946 ** The --enable-htmldoc option has been removed from 'configure'.
948 Support for translating the documentation into HTML is now always
949 provided. Use 'make html'.
951 ** New module (ice-9 serialize):
953 (serialize FORM1 ...) and (parallelize FORM1 ...) are useful when you
954 don't trust the thread safety of most of your program, but where you
955 have some section(s) of code which you consider can run in parallel to
956 other sections. See ice-9/serialize.scm for more information.
958 ** The configure option '--disable-arrays' has been removed.
960 Support for arrays and uniform numeric arrays is now always included
963 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
965 ** New command line option `-L'.
967 This option adds a directory to the front of the load path.
969 ** New command line option `--no-debug'.
971 Specifying `--no-debug' on the command line will keep the debugging
972 evaluator turned off, even for interactive sessions.
974 ** User-init file ~/.guile is now loaded with the debugging evaluator.
976 Previously, the normal evaluator would have been used. Using the
977 debugging evaluator gives better error messages.
979 ** The '-e' option now 'read's its argument.
981 This is to allow the new '(@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME)' construct to
982 be used with '-e'. For example, you can now write a script like
985 exec guile -e '(@ (demo) main)' -s "$0" "$@"
988 (define-module (demo)
992 (format #t "Demo: ~a~%" args))
995 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
997 ** Guardians have changed back to their original semantics
999 Guardians now behave like described in the paper by Dybvig et al. In
1000 particular, they no longer make guarantees about the order in which
1001 they return objects, and they can no longer be greedy.
1003 They no longer drop cyclic data structures.
1005 The C function scm_make_guardian has been changed incompatibly and no
1006 longer takes the 'greedy_p' argument.
1008 ** New function hashx-remove!
1010 This function completes the set of 'hashx' functions.
1012 ** The concept of dynamic roots has been factored into continuation
1013 barriers and dynamic states.
1015 Each thread has a current dynamic state that carries the values of the
1016 fluids. You can create and copy dynamic states and use them as the
1017 second argument for 'eval'. See "Fluids and Dynamic States" in the
1020 To restrict the influence that captured continuations can have on the
1021 control flow, you can errect continuation barriers. See "Continuation
1022 Barriers" in the manual.
1024 The function call-with-dynamic-root now essentially temporarily
1025 installs a new dynamic state and errects a continuation barrier.
1027 ** The default load path no longer includes "." at the end.
1029 Automatically loading modules from the current directory should not
1030 happen by default. If you want to allow it in a more controlled
1031 manner, set the environment variable GUILE_LOAD_PATH or the Scheme
1032 variable %load-path.
1034 ** The uniform vector and array support has been overhauled.
1036 It now complies with SRFI-4 and the weird prototype based uniform
1037 array creation has been deprecated. See the manual for more details.
1039 Some non-compatible changes have been made:
1040 - characters can no longer be stored into byte arrays.
1041 - strings and bit vectors are no longer considered to be uniform numeric
1043 - array-rank throws an error for non-arrays instead of returning zero.
1044 - array-ref does no longer accept non-arrays when no indices are given.
1046 There is the new notion of 'generalized vectors' and corresponding
1047 procedures like 'generalized-vector-ref'. Generalized vectors include
1048 strings, bitvectors, ordinary vectors, and uniform numeric vectors.
1050 Arrays use generalized vectors as their storage, so that you still
1051 have arrays of characters, bits, etc. However, uniform-array-read!
1052 and uniform-array-write can no longer read/write strings and
1055 ** There is now support for copy-on-write substrings, mutation-sharing
1056 substrings and read-only strings.
1058 Three new procedures are related to this: substring/shared,
1059 substring/copy, and substring/read-only. See the manual for more
1062 ** Backtraces will now highlight the value that caused the error.
1064 By default, these values are enclosed in "{...}", such as in this
1073 <unnamed port>:1:1: In procedure car in expression (car (quote a)):
1074 <unnamed port>:1:1: Wrong type (expecting pair): a
1075 ABORT: (wrong-type-arg)
1077 The prefix and suffix used for highlighting can be set via the two new
1078 printer options 'highlight-prefix' and 'highlight-suffix'. For
1079 example, putting this into ~/.guile will output the bad value in bold
1080 on an ANSI terminal:
1082 (print-set! highlight-prefix "\x1b[1m")
1083 (print-set! highlight-suffix "\x1b[22m")
1086 ** 'gettext' support for internationalization has been added.
1088 See the manual for details.
1090 ** New syntax '@' and '@@':
1092 You can now directly refer to variables exported from a module by
1095 (@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME)
1097 For example (@ (ice-9 pretty-print) pretty-print) will directly access
1098 the pretty-print variable exported from the (ice-9 pretty-print)
1099 module. You don't need to 'use' that module first. You can also use
1100 '@' as a target of 'set!', as in (set! (@ mod var) val).
1102 The related syntax (@@ MODULE-NAME VARIABLE-NAME) works just like '@',
1103 but it can also access variables that have not been exported. It is
1104 intended only for kluges and temporary fixes and for debugging, not
1107 ** Keyword syntax has been made more disciplined.
1109 Previously, the name of a keyword was read as a 'token' but printed as
1110 a symbol. Now, it is read as a general Scheme datum which must be a
1121 ERROR: In expression (a b c):
1125 ERROR: Unbound variable: foo
1130 ERROR: Wrong type (expecting symbol): 12
1134 ERROR: Wrong type (expecting symbol): (a b c)
1138 ** The printing of symbols that might look like keywords can be
1141 The new printer option 'quote-keywordish-symbols' controls how symbols
1142 are printed that have a colon as their first or last character. The
1143 default now is to only quote a symbol with #{...}# when the read
1144 option 'keywords' is not '#f'. Thus:
1146 guile> (define foo (string->symbol ":foo"))
1147 guile> (read-set! keywords #f)
1150 guile> (read-set! keywords 'prefix)
1153 guile> (print-set! quote-keywordish-symbols #f)
1157 ** 'while' now provides 'break' and 'continue'
1159 break and continue were previously bound in a while loop, but not
1160 documented, and continue didn't quite work properly. The undocumented
1161 parameter to break which gave a return value for the while has been
1164 ** 'call-with-current-continuation' is now also available under the name
1167 ** The module system now checks for duplicate bindings.
1169 The module system now can check for name conflicts among imported
1172 The behavior can be controlled by specifying one or more 'duplicates'
1173 handlers. For example, to make Guile return an error for every name
1176 (define-module (foo)
1181 The new default behavior of the module system when a name collision
1182 has been detected is to
1184 1. Give priority to bindings marked as a replacement.
1185 2. Issue a warning (different warning if overriding core binding).
1186 3. Give priority to the last encountered binding (this corresponds to
1189 If you want the old behavior back without replacements or warnings you
1192 (default-duplicate-binding-handler 'last)
1194 to your .guile init file.
1196 ** New define-module option: :replace
1198 :replace works as :export, but, in addition, marks the binding as a
1201 A typical example is `format' in (ice-9 format) which is a replacement
1202 for the core binding `format'.
1204 ** Adding prefixes to imported bindings in the module system
1206 There is now a new :use-module option :prefix. It can be used to add
1207 a prefix to all imported bindings.
1209 (define-module (foo)
1210 :use-module ((bar) :prefix bar:))
1212 will import all bindings exported from bar, but rename them by adding
1215 ** Conflicting generic functions can be automatically merged.
1217 When two imported bindings conflict and they are both generic
1218 functions, the two functions can now be merged automatically. This is
1219 activated with the 'duplicates' handler 'merge-generics'.
1221 ** New function: effective-version
1223 Returns the "effective" version number. This is just the normal full
1224 version string without the final micro-version number. See "Changes
1225 to the distribution" above.
1227 ** New threading functions: parallel, letpar, par-map, and friends
1229 These are convenient ways to run calculations in parallel in new
1230 threads. See "Parallel forms" in the manual for details.
1232 ** New function 'try-mutex'.
1234 This function will attempt to lock a mutex but will return immediately
1235 instead of blocking and indicate failure.
1237 ** Waiting on a condition variable can have a timeout.
1239 The function 'wait-condition-variable' now takes a third, optional
1240 argument that specifies the point in time where the waiting should be
1243 ** New function 'broadcast-condition-variable'.
1245 ** New functions 'all-threads' and 'current-thread'.
1247 ** Signals and system asyncs work better with threads.
1249 The function 'sigaction' now takes a fourth, optional, argument that
1250 specifies the thread that the handler should run in. When the
1251 argument is omitted, the handler will run in the thread that called
1254 Likewise, 'system-async-mark' takes a second, optional, argument that
1255 specifies the thread that the async should run in. When it is
1256 omitted, the async will run in the thread that called
1257 'system-async-mark'.
1259 C code can use the new functions scm_sigaction_for_thread and
1260 scm_system_async_mark_for_thread to pass the new thread argument.
1262 When a thread blocks on a mutex, a condition variable or is waiting
1263 for IO to be possible, it will still execute system asyncs. This can
1264 be used to interrupt such a thread by making it execute a 'throw', for
1267 ** The function 'system-async' is deprecated.
1269 You can now pass any zero-argument procedure to 'system-async-mark'.
1270 The function 'system-async' will just return its argument unchanged
1273 ** New functions 'call-with-blocked-asyncs' and
1274 'call-with-unblocked-asyncs'
1276 The expression (call-with-blocked-asyncs PROC) will call PROC and will
1277 block execution of system asyncs for the current thread by one level
1278 while PROC runs. Likewise, call-with-unblocked-asyncs will call a
1279 procedure and will unblock the execution of system asyncs by one
1280 level for the current thread.
1282 Only system asyncs are affected by these functions.
1284 ** The functions 'mask-signals' and 'unmask-signals' are deprecated.
1286 Use 'call-with-blocked-asyncs' or 'call-with-unblocked-asyncs'
1287 instead. Those functions are easier to use correctly and can be
1290 ** New function 'unsetenv'.
1292 ** New macro 'define-syntax-public'.
1294 It works like 'define-syntax' and also exports the defined macro (but
1297 ** There is support for Infinity and NaNs.
1299 Following PLT Scheme, Guile can now work with infinite numbers, and
1302 There is new syntax for numbers: "+inf.0" (infinity), "-inf.0"
1303 (negative infinity), "+nan.0" (not-a-number), and "-nan.0" (same as
1304 "+nan.0"). These numbers are inexact and have no exact counterpart.
1306 Dividing by an inexact zero returns +inf.0 or -inf.0, depending on the
1307 sign of the dividend. The infinities are integers, and they answer #t
1308 for both 'even?' and 'odd?'. The +nan.0 value is not an integer and is
1309 not '=' to itself, but '+nan.0' is 'eqv?' to itself.
1320 ERROR: Numerical overflow
1322 Two new predicates 'inf?' and 'nan?' can be used to test for the
1325 ** Inexact zero can have a sign.
1327 Guile can now distinguish between plus and minus inexact zero, if your
1328 platform supports this, too. The two zeros are equal according to
1329 '=', but not according to 'eqv?'. For example
1340 ** Guile now has exact rationals.
1342 Guile can now represent fractions such as 1/3 exactly. Computing with
1343 them is also done exactly, of course:
1348 ** 'floor', 'ceiling', 'round' and 'truncate' now return exact numbers
1349 for exact arguments.
1351 For example: (floor 2) now returns an exact 2 where in the past it
1352 returned an inexact 2.0. Likewise, (floor 5/4) returns an exact 1.
1354 ** inexact->exact no longer returns only integers.
1356 Without exact rationals, the closest exact number was always an
1357 integer, but now inexact->exact returns the fraction that is exactly
1358 equal to a floating point number. For example:
1360 (inexact->exact 1.234)
1361 => 694680242521899/562949953421312
1363 When you want the old behavior, use 'round' explicitly:
1365 (inexact->exact (round 1.234))
1368 ** New function 'rationalize'.
1370 This function finds a simple fraction that is close to a given real
1371 number. For example (and compare with inexact->exact above):
1373 (rationalize (inexact->exact 1.234) 1/2000)
1376 Note that, as required by R5RS, rationalize returns only then an exact
1377 result when both its arguments are exact.
1379 ** 'odd?' and 'even?' work also for inexact integers.
1381 Previously, (odd? 1.0) would signal an error since only exact integers
1382 were recognized as integers. Now (odd? 1.0) returns #t, (odd? 2.0)
1383 returns #f and (odd? 1.5) signals an error.
1385 ** Guile now has uninterned symbols.
1387 The new function 'make-symbol' will return an uninterned symbol. This
1388 is a symbol that is unique and is guaranteed to remain unique.
1389 However, uninterned symbols can not yet be read back in.
1391 Use the new function 'symbol-interned?' to check whether a symbol is
1394 ** pretty-print has more options.
1396 The function pretty-print from the (ice-9 pretty-print) module can now
1397 also be invoked with keyword arguments that control things like
1398 maximum output width. See the manual for details.
1400 ** Variables have no longer a special behavior for `equal?'.
1402 Previously, comparing two variables with `equal?' would recursivly
1403 compare their values. This is no longer done. Variables are now only
1404 `equal?' if they are `eq?'.
1406 ** `(begin)' is now valid.
1408 You can now use an empty `begin' form. It will yield #<unspecified>
1409 when evaluated and simply be ignored in a definition context.
1411 ** Deprecated: procedure->macro
1413 Change your code to use 'define-macro' or r5rs macros. Also, be aware
1414 that macro expansion will not be done during evaluation, but prior to
1417 ** Soft ports now allow a `char-ready?' procedure
1419 The vector argument to `make-soft-port' can now have a length of
1420 either 5 or 6. (Previously the length had to be 5.) The optional 6th
1421 element is interpreted as an `input-waiting' thunk -- i.e. a thunk
1422 that returns the number of characters that can be read immediately
1423 without the soft port blocking.
1425 ** Deprecated: undefine
1427 There is no replacement for undefine.
1429 ** The functions make-keyword-from-dash-symbol and keyword-dash-symbol
1430 have been discouraged.
1432 They are relics from a time where a keyword like #:foo was used
1433 directly as a Tcl option "-foo" and thus keywords were internally
1434 stored as a symbol with a starting dash. We now store a symbol
1437 Use symbol->keyword and keyword->symbol instead.
1439 ** The `cheap' debug option is now obsolete
1441 Evaluator trap calls are now unconditionally "cheap" - in other words,
1442 they pass a debug object to the trap handler rather than a full
1443 continuation. The trap handler code can capture a full continuation
1444 by using `call-with-current-continuation' in the usual way, if it so
1447 The `cheap' option is retained for now so as not to break existing
1448 code which gets or sets it, but setting it now has no effect. It will
1449 be removed in the next major Guile release.
1451 ** Evaluator trap calls now support `tweaking'
1453 `Tweaking' means that the trap handler code can modify the Scheme
1454 expression that is about to be evaluated (in the case of an
1455 enter-frame trap) or the value that is being returned (in the case of
1456 an exit-frame trap). The trap handler code indicates that it wants to
1457 do this by returning a pair whose car is the symbol 'instead and whose
1458 cdr is the modified expression or return value.
1460 * Changes to the C interface
1462 ** The functions scm_hash_fn_remove_x and scm_hashx_remove_x no longer
1463 take a 'delete' function argument.
1465 This argument makes no sense since the delete function is used to
1466 remove a pair from an alist, and this must not be configurable.
1468 This is an incompatible change.
1470 ** The GH interface is now subject to the deprecation mechanism
1472 The GH interface has been deprecated for quite some time but now it is
1473 actually removed from Guile when it is configured with
1474 --disable-deprecated.
1476 See the manual "Transitioning away from GH" for more information.
1478 ** A new family of functions for converting between C values and
1479 Scheme values has been added.
1481 These functions follow a common naming scheme and are designed to be
1482 easier to use, thread-safe and more future-proof than the older
1485 - int scm_is_* (...)
1487 These are predicates that return a C boolean: 1 or 0. Instead of
1488 SCM_NFALSEP, you can now use scm_is_true, for example.
1490 - <type> scm_to_<type> (SCM val, ...)
1492 These are functions that convert a Scheme value into an appropriate
1493 C value. For example, you can use scm_to_int to safely convert from
1496 - SCM scm_from_<type> (<type> val, ...)
1498 These functions convert from a C type to a SCM value; for example,
1499 scm_from_int for ints.
1501 There is a huge number of these functions, for numbers, strings,
1502 symbols, vectors, etc. They are documented in the reference manual in
1503 the API section together with the types that they apply to.
1505 ** New functions for dealing with complex numbers in C have been added.
1507 The new functions are scm_c_make_rectangular, scm_c_make_polar,
1508 scm_c_real_part, scm_c_imag_part, scm_c_magnitude and scm_c_angle.
1509 They work like scm_make_rectangular etc but take or return doubles
1512 ** The function scm_make_complex has been discouraged.
1514 Use scm_c_make_rectangular instead.
1516 ** The INUM macros have been deprecated.
1518 A lot of code uses these macros to do general integer conversions,
1519 although the macros only work correctly with fixnums. Use the
1520 following alternatives.
1522 SCM_INUMP -> scm_is_integer or similar
1523 SCM_NINUMP -> !scm_is_integer or similar
1524 SCM_MAKINUM -> scm_from_int or similar
1525 SCM_INUM -> scm_to_int or similar
1527 SCM_VALIDATE_INUM_* -> Do not use these; scm_to_int, etc. will
1528 do the validating for you.
1530 ** The scm_num2<type> and scm_<type>2num functions and scm_make_real
1531 have been discouraged.
1533 Use the newer scm_to_<type> and scm_from_<type> functions instead for
1534 new code. The functions have been discouraged since they don't fit
1537 ** The 'boolean' macros SCM_FALSEP etc have been discouraged.
1539 They have strange names, especially SCM_NFALSEP, and SCM_BOOLP
1540 evaluates its argument twice. Use scm_is_true, etc. instead for new
1543 ** The macro SCM_EQ_P has been discouraged.
1545 Use scm_is_eq for new code, which fits better into the naming
1548 ** The macros SCM_CONSP, SCM_NCONSP, SCM_NULLP, and SCM_NNULLP have
1551 Use the function scm_is_pair or scm_is_null instead.
1553 ** The functions scm_round and scm_truncate have been deprecated and
1554 are now available as scm_c_round and scm_c_truncate, respectively.
1556 These functions occupy the names that scm_round_number and
1557 scm_truncate_number should have.
1559 ** The functions scm_c_string2str, scm_c_substring2str, and
1560 scm_c_symbol2str have been deprecated.
1562 Use scm_to_locale_stringbuf or similar instead, maybe together with
1565 ** New functions scm_c_make_string, scm_c_string_length,
1566 scm_c_string_ref, scm_c_string_set_x, scm_c_substring,
1567 scm_c_substring_shared, scm_c_substring_copy.
1569 These are like scm_make_string, scm_length, etc. but are slightly
1570 easier to use from C.
1572 ** The macros SCM_STRINGP, SCM_STRING_CHARS, SCM_STRING_LENGTH,
1573 SCM_SYMBOL_CHARS, and SCM_SYMBOL_LENGTH have been deprecated.
1575 They export too many assumptions about the implementation of strings
1576 and symbols that are no longer true in the presence of
1577 mutation-sharing substrings and when Guile switches to some form of
1580 When working with strings, it is often best to use the normal string
1581 functions provided by Guile, such as scm_c_string_ref,
1582 scm_c_string_set_x, scm_string_append, etc. Be sure to look in the
1583 manual since many more such functions are now provided than
1586 When you want to convert a SCM string to a C string, use the
1587 scm_to_locale_string function or similar instead. For symbols, use
1588 scm_symbol_to_string and then work with that string. Because of the
1589 new string representation, scm_symbol_to_string does not need to copy
1590 and is thus quite efficient.
1592 ** Some string, symbol and keyword functions have been discouraged.
1594 They don't fit into the uniform naming scheme and are not explicit
1595 about the character encoding.
1597 Replace according to the following table:
1599 scm_allocate_string -> scm_c_make_string
1600 scm_take_str -> scm_take_locale_stringn
1601 scm_take0str -> scm_take_locale_string
1602 scm_mem2string -> scm_from_locale_stringn
1603 scm_str2string -> scm_from_locale_string
1604 scm_makfrom0str -> scm_from_locale_string
1605 scm_mem2symbol -> scm_from_locale_symboln
1606 scm_mem2uninterned_symbol -> scm_from_locale_stringn + scm_make_symbol
1607 scm_str2symbol -> scm_from_locale_symbol
1609 SCM_SYMBOL_HASH -> scm_hashq
1610 SCM_SYMBOL_INTERNED_P -> scm_symbol_interned_p
1612 scm_c_make_keyword -> scm_from_locale_keyword
1614 ** The functions scm_keyword_to_symbol and sym_symbol_to_keyword are
1615 now also available to C code.
1617 ** SCM_KEYWORDP and SCM_KEYWORDSYM have been deprecated.
1619 Use scm_is_keyword and scm_keyword_to_symbol instead, but note that
1620 the latter returns the true name of the keyword, not the 'dash name',
1621 as SCM_KEYWORDSYM used to do.
1623 ** A new way to access arrays in a thread-safe and efficient way has
1626 See the manual, node "Accessing Arrays From C".
1628 ** The old uniform vector and bitvector implementations have been
1629 unceremoniously removed.
1631 This implementation exposed the details of the tagging system of
1632 Guile. Use the new C API explained in the manual in node "Uniform
1633 Numeric Vectors" and "Bit Vectors", respectively.
1635 The following macros are gone: SCM_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_BASE,
1636 SCM_UVECTOR_MAXLENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_MAKE_UVECTOR_TAG,
1637 SCM_SET_UVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_BITVECTOR_P, SCM_BITVECTOR_BASE,
1638 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_BASE, SCM_BITVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH,
1639 SCM_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_MAKE_BITVECTOR_TAG,
1640 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_BITVEC_REF, SCM_BITVEC_SET,
1643 ** The macros dealing with vectors have been deprecated.
1645 Use the new functions scm_is_vector, scm_vector_elements,
1646 scm_vector_writable_elements, etc, or scm_is_simple_vector,
1647 SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_REF, SCM_SIMPLE_VECTOR_SET, etc instead. See the
1648 manual for more details.
1650 Deprecated are SCM_VECTORP, SCM_VELTS, SCM_VECTOR_MAX_LENGTH,
1651 SCM_VECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_VECTOR_REF, SCM_VECTOR_SET, SCM_WRITABLE_VELTS.
1653 The following macros have been removed: SCM_VECTOR_BASE,
1654 SCM_SET_VECTOR_BASE, SCM_MAKE_VECTOR_TAG, SCM_SET_VECTOR_LENGTH,
1655 SCM_VELTS_AS_STACKITEMS, SCM_SETVELTS, SCM_GC_WRITABLE_VELTS.
1657 ** Some C functions and macros related to arrays have been deprecated.
1659 Migrate according to the following table:
1661 scm_make_uve -> scm_make_typed_array, scm_make_u8vector etc.
1662 scm_make_ra -> scm_make_array
1663 scm_shap2ra -> scm_make_array
1664 scm_cvref -> scm_c_generalized_vector_ref
1665 scm_ra_set_contp -> do not use
1666 scm_aind -> scm_array_handle_pos
1667 scm_raprin1 -> scm_display or scm_write
1669 SCM_ARRAYP -> scm_is_array
1670 SCM_ARRAY_NDIM -> scm_c_array_rank
1671 SCM_ARRAY_DIMS -> scm_array_handle_dims
1672 SCM_ARRAY_CONTP -> do not use
1673 SCM_ARRAY_MEM -> do not use
1674 SCM_ARRAY_V -> scm_array_handle_elements or similar
1675 SCM_ARRAY_BASE -> do not use
1677 ** SCM_CELL_WORD_LOC has been deprecated.
1679 Use the new macro SCM_CELL_OBJECT_LOC instead, which returns a pointer
1680 to a SCM, as opposed to a pointer to a scm_t_bits.
1682 This was done to allow the correct use of pointers into the Scheme
1683 heap. Previously, the heap words were of type scm_t_bits and local
1684 variables and function arguments were of type SCM, making it
1685 non-standards-conformant to have a pointer that can point to both.
1687 ** New macros SCM_SMOB_DATA_2, SCM_SMOB_DATA_3, etc.
1689 These macros should be used instead of SCM_CELL_WORD_2/3 to access the
1690 second and third words of double smobs. Likewise for
1691 SCM_SET_SMOB_DATA_2 and SCM_SET_SMOB_DATA_3.
1693 Also, there is SCM_SMOB_FLAGS and SCM_SET_SMOB_FLAGS that should be
1694 used to get and set the 16 exra bits in the zeroth word of a smob.
1696 And finally, there is SCM_SMOB_OBJECT and SCM_SMOB_SET_OBJECT for
1697 accesing the first immediate word of a smob as a SCM value, and there
1698 is SCM_SMOB_OBJECT_LOC for getting a pointer to the first immediate
1699 smob word. Like wise for SCM_SMOB_OBJECT_2, etc.
1701 ** New way to deal with non-local exits and re-entries.
1703 There is a new set of functions that essentially do what
1704 scm_internal_dynamic_wind does, but in a way that is more convenient
1705 for C code in some situations. Here is a quick example of how to
1706 prevent a potential memory leak:
1713 scm_dynwind_begin (0);
1715 mem = scm_malloc (100);
1716 scm_dynwind_unwind_handler (free, mem, SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY);
1718 /* MEM would leak if BAR throws an error.
1719 SCM_DYNWIND_UNWIND_HANDLER frees it nevertheless.
1726 /* Because of SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY, MEM will be freed by
1727 SCM_DYNWIND_END as well.
1731 For full documentation, see the node "Dynamic Wind" in the manual.
1733 ** New function scm_dynwind_free
1735 This function calls 'free' on a given pointer when a dynwind context
1736 is left. Thus the call to scm_dynwind_unwind_handler above could be
1737 replaced with simply scm_dynwind_free (mem).
1739 ** New functions scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs and
1740 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs
1742 Like scm_call_with_blocked_asyncs etc. but for C functions.
1744 ** New functions scm_dynwind_block_asyncs and scm_dynwind_unblock_asyncs
1746 In addition to scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs you can now also use
1747 scm_dynwind_block_asyncs in a 'dynwind context' (see above). Likewise for
1748 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs and scm_dynwind_unblock_asyncs.
1750 ** The macros SCM_DEFER_INTS, SCM_ALLOW_INTS, SCM_REDEFER_INTS,
1751 SCM_REALLOW_INTS have been deprecated.
1753 They do no longer fulfill their original role of blocking signal
1754 delivery. Depending on what you want to achieve, replace a pair of
1755 SCM_DEFER_INTS and SCM_ALLOW_INTS with a dynwind context that locks a
1756 mutex, blocks asyncs, or both. See node "Critical Sections" in the
1759 ** The value 'scm_mask_ints' is no longer writable.
1761 Previously, you could set scm_mask_ints directly. This is no longer
1762 possible. Use scm_c_call_with_blocked_asyncs and
1763 scm_c_call_with_unblocked_asyncs instead.
1765 ** New way to temporarily set the current input, output or error ports
1767 C code can now use scm_dynwind_current_<foo>_port in a 'dynwind
1768 context' (see above). <foo> is one of "input", "output" or "error".
1770 ** New way to temporarily set fluids
1772 C code can now use scm_dynwind_fluid in a 'dynwind context' (see
1773 above) to temporarily set the value of a fluid.
1775 ** New types scm_t_intmax and scm_t_uintmax.
1777 On platforms that have them, these types are identical to intmax_t and
1778 uintmax_t, respectively. On other platforms, they are identical to
1779 the largest integer types that Guile knows about.
1781 ** The functions scm_unmemocopy and scm_unmemoize have been removed.
1783 You should not have used them.
1785 ** Many public #defines with generic names have been made private.
1787 #defines with generic names like HAVE_FOO or SIZEOF_FOO have been made
1788 private or renamed with a more suitable public name.
1790 ** The macro SCM_TYP16S has been deprecated.
1792 This macro is not intended for public use.
1794 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_INEXACTP has been deprecated.
1796 Use scm_is_true (scm_inexact_p (...)) instead.
1798 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_REALP has been deprecated.
1800 Use scm_is_real instead.
1802 ** The macro SCM_SLOPPY_COMPLEXP has been deprecated.
1804 Use scm_is_complex instead.
1806 ** Some preprocessor defines have been deprecated.
1808 These defines indicated whether a certain feature was present in Guile
1809 or not. Going forward, assume that the features are always present.
1811 The macros are: USE_THREADS, GUILE_ISELECT, READER_EXTENSIONS,
1812 DEBUG_EXTENSIONS, DYNAMIC_LINKING.
1814 The following macros have been removed completely: MEMOIZE_LOCALS,
1815 SCM_RECKLESS, SCM_CAUTIOUS.
1817 ** The preprocessor define STACK_DIRECTION has been deprecated.
1819 There should be no need to know about the stack direction for ordinary
1822 ** New function: scm_effective_version
1824 Returns the "effective" version number. This is just the normal full
1825 version string without the final micro-version number. See "Changes
1826 to the distribution" above.
1828 ** The function scm_call_with_new_thread has a new prototype.
1830 Instead of taking a list with the thunk and handler, these two
1831 arguments are now passed directly:
1833 SCM scm_call_with_new_thread (SCM thunk, SCM handler);
1835 This is an incompatible change.
1837 ** New snarfer macro SCM_DEFINE_PUBLIC.
1839 This is like SCM_DEFINE, but also calls scm_c_export for the defined
1840 function in the init section.
1842 ** The snarfer macro SCM_SNARF_INIT is now officially supported.
1844 ** Garbage collector rewrite.
1846 The garbage collector is cleaned up a lot, and now uses lazy
1847 sweeping. This is reflected in the output of (gc-stats); since cells
1848 are being freed when they are allocated, the cells-allocated field
1849 stays roughly constant.
1851 For malloc related triggers, the behavior is changed. It uses the same
1852 heuristic as the cell-triggered collections. It may be tuned with the
1853 environment variables GUILE_MIN_YIELD_MALLOC. This is the percentage
1854 for minimum yield of malloc related triggers. The default is 40.
1855 GUILE_INIT_MALLOC_LIMIT sets the initial trigger for doing a GC. The
1858 Debugging operations for the freelist have been deprecated, along with
1859 the C variables that control garbage collection. The environment
1860 variables GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE, GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_2,
1861 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_1, and GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2 should be used.
1863 For understanding the memory usage of a GUILE program, the routine
1864 gc-live-object-stats returns an alist containing the number of live
1865 objects for every type.
1868 ** The function scm_definedp has been renamed to scm_defined_p
1870 The name scm_definedp is deprecated.
1872 ** The struct scm_cell type has been renamed to scm_t_cell
1874 This is in accordance to Guile's naming scheme for types. Note that
1875 the name scm_cell is now used for a function that allocates and
1876 initializes a new cell (see below).
1878 ** New functions for memory management
1880 A new set of functions for memory management has been added since the
1881 old way (scm_must_malloc, scm_must_free, etc) was error prone and
1882 indeed, Guile itself contained some long standing bugs that could
1883 cause aborts in long running programs.
1885 The new functions are more symmetrical and do not need cooperation
1886 from smob free routines, among other improvements.
1888 The new functions are scm_malloc, scm_realloc, scm_calloc, scm_strdup,
1889 scm_strndup, scm_gc_malloc, scm_gc_calloc, scm_gc_realloc,
1890 scm_gc_free, scm_gc_register_collectable_memory, and
1891 scm_gc_unregister_collectable_memory. Refer to the manual for more
1892 details and for upgrading instructions.
1894 The old functions for memory management have been deprecated. They
1895 are: scm_must_malloc, scm_must_realloc, scm_must_free,
1896 scm_must_strdup, scm_must_strndup, scm_done_malloc, scm_done_free.
1898 ** Declarations of exported features are marked with SCM_API.
1900 Every declaration of a feature that belongs to the exported Guile API
1901 has been marked by adding the macro "SCM_API" to the start of the
1902 declaration. This macro can expand into different things, the most
1903 common of which is just "extern" for Unix platforms. On Win32, it can
1904 be used to control which symbols are exported from a DLL.
1906 If you `#define SCM_IMPORT' before including <libguile.h>, SCM_API
1907 will expand into "__declspec (dllimport) extern", which is needed for
1908 linking to the Guile DLL in Windows.
1910 There are also SCM_RL_IMPORT, SCM_SRFI1314_IMPORT, and
1911 SCM_SRFI4_IMPORT, for the corresponding libraries.
1913 ** SCM_NEWCELL and SCM_NEWCELL2 have been deprecated.
1915 Use the new functions scm_cell and scm_double_cell instead. The old
1916 macros had problems because with them allocation and initialization
1917 was separated and the GC could sometimes observe half initialized
1918 cells. Only careful coding by the user of SCM_NEWCELL and
1919 SCM_NEWCELL2 could make this safe and efficient.
1921 ** CHECK_ENTRY, CHECK_APPLY and CHECK_EXIT have been deprecated.
1923 Use the variables scm_check_entry_p, scm_check_apply_p and scm_check_exit_p
1926 ** SRCBRKP has been deprecated.
1928 Use scm_c_source_property_breakpoint_p instead.
1930 ** Deprecated: scm_makmacro
1932 Change your code to use either scm_makmmacro or to define macros in
1933 Scheme, using 'define-macro'.
1935 ** New function scm_c_port_for_each.
1937 This function is like scm_port_for_each but takes a pointer to a C
1938 function as the callback instead of a SCM value.
1940 ** The names scm_internal_select, scm_thread_sleep, and
1941 scm_thread_usleep have been discouraged.
1943 Use scm_std_select, scm_std_sleep, scm_std_usleep instead.
1945 ** The GC can no longer be blocked.
1947 The global flags scm_gc_heap_lock and scm_block_gc have been removed.
1948 The GC can now run (partially) concurrently with other code and thus
1949 blocking it is not well defined.
1951 ** Many definitions have been removed that were previously deprecated.
1953 scm_lisp_nil, scm_lisp_t, s_nil_ify, scm_m_nil_ify, s_t_ify,
1954 scm_m_t_ify, s_0_cond, scm_m_0_cond, s_0_ify, scm_m_0_ify, s_1_ify,
1955 scm_m_1_ify, scm_debug_newcell, scm_debug_newcell2,
1956 scm_tc16_allocated, SCM_SET_SYMBOL_HASH, SCM_IM_NIL_IFY, SCM_IM_T_IFY,
1957 SCM_IM_0_COND, SCM_IM_0_IFY, SCM_IM_1_IFY, SCM_GC_SET_ALLOCATED,
1958 scm_debug_newcell, scm_debug_newcell2, SCM_HUP_SIGNAL, SCM_INT_SIGNAL,
1959 SCM_FPE_SIGNAL, SCM_BUS_SIGNAL, SCM_SEGV_SIGNAL, SCM_ALRM_SIGNAL,
1960 SCM_GC_SIGNAL, SCM_TICK_SIGNAL, SCM_SIG_ORD, SCM_ORD_SIG,
1961 SCM_NUM_SIGS, scm_top_level_lookup_closure_var,
1962 *top-level-lookup-closure*, scm_system_transformer, scm_eval_3,
1963 scm_eval2, root_module_lookup_closure, SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP,
1964 SCM_RWSTRINGP, scm_read_only_string_p, scm_make_shared_substring,
1965 scm_tc7_substring, sym_huh, SCM_VARVCELL, SCM_UDVARIABLEP,
1966 SCM_DEFVARIABLEP, scm_mkbig, scm_big2inum, scm_adjbig, scm_normbig,
1967 scm_copybig, scm_2ulong2big, scm_dbl2big, scm_big2dbl, SCM_FIXNUM_BIT,
1968 SCM_SETCHARS, SCM_SLOPPY_SUBSTRP, SCM_SUBSTR_STR, SCM_SUBSTR_OFFSET,
1969 SCM_LENGTH_MAX, SCM_SETLENGTH, SCM_ROSTRINGP, SCM_ROLENGTH,
1970 SCM_ROCHARS, SCM_ROUCHARS, SCM_SUBSTRP, SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR,
1971 scm_sym2vcell, scm_intern, scm_intern0, scm_sysintern, scm_sysintern0,
1972 scm_sysintern0_no_module_lookup, scm_init_symbols_deprecated,
1973 scm_vector_set_length_x, scm_contregs, scm_debug_info,
1974 scm_debug_frame, SCM_DSIDEVAL, SCM_CONST_LONG, SCM_VCELL,
1975 SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL, SCM_VCELL_INIT, SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL_INIT,
1976 SCM_HUGE_LENGTH, SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR, SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING,
1977 SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING_COPY, SCM_VALIDATE_NULLORROSTRING_COPY,
1978 SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING, DIGITS, scm_small_istr2int, scm_istr2int,
1979 scm_istr2flo, scm_istring2number, scm_istr2int, scm_istr2flo,
1980 scm_istring2number, scm_vtable_index_vcell, scm_si_vcell, SCM_ECONSP,
1981 SCM_NECONSP, SCM_GLOC_VAR, SCM_GLOC_VAL, SCM_GLOC_SET_VAL,
1982 SCM_GLOC_VAL_LOC, scm_make_gloc, scm_gloc_p, scm_tc16_variable,
1983 SCM_CHARS, SCM_LENGTH, SCM_SET_STRING_CHARS, SCM_SET_STRING_LENGTH.
1985 * Changes to bundled modules
1989 Using the (ice-9 debug) module no longer automatically switches Guile
1990 to use the debugging evaluator. If you want to switch to the
1991 debugging evaluator (which is needed for backtrace information if you
1992 hit an error), please add an explicit "(debug-enable 'debug)" to your
1993 code just after the code to use (ice-9 debug).
1996 Changes since Guile 1.4:
1998 * Changes to the distribution
2000 ** A top-level TODO file is included.
2002 ** Guile now uses a versioning scheme similar to that of the Linux kernel.
2004 Guile now always uses three numbers to represent the version,
2005 i.e. "1.6.5". The first number, 1, is the major version number, the
2006 second number, 6, is the minor version number, and the third number,
2007 5, is the micro version number. Changes in major version number
2008 indicate major changes in Guile.
2010 Minor version numbers that are even denote stable releases, and odd
2011 minor version numbers denote development versions (which may be
2012 unstable). The micro version number indicates a minor sub-revision of
2013 a given MAJOR.MINOR release.
2015 In keeping with the new scheme, (minor-version) and scm_minor_version
2016 no longer return everything but the major version number. They now
2017 just return the minor version number. Two new functions
2018 (micro-version) and scm_micro_version have been added to report the
2019 micro version number.
2021 In addition, ./GUILE-VERSION now defines GUILE_MICRO_VERSION.
2023 ** New preprocessor definitions are available for checking versions.
2025 version.h now #defines SCM_MAJOR_VERSION, SCM_MINOR_VERSION, and
2026 SCM_MICRO_VERSION to the appropriate integer values.
2028 ** Guile now actively warns about deprecated features.
2030 The new configure option `--enable-deprecated=LEVEL' and the
2031 environment variable GUILE_WARN_DEPRECATED control this mechanism.
2032 See INSTALL and README for more information.
2034 ** Guile is much more likely to work on 64-bit architectures.
2036 Guile now compiles and passes "make check" with only two UNRESOLVED GC
2037 cases on Alpha and ia64 based machines now. Thanks to John Goerzen
2038 for the use of a test machine, and thanks to Stefan Jahn for ia64
2041 ** New functions: setitimer and getitimer.
2043 These implement a fairly direct interface to the libc functions of the
2046 ** The #. reader extension is now disabled by default.
2048 For safety reasons, #. evaluation is disabled by default. To
2049 re-enable it, set the fluid read-eval? to #t. For example:
2051 (fluid-set! read-eval? #t)
2053 but make sure you realize the potential security risks involved. With
2054 read-eval? enabled, reading a data file from an untrusted source can
2057 ** New SRFI modules have been added:
2059 SRFI-0 `cond-expand' is now supported in Guile, without requiring
2062 (srfi srfi-1) is a library containing many useful pair- and list-processing
2065 (srfi srfi-2) exports and-let*.
2067 (srfi srfi-4) implements homogeneous numeric vector datatypes.
2069 (srfi srfi-6) is a dummy module for now, since guile already provides
2070 all of the srfi-6 procedures by default: open-input-string,
2071 open-output-string, get-output-string.
2073 (srfi srfi-8) exports receive.
2075 (srfi srfi-9) exports define-record-type.
2077 (srfi srfi-10) exports define-reader-ctor and implements the reader
2080 (srfi srfi-11) exports let-values and let*-values.
2082 (srfi srfi-13) implements the SRFI String Library.
2084 (srfi srfi-14) implements the SRFI Character-Set Library.
2086 (srfi srfi-17) implements setter and getter-with-setter and redefines
2087 some accessor procedures as procedures with getters. (such as car,
2088 cdr, vector-ref etc.)
2090 (srfi srfi-19) implements the SRFI Time/Date Library.
2092 ** New scripts / "executable modules"
2094 Subdirectory "scripts" contains Scheme modules that are packaged to
2095 also be executable as scripts. At this time, these scripts are available:
2104 See README there for more info.
2106 These scripts can be invoked from the shell with the new program
2107 "guile-tools", which keeps track of installation directory for you.
2110 $ guile-tools display-commentary srfi/*.scm
2112 guile-tools is copied to the standard $bindir on "make install".
2114 ** New module (ice-9 stack-catch):
2116 stack-catch is like catch, but saves the current state of the stack in
2117 the fluid the-last-stack. This fluid can be useful when using the
2118 debugger and when re-throwing an error.
2120 ** The module (ice-9 and-let*) has been renamed to (ice-9 and-let-star)
2122 This has been done to prevent problems on lesser operating systems
2123 that can't tolerate `*'s in file names. The exported macro continues
2124 to be named `and-let*', of course.
2126 On systems that support it, there is also a compatibility module named
2127 (ice-9 and-let*). It will go away in the next release.
2129 ** New modules (oop goops) etc.:
2132 (oop goops describe)
2134 (oop goops active-slot)
2135 (oop goops composite-slot)
2137 The Guile Object Oriented Programming System (GOOPS) has been
2138 integrated into Guile. For further information, consult the GOOPS
2139 manual and tutorial in the `doc' directory.
2141 ** New module (ice-9 rdelim).
2143 This exports the following procedures which were previously defined
2144 in the default environment:
2146 read-line read-line! read-delimited read-delimited! %read-delimited!
2147 %read-line write-line
2149 For backwards compatibility the definitions are still imported into the
2150 default environment in this version of Guile. However you should add:
2152 (use-modules (ice-9 rdelim))
2154 to any program which uses the definitions, since this may change in
2157 Alternatively, if guile-scsh is installed, the (scsh rdelim) module
2158 can be used for similar functionality.
2160 ** New module (ice-9 rw)
2162 This is a subset of the (scsh rw) module from guile-scsh. Currently
2163 it defines two procedures:
2165 *** New function: read-string!/partial str [port_or_fdes [start [end]]]
2167 Read characters from a port or file descriptor into a string STR.
2168 A port must have an underlying file descriptor -- a so-called
2169 fport. This procedure is scsh-compatible and can efficiently read
2172 *** New function: write-string/partial str [port_or_fdes [start [end]]]
2174 Write characters from a string STR to a port or file descriptor.
2175 A port must have an underlying file descriptor -- a so-called
2176 fport. This procedure is mostly compatible and can efficiently
2177 write large strings.
2179 ** New module (ice-9 match)
2181 This module includes Andrew K. Wright's pattern matcher. See
2182 ice-9/match.scm for brief description or
2184 http://www.star-lab.com/wright/code.html
2186 for complete documentation.
2188 ** New module (ice-9 buffered-input)
2190 This module provides procedures to construct an input port from an
2191 underlying source of input that reads and returns its input in chunks.
2192 The underlying input source is a Scheme procedure, specified by the
2193 caller, which the port invokes whenever it needs more input.
2195 This is useful when building an input port whose back end is Readline
2196 or a UI element such as the GtkEntry widget.
2200 The reference and tutorial documentation that was previously
2201 distributed separately, as `guile-doc', is now included in the core
2202 Guile distribution. The documentation consists of the following
2205 - The Guile Tutorial (guile-tut.texi) contains a tutorial introduction
2208 - The Guile Reference Manual (guile.texi) contains (or is intended to
2209 contain) reference documentation on all aspects of Guile.
2211 - The GOOPS Manual (goops.texi) contains both tutorial-style and
2212 reference documentation for using GOOPS, Guile's Object Oriented
2215 - The Revised^5 Report on the Algorithmic Language Scheme
2218 See the README file in the `doc' directory for more details.
2220 ** There are a couple of examples in the examples/ directory now.
2222 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
2224 ** New command line option `--use-srfi'
2226 Using this option, SRFI modules can be loaded on startup and be
2227 available right from the beginning. This makes programming portable
2228 Scheme programs easier.
2230 The option `--use-srfi' expects a comma-separated list of numbers,
2231 each representing a SRFI number to be loaded into the interpreter
2232 before starting evaluating a script file or the REPL. Additionally,
2233 the feature identifier for the loaded SRFIs is recognized by
2234 `cond-expand' when using this option.
2237 $ guile --use-srfi=8,13
2238 guile> (receive (x z) (values 1 2) (+ 1 2))
2240 guile> (string-pad "bla" 20)
2243 ** Guile now always starts up in the `(guile-user)' module.
2245 Previously, scripts executed via the `-s' option would run in the
2246 `(guile)' module and the repl would run in the `(guile-user)' module.
2247 Now every user action takes place in the `(guile-user)' module by
2250 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
2252 ** Character classifiers work for non-ASCII characters.
2254 The predicates `char-alphabetic?', `char-numeric?',
2255 `char-whitespace?', `char-lower?', `char-upper?' and `char-is-both?'
2256 no longer check whether their arguments are ASCII characters.
2257 Previously, a character would only be considered alphabetic when it
2258 was also ASCII, for example.
2260 ** Previously deprecated Scheme functions have been removed:
2262 tag - no replacement.
2263 fseek - replaced by seek.
2264 list* - replaced by cons*.
2266 ** It's now possible to create modules with controlled environments
2270 (use-modules (ice-9 safe))
2271 (define m (make-safe-module))
2272 ;;; m will now be a module containing only a safe subset of R5RS
2273 (eval '(+ 1 2) m) --> 3
2274 (eval 'load m) --> ERROR: Unbound variable: load
2276 ** Evaluation of "()", the empty list, is now an error.
2278 Previously, the expression "()" evaluated to the empty list. This has
2279 been changed to signal a "missing expression" error. The correct way
2280 to write the empty list as a literal constant is to use quote: "'()".
2282 ** New concept of `Guile Extensions'.
2284 A Guile Extension is just a ordinary shared library that can be linked
2285 at run-time. We found it advantageous to give this simple concept a
2286 dedicated name to distinguish the issues related to shared libraries
2287 from the issues related to the module system.
2289 *** New function: load-extension
2291 Executing (load-extension lib init) is mostly equivalent to
2293 (dynamic-call init (dynamic-link lib))
2295 except when scm_register_extension has been called previously.
2296 Whenever appropriate, you should use `load-extension' instead of
2297 dynamic-link and dynamic-call.
2299 *** New C function: scm_c_register_extension
2301 This function registers a initialization function for use by
2302 `load-extension'. Use it when you don't want specific extensions to
2303 be loaded as shared libraries (for example on platforms that don't
2304 support dynamic linking).
2306 ** Auto-loading of compiled-code modules is deprecated.
2308 Guile used to be able to automatically find and link a shared
2309 library to satisfy requests for a module. For example, the module
2310 `(foo bar)' could be implemented by placing a shared library named
2311 "foo/libbar.so" (or with a different extension) in a directory on the
2314 This has been found to be too tricky, and is no longer supported. The
2315 shared libraries are now called "extensions". You should now write a
2316 small Scheme file that calls `load-extension' to load the shared
2317 library and initialize it explicitly.
2319 The shared libraries themselves should be installed in the usual
2320 places for shared libraries, with names like "libguile-foo-bar".
2322 For example, place this into a file "foo/bar.scm"
2324 (define-module (foo bar))
2326 (load-extension "libguile-foo-bar" "foobar_init")
2328 ** Backward incompatible change: eval EXP ENVIRONMENT-SPECIFIER
2330 `eval' is now R5RS, that is it takes two arguments.
2331 The second argument is an environment specifier, i.e. either
2333 (scheme-report-environment 5)
2334 (null-environment 5)
2335 (interaction-environment)
2341 ** The module system has been made more disciplined.
2343 The function `eval' will save and restore the current module around
2344 the evaluation of the specified expression. While this expression is
2345 evaluated, `(current-module)' will now return the right module, which
2346 is the module specified as the second argument to `eval'.
2348 A consequence of this change is that `eval' is not particularly
2349 useful when you want allow the evaluated code to change what module is
2350 designated as the current module and have this change persist from one
2351 call to `eval' to the next. The read-eval-print-loop is an example
2352 where `eval' is now inadequate. To compensate, there is a new
2353 function `primitive-eval' that does not take a module specifier and
2354 that does not save/restore the current module. You should use this
2355 function together with `set-current-module', `current-module', etc
2356 when you want to have more control over the state that is carried from
2357 one eval to the next.
2359 Additionally, it has been made sure that forms that are evaluated at
2360 the top level are always evaluated with respect to the current module.
2361 Previously, subforms of top-level forms such as `begin', `case',
2362 etc. did not respect changes to the current module although these
2363 subforms are at the top-level as well.
2365 To prevent strange behavior, the forms `define-module',
2366 `use-modules', `use-syntax', and `export' have been restricted to only
2367 work on the top level. The forms `define-public' and
2368 `defmacro-public' only export the new binding on the top level. They
2369 behave just like `define' and `defmacro', respectively, when they are
2370 used in a lexical environment.
2372 Also, `export' will no longer silently re-export bindings imported
2373 from a used module. It will emit a `deprecation' warning and will
2374 cease to perform any re-export in the next version. If you actually
2375 want to re-export bindings, use the new `re-export' in place of
2376 `export'. The new `re-export' will not make copies of variables when
2377 rexporting them, as `export' did wrongly.
2379 ** Module system now allows selection and renaming of imported bindings
2381 Previously, when using `use-modules' or the `#:use-module' clause in
2382 the `define-module' form, all the bindings (association of symbols to
2383 values) for imported modules were added to the "current module" on an
2384 as-is basis. This has been changed to allow finer control through two
2385 new facilities: selection and renaming.
2387 You can now select which of the imported module's bindings are to be
2388 visible in the current module by using the `:select' clause. This
2389 clause also can be used to rename individual bindings. For example:
2391 ;; import all bindings no questions asked
2392 (use-modules (ice-9 common-list))
2394 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them;
2395 ;; the current module sees: every some zonk-y zonk-n
2396 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
2398 (remove-if . zonk-y)
2399 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))))
2401 You can also programmatically rename all selected bindings using the
2402 `:renamer' clause, which specifies a proc that takes a symbol and
2403 returns another symbol. Because it is common practice to use a prefix,
2404 we now provide the convenience procedure `symbol-prefix-proc'. For
2407 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them specifically,
2408 ;; and all four w/ prefix "CL:";
2409 ;; the current module sees: CL:every CL:some CL:zonk-y CL:zonk-n
2410 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
2412 (remove-if . zonk-y)
2413 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))
2414 :renamer (symbol-prefix-proc 'CL:)))
2416 ;; import four bindings, renaming two of them specifically,
2417 ;; and all four by upcasing.
2418 ;; the current module sees: EVERY SOME ZONK-Y ZONK-N
2419 (define (upcase-symbol sym)
2420 (string->symbol (string-upcase (symbol->string sym))))
2422 (use-modules ((ice-9 common-list)
2424 (remove-if . zonk-y)
2425 (remove-if-not . zonk-n))
2426 :renamer upcase-symbol))
2428 Note that programmatic renaming is done *after* individual renaming.
2429 Also, the above examples show `use-modules', but the same facilities are
2430 available for the `#:use-module' clause of `define-module'.
2432 See manual for more info.
2434 ** The semantics of guardians have changed.
2436 The changes are for the most part compatible. An important criterion
2437 was to keep the typical usage of guardians as simple as before, but to
2438 make the semantics safer and (as a result) more useful.
2440 *** All objects returned from guardians are now properly alive.
2442 It is now guaranteed that any object referenced by an object returned
2443 from a guardian is alive. It's now impossible for a guardian to
2444 return a "contained" object before its "containing" object.
2446 One incompatible (but probably not very important) change resulting
2447 from this is that it is no longer possible to guard objects that
2448 indirectly reference themselves (i.e. are parts of cycles). If you do
2449 so accidentally, you'll get a warning.
2451 *** There are now two types of guardians: greedy and sharing.
2453 If you call (make-guardian #t) or just (make-guardian), you'll get a
2454 greedy guardian, and for (make-guardian #f) a sharing guardian.
2456 Greedy guardians are the default because they are more "defensive".
2457 You can only greedily guard an object once. If you guard an object
2458 more than once, once in a greedy guardian and the rest of times in
2459 sharing guardians, then it is guaranteed that the object won't be
2460 returned from sharing guardians as long as it is greedily guarded
2463 Guardians returned by calls to `make-guardian' can now take one more
2464 optional parameter, which says whether to throw an error in case an
2465 attempt is made to greedily guard an object that is already greedily
2466 guarded. The default is true, i.e. throw an error. If the parameter
2467 is false, the guardian invocation returns #t if guarding was
2468 successful and #f if it wasn't.
2470 Also, since greedy guarding is, in effect, a side-effecting operation
2471 on objects, a new function is introduced: `destroy-guardian!'.
2472 Invoking this function on a guardian renders it unoperative and, if
2473 the guardian is greedy, clears the "greedily guarded" property of the
2474 objects that were guarded by it, thus undoing the side effect.
2476 Note that all this hair is hardly very important, since guardian
2477 objects are usually permanent.
2479 ** Continuations created by call-with-current-continuation now accept
2480 any number of arguments, as required by R5RS.
2482 ** New function `issue-deprecation-warning'
2484 This function is used to display the deprecation messages that are
2485 controlled by GUILE_WARN_DEPRECATION as explained in the README.
2488 (issue-deprecation-warning "`id' is deprecated. Use `identity' instead.")
2492 ;; `id' is deprecated. Use `identity' instead.
2497 ** New syntax `begin-deprecated'
2499 When deprecated features are included (as determined by the configure
2500 option --enable-deprecated), `begin-deprecated' is identical to
2501 `begin'. When deprecated features are excluded, it always evaluates
2502 to `#f', ignoring the body forms.
2504 ** New function `make-object-property'
2506 This function returns a new `procedure with setter' P that can be used
2507 to attach a property to objects. When calling P as
2511 where `obj' is any kind of object, it attaches `val' to `obj' in such
2512 a way that it can be retrieved by calling P as
2516 This function will replace procedure properties, symbol properties and
2517 source properties eventually.
2519 ** Module (ice-9 optargs) now uses keywords instead of `#&'.
2521 Instead of #&optional, #&key, etc you should now use #:optional,
2522 #:key, etc. Since #:optional is a keyword, you can write it as just
2523 :optional when (read-set! keywords 'prefix) is active.
2525 The old reader syntax `#&' is still supported, but deprecated. It
2526 will be removed in the next release.
2528 ** New define-module option: pure
2530 Tells the module system not to include any bindings from the root
2535 (define-module (totally-empty-module)
2538 ** New define-module option: export NAME1 ...
2540 Export names NAME1 ...
2542 This option is required if you want to be able to export bindings from
2543 a module which doesn't import one of `define-public' or `export'.
2547 (define-module (foo)
2549 :use-module (ice-9 r5rs)
2552 ;;; Note that we're pure R5RS below this point!
2557 ** New function: object->string OBJ
2559 Return a Scheme string obtained by printing a given object.
2561 ** New function: port? X
2563 Returns a boolean indicating whether X is a port. Equivalent to
2564 `(or (input-port? X) (output-port? X))'.
2566 ** New function: file-port?
2568 Determines whether a given object is a port that is related to a file.
2570 ** New function: port-for-each proc
2572 Apply PROC to each port in the Guile port table in turn. The return
2573 value is unspecified. More specifically, PROC is applied exactly once
2574 to every port that exists in the system at the time PORT-FOR-EACH is
2575 invoked. Changes to the port table while PORT-FOR-EACH is running
2576 have no effect as far as PORT-FOR-EACH is concerned.
2578 ** New function: dup2 oldfd newfd
2580 A simple wrapper for the `dup2' system call. Copies the file
2581 descriptor OLDFD to descriptor number NEWFD, replacing the
2582 previous meaning of NEWFD. Both OLDFD and NEWFD must be integers.
2583 Unlike for dup->fdes or primitive-move->fdes, no attempt is made
2584 to move away ports which are using NEWFD. The return value is
2587 ** New function: close-fdes fd
2589 A simple wrapper for the `close' system call. Close file
2590 descriptor FD, which must be an integer. Unlike close (*note
2591 close: Ports and File Descriptors.), the file descriptor will be
2592 closed even if a port is using it. The return value is
2595 ** New function: crypt password salt
2597 Encrypts `password' using the standard unix password encryption
2600 ** New function: chroot path
2602 Change the root directory of the running process to `path'.
2604 ** New functions: getlogin, cuserid
2606 Return the login name or the user name of the current effective user
2609 ** New functions: getpriority which who, setpriority which who prio
2611 Get or set the priority of the running process.
2613 ** New function: getpass prompt
2615 Read a password from the terminal, first displaying `prompt' and
2618 ** New function: flock file operation
2620 Set/remove an advisory shared or exclusive lock on `file'.
2622 ** New functions: sethostname name, gethostname
2624 Set or get the hostname of the machine the current process is running
2627 ** New function: mkstemp! tmpl
2629 mkstemp creates a new unique file in the file system and returns a
2630 new buffered port open for reading and writing to the file. TMPL
2631 is a string specifying where the file should be created: it must
2632 end with `XXXXXX' and will be changed in place to return the name
2633 of the temporary file.
2635 ** New function: open-input-string string
2637 Return an input string port which delivers the characters from
2638 `string'. This procedure, together with `open-output-string' and
2639 `get-output-string' implements SRFI-6.
2641 ** New function: open-output-string
2643 Return an output string port which collects all data written to it.
2644 The data can then be retrieved by `get-output-string'.
2646 ** New function: get-output-string
2648 Return the contents of an output string port.
2650 ** New function: identity
2652 Return the argument.
2654 ** socket, connect, accept etc., now have support for IPv6. IPv6 addresses
2655 are represented in Scheme as integers with normal host byte ordering.
2657 ** New function: inet-pton family address
2659 Convert a printable string network address into an integer. Note that
2660 unlike the C version of this function, the result is an integer with
2661 normal host byte ordering. FAMILY can be `AF_INET' or `AF_INET6'.
2664 (inet-pton AF_INET "127.0.0.1") => 2130706433
2665 (inet-pton AF_INET6 "::1") => 1
2667 ** New function: inet-ntop family address
2669 Convert an integer network address into a printable string. Note that
2670 unlike the C version of this function, the input is an integer with
2671 normal host byte ordering. FAMILY can be `AF_INET' or `AF_INET6'.
2674 (inet-ntop AF_INET 2130706433) => "127.0.0.1"
2675 (inet-ntop AF_INET6 (- (expt 2 128) 1)) =>
2676 ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff
2680 Use `identity' instead.
2686 ** Deprecated: return-it
2690 ** Deprecated: string-character-length
2692 Use `string-length' instead.
2694 ** Deprecated: flags
2696 Use `logior' instead.
2698 ** Deprecated: close-all-ports-except.
2700 This was intended for closing ports in a child process after a fork,
2701 but it has the undesirable side effect of flushing buffers.
2702 port-for-each is more flexible.
2704 ** The (ice-9 popen) module now attempts to set up file descriptors in
2705 the child process from the current Scheme ports, instead of using the
2706 current values of file descriptors 0, 1, and 2 in the parent process.
2708 ** Removed function: builtin-weak-bindings
2710 There is no such concept as a weak binding any more.
2712 ** Removed constants: bignum-radix, scm-line-incrementors
2714 ** define-method: New syntax mandatory.
2716 The new method syntax is now mandatory:
2718 (define-method (NAME ARG-SPEC ...) BODY ...)
2719 (define-method (NAME ARG-SPEC ... . REST-ARG) BODY ...)
2721 ARG-SPEC ::= ARG-NAME | (ARG-NAME TYPE)
2722 REST-ARG ::= ARG-NAME
2724 If you have old code using the old syntax, import
2725 (oop goops old-define-method) before (oop goops) as in:
2727 (use-modules (oop goops old-define-method) (oop goops))
2729 ** Deprecated function: builtin-variable
2730 Removed function: builtin-bindings
2732 There is no longer a distinction between builtin or other variables.
2733 Use module system operations for all variables.
2735 ** Lazy-catch handlers are no longer allowed to return.
2737 That is, a call to `throw', `error', etc is now guaranteed to not
2740 ** Bugfixes for (ice-9 getopt-long)
2742 This module is now tested using test-suite/tests/getopt-long.test.
2743 The following bugs have been fixed:
2745 *** Parsing for options that are specified to have `optional' args now checks
2746 if the next element is an option instead of unconditionally taking it as the
2749 *** An error is now thrown for `--opt=val' when the option description
2750 does not specify `(value #t)' or `(value optional)'. This condition used to
2751 be accepted w/o error, contrary to the documentation.
2753 *** The error message for unrecognized options is now more informative.
2754 It used to be "not a record", an artifact of the implementation.
2756 *** The error message for `--opt' terminating the arg list (no value), when
2757 `(value #t)' is specified, is now more informative. It used to be "not enough
2760 *** "Clumped" single-char args now preserve trailing string, use it as arg.
2761 The expansion used to be like so:
2763 ("-abc5d" "--xyz") => ("-a" "-b" "-c" "--xyz")
2765 Note that the "5d" is dropped. Now it is like so:
2767 ("-abc5d" "--xyz") => ("-a" "-b" "-c" "5d" "--xyz")
2769 This enables single-char options to have adjoining arguments as long as their
2770 constituent characters are not potential single-char options.
2772 ** (ice-9 session) procedure `arity' now works with (ice-9 optargs) `lambda*'
2774 The `lambda*' and derivative forms in (ice-9 optargs) now set a procedure
2775 property `arglist', which can be retrieved by `arity'. The result is that
2776 `arity' can give more detailed information than before:
2780 guile> (use-modules (ice-9 optargs))
2781 guile> (define* (foo #:optional a b c) a)
2783 0 or more arguments in `lambda*:G0'.
2788 3 optional arguments: `a', `b' and `c'.
2789 guile> (define* (bar a b #:key c d #:allow-other-keys) a)
2791 2 required arguments: `a' and `b', 2 keyword arguments: `c'
2792 and `d', other keywords allowed.
2793 guile> (define* (baz a b #:optional c #:rest r) a)
2795 2 required arguments: `a' and `b', 1 optional argument: `c',
2798 * Changes to the C interface
2800 ** Types have been renamed from scm_*_t to scm_t_*.
2802 This has been done for POSIX sake. It reserves identifiers ending
2803 with "_t". What a concept.
2805 The old names are still available with status `deprecated'.
2807 ** scm_t_bits (former scm_bits_t) is now a unsigned type.
2809 ** Deprecated features have been removed.
2813 SCM_INPORTP, SCM_OUTPORTP SCM_ICHRP, SCM_ICHR, SCM_MAKICHR
2814 SCM_SETJMPBUF SCM_NSTRINGP SCM_NRWSTRINGP SCM_NVECTORP SCM_DOUBLE_CELLP
2816 *** C Functions removed
2818 scm_sysmissing scm_tag scm_tc16_flo scm_tc_flo
2819 scm_fseek - replaced by scm_seek.
2820 gc-thunk - replaced by after-gc-hook.
2821 gh_int2scmb - replaced by gh_bool2scm.
2822 scm_tc_dblr - replaced by scm_tc16_real.
2823 scm_tc_dblc - replaced by scm_tc16_complex.
2824 scm_list_star - replaced by scm_cons_star.
2826 ** Deprecated: scm_makfromstr
2828 Use scm_mem2string instead.
2830 ** Deprecated: scm_make_shared_substring
2832 Explicit shared substrings will disappear from Guile.
2834 Instead, "normal" strings will be implemented using sharing
2835 internally, combined with a copy-on-write strategy.
2837 ** Deprecated: scm_read_only_string_p
2839 The concept of read-only strings will disappear in next release of
2842 ** Deprecated: scm_sloppy_memq, scm_sloppy_memv, scm_sloppy_member
2844 Instead, use scm_c_memq or scm_memq, scm_memv, scm_member.
2846 ** New functions: scm_call_0, scm_call_1, scm_call_2, scm_call_3
2848 Call a procedure with the indicated number of arguments. See "Fly
2849 Evaluation" in the manual.
2851 ** New functions: scm_apply_0, scm_apply_1, scm_apply_2, scm_apply_3
2853 Call a procedure with the indicated number of arguments and a list of
2854 further arguments. See "Fly Evaluation" in the manual.
2856 ** New functions: scm_list_1, scm_list_2, scm_list_3, scm_list_4, scm_list_5
2858 Create a list of the given number of elements. See "List
2859 Constructors" in the manual.
2861 ** Renamed function: scm_listify has been replaced by scm_list_n.
2863 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_LIST0, SCM_LIST1, SCM_LIST2, SCM_LIST3, SCM_LIST4,
2864 SCM_LIST5, SCM_LIST6, SCM_LIST7, SCM_LIST8, SCM_LIST9.
2866 Use functions scm_list_N instead.
2868 ** New function: scm_c_read (SCM port, void *buffer, scm_sizet size)
2870 Used by an application to read arbitrary number of bytes from a port.
2871 Same semantics as libc read, except that scm_c_read only returns less
2872 than SIZE bytes if at end-of-file.
2874 Warning: Doesn't update port line and column counts!
2876 ** New function: scm_c_write (SCM port, const void *ptr, scm_sizet size)
2878 Used by an application to write arbitrary number of bytes to an SCM
2879 port. Similar semantics as libc write. However, unlike libc
2880 write, scm_c_write writes the requested number of bytes and has no
2883 Warning: Doesn't update port line and column counts!
2885 ** New function: scm_init_guile ()
2887 In contrast to scm_boot_guile, scm_init_guile will return normally
2888 after initializing Guile. It is not available on all systems, tho.
2890 ** New functions: scm_str2symbol, scm_mem2symbol
2892 The function scm_str2symbol takes a const char* pointing to a zero-terminated
2893 field of characters and creates a scheme symbol object from that C string.
2894 The function scm_mem2symbol takes a const char* and a number of characters and
2895 creates a symbol from the characters in that memory area.
2897 ** New functions: scm_primitive_make_property
2898 scm_primitive_property_ref
2899 scm_primitive_property_set_x
2900 scm_primitive_property_del_x
2902 These functions implement a new way to deal with object properties.
2903 See libguile/properties.c for their documentation.
2905 ** New function: scm_done_free (long size)
2907 This function is the inverse of scm_done_malloc. Use it to report the
2908 amount of smob memory you free. The previous method, which involved
2909 calling scm_done_malloc with negative argument, was somewhat
2910 unintuitive (and is still available, of course).
2912 ** New function: scm_c_memq (SCM obj, SCM list)
2914 This function provides a fast C level alternative for scm_memq for the case
2915 that the list parameter is known to be a proper list. The function is a
2916 replacement for scm_sloppy_memq, but is stricter in its requirements on its
2917 list input parameter, since for anything else but a proper list the function's
2918 behaviour is undefined - it may even crash or loop endlessly. Further, for
2919 the case that the object is not found in the list, scm_c_memq returns #f which
2920 is similar to scm_memq, but different from scm_sloppy_memq's behaviour.
2922 ** New functions: scm_remember_upto_here_1, scm_remember_upto_here_2,
2923 scm_remember_upto_here
2925 These functions replace the function scm_remember.
2927 ** Deprecated function: scm_remember
2929 Use one of the new functions scm_remember_upto_here_1,
2930 scm_remember_upto_here_2 or scm_remember_upto_here instead.
2932 ** New function: scm_allocate_string
2934 This function replaces the function scm_makstr.
2936 ** Deprecated function: scm_makstr
2938 Use the new function scm_allocate_string instead.
2940 ** New global variable scm_gc_running_p introduced.
2942 Use this variable to find out if garbage collection is being executed. Up to
2943 now applications have used scm_gc_heap_lock to test if garbage collection was
2944 running, which also works because of the fact that up to know only the garbage
2945 collector has set this variable. But, this is an implementation detail that
2946 may change. Further, scm_gc_heap_lock is not set throughout gc, thus the use
2947 of this variable is (and has been) not fully safe anyway.
2949 ** New macros: SCM_BITVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_MAX_LENGTH
2951 Use these instead of SCM_LENGTH_MAX.
2953 ** New macros: SCM_CONTINUATION_LENGTH, SCM_CCLO_LENGTH, SCM_STACK_LENGTH,
2954 SCM_STRING_LENGTH, SCM_SYMBOL_LENGTH, SCM_UVECTOR_LENGTH,
2955 SCM_BITVECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_VECTOR_LENGTH.
2957 Use these instead of SCM_LENGTH.
2959 ** New macros: SCM_SET_CONTINUATION_LENGTH, SCM_SET_STRING_LENGTH,
2960 SCM_SET_SYMBOL_LENGTH, SCM_SET_VECTOR_LENGTH, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_LENGTH,
2961 SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_LENGTH
2963 Use these instead of SCM_SETLENGTH
2965 ** New macros: SCM_STRING_CHARS, SCM_SYMBOL_CHARS, SCM_CCLO_BASE,
2966 SCM_VECTOR_BASE, SCM_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_BITVECTOR_BASE, SCM_COMPLEX_MEM,
2969 Use these instead of SCM_CHARS, SCM_UCHARS, SCM_ROCHARS, SCM_ROUCHARS or
2972 ** New macros: SCM_SET_BIGNUM_BASE, SCM_SET_STRING_CHARS,
2973 SCM_SET_SYMBOL_CHARS, SCM_SET_UVECTOR_BASE, SCM_SET_BITVECTOR_BASE,
2976 Use these instead of SCM_SETCHARS.
2978 ** New macro: SCM_BITVECTOR_P
2980 ** New macro: SCM_STRING_COERCE_0TERMINATION_X
2982 Use instead of SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR.
2984 ** New macros: SCM_DIR_OPEN_P, SCM_DIR_FLAG_OPEN
2986 For directory objects, use these instead of SCM_OPDIRP and SCM_OPN.
2988 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_OUTOFRANGE, SCM_NALLOC, SCM_HUP_SIGNAL,
2989 SCM_INT_SIGNAL, SCM_FPE_SIGNAL, SCM_BUS_SIGNAL, SCM_SEGV_SIGNAL,
2990 SCM_ALRM_SIGNAL, SCM_GC_SIGNAL, SCM_TICK_SIGNAL, SCM_SIG_ORD,
2991 SCM_ORD_SIG, SCM_NUM_SIGS, SCM_SYMBOL_SLOTS, SCM_SLOTS, SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP,
2992 SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR, SCM_FREEP, SCM_NFREEP, SCM_CHARS, SCM_UCHARS,
2993 SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING, SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING_COPY,
2994 SCM_VALIDATE_NULLORROSTRING_COPY, SCM_ROLENGTH, SCM_LENGTH, SCM_HUGE_LENGTH,
2995 SCM_SUBSTRP, SCM_SUBSTR_STR, SCM_SUBSTR_OFFSET, SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR,
2996 SCM_ROSTRINGP, SCM_RWSTRINGP, SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING, SCM_ROCHARS,
2997 SCM_ROUCHARS, SCM_SETLENGTH, SCM_SETCHARS, SCM_LENGTH_MAX, SCM_GC8MARKP,
2998 SCM_SETGC8MARK, SCM_CLRGC8MARK, SCM_GCTYP16, SCM_GCCDR, SCM_SUBR_DOC,
2999 SCM_OPDIRP, SCM_VALIDATE_OPDIR, SCM_WTA, RETURN_SCM_WTA, SCM_CONST_LONG,
3000 SCM_WNA, SCM_FUNC_NAME, SCM_VALIDATE_NUMBER_COPY,
3001 SCM_VALIDATE_NUMBER_DEF_COPY, SCM_SLOPPY_CONSP, SCM_SLOPPY_NCONSP,
3002 SCM_SETAND_CDR, SCM_SETOR_CDR, SCM_SETAND_CAR, SCM_SETOR_CAR
3004 Use SCM_ASSERT_RANGE or SCM_VALIDATE_XXX_RANGE instead of SCM_OUTOFRANGE.
3005 Use scm_memory_error instead of SCM_NALLOC.
3006 Use SCM_STRINGP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_STRINGP.
3007 Use SCM_VALIDATE_STRING instead of SCM_VALIDATE_STRINGORSUBSTR.
3008 Use SCM_FREE_CELL_P instead of SCM_FREEP/SCM_NFREEP
3009 Use a type specific accessor macro instead of SCM_CHARS/SCM_UCHARS.
3010 Use a type specific accessor instead of SCM(_|_RO|_HUGE_)LENGTH.
3011 Use SCM_VALIDATE_(SYMBOL|STRING) instead of SCM_VALIDATE_ROSTRING.
3012 Use SCM_STRING_COERCE_0TERMINATION_X instead of SCM_COERCE_SUBSTR.
3013 Use SCM_STRINGP or SCM_SYMBOLP instead of SCM_ROSTRINGP.
3014 Use SCM_STRINGP instead of SCM_RWSTRINGP.
3015 Use SCM_VALIDATE_STRING instead of SCM_VALIDATE_RWSTRING.
3016 Use SCM_STRING_CHARS instead of SCM_ROCHARS.
3017 Use SCM_STRING_UCHARS instead of SCM_ROUCHARS.
3018 Use a type specific setter macro instead of SCM_SETLENGTH.
3019 Use a type specific setter macro instead of SCM_SETCHARS.
3020 Use a type specific length macro instead of SCM_LENGTH_MAX.
3021 Use SCM_GCMARKP instead of SCM_GC8MARKP.
3022 Use SCM_SETGCMARK instead of SCM_SETGC8MARK.
3023 Use SCM_CLRGCMARK instead of SCM_CLRGC8MARK.
3024 Use SCM_TYP16 instead of SCM_GCTYP16.
3025 Use SCM_CDR instead of SCM_GCCDR.
3026 Use SCM_DIR_OPEN_P instead of SCM_OPDIRP.
3027 Use SCM_MISC_ERROR or SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG instead of SCM_WTA.
3028 Use SCM_MISC_ERROR or SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG instead of RETURN_SCM_WTA.
3029 Use SCM_VCELL_INIT instead of SCM_CONST_LONG.
3030 Use SCM_WRONG_NUM_ARGS instead of SCM_WNA.
3031 Use SCM_CONSP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_CONSP.
3032 Use !SCM_CONSP instead of SCM_SLOPPY_NCONSP.
3034 ** Removed function: scm_struct_init
3036 ** Removed variable: scm_symhash_dim
3038 ** Renamed function: scm_make_cont has been replaced by
3039 scm_make_continuation, which has a different interface.
3041 ** Deprecated function: scm_call_catching_errors
3043 Use scm_catch or scm_lazy_catch from throw.[ch] instead.
3045 ** Deprecated function: scm_strhash
3047 Use scm_string_hash instead.
3049 ** Deprecated function: scm_vector_set_length_x
3051 Instead, create a fresh vector of the desired size and copy the contents.
3053 ** scm_gensym has changed prototype
3055 scm_gensym now only takes one argument.
3057 ** Deprecated type tags: scm_tc7_ssymbol, scm_tc7_msymbol, scm_tcs_symbols,
3060 There is now only a single symbol type scm_tc7_symbol.
3061 The tag scm_tc7_lvector was not used anyway.
3063 ** Deprecated function: scm_make_smob_type_mfpe, scm_set_smob_mfpe.
3065 Use scm_make_smob_type and scm_set_smob_XXX instead.
3067 ** New function scm_set_smob_apply.
3069 This can be used to set an apply function to a smob type.
3071 ** Deprecated function: scm_strprint_obj
3073 Use scm_object_to_string instead.
3075 ** Deprecated function: scm_wta
3077 Use scm_wrong_type_arg, or another appropriate error signalling function
3080 ** Explicit support for obarrays has been deprecated.
3082 Use `scm_str2symbol' and the generic hashtable functions instead.
3084 ** The concept of `vcells' has been deprecated.
3086 The data type `variable' is now used exclusively. `Vcells' have been
3087 a low-level concept so you are likely not affected by this change.
3089 *** Deprecated functions: scm_sym2vcell, scm_sysintern,
3090 scm_sysintern0, scm_symbol_value0, scm_intern, scm_intern0.
3092 Use scm_c_define or scm_c_lookup instead, as appropriate.
3094 *** New functions: scm_c_module_lookup, scm_c_lookup,
3095 scm_c_module_define, scm_c_define, scm_module_lookup, scm_lookup,
3096 scm_module_define, scm_define.
3098 These functions work with variables instead of with vcells.
3100 ** New functions for creating and defining `subr's and `gsubr's.
3102 The new functions more clearly distinguish between creating a subr (or
3103 gsubr) object and adding it to the current module.
3105 These new functions are available: scm_c_make_subr, scm_c_define_subr,
3106 scm_c_make_subr_with_generic, scm_c_define_subr_with_generic,
3107 scm_c_make_gsubr, scm_c_define_gsubr, scm_c_make_gsubr_with_generic,
3108 scm_c_define_gsubr_with_generic.
3110 ** Deprecated functions: scm_make_subr, scm_make_subr_opt,
3111 scm_make_subr_with_generic, scm_make_gsubr,
3112 scm_make_gsubr_with_generic.
3114 Use the new ones from above instead.
3116 ** C interface to the module system has changed.
3118 While we suggest that you avoid as many explicit module system
3119 operations from C as possible for the time being, the C interface has
3120 been made more similar to the high-level Scheme module system.
3122 *** New functions: scm_c_define_module, scm_c_use_module,
3123 scm_c_export, scm_c_resolve_module.
3125 They mostly work like their Scheme namesakes. scm_c_define_module
3126 takes a function that is called a context where the new module is
3129 *** Deprecated functions: scm_the_root_module, scm_make_module,
3130 scm_ensure_user_module, scm_load_scheme_module.
3132 Use the new functions instead.
3134 ** Renamed function: scm_internal_with_fluids becomes
3137 scm_internal_with_fluids is available as a deprecated function.
3139 ** New function: scm_c_with_fluid.
3141 Just like scm_c_with_fluids, but takes one fluid and one value instead
3144 ** Deprecated typedefs: long_long, ulong_long.
3146 They are of questionable utility and they pollute the global
3149 ** Deprecated typedef: scm_sizet
3151 It is of questionable utility now that Guile requires ANSI C, and is
3154 ** Deprecated typedefs: scm_port_rw_active, scm_port,
3155 scm_ptob_descriptor, scm_debug_info, scm_debug_frame, scm_fport,
3156 scm_option, scm_rstate, scm_rng, scm_array, scm_array_dim.
3158 Made more compliant with the naming policy by adding a _t at the end.
3160 ** Deprecated functions: scm_mkbig, scm_big2num, scm_adjbig,
3161 scm_normbig, scm_copybig, scm_2ulong2big, scm_dbl2big, scm_big2dbl
3163 With the exception of the mysterious scm_2ulong2big, they are still
3164 available under new names (scm_i_mkbig etc). These functions are not
3165 intended to be used in user code. You should avoid dealing with
3166 bignums directly, and should deal with numbers in general (which can
3169 ** Change in behavior: scm_num2long, scm_num2ulong
3171 The scm_num2[u]long functions don't any longer accept an inexact
3172 argument. This change in behavior is motivated by concordance with
3173 R5RS: It is more common that a primitive doesn't want to accept an
3174 inexact for an exact.
3176 ** New functions: scm_short2num, scm_ushort2num, scm_int2num,
3177 scm_uint2num, scm_size2num, scm_ptrdiff2num, scm_num2short,
3178 scm_num2ushort, scm_num2int, scm_num2uint, scm_num2ptrdiff,
3181 These are conversion functions between the various ANSI C integral
3182 types and Scheme numbers. NOTE: The scm_num2xxx functions don't
3183 accept an inexact argument.
3185 ** New functions: scm_float2num, scm_double2num,
3186 scm_num2float, scm_num2double.
3188 These are conversion functions between the two ANSI C float types and
3191 ** New number validation macros:
3192 SCM_NUM2{SIZE,PTRDIFF,SHORT,USHORT,INT,UINT}[_DEF]
3196 ** New functions: scm_gc_protect_object, scm_gc_unprotect_object
3198 These are just nicer-named old scm_protect_object and
3199 scm_unprotect_object.
3201 ** Deprecated functions: scm_protect_object, scm_unprotect_object
3203 ** New functions: scm_gc_[un]register_root, scm_gc_[un]register_roots
3205 These functions can be used to register pointers to locations that
3208 ** Deprecated function: scm_create_hook.
3210 Its sins are: misleading name, non-modularity and lack of general
3214 Changes since Guile 1.3.4:
3216 * Changes to the distribution
3218 ** Trees from nightly snapshots and CVS now require you to run autogen.sh.
3220 We've changed the way we handle generated files in the Guile source
3221 repository. As a result, the procedure for building trees obtained
3222 from the nightly FTP snapshots or via CVS has changed:
3223 - You must have appropriate versions of autoconf, automake, and
3224 libtool installed on your system. See README for info on how to
3225 obtain these programs.
3226 - Before configuring the tree, you must first run the script
3227 `autogen.sh' at the top of the source tree.
3229 The Guile repository used to contain not only source files, written by
3230 humans, but also some generated files, like configure scripts and
3231 Makefile.in files. Even though the contents of these files could be
3232 derived mechanically from other files present, we thought it would
3233 make the tree easier to build if we checked them into CVS.
3235 However, this approach means that minor differences between
3236 developer's installed tools and habits affected the whole team.
3237 So we have removed the generated files from the repository, and
3238 added the autogen.sh script, which will reconstruct them
3242 ** configure now has experimental options to remove support for certain
3245 --disable-arrays omit array and uniform array support
3246 --disable-posix omit posix interfaces
3247 --disable-networking omit networking interfaces
3248 --disable-regex omit regular expression interfaces
3250 These are likely to become separate modules some day.
3252 ** New configure option --enable-debug-freelist
3254 This enables a debugging version of SCM_NEWCELL(), and also registers
3255 an extra primitive, the setter `gc-set-debug-check-freelist!'.
3257 Configure with the --enable-debug-freelist option to enable
3258 the gc-set-debug-check-freelist! primitive, and then use:
3260 (gc-set-debug-check-freelist! #t) # turn on checking of the freelist
3261 (gc-set-debug-check-freelist! #f) # turn off checking
3263 Checking of the freelist forces a traversal of the freelist and
3264 a garbage collection before each allocation of a cell. This can
3265 slow down the interpreter dramatically, so the setter should be used to
3266 turn on this extra processing only when necessary.
3268 ** New configure option --enable-debug-malloc
3270 Include code for debugging of calls to scm_must_malloc/realloc/free.
3274 1. objects freed by scm_must_free has been mallocated by scm_must_malloc
3275 2. objects reallocated by scm_must_realloc has been allocated by
3277 3. reallocated objects are reallocated with the same what string
3279 But, most importantly, it records the number of allocated objects of
3280 each kind. This is useful when searching for memory leaks.
3282 A Guile compiled with this option provides the primitive
3283 `malloc-stats' which returns an alist with pairs of kind and the
3284 number of objects of that kind.
3286 ** All includes are now referenced relative to the root directory
3288 Since some users have had problems with mixups between Guile and
3289 system headers, we have decided to always refer to Guile headers via
3290 their parent directories. This essentially creates a "private name
3291 space" for Guile headers. This means that the compiler only is given
3292 -I options for the root build and root source directory.
3294 ** Header files kw.h and genio.h have been removed.
3296 ** The module (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style) has been removed.
3298 ** New module (ice-9 documentation)
3300 Implements the interface to documentation strings associated with
3303 ** New module (ice-9 time)
3305 Provides a macro `time', which displays execution time of a given form.
3307 ** New module (ice-9 history)
3309 Loading this module enables value history in the repl.
3311 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
3313 ** New command line option --debug
3315 Start Guile with debugging evaluator and backtraces enabled.
3317 This is useful when debugging your .guile init file or scripts.
3319 ** New help facility
3321 Usage: (help NAME) gives documentation about objects named NAME (a symbol)
3322 (help REGEXP) ditto for objects with names matching REGEXP (a string)
3323 (help 'NAME) gives documentation for NAME, even if it is not an object
3324 (help ,EXPR) gives documentation for object returned by EXPR
3325 (help (my module)) gives module commentary for `(my module)'
3326 (help) gives this text
3328 `help' searches among bindings exported from loaded modules, while
3329 `apropos' searches among bindings visible from the "current" module.
3331 Examples: (help help)
3333 (help "output-string")
3335 ** `help' and `apropos' now prints full module names
3337 ** Dynamic linking now uses libltdl from the libtool package.
3339 The old system dependent code for doing dynamic linking has been
3340 replaced with calls to the libltdl functions which do all the hairy
3343 The major improvement is that you can now directly pass libtool
3344 library names like "libfoo.la" to `dynamic-link' and `dynamic-link'
3345 will be able to do the best shared library job you can get, via
3348 The way dynamic libraries are found has changed and is not really
3349 portable across platforms, probably. It is therefore recommended to
3350 use absolute filenames when possible.
3352 If you pass a filename without an extension to `dynamic-link', it will
3353 try a few appropriate ones. Thus, the most platform ignorant way is
3354 to specify a name like "libfoo", without any directories and
3357 ** Guile COOP threads are now compatible with LinuxThreads
3359 Previously, COOP threading wasn't possible in applications linked with
3360 Linux POSIX threads due to their use of the stack pointer to find the
3361 thread context. This has now been fixed with a workaround which uses
3362 the pthreads to allocate the stack.
3364 ** New primitives: `pkgdata-dir', `site-dir', `library-dir'
3366 ** Positions of erring expression in scripts
3368 With version 1.3.4, the location of the erring expression in Guile
3369 scipts is no longer automatically reported. (This should have been
3370 documented before the 1.3.4 release.)
3372 You can get this information by enabling recording of positions of
3373 source expressions and running the debugging evaluator. Put this at
3374 the top of your script (or in your "site" file):
3376 (read-enable 'positions)
3377 (debug-enable 'debug)
3379 ** Backtraces in scripts
3381 It is now possible to get backtraces in scripts.
3385 (debug-enable 'debug 'backtrace)
3387 at the top of the script.
3389 (The first options enables the debugging evaluator.
3390 The second enables backtraces.)
3392 ** Part of module system symbol lookup now implemented in C
3394 The eval closure of most modules is now implemented in C. Since this
3395 was one of the bottlenecks for loading speed, Guile now loads code
3396 substantially faster than before.
3398 ** Attempting to get the value of an unbound variable now produces
3399 an exception with a key of 'unbound-variable instead of 'misc-error.
3401 ** The initial default output port is now unbuffered if it's using a
3402 tty device. Previously in this situation it was line-buffered.
3404 ** New hook: after-gc-hook
3406 after-gc-hook takes over the role of gc-thunk. This hook is run at
3407 the first SCM_TICK after a GC. (Thus, the code is run at the same
3408 point during evaluation as signal handlers.)
3410 Note that this hook should be used only for diagnostic and debugging
3411 purposes. It is not certain that it will continue to be well-defined
3412 when this hook is run in the future.
3414 C programmers: Note the new C level hooks scm_before_gc_c_hook,
3415 scm_before_sweep_c_hook, scm_after_gc_c_hook.
3417 ** Improvements to garbage collector
3419 Guile 1.4 has a new policy for triggering heap allocation and
3420 determining the sizes of heap segments. It fixes a number of problems
3423 1. The new policy can handle two separate pools of cells
3424 (2-word/4-word) better. (The old policy would run wild, allocating
3425 more and more memory for certain programs.)
3427 2. The old code would sometimes allocate far too much heap so that the
3428 Guile process became gigantic. The new code avoids this.
3430 3. The old code would sometimes allocate too little so that few cells
3431 were freed at GC so that, in turn, too much time was spent in GC.
3433 4. The old code would often trigger heap allocation several times in a
3434 row. (The new scheme predicts how large the segments needs to be
3435 in order not to need further allocation.)
3437 All in all, the new GC policy will make larger applications more
3440 The new GC scheme also is prepared for POSIX threading. Threads can
3441 allocate private pools of cells ("clusters") with just a single
3442 function call. Allocation of single cells from such a cluster can
3443 then proceed without any need of inter-thread synchronization.
3445 ** New environment variables controlling GC parameters
3447 GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE Maximal segment size
3450 Allocation of 2-word cell heaps:
3452 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_1 Size of initial heap segment in bytes
3455 GUILE_MIN_YIELD_1 Minimum number of freed cells at each
3456 GC in percent of total heap size
3459 Allocation of 4-word cell heaps
3460 (used for real numbers and misc other objects):
3462 GUILE_INIT_SEGMENT_SIZE_2, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2
3464 (See entry "Way for application to customize GC parameters" under
3465 section "Changes to the scm_ interface" below.)
3467 ** Guile now implements reals using 4-word cells
3469 This speeds up computation with reals. (They were earlier allocated
3470 with `malloc'.) There is still some room for optimizations, however.
3472 ** Some further steps toward POSIX thread support have been taken
3474 *** Guile's critical sections (SCM_DEFER/ALLOW_INTS)
3475 don't have much effect any longer, and many of them will be removed in
3479 are only handled at the top of the evaluator loop, immediately after
3480 I/O, and in scm_equalp.
3482 *** The GC can allocate thread private pools of pairs.
3484 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
3486 ** close-input-port and close-output-port are now R5RS
3488 These procedures have been turned into primitives and have R5RS behaviour.
3490 ** New procedure: simple-format PORT MESSAGE ARG1 ...
3492 (ice-9 boot) makes `format' an alias for `simple-format' until possibly
3493 extended by the more sophisticated version in (ice-9 format)
3495 (simple-format port message . args)
3496 Write MESSAGE to DESTINATION, defaulting to `current-output-port'.
3497 MESSAGE can contain ~A (was %s) and ~S (was %S) escapes. When printed,
3498 the escapes are replaced with corresponding members of ARGS:
3499 ~A formats using `display' and ~S formats using `write'.
3500 If DESTINATION is #t, then use the `current-output-port',
3501 if DESTINATION is #f, then return a string containing the formatted text.
3502 Does not add a trailing newline."
3504 ** string-ref: the second argument is no longer optional.
3506 ** string, list->string: no longer accept strings in their arguments,
3507 only characters, for compatibility with R5RS.
3509 ** New procedure: port-closed? PORT
3510 Returns #t if PORT is closed or #f if it is open.
3512 ** Deprecated: list*
3514 The list* functionality is now provided by cons* (SRFI-1 compliant)
3516 ** New procedure: cons* ARG1 ARG2 ... ARGn
3518 Like `list', but the last arg provides the tail of the constructed list,
3519 returning (cons ARG1 (cons ARG2 (cons ... ARGn))).
3521 Requires at least one argument. If given one argument, that argument
3522 is returned as result.
3524 This function is called `list*' in some other Schemes and in Common LISP.
3526 ** Removed deprecated: serial-map, serial-array-copy!, serial-array-map!
3528 ** New procedure: object-documentation OBJECT
3530 Returns the documentation string associated with OBJECT. The
3531 procedure uses a caching mechanism so that subsequent lookups are
3534 Exported by (ice-9 documentation).
3536 ** module-name now returns full names of modules
3538 Previously, only the last part of the name was returned (`session' for
3539 `(ice-9 session)'). Ex: `(ice-9 session)'.
3541 * Changes to the gh_ interface
3543 ** Deprecated: gh_int2scmb
3545 Use gh_bool2scm instead.
3547 * Changes to the scm_ interface
3549 ** Guile primitives now carry docstrings!
3551 Thanks to Greg Badros!
3553 ** Guile primitives are defined in a new way: SCM_DEFINE/SCM_DEFINE1/SCM_PROC
3555 Now Guile primitives are defined using the SCM_DEFINE/SCM_DEFINE1/SCM_PROC
3556 macros and must contain a docstring that is extracted into foo.doc using a new
3557 guile-doc-snarf script (that uses guile-doc-snarf.awk).
3559 However, a major overhaul of these macros is scheduled for the next release of
3562 ** Guile primitives use a new technique for validation of arguments
3564 SCM_VALIDATE_* macros are defined to ease the redundancy and improve
3565 the readability of argument checking.
3567 ** All (nearly?) K&R prototypes for functions replaced with ANSI C equivalents.
3569 ** New macros: SCM_PACK, SCM_UNPACK
3571 Compose/decompose an SCM value.
3573 The SCM type is now treated as an abstract data type and may be defined as a
3574 long, a void* or as a struct, depending on the architecture and compile time
3575 options. This makes it easier to find several types of bugs, for example when
3576 SCM values are treated as integers without conversion. Values of the SCM type
3577 should be treated as "atomic" values. These macros are used when
3578 composing/decomposing an SCM value, either because you want to access
3579 individual bits, or because you want to treat it as an integer value.
3581 E.g., in order to set bit 7 in an SCM value x, use the expression
3583 SCM_PACK (SCM_UNPACK (x) | 0x80)
3585 ** The name property of hooks is deprecated.
3586 Thus, the use of SCM_HOOK_NAME and scm_make_hook_with_name is deprecated.
3588 You can emulate this feature by using object properties.
3590 ** Deprecated macros: SCM_INPORTP, SCM_OUTPORTP, SCM_CRDY, SCM_ICHRP,
3591 SCM_ICHR, SCM_MAKICHR, SCM_SETJMPBUF, SCM_NSTRINGP, SCM_NRWSTRINGP,
3594 These macros will be removed in a future release of Guile.
3596 ** The following types, functions and macros from numbers.h are deprecated:
3597 scm_dblproc, SCM_UNEGFIXABLE, SCM_FLOBUFLEN, SCM_INEXP, SCM_CPLXP, SCM_REAL,
3598 SCM_IMAG, SCM_REALPART, scm_makdbl, SCM_SINGP, SCM_NUM2DBL, SCM_NO_BIGDIG
3600 ** Port internals: the rw_random variable in the scm_port structure
3601 must be set to non-zero in any random access port. In recent Guile
3602 releases it was only set for bidirectional random-access ports.
3604 ** Port internals: the seek ptob procedure is now responsible for
3605 resetting the buffers if required. The change was made so that in the
3606 special case of reading the current position (i.e., seek p 0 SEEK_CUR)
3607 the fport and strport ptobs can avoid resetting the buffers,
3608 in particular to avoid discarding unread chars. An existing port
3609 type can be fixed by adding something like the following to the
3610 beginning of the ptob seek procedure:
3612 if (pt->rw_active == SCM_PORT_READ)
3613 scm_end_input (object);
3614 else if (pt->rw_active == SCM_PORT_WRITE)
3615 ptob->flush (object);
3617 although to actually avoid resetting the buffers and discard unread
3618 chars requires further hacking that depends on the characteristics
3621 ** Deprecated functions: scm_fseek, scm_tag
3623 These functions are no longer used and will be removed in a future version.
3625 ** The scm_sysmissing procedure is no longer used in libguile.
3626 Unless it turns out to be unexpectedly useful to somebody, it will be
3627 removed in a future version.
3629 ** The format of error message strings has changed
3631 The two C procedures: scm_display_error and scm_error, as well as the
3632 primitive `scm-error', now use scm_simple_format to do their work.
3633 This means that the message strings of all code must be updated to use
3634 ~A where %s was used before, and ~S where %S was used before.
3636 During the period when there still are a lot of old Guiles out there,
3637 you might want to support both old and new versions of Guile.
3639 There are basically two methods to achieve this. Both methods use
3642 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(scm_simple_format)
3644 in your configure.in.
3646 Method 1: Use the string concatenation features of ANSI C's
3651 #ifdef HAVE_SCM_SIMPLE_FORMAT
3657 Then represent each of your error messages using a preprocessor macro:
3659 #define E_SPIDER_ERROR "There's a spider in your " ## FMT_S ## "!!!"
3663 (define fmt-s (if (defined? 'simple-format) "~S" "%S"))
3664 (define make-message string-append)
3666 (define e-spider-error (make-message "There's a spider in your " fmt-s "!!!"))
3668 Method 2: Use the oldfmt function found in doc/oldfmt.c.
3672 scm_misc_error ("picnic", scm_c_oldfmt0 ("There's a spider in your ~S!!!"),
3677 (scm-error 'misc-error "picnic" (oldfmt "There's a spider in your ~S!!!")
3681 ** Deprecated: coop_mutex_init, coop_condition_variable_init
3683 Don't use the functions coop_mutex_init and
3684 coop_condition_variable_init. They will change.
3686 Use scm_mutex_init and scm_cond_init instead.
3688 ** New function: int scm_cond_timedwait (scm_cond_t *COND, scm_mutex_t *MUTEX, const struct timespec *ABSTIME)
3689 `scm_cond_timedwait' atomically unlocks MUTEX and waits on
3690 COND, as `scm_cond_wait' does, but it also bounds the duration
3691 of the wait. If COND has not been signaled before time ABSTIME,
3692 the mutex MUTEX is re-acquired and `scm_cond_timedwait'
3693 returns the error code `ETIMEDOUT'.
3695 The ABSTIME parameter specifies an absolute time, with the same
3696 origin as `time' and `gettimeofday': an ABSTIME of 0 corresponds
3697 to 00:00:00 GMT, January 1, 1970.
3699 ** New function: scm_cond_broadcast (scm_cond_t *COND)
3700 `scm_cond_broadcast' restarts all the threads that are waiting
3701 on the condition variable COND. Nothing happens if no threads are
3704 ** New function: scm_key_create (scm_key_t *KEY, void (*destr_function) (void *))
3705 `scm_key_create' allocates a new TSD key. The key is stored in
3706 the location pointed to by KEY. There is no limit on the number
3707 of keys allocated at a given time. The value initially associated
3708 with the returned key is `NULL' in all currently executing threads.
3710 The DESTR_FUNCTION argument, if not `NULL', specifies a destructor
3711 function associated with the key. When a thread terminates,
3712 DESTR_FUNCTION is called on the value associated with the key in
3713 that thread. The DESTR_FUNCTION is not called if a key is deleted
3714 with `scm_key_delete' or a value is changed with
3715 `scm_setspecific'. The order in which destructor functions are
3716 called at thread termination time is unspecified.
3718 Destructors are not yet implemented.
3720 ** New function: scm_setspecific (scm_key_t KEY, const void *POINTER)
3721 `scm_setspecific' changes the value associated with KEY in the
3722 calling thread, storing the given POINTER instead.
3724 ** New function: scm_getspecific (scm_key_t KEY)
3725 `scm_getspecific' returns the value currently associated with
3726 KEY in the calling thread.
3728 ** New function: scm_key_delete (scm_key_t KEY)
3729 `scm_key_delete' deallocates a TSD key. It does not check
3730 whether non-`NULL' values are associated with that key in the
3731 currently executing threads, nor call the destructor function
3732 associated with the key.
3734 ** New function: scm_c_hook_init (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, void *HOOK_DATA, scm_c_hook_type_t TYPE)
3736 Initialize a C level hook HOOK with associated HOOK_DATA and type
3737 TYPE. (See scm_c_hook_run ().)
3739 ** New function: scm_c_hook_add (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, scm_c_hook_function_t FUNC, void *FUNC_DATA, int APPENDP)
3741 Add hook function FUNC with associated FUNC_DATA to HOOK. If APPENDP
3742 is true, add it last, otherwise first. The same FUNC can be added
3743 multiple times if FUNC_DATA differ and vice versa.
3745 ** New function: scm_c_hook_remove (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, scm_c_hook_function_t FUNC, void *FUNC_DATA)
3747 Remove hook function FUNC with associated FUNC_DATA from HOOK. A
3748 function is only removed if both FUNC and FUNC_DATA matches.
3750 ** New function: void *scm_c_hook_run (scm_c_hook_t *HOOK, void *DATA)
3752 Run hook HOOK passing DATA to the hook functions.
3754 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_NORMAL, all hook functions are run. The value
3755 returned is undefined.
3757 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_OR, hook functions are run until a function
3758 returns a non-NULL value. This value is returned as the result of
3759 scm_c_hook_run. If all functions return NULL, NULL is returned.
3761 If TYPE is SCM_C_HOOK_AND, hook functions are run until a function
3762 returns a NULL value, and NULL is returned. If all functions returns
3763 a non-NULL value, the last value is returned.
3765 ** New C level GC hooks
3767 Five new C level hooks has been added to the garbage collector.
3769 scm_before_gc_c_hook
3772 are run before locking and after unlocking the heap. The system is
3773 thus in a mode where evaluation can take place. (Except that
3774 scm_before_gc_c_hook must not allocate new cells.)
3776 scm_before_mark_c_hook
3777 scm_before_sweep_c_hook
3778 scm_after_sweep_c_hook
3780 are run when the heap is locked. These are intended for extension of
3781 the GC in a modular fashion. Examples are the weaks and guardians
3784 ** Way for application to customize GC parameters
3786 The application can set up other default values for the GC heap
3787 allocation parameters
3789 GUILE_INIT_HEAP_SIZE_1, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_1,
3790 GUILE_INIT_HEAP_SIZE_2, GUILE_MIN_YIELD_2,
3791 GUILE_MAX_SEGMENT_SIZE,
3795 scm_default_init_heap_size_1, scm_default_min_yield_1,
3796 scm_default_init_heap_size_2, scm_default_min_yield_2,
3797 scm_default_max_segment_size
3799 respectively before callong scm_boot_guile.
3801 (See entry "New environment variables ..." in section
3802 "Changes to the stand-alone interpreter" above.)
3804 ** scm_protect_object/scm_unprotect_object now nest
3806 This means that you can call scm_protect_object multiple times on an
3807 object and count on the object being protected until
3808 scm_unprotect_object has been call the same number of times.
3810 The functions also have better time complexity.
3812 Still, it is usually possible to structure the application in a way
3813 that you don't need to use these functions. For example, if you use a
3814 protected standard Guile list to keep track of live objects rather
3815 than some custom data type, objects will die a natural death when they
3816 are no longer needed.
3818 ** Deprecated type tags: scm_tc16_flo, scm_tc_flo, scm_tc_dblr, scm_tc_dblc
3820 Guile does not provide the float representation for inexact real numbers any
3821 more. Now, only doubles are used to represent inexact real numbers. Further,
3822 the tag names scm_tc_dblr and scm_tc_dblc have been changed to scm_tc16_real
3823 and scm_tc16_complex, respectively.
3825 ** Removed deprecated type scm_smobfuns
3827 ** Removed deprecated function scm_newsmob
3829 ** Warning: scm_make_smob_type_mfpe might become deprecated in a future release
3831 There is an ongoing discussion among the developers whether to
3832 deprecate `scm_make_smob_type_mfpe' or not. Please use the current
3833 standard interface (scm_make_smob_type, scm_set_smob_XXX) in new code
3834 until this issue has been settled.
3836 ** Removed deprecated type tag scm_tc16_kw
3838 ** Added type tag scm_tc16_keyword
3840 (This was introduced already in release 1.3.4 but was not documented
3843 ** gdb_print now prints "*** Guile not initialized ***" until Guile initialized
3845 * Changes to system call interfaces:
3847 ** The "select" procedure now tests port buffers for the ability to
3848 provide input or accept output. Previously only the underlying file
3849 descriptors were checked.
3851 ** New variable PIPE_BUF: the maximum number of bytes that can be
3852 atomically written to a pipe.
3854 ** If a facility is not available on the system when Guile is
3855 compiled, the corresponding primitive procedure will not be defined.
3856 Previously it would have been defined but would throw a system-error
3857 exception if called. Exception handlers which catch this case may
3858 need minor modification: an error will be thrown with key
3859 'unbound-variable instead of 'system-error. Alternatively it's
3860 now possible to use `defined?' to check whether the facility is
3863 ** Procedures which depend on the timezone should now give the correct
3864 result on systems which cache the TZ environment variable, even if TZ
3865 is changed without calling tzset.
3867 * Changes to the networking interfaces:
3869 ** New functions: htons, ntohs, htonl, ntohl: for converting short and
3870 long integers between network and host format. For now, it's not
3871 particularly convenient to do this kind of thing, but consider:
3873 (define write-network-long
3874 (lambda (value port)
3875 (let ((v (make-uniform-vector 1 1 0)))
3876 (uniform-vector-set! v 0 (htonl value))
3877 (uniform-vector-write v port))))
3879 (define read-network-long
3881 (let ((v (make-uniform-vector 1 1 0)))
3882 (uniform-vector-read! v port)
3883 (ntohl (uniform-vector-ref v 0)))))
3885 ** If inet-aton fails, it now throws an error with key 'misc-error
3886 instead of 'system-error, since errno is not relevant.
3888 ** Certain gethostbyname/gethostbyaddr failures now throw errors with
3889 specific keys instead of 'system-error. The latter is inappropriate
3890 since errno will not have been set. The keys are:
3891 'host-not-found, 'try-again, 'no-recovery and 'no-data.
3893 ** sethostent, setnetent, setprotoent, setservent: now take an
3894 optional argument STAYOPEN, which specifies whether the database
3895 remains open after a database entry is accessed randomly (e.g., using
3896 gethostbyname for the hosts database.) The default is #f. Previously
3900 Changes since Guile 1.3.2:
3902 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
3906 An initial version of the Guile debugger written by Chris Hanson has
3907 been added. The debugger is still under development but is included
3908 in the distribution anyway since it is already quite useful.
3914 after an error to enter the debugger. Type `help' inside the debugger
3915 for a description of available commands.
3917 If you prefer to have stack frames numbered and printed in
3918 anti-chronological order and prefer up in the stack to be down on the
3919 screen as is the case in gdb, you can put
3921 (debug-enable 'backwards)
3923 in your .guile startup file. (However, this means that Guile can't
3924 use indentation to indicate stack level.)
3926 The debugger is autoloaded into Guile at the first use.
3928 ** Further enhancements to backtraces
3930 There is a new debug option `width' which controls the maximum width
3931 on the screen of printed stack frames. Fancy printing parameters
3932 ("level" and "length" as in Common LISP) are adaptively adjusted for
3933 each stack frame to give maximum information while still fitting
3934 within the bounds. If the stack frame can't be made to fit by
3935 adjusting parameters, it is simply cut off at the end. This is marked
3938 ** Some modules are now only loaded when the repl is started
3940 The modules (ice-9 debug), (ice-9 session), (ice-9 threads) and (ice-9
3941 regex) are now loaded into (guile-user) only if the repl has been
3942 started. The effect is that the startup time for scripts has been
3943 reduced to 30% of what it was previously.
3945 Correctly written scripts load the modules they require at the top of
3946 the file and should not be affected by this change.
3948 ** Hooks are now represented as smobs
3950 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
3952 ** Readline support has changed again.
3954 The old (readline-activator) module is gone. Use (ice-9 readline)
3955 instead, which now contains all readline functionality. So the code
3956 to activate readline is now
3958 (use-modules (ice-9 readline))
3961 This should work at any time, including from the guile prompt.
3963 To avoid confusion about the terms of Guile's license, please only
3964 enable readline for your personal use; please don't make it the
3965 default for others. Here is why we make this rather odd-sounding
3968 Guile is normally licensed under a weakened form of the GNU General
3969 Public License, which allows you to link code with Guile without
3970 placing that code under the GPL. This exception is important to some
3973 However, since readline is distributed under the GNU General Public
3974 License, when you link Guile with readline, either statically or
3975 dynamically, you effectively change Guile's license to the strict GPL.
3976 Whenever you link any strictly GPL'd code into Guile, uses of Guile
3977 which are normally permitted become forbidden. This is a rather
3978 non-obvious consequence of the licensing terms.
3980 So, to make sure things remain clear, please let people choose for
3981 themselves whether to link GPL'd libraries like readline with Guile.
3983 ** regexp-substitute/global has changed slightly, but incompatibly.
3985 If you include a function in the item list, the string of the match
3986 object it receives is the same string passed to
3987 regexp-substitute/global, not some suffix of that string.
3988 Correspondingly, the match's positions are relative to the entire
3989 string, not the suffix.
3991 If the regexp can match the empty string, the way matches are chosen
3992 from the string has changed. regexp-substitute/global recognizes the
3993 same set of matches that list-matches does; see below.
3995 ** New function: list-matches REGEXP STRING [FLAGS]
3997 Return a list of match objects, one for every non-overlapping, maximal
3998 match of REGEXP in STRING. The matches appear in left-to-right order.
3999 list-matches only reports matches of the empty string if there are no
4000 other matches which begin on, end at, or include the empty match's
4003 If present, FLAGS is passed as the FLAGS argument to regexp-exec.
4005 ** New function: fold-matches REGEXP STRING INIT PROC [FLAGS]
4007 For each match of REGEXP in STRING, apply PROC to the match object,
4008 and the last value PROC returned, or INIT for the first call. Return
4009 the last value returned by PROC. We apply PROC to the matches as they
4010 appear from left to right.
4012 This function recognizes matches according to the same criteria as
4015 Thus, you could define list-matches like this:
4017 (define (list-matches regexp string . flags)
4018 (reverse! (apply fold-matches regexp string '() cons flags)))
4020 If present, FLAGS is passed as the FLAGS argument to regexp-exec.
4024 *** New function: hook? OBJ
4026 Return #t if OBJ is a hook, otherwise #f.
4028 *** New function: make-hook-with-name NAME [ARITY]
4030 Return a hook with name NAME and arity ARITY. The default value for
4031 ARITY is 0. The only effect of NAME is that it will appear when the
4032 hook object is printed to ease debugging.
4034 *** New function: hook-empty? HOOK
4036 Return #t if HOOK doesn't contain any procedures, otherwise #f.
4038 *** New function: hook->list HOOK
4040 Return a list of the procedures that are called when run-hook is
4043 ** `map' signals an error if its argument lists are not all the same length.
4045 This is the behavior required by R5RS, so this change is really a bug
4046 fix. But it seems to affect a lot of people's code, so we're
4047 mentioning it here anyway.
4049 ** Print-state handling has been made more transparent
4051 Under certain circumstances, ports are represented as a port with an
4052 associated print state. Earlier, this pair was represented as a pair
4053 (see "Some magic has been added to the printer" below). It is now
4054 indistinguishable (almost; see `get-print-state') from a port on the
4057 *** New function: port-with-print-state OUTPUT-PORT PRINT-STATE
4059 Return a new port with the associated print state PRINT-STATE.
4061 *** New function: get-print-state OUTPUT-PORT
4063 Return the print state associated with this port if it exists,
4064 otherwise return #f.
4066 *** New function: directory-stream? OBJECT
4068 Returns true iff OBJECT is a directory stream --- the sort of object
4069 returned by `opendir'.
4071 ** New function: using-readline?
4073 Return #t if readline is in use in the current repl.
4075 ** structs will be removed in 1.4
4077 Structs will be replaced in Guile 1.4. We will merge GOOPS into Guile
4078 and use GOOPS objects as the fundamental record type.
4080 * Changes to the scm_ interface
4082 ** structs will be removed in 1.4
4084 The entire current struct interface (struct.c, struct.h) will be
4085 replaced in Guile 1.4. We will merge GOOPS into libguile and use
4086 GOOPS objects as the fundamental record type.
4088 ** The internal representation of subr's has changed
4090 Instead of giving a hint to the subr name, the CAR field of the subr
4091 now contains an index to a subr entry in scm_subr_table.
4093 *** New variable: scm_subr_table
4095 An array of subr entries. A subr entry contains the name, properties
4096 and documentation associated with the subr. The properties and
4097 documentation slots are not yet used.
4099 ** A new scheme for "forwarding" calls to a builtin to a generic function
4101 It is now possible to extend the functionality of some Guile
4102 primitives by letting them defer a call to a GOOPS generic function on
4103 argument mismatch. This means that there is no loss of efficiency in
4108 (use-modules (oop goops)) ; Must be GOOPS version 0.2.
4109 (define-method + ((x <string>) (y <string>))
4110 (string-append x y))
4112 + will still be as efficient as usual in numerical calculations, but
4113 can also be used for concatenating strings.
4115 Who will be the first one to extend Guile's numerical tower to
4116 rationals? :) [OK, there a few other things to fix before this can
4117 be made in a clean way.]
4119 *** New snarf macros for defining primitives: SCM_GPROC, SCM_GPROC1
4121 New macro: SCM_GPROC (CNAME, SNAME, REQ, OPT, VAR, CFUNC, GENERIC)
4123 New macro: SCM_GPROC1 (CNAME, SNAME, TYPE, CFUNC, GENERIC)
4125 These do the same job as SCM_PROC and SCM_PROC1, but they also define
4126 a variable GENERIC which can be used by the dispatch macros below.
4128 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
4130 *** New macros for forwarding control to a generic on arg type error
4132 New macro: SCM_WTA_DISPATCH_1 (GENERIC, ARG1, POS, SUBR)
4134 New macro: SCM_WTA_DISPATCH_2 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, POS, SUBR)
4136 These correspond to the scm_wta function call, and have the same
4137 behaviour until the user has called the GOOPS primitive
4138 `enable-primitive-generic!'. After that, these macros will apply the
4139 generic function GENERIC to the argument(s) instead of calling
4142 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
4144 *** New macros for argument testing with generic dispatch
4146 New macro: SCM_GASSERT1 (COND, GENERIC, ARG1, POS, SUBR)
4148 New macro: SCM_GASSERT2 (COND, GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, POS, SUBR)
4150 These correspond to the SCM_ASSERT macro, but will defer control to
4151 GENERIC on error after `enable-primitive-generic!' has been called.
4153 [This is experimental code which may change soon.]
4155 ** New function: SCM scm_eval_body (SCM body, SCM env)
4157 Evaluates the body of a special form.
4159 ** The internal representation of struct's has changed
4161 Previously, four slots were allocated for the procedure(s) of entities
4162 and operators. The motivation for this representation had to do with
4163 the structure of the evaluator, the wish to support tail-recursive
4164 generic functions, and efficiency. Since the generic function
4165 dispatch mechanism has changed, there is no longer a need for such an
4166 expensive representation, and the representation has been simplified.
4168 This should not make any difference for most users.
4170 ** GOOPS support has been cleaned up.
4172 Some code has been moved from eval.c to objects.c and code in both of
4173 these compilation units has been cleaned up and better structured.
4175 *** New functions for applying generic functions
4177 New function: SCM scm_apply_generic (GENERIC, ARGS)
4178 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_0 (GENERIC)
4179 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_1 (GENERIC, ARG1)
4180 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_2 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2)
4181 New function: SCM scm_call_generic_3 (GENERIC, ARG1, ARG2, ARG3)
4183 ** Deprecated function: scm_make_named_hook
4185 It is now replaced by:
4187 ** New function: SCM scm_create_hook (const char *name, int arity)
4189 Creates a hook in the same way as make-hook above but also
4190 binds a variable named NAME to it.
4192 This is the typical way of creating a hook from C code.
4194 Currently, the variable is created in the "current" module.
4195 This might change when we get the new module system.
4197 [The behaviour is identical to scm_make_named_hook.]
4201 Changes since Guile 1.3:
4203 * Changes to mailing lists
4205 ** Some of the Guile mailing lists have moved to sourceware.cygnus.com.
4207 See the README file to find current addresses for all the Guile
4210 * Changes to the distribution
4212 ** Readline support is no longer included with Guile by default.
4214 Based on the different license terms of Guile and Readline, we
4215 concluded that Guile should not *by default* cause the linking of
4216 Readline into an application program. Readline support is now offered
4217 as a separate module, which is linked into an application only when
4218 you explicitly specify it.
4220 Although Guile is GNU software, its distribution terms add a special
4221 exception to the usual GNU General Public License (GPL). Guile's
4222 license includes a clause that allows you to link Guile with non-free
4223 programs. We add this exception so as not to put Guile at a
4224 disadvantage vis-a-vis other extensibility packages that support other
4227 In contrast, the GNU Readline library is distributed under the GNU
4228 General Public License pure and simple. This means that you may not
4229 link Readline, even dynamically, into an application unless it is
4230 distributed under a free software license that is compatible the GPL.
4232 Because of this difference in distribution terms, an application that
4233 can use Guile may not be able to use Readline. Now users will be
4234 explicitly offered two independent decisions about the use of these
4237 You can activate the readline support by issuing
4239 (use-modules (readline-activator))
4242 from your ".guile" file, for example.
4244 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
4246 ** All builtins now print as primitives.
4247 Previously builtin procedures not belonging to the fundamental subr
4248 types printed as #<compiled closure #<primitive-procedure gsubr-apply>>.
4249 Now, they print as #<primitive-procedure NAME>.
4251 ** Backtraces slightly more intelligible.
4252 gsubr-apply and macro transformer application frames no longer appear
4255 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
4257 ** Guile now correctly handles internal defines by rewriting them into
4258 their equivalent letrec. Previously, internal defines would
4259 incrementally add to the innermost environment, without checking
4260 whether the restrictions specified in RnRS were met. This lead to the
4261 correct behaviour when these restriction actually were met, but didn't
4262 catch all illegal uses. Such an illegal use could lead to crashes of
4263 the Guile interpreter or or other unwanted results. An example of
4264 incorrect internal defines that made Guile behave erratically:
4276 The problem with this example is that the definition of `c' uses the
4277 value of `b' directly. This confuses the meoization machine of Guile
4278 so that the second call of `b' (this time in a larger environment that
4279 also contains bindings for `c' and `d') refers to the binding of `c'
4280 instead of `a'. You could also make Guile crash with a variation on
4285 (define (b flag) (if flag a 1))
4286 (define c (1+ (b flag)))
4294 From now on, Guile will issue an `Unbound variable: b' error message
4299 A hook contains a list of functions which should be called on
4300 particular occasions in an existing program. Hooks are used for
4303 A window manager might have a hook before-window-map-hook. The window
4304 manager uses the function run-hooks to call all functions stored in
4305 before-window-map-hook each time a window is mapped. The user can
4306 store functions in the hook using add-hook!.
4308 In Guile, hooks are first class objects.
4310 *** New function: make-hook [N_ARGS]
4312 Return a hook for hook functions which can take N_ARGS arguments.
4313 The default value for N_ARGS is 0.
4315 (See also scm_make_named_hook below.)
4317 *** New function: add-hook! HOOK PROC [APPEND_P]
4319 Put PROC at the beginning of the list of functions stored in HOOK.
4320 If APPEND_P is supplied, and non-false, put PROC at the end instead.
4322 PROC must be able to take the number of arguments specified when the
4325 If PROC already exists in HOOK, then remove it first.
4327 *** New function: remove-hook! HOOK PROC
4329 Remove PROC from the list of functions in HOOK.
4331 *** New function: reset-hook! HOOK
4333 Clear the list of hook functions stored in HOOK.
4335 *** New function: run-hook HOOK ARG1 ...
4337 Run all hook functions stored in HOOK with arguments ARG1 ... .
4338 The number of arguments supplied must correspond to the number given
4339 when the hook was created.
4341 ** The function `dynamic-link' now takes optional keyword arguments.
4342 The only keyword argument that is currently defined is `:global
4343 BOOL'. With it, you can control whether the shared library will be
4344 linked in global mode or not. In global mode, the symbols from the
4345 linked library can be used to resolve references from other
4346 dynamically linked libraries. In non-global mode, the linked
4347 library is essentially invisible and can only be accessed via
4348 `dynamic-func', etc. The default is now to link in global mode.
4349 Previously, the default has been non-global mode.
4351 The `#:global' keyword is only effective on platforms that support
4352 the dlopen family of functions.
4354 ** New function `provided?'
4356 - Function: provided? FEATURE
4357 Return true iff FEATURE is supported by this installation of
4358 Guile. FEATURE must be a symbol naming a feature; the global
4359 variable `*features*' is a list of available features.
4361 ** Changes to the module (ice-9 expect):
4363 *** The expect-strings macro now matches `$' in a regular expression
4364 only at a line-break or end-of-file by default. Previously it would
4365 match the end of the string accumulated so far. The old behaviour
4366 can be obtained by setting the variable `expect-strings-exec-flags'
4369 *** The expect-strings macro now uses a variable `expect-strings-exec-flags'
4370 for the regexp-exec flags. If `regexp/noteol' is included, then `$'
4371 in a regular expression will still match before a line-break or
4372 end-of-file. The default is `regexp/noteol'.
4374 *** The expect-strings macro now uses a variable
4375 `expect-strings-compile-flags' for the flags to be supplied to
4376 `make-regexp'. The default is `regexp/newline', which was previously
4379 *** The expect macro now supplies two arguments to a match procedure:
4380 the current accumulated string and a flag to indicate whether
4381 end-of-file has been reached. Previously only the string was supplied.
4382 If end-of-file is reached, the match procedure will be called an
4383 additional time with the same accumulated string as the previous call
4384 but with the flag set.
4386 ** New module (ice-9 format), implementing the Common Lisp `format' function.
4388 This code, and the documentation for it that appears here, was
4389 borrowed from SLIB, with minor adaptations for Guile.
4391 - Function: format DESTINATION FORMAT-STRING . ARGUMENTS
4392 An almost complete implementation of Common LISP format description
4393 according to the CL reference book `Common LISP' from Guy L.
4394 Steele, Digital Press. Backward compatible to most of the
4395 available Scheme format implementations.
4397 Returns `#t', `#f' or a string; has side effect of printing
4398 according to FORMAT-STRING. If DESTINATION is `#t', the output is
4399 to the current output port and `#t' is returned. If DESTINATION
4400 is `#f', a formatted string is returned as the result of the call.
4401 NEW: If DESTINATION is a string, DESTINATION is regarded as the
4402 format string; FORMAT-STRING is then the first argument and the
4403 output is returned as a string. If DESTINATION is a number, the
4404 output is to the current error port if available by the
4405 implementation. Otherwise DESTINATION must be an output port and
4408 FORMAT-STRING must be a string. In case of a formatting error
4409 format returns `#f' and prints a message on the current output or
4410 error port. Characters are output as if the string were output by
4411 the `display' function with the exception of those prefixed by a
4412 tilde (~). For a detailed description of the FORMAT-STRING syntax
4413 please consult a Common LISP format reference manual. For a test
4414 suite to verify this format implementation load `formatst.scm'.
4415 Please send bug reports to `lutzeb@cs.tu-berlin.de'.
4417 Note: `format' is not reentrant, i.e. only one `format'-call may
4418 be executed at a time.
4421 *** Format Specification (Format version 3.0)
4423 Please consult a Common LISP format reference manual for a detailed
4424 description of the format string syntax. For a demonstration of the
4425 implemented directives see `formatst.scm'.
4427 This implementation supports directive parameters and modifiers (`:'
4428 and `@' characters). Multiple parameters must be separated by a comma
4429 (`,'). Parameters can be numerical parameters (positive or negative),
4430 character parameters (prefixed by a quote character (`''), variable
4431 parameters (`v'), number of rest arguments parameter (`#'), empty and
4432 default parameters. Directive characters are case independent. The
4433 general form of a directive is:
4435 DIRECTIVE ::= ~{DIRECTIVE-PARAMETER,}[:][@]DIRECTIVE-CHARACTER
4437 DIRECTIVE-PARAMETER ::= [ [-|+]{0-9}+ | 'CHARACTER | v | # ]
4439 *** Implemented CL Format Control Directives
4441 Documentation syntax: Uppercase characters represent the
4442 corresponding control directive characters. Lowercase characters
4443 represent control directive parameter descriptions.
4446 Any (print as `display' does).
4450 `~MINCOL,COLINC,MINPAD,PADCHARA'
4454 S-expression (print as `write' does).
4458 `~MINCOL,COLINC,MINPAD,PADCHARS'
4464 print number sign always.
4467 print comma separated.
4469 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARD'
4475 print number sign always.
4478 print comma separated.
4480 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARX'
4486 print number sign always.
4489 print comma separated.
4491 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARO'
4497 print number sign always.
4500 print comma separated.
4502 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARB'
4507 `~N,MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHARR'
4511 print a number as a Roman numeral.
4514 print a number as an "old fashioned" Roman numeral.
4517 print a number as an ordinal English number.
4520 print a number as a cardinal English number.
4525 prints `y' and `ies'.
4528 as `~P but jumps 1 argument backward.'
4531 as `~@P but jumps 1 argument backward.'
4536 prints a character as the reader can understand it (i.e. `#\'
4540 prints a character as emacs does (eg. `^C' for ASCII 03).
4543 Fixed-format floating-point (prints a flonum like MMM.NNN).
4544 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHARF'
4546 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4549 Exponential floating-point (prints a flonum like MMM.NNN`E'EE).
4550 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,EXPONENTDIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHAR,EXPONENTCHARE'
4552 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4555 General floating-point (prints a flonum either fixed or
4557 `~WIDTH,DIGITS,EXPONENTDIGITS,SCALE,OVERFLOWCHAR,PADCHAR,EXPONENTCHARG'
4559 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4562 Dollars floating-point (prints a flonum in fixed with signs
4564 `~DIGITS,SCALE,WIDTH,PADCHAR$'
4566 If the number is positive a plus sign is printed.
4569 A sign is always printed and appears before the padding.
4572 The sign appears before the padding.
4580 print newline if not at the beginning of the output line.
4582 prints `~&' and then N-1 newlines.
4587 print N page separators.
4597 newline is ignored, white space left.
4600 newline is left, white space ignored.
4605 relative tabulation.
4611 Indirection (expects indirect arguments as a list).
4613 extracts indirect arguments from format arguments.
4616 Case conversion (converts by `string-downcase').
4618 converts by `string-capitalize'.
4621 converts by `string-capitalize-first'.
4624 converts by `string-upcase'.
4627 Argument Jumping (jumps 1 argument forward).
4629 jumps N arguments forward.
4632 jumps 1 argument backward.
4635 jumps N arguments backward.
4638 jumps to the 0th argument.
4641 jumps to the Nth argument (beginning from 0)
4643 `~[STR0~;STR1~;...~;STRN~]'
4644 Conditional Expression (numerical clause conditional).
4646 take argument from N.
4649 true test conditional.
4652 if-else-then conditional.
4658 default clause follows.
4661 Iteration (args come from the next argument (a list)).
4663 at most N iterations.
4666 args from next arg (a list of lists).
4669 args from the rest of arguments.
4672 args from the rest args (lists).
4683 aborts if N <= M <= K
4685 *** Not Implemented CL Format Control Directives
4688 print `#f' as an empty list (see below).
4691 print `#f' as an empty list (see below).
4697 (sorry I don't understand its semantics completely)
4699 *** Extended, Replaced and Additional Control Directives
4701 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHD'
4702 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHX'
4703 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHO'
4704 `~MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHB'
4705 `~N,MINCOL,PADCHAR,COMMACHAR,COMMAWIDTHR'
4706 COMMAWIDTH is the number of characters between two comma
4710 print a R4RS complex number as `~F~@Fi' with passed parameters for
4714 Pretty print formatting of an argument for scheme code lists.
4720 Flushes the output if format DESTINATION is a port.
4723 Print a `#\space' character
4725 print N `#\space' characters.
4728 Print a `#\tab' character
4730 print N `#\tab' characters.
4733 Takes N as an integer representation for a character. No arguments
4734 are consumed. N is converted to a character by `integer->char'. N
4735 must be a positive decimal number.
4738 Print out readproof. Prints out internal objects represented as
4739 `#<...>' as strings `"#<...>"' so that the format output can always
4740 be processed by `read'.
4743 Print out readproof. Prints out internal objects represented as
4744 `#<...>' as strings `"#<...>"' so that the format output can always
4745 be processed by `read'.
4748 Prints information and a copyright notice on the format
4751 prints format version.
4754 may also print number strings, i.e. passing a number as a string
4755 and format it accordingly.
4757 *** Configuration Variables
4759 The format module exports some configuration variables to suit the
4760 systems and users needs. There should be no modification necessary for
4761 the configuration that comes with Guile. Format detects automatically
4762 if the running scheme system implements floating point numbers and
4765 format:symbol-case-conv
4766 Symbols are converted by `symbol->string' so the case type of the
4767 printed symbols is implementation dependent.
4768 `format:symbol-case-conv' is a one arg closure which is either
4769 `#f' (no conversion), `string-upcase', `string-downcase' or
4770 `string-capitalize'. (default `#f')
4772 format:iobj-case-conv
4773 As FORMAT:SYMBOL-CASE-CONV but applies for the representation of
4774 implementation internal objects. (default `#f')
4777 The character prefixing the exponent value in `~E' printing.
4780 *** Compatibility With Other Format Implementations
4786 Downward compatible except for padding support and `~A', `~S',
4787 `~P', `~X' uppercase printing. SLIB format 1.4 uses C-style
4788 `printf' padding support which is completely replaced by the CL
4789 `format' padding style.
4792 Downward compatible except for `~', which is not documented
4793 (ignores all characters inside the format string up to a newline
4794 character). (7.1 implements `~a', `~s', ~NEWLINE, `~~', `~%',
4795 numerical and variable parameters and `:/@' modifiers in the CL
4799 Downward compatible except for `~A' and `~S' which print in
4800 uppercase. (Elk implements `~a', `~s', `~~', and `~%' (no
4801 directive parameters or modifiers)).
4804 Downward compatible except for an optional destination parameter:
4805 S2C accepts a format call without a destination which returns a
4806 formatted string. This is equivalent to a #f destination in S2C.
4807 (S2C implements `~a', `~s', `~c', `~%', and `~~' (no directive
4808 parameters or modifiers)).
4811 ** Changes to string-handling functions.
4813 These functions were added to support the (ice-9 format) module, above.
4815 *** New function: string-upcase STRING
4816 *** New function: string-downcase STRING
4818 These are non-destructive versions of the existing string-upcase! and
4819 string-downcase! functions.
4821 *** New function: string-capitalize! STRING
4822 *** New function: string-capitalize STRING
4824 These functions convert the first letter of each word in the string to
4827 (string-capitalize "howdy there")
4830 As with the other functions, string-capitalize! modifies the string in
4831 place, while string-capitalize returns a modified copy of its argument.
4833 *** New function: string-ci->symbol STRING
4835 Return a symbol whose name is STRING, but having the same case as if
4836 the symbol had be read by `read'.
4838 Guile can be configured to be sensitive or insensitive to case
4839 differences in Scheme identifiers. If Guile is case-insensitive, all
4840 symbols are converted to lower case on input. The `string-ci->symbol'
4841 function returns a symbol whose name in STRING, transformed as Guile
4842 would if STRING were input.
4844 *** New function: substring-move! STRING1 START END STRING2 START
4846 Copy the substring of STRING1 from START (inclusive) to END
4847 (exclusive) to STRING2 at START. STRING1 and STRING2 may be the same
4848 string, and the source and destination areas may overlap; in all
4849 cases, the function behaves as if all the characters were copied
4852 *** Extended functions: substring-move-left! substring-move-right!
4854 These functions now correctly copy arbitrarily overlapping substrings;
4855 they are both synonyms for substring-move!.
4858 ** New module (ice-9 getopt-long), with the function `getopt-long'.
4860 getopt-long is a function for parsing command-line arguments in a
4861 manner consistent with other GNU programs.
4863 (getopt-long ARGS GRAMMAR)
4864 Parse the arguments ARGS according to the argument list grammar GRAMMAR.
4866 ARGS should be a list of strings. Its first element should be the
4867 name of the program; subsequent elements should be the arguments
4868 that were passed to the program on the command line. The
4869 `program-arguments' procedure returns a list of this form.
4871 GRAMMAR is a list of the form:
4872 ((OPTION (PROPERTY VALUE) ...) ...)
4874 Each OPTION should be a symbol. `getopt-long' will accept a
4875 command-line option named `--OPTION'.
4876 Each option can have the following (PROPERTY VALUE) pairs:
4878 (single-char CHAR) --- Accept `-CHAR' as a single-character
4879 equivalent to `--OPTION'. This is how to specify traditional
4881 (required? BOOL) --- If BOOL is true, the option is required.
4882 getopt-long will raise an error if it is not found in ARGS.
4883 (value BOOL) --- If BOOL is #t, the option accepts a value; if
4884 it is #f, it does not; and if it is the symbol
4885 `optional', the option may appear in ARGS with or
4887 (predicate FUNC) --- If the option accepts a value (i.e. you
4888 specified `(value #t)' for this option), then getopt
4889 will apply FUNC to the value, and throw an exception
4890 if it returns #f. FUNC should be a procedure which
4891 accepts a string and returns a boolean value; you may
4892 need to use quasiquotes to get it into GRAMMAR.
4894 The (PROPERTY VALUE) pairs may occur in any order, but each
4895 property may occur only once. By default, options do not have
4896 single-character equivalents, are not required, and do not take
4899 In ARGS, single-character options may be combined, in the usual
4900 Unix fashion: ("-x" "-y") is equivalent to ("-xy"). If an option
4901 accepts values, then it must be the last option in the
4902 combination; the value is the next argument. So, for example, using
4903 the following grammar:
4904 ((apples (single-char #\a))
4905 (blimps (single-char #\b) (value #t))
4906 (catalexis (single-char #\c) (value #t)))
4907 the following argument lists would be acceptable:
4908 ("-a" "-b" "bang" "-c" "couth") ("bang" and "couth" are the values
4909 for "blimps" and "catalexis")
4910 ("-ab" "bang" "-c" "couth") (same)
4911 ("-ac" "couth" "-b" "bang") (same)
4912 ("-abc" "couth" "bang") (an error, since `-b' is not the
4913 last option in its combination)
4915 If an option's value is optional, then `getopt-long' decides
4916 whether it has a value by looking at what follows it in ARGS. If
4917 the next element is a string, and it does not appear to be an
4918 option itself, then that string is the option's value.
4920 The value of a long option can appear as the next element in ARGS,
4921 or it can follow the option name, separated by an `=' character.
4922 Thus, using the same grammar as above, the following argument lists
4924 ("--apples" "Braeburn" "--blimps" "Goodyear")
4925 ("--apples=Braeburn" "--blimps" "Goodyear")
4926 ("--blimps" "Goodyear" "--apples=Braeburn")
4928 If the option "--" appears in ARGS, argument parsing stops there;
4929 subsequent arguments are returned as ordinary arguments, even if
4930 they resemble options. So, in the argument list:
4931 ("--apples" "Granny Smith" "--" "--blimp" "Goodyear")
4932 `getopt-long' will recognize the `apples' option as having the
4933 value "Granny Smith", but it will not recognize the `blimp'
4934 option; it will return the strings "--blimp" and "Goodyear" as
4935 ordinary argument strings.
4937 The `getopt-long' function returns the parsed argument list as an
4938 assocation list, mapping option names --- the symbols from GRAMMAR
4939 --- onto their values, or #t if the option does not accept a value.
4940 Unused options do not appear in the alist.
4942 All arguments that are not the value of any option are returned
4943 as a list, associated with the empty list.
4945 `getopt-long' throws an exception if:
4946 - it finds an unrecognized option in ARGS
4947 - a required option is omitted
4948 - an option that requires an argument doesn't get one
4949 - an option that doesn't accept an argument does get one (this can
4950 only happen using the long option `--opt=value' syntax)
4951 - an option predicate fails
4956 `((lockfile-dir (required? #t)
4959 (predicate ,file-is-directory?))
4960 (verbose (required? #f)
4963 (x-includes (single-char #\x))
4964 (rnet-server (single-char #\y)
4965 (predicate ,string?))))
4967 (getopt-long '("my-prog" "-vk" "/tmp" "foo1" "--x-includes=/usr/include"
4968 "--rnet-server=lamprod" "--" "-fred" "foo2" "foo3")
4970 => ((() "foo1" "-fred" "foo2" "foo3")
4971 (rnet-server . "lamprod")
4972 (x-includes . "/usr/include")
4973 (lockfile-dir . "/tmp")
4976 ** The (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style) module is obsolete; use (ice-9 getopt-long).
4978 It will be removed in a few releases.
4980 ** New syntax: lambda*
4981 ** New syntax: define*
4982 ** New syntax: define*-public
4983 ** New syntax: defmacro*
4984 ** New syntax: defmacro*-public
4985 Guile now supports optional arguments.
4987 `lambda*', `define*', `define*-public', `defmacro*' and
4988 `defmacro*-public' are identical to the non-* versions except that
4989 they use an extended type of parameter list that has the following BNF
4990 syntax (parentheses are literal, square brackets indicate grouping,
4991 and `*', `+' and `?' have the usual meaning):
4993 ext-param-list ::= ( [identifier]* [#&optional [ext-var-decl]+]?
4994 [#&key [ext-var-decl]+ [#&allow-other-keys]?]?
4995 [[#&rest identifier]|[. identifier]]? ) | [identifier]
4997 ext-var-decl ::= identifier | ( identifier expression )
4999 The semantics are best illustrated with the following documentation
5000 and examples for `lambda*':
5003 lambda extended for optional and keyword arguments
5005 lambda* creates a procedure that takes optional arguments. These
5006 are specified by putting them inside brackets at the end of the
5007 paramater list, but before any dotted rest argument. For example,
5008 (lambda* (a b #&optional c d . e) '())
5009 creates a procedure with fixed arguments a and b, optional arguments c
5010 and d, and rest argument e. If the optional arguments are omitted
5011 in a call, the variables for them are unbound in the procedure. This
5012 can be checked with the bound? macro.
5014 lambda* can also take keyword arguments. For example, a procedure
5016 (lambda* (#&key xyzzy larch) '())
5017 can be called with any of the argument lists (#:xyzzy 11)
5018 (#:larch 13) (#:larch 42 #:xyzzy 19) (). Whichever arguments
5019 are given as keywords are bound to values.
5021 Optional and keyword arguments can also be given default values
5022 which they take on when they are not present in a call, by giving a
5023 two-item list in place of an optional argument, for example in:
5024 (lambda* (foo #&optional (bar 42) #&key (baz 73)) (list foo bar baz))
5025 foo is a fixed argument, bar is an optional argument with default
5026 value 42, and baz is a keyword argument with default value 73.
5027 Default value expressions are not evaluated unless they are needed
5028 and until the procedure is called.
5030 lambda* now supports two more special parameter list keywords.
5032 lambda*-defined procedures now throw an error by default if a
5033 keyword other than one of those specified is found in the actual
5034 passed arguments. However, specifying #&allow-other-keys
5035 immediately after the kyword argument declarations restores the
5036 previous behavior of ignoring unknown keywords. lambda* also now
5037 guarantees that if the same keyword is passed more than once, the
5038 last one passed is the one that takes effect. For example,
5039 ((lambda* (#&key (heads 0) (tails 0)) (display (list heads tails)))
5040 #:heads 37 #:tails 42 #:heads 99)
5041 would result in (99 47) being displayed.
5043 #&rest is also now provided as a synonym for the dotted syntax rest
5044 argument. The argument lists (a . b) and (a #&rest b) are equivalent in
5045 all respects to lambda*. This is provided for more similarity to DSSSL,
5046 MIT-Scheme and Kawa among others, as well as for refugees from other
5049 Further documentation may be found in the optargs.scm file itself.
5051 The optional argument module also exports the macros `let-optional',
5052 `let-optional*', `let-keywords', `let-keywords*' and `bound?'. These
5053 are not documented here because they may be removed in the future, but
5054 full documentation is still available in optargs.scm.
5056 ** New syntax: and-let*
5057 Guile now supports the `and-let*' form, described in the draft SRFI-2.
5059 Syntax: (land* (<clause> ...) <body> ...)
5060 Each <clause> should have one of the following forms:
5061 (<variable> <expression>)
5064 Each <variable> or <bound-variable> should be an identifier. Each
5065 <expression> should be a valid expression. The <body> should be a
5066 possibly empty sequence of expressions, like the <body> of a
5069 Semantics: A LAND* expression is evaluated by evaluating the
5070 <expression> or <bound-variable> of each of the <clause>s from
5071 left to right. The value of the first <expression> or
5072 <bound-variable> that evaluates to a false value is returned; the
5073 remaining <expression>s and <bound-variable>s are not evaluated.
5074 The <body> forms are evaluated iff all the <expression>s and
5075 <bound-variable>s evaluate to true values.
5077 The <expression>s and the <body> are evaluated in an environment
5078 binding each <variable> of the preceding (<variable> <expression>)
5079 clauses to the value of the <expression>. Later bindings
5080 shadow earlier bindings.
5082 Guile's and-let* macro was contributed by Michael Livshin.
5084 ** New sorting functions
5086 *** New function: sorted? SEQUENCE LESS?
5087 Returns `#t' when the sequence argument is in non-decreasing order
5088 according to LESS? (that is, there is no adjacent pair `... x y
5089 ...' for which `(less? y x)').
5091 Returns `#f' when the sequence contains at least one out-of-order
5092 pair. It is an error if the sequence is neither a list nor a
5095 *** New function: merge LIST1 LIST2 LESS?
5096 LIST1 and LIST2 are sorted lists.
5097 Returns the sorted list of all elements in LIST1 and LIST2.
5099 Assume that the elements a and b1 in LIST1 and b2 in LIST2 are "equal"
5100 in the sense that (LESS? x y) --> #f for x, y in {a, b1, b2},
5101 and that a < b1 in LIST1. Then a < b1 < b2 in the result.
5102 (Here "<" should read "comes before".)
5104 *** New procedure: merge! LIST1 LIST2 LESS?
5105 Merges two lists, re-using the pairs of LIST1 and LIST2 to build
5106 the result. If the code is compiled, and LESS? constructs no new
5107 pairs, no pairs at all will be allocated. The first pair of the
5108 result will be either the first pair of LIST1 or the first pair of
5111 *** New function: sort SEQUENCE LESS?
5112 Accepts either a list or a vector, and returns a new sequence
5113 which is sorted. The new sequence is the same type as the input.
5114 Always `(sorted? (sort sequence less?) less?)'. The original
5115 sequence is not altered in any way. The new sequence shares its
5116 elements with the old one; no elements are copied.
5118 *** New procedure: sort! SEQUENCE LESS
5119 Returns its sorted result in the original boxes. No new storage is
5120 allocated at all. Proper usage: (set! slist (sort! slist <))
5122 *** New function: stable-sort SEQUENCE LESS?
5123 Similar to `sort' but stable. That is, if "equal" elements are
5124 ordered a < b in the original sequence, they will have the same order
5127 *** New function: stable-sort! SEQUENCE LESS?
5128 Similar to `sort!' but stable.
5129 Uses temporary storage when sorting vectors.
5131 *** New functions: sort-list, sort-list!
5132 Added for compatibility with scsh.
5134 ** New built-in random number support
5136 *** New function: random N [STATE]
5137 Accepts a positive integer or real N and returns a number of the
5138 same type between zero (inclusive) and N (exclusive). The values
5139 returned have a uniform distribution.
5141 The optional argument STATE must be of the type produced by
5142 `copy-random-state' or `seed->random-state'. It defaults to the value
5143 of the variable `*random-state*'. This object is used to maintain the
5144 state of the pseudo-random-number generator and is altered as a side
5145 effect of the `random' operation.
5147 *** New variable: *random-state*
5148 Holds a data structure that encodes the internal state of the
5149 random-number generator that `random' uses by default. The nature
5150 of this data structure is implementation-dependent. It may be
5151 printed out and successfully read back in, but may or may not
5152 function correctly as a random-number state object in another
5155 *** New function: copy-random-state [STATE]
5156 Returns a new object of type suitable for use as the value of the
5157 variable `*random-state*' and as a second argument to `random'.
5158 If argument STATE is given, a copy of it is returned. Otherwise a
5159 copy of `*random-state*' is returned.
5161 *** New function: seed->random-state SEED
5162 Returns a new object of type suitable for use as the value of the
5163 variable `*random-state*' and as a second argument to `random'.
5164 SEED is a string or a number. A new state is generated and
5165 initialized using SEED.
5167 *** New function: random:uniform [STATE]
5168 Returns an uniformly distributed inexact real random number in the
5169 range between 0 and 1.
5171 *** New procedure: random:solid-sphere! VECT [STATE]
5172 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers the sum of whose
5173 squares is less than 1.0. Thinking of VECT as coordinates in
5174 space of dimension N = `(vector-length VECT)', the coordinates are
5175 uniformly distributed within the unit N-shere. The sum of the
5176 squares of the numbers is returned. VECT can be either a vector
5177 or a uniform vector of doubles.
5179 *** New procedure: random:hollow-sphere! VECT [STATE]
5180 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers the sum of whose squares
5181 is equal to 1.0. Thinking of VECT as coordinates in space of
5182 dimension n = `(vector-length VECT)', the coordinates are uniformly
5183 distributed over the surface of the unit n-shere. VECT can be either
5184 a vector or a uniform vector of doubles.
5186 *** New function: random:normal [STATE]
5187 Returns an inexact real in a normal distribution with mean 0 and
5188 standard deviation 1. For a normal distribution with mean M and
5189 standard deviation D use `(+ M (* D (random:normal)))'.
5191 *** New procedure: random:normal-vector! VECT [STATE]
5192 Fills VECT with inexact real random numbers which are independent and
5193 standard normally distributed (i.e., with mean 0 and variance 1).
5194 VECT can be either a vector or a uniform vector of doubles.
5196 *** New function: random:exp STATE
5197 Returns an inexact real in an exponential distribution with mean 1.
5198 For an exponential distribution with mean U use (* U (random:exp)).
5200 ** The range of logand, logior, logxor, logtest, and logbit? have changed.
5202 These functions now operate on numbers in the range of a C unsigned
5205 These functions used to operate on numbers in the range of a C signed
5206 long; however, this seems inappropriate, because Guile integers don't
5209 ** New function: make-guardian
5210 This is an implementation of guardians as described in
5211 R. Kent Dybvig, Carl Bruggeman, and David Eby (1993) "Guardians in a
5212 Generation-Based Garbage Collector" ACM SIGPLAN Conference on
5213 Programming Language Design and Implementation, June 1993
5214 ftp://ftp.cs.indiana.edu/pub/scheme-repository/doc/pubs/guardians.ps.gz
5216 ** New functions: delq1!, delv1!, delete1!
5217 These procedures behave similar to delq! and friends but delete only
5218 one object if at all.
5220 ** New function: unread-string STRING PORT
5221 Unread STRING to PORT, that is, push it back onto the port so that
5222 next read operation will work on the pushed back characters.
5224 ** unread-char can now be called multiple times
5225 If unread-char is called multiple times, the unread characters will be
5226 read again in last-in first-out order.
5228 ** the procedures uniform-array-read! and uniform-array-write! now
5229 work on any kind of port, not just ports which are open on a file.
5231 ** Now 'l' in a port mode requests line buffering.
5233 ** The procedure truncate-file now works on string ports as well
5234 as file ports. If the size argument is omitted, the current
5235 file position is used.
5237 ** new procedure: seek PORT/FDES OFFSET WHENCE
5238 The arguments are the same as for the old fseek procedure, but it
5239 works on string ports as well as random-access file ports.
5241 ** the fseek procedure now works on string ports, since it has been
5242 redefined using seek.
5244 ** the setvbuf procedure now uses a default size if mode is _IOFBF and
5245 size is not supplied.
5247 ** the newline procedure no longer flushes the port if it's not
5248 line-buffered: previously it did if it was the current output port.
5250 ** open-pipe and close-pipe are no longer primitive procedures, but
5251 an emulation can be obtained using `(use-modules (ice-9 popen))'.
5253 ** the freopen procedure has been removed.
5255 ** new procedure: drain-input PORT
5256 Drains PORT's read buffers (including any pushed-back characters)
5257 and returns the contents as a single string.
5259 ** New function: map-in-order PROC LIST1 LIST2 ...
5260 Version of `map' which guarantees that the procedure is applied to the
5261 lists in serial order.
5263 ** Renamed `serial-array-copy!' and `serial-array-map!' to
5264 `array-copy-in-order!' and `array-map-in-order!'. The old names are
5265 now obsolete and will go away in release 1.5.
5267 ** New syntax: collect BODY1 ...
5268 Version of `begin' which returns a list of the results of the body
5269 forms instead of the result of the last body form. In contrast to
5270 `begin', `collect' allows an empty body.
5272 ** New functions: read-history FILENAME, write-history FILENAME
5273 Read/write command line history from/to file. Returns #t on success
5274 and #f if an error occured.
5276 ** `ls' and `lls' in module (ice-9 ls) now handle no arguments.
5278 These procedures return a list of definitions available in the specified
5279 argument, a relative module reference. In the case of no argument,
5280 `(current-module)' is now consulted for definitions to return, instead
5281 of simply returning #f, the former behavior.
5283 ** The #/ syntax for lists is no longer supported.
5285 Earlier versions of Scheme accepted this syntax, but printed a
5288 ** Guile no longer consults the SCHEME_LOAD_PATH environment variable.
5290 Instead, you should set GUILE_LOAD_PATH to tell Guile where to find
5293 * Changes to the gh_ interface
5297 Now takes a second argument which is the result array. If this
5298 pointer is NULL, a new array is malloced (the old behaviour).
5300 ** gh_chars2byvect, gh_shorts2svect, gh_floats2fvect, gh_scm2chars,
5301 gh_scm2shorts, gh_scm2longs, gh_scm2floats
5305 * Changes to the scm_ interface
5307 ** Function: scm_make_named_hook (char* name, int n_args)
5309 Creates a hook in the same way as make-hook above but also
5310 binds a variable named NAME to it.
5312 This is the typical way of creating a hook from C code.
5314 Currently, the variable is created in the "current" module. This
5315 might change when we get the new module system.
5317 ** The smob interface
5319 The interface for creating smobs has changed. For documentation, see
5320 data-rep.info (made from guile-core/doc/data-rep.texi).
5322 *** Deprecated function: SCM scm_newsmob (scm_smobfuns *)
5324 >>> This function will be removed in 1.3.4. <<<
5328 *** Function: SCM scm_make_smob_type (const char *name, scm_sizet size)
5329 This function adds a new smob type, named NAME, with instance size
5330 SIZE to the system. The return value is a tag that is used in
5331 creating instances of the type. If SIZE is 0, then no memory will
5332 be allocated when instances of the smob are created, and nothing
5333 will be freed by the default free function.
5335 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_mark (long tc, SCM (*mark) (SCM))
5336 This function sets the smob marking procedure for the smob type
5337 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5338 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5340 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_free (long tc, SCM (*mark) (SCM))
5341 This function sets the smob freeing procedure for the smob type
5342 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5343 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5345 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_print (tc, print)
5347 - Function: void scm_set_smob_print (long tc,
5348 scm_sizet (*print) (SCM,
5352 This function sets the smob printing procedure for the smob type
5353 specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5354 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5356 *** Function: void scm_set_smob_equalp (long tc, SCM (*equalp) (SCM, SCM))
5357 This function sets the smob equality-testing predicate for the
5358 smob type specified by the tag TC. TC is the tag returned by
5359 `scm_make_smob_type'.
5361 *** Macro: void SCM_NEWSMOB (SCM var, long tc, void *data)
5362 Make VALUE contain a smob instance of the type with type code TC and
5363 smob data DATA. VALUE must be previously declared as C type `SCM'.
5365 *** Macro: fn_returns SCM_RETURN_NEWSMOB (long tc, void *data)
5366 This macro expands to a block of code that creates a smob instance
5367 of the type with type code TC and smob data DATA, and returns that
5368 `SCM' value. It should be the last piece of code in a block.
5370 ** The interfaces for using I/O ports and implementing port types
5371 (ptobs) have changed significantly. The new interface is based on
5372 shared access to buffers and a new set of ptob procedures.
5374 *** scm_newptob has been removed
5378 *** Function: SCM scm_make_port_type (type_name, fill_buffer, write_flush)
5380 - Function: SCM scm_make_port_type (char *type_name,
5381 int (*fill_buffer) (SCM port),
5382 void (*write_flush) (SCM port));
5384 Similarly to the new smob interface, there is a set of function
5385 setters by which the user can customize the behaviour of his port
5386 type. See ports.h (scm_set_port_XXX).
5388 ** scm_strport_to_string: New function: creates a new string from
5389 a string port's buffer.
5391 ** Plug in interface for random number generators
5392 The variable `scm_the_rng' in random.c contains a value and three
5393 function pointers which together define the current random number
5394 generator being used by the Scheme level interface and the random
5395 number library functions.
5397 The user is free to replace the default generator with the generator
5400 *** Variable: size_t scm_the_rng.rstate_size
5401 The size of the random state type used by the current RNG
5404 *** Function: unsigned long scm_the_rng.random_bits (scm_rstate *STATE)
5405 Given the random STATE, return 32 random bits.
5407 *** Function: void scm_the_rng.init_rstate (scm_rstate *STATE, chars *S, int N)
5408 Seed random state STATE using string S of length N.
5410 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_the_rng.copy_rstate (scm_rstate *STATE)
5411 Given random state STATE, return a malloced copy.
5414 The default RNG is the MWC (Multiply With Carry) random number
5415 generator described by George Marsaglia at the Department of
5416 Statistics and Supercomputer Computations Research Institute, The
5417 Florida State University (http://stat.fsu.edu/~geo).
5419 It uses 64 bits, has a period of 4578426017172946943 (4.6e18), and
5420 passes all tests in the DIEHARD test suite
5421 (http://stat.fsu.edu/~geo/diehard.html). The generation of 32 bits
5422 costs one multiply and one add on platforms which either supports long
5423 longs (gcc does this on most systems) or have 64 bit longs. The cost
5424 is four multiply on other systems but this can be optimized by writing
5425 scm_i_uniform32 in assembler.
5427 These functions are provided through the scm_the_rng interface for use
5428 by libguile and the application.
5430 *** Function: unsigned long scm_i_uniform32 (scm_i_rstate *STATE)
5431 Given the random STATE, return 32 random bits.
5432 Don't use this function directly. Instead go through the plugin
5433 interface (see "Plug in interface" above).
5435 *** Function: void scm_i_init_rstate (scm_i_rstate *STATE, char *SEED, int N)
5436 Initialize STATE using SEED of length N.
5438 *** Function: scm_i_rstate *scm_i_copy_rstate (scm_i_rstate *STATE)
5439 Return a malloc:ed copy of STATE. This function can easily be re-used
5440 in the interfaces to other RNGs.
5442 ** Random number library functions
5443 These functions use the current RNG through the scm_the_rng interface.
5444 It might be a good idea to use these functions from your C code so
5445 that only one random generator is used by all code in your program.
5447 The default random state is stored in:
5449 *** Variable: SCM scm_var_random_state
5450 Contains the vcell of the Scheme variable "*random-state*" which is
5451 used as default state by all random number functions in the Scheme
5456 double x = scm_c_uniform01 (SCM_RSTATE (SCM_CDR (scm_var_random_state)));
5458 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_c_default_rstate (void)
5459 This is a convenience function which returns the value of
5460 scm_var_random_state. An error message is generated if this value
5461 isn't a random state.
5463 *** Function: scm_rstate *scm_c_make_rstate (char *SEED, int LENGTH)
5464 Make a new random state from the string SEED of length LENGTH.
5466 It is generally not a good idea to use multiple random states in a
5467 program. While subsequent random numbers generated from one random
5468 state are guaranteed to be reasonably independent, there is no such
5469 guarantee for numbers generated from different random states.
5471 *** Macro: unsigned long scm_c_uniform32 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5472 Return 32 random bits.
5474 *** Function: double scm_c_uniform01 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5475 Return a sample from the uniform(0,1) distribution.
5477 *** Function: double scm_c_normal01 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5478 Return a sample from the normal(0,1) distribution.
5480 *** Function: double scm_c_exp1 (scm_rstate *STATE)
5481 Return a sample from the exp(1) distribution.
5483 *** Function: unsigned long scm_c_random (scm_rstate *STATE, unsigned long M)
5484 Return a sample from the discrete uniform(0,M) distribution.
5486 *** Function: SCM scm_c_random_bignum (scm_rstate *STATE, SCM M)
5487 Return a sample from the discrete uniform(0,M) distribution.
5488 M must be a bignum object. The returned value may be an INUM.
5492 Changes in Guile 1.3 (released Monday, October 19, 1998):
5494 * Changes to the distribution
5496 ** We renamed the SCHEME_LOAD_PATH environment variable to GUILE_LOAD_PATH.
5497 To avoid conflicts, programs should name environment variables after
5498 themselves, except when there's a common practice establishing some
5501 For now, Guile supports both GUILE_LOAD_PATH and SCHEME_LOAD_PATH,
5502 giving the former precedence, and printing a warning message if the
5503 latter is set. Guile 1.4 will not recognize SCHEME_LOAD_PATH at all.
5505 ** The header files related to multi-byte characters have been removed.
5506 They were: libguile/extchrs.h and libguile/mbstrings.h. Any C code
5507 which referred to these explicitly will probably need to be rewritten,
5508 since the support for the variant string types has been removed; see
5511 ** The header files append.h and sequences.h have been removed. These
5512 files implemented non-R4RS operations which would encourage
5513 non-portable programming style and less easy-to-read code.
5515 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
5517 ** New procedures have been added to implement a "batch mode":
5519 *** Function: batch-mode?
5521 Returns a boolean indicating whether the interpreter is in batch
5524 *** Function: set-batch-mode?! ARG
5526 If ARG is true, switches the interpreter to batch mode. The `#f'
5527 case has not been implemented.
5529 ** Guile now provides full command-line editing, when run interactively.
5530 To use this feature, you must have the readline library installed.
5531 The Guile build process will notice it, and automatically include
5534 The readline library is available via anonymous FTP from any GNU
5535 mirror site; the canonical location is "ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu".
5537 ** the-last-stack is now a fluid.
5539 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
5541 ** You can now use the `guile-config' utility to build programs that use Guile.
5543 Guile now includes a command-line utility called `guile-config', which
5544 can provide information about how to compile and link programs that
5547 *** `guile-config compile' prints any C compiler flags needed to use Guile.
5548 You should include this command's output on the command line you use
5549 to compile C or C++ code that #includes the Guile header files. It's
5550 usually just a `-I' flag to help the compiler find the Guile headers.
5553 *** `guile-config link' prints any linker flags necessary to link with Guile.
5555 This command writes to its standard output a list of flags which you
5556 must pass to the linker to link your code against the Guile library.
5557 The flags include '-lguile' itself, any other libraries the Guile
5558 library depends upon, and any `-L' flags needed to help the linker
5559 find those libraries.
5561 For example, here is a Makefile rule that builds a program named 'foo'
5562 from the object files ${FOO_OBJECTS}, and links them against Guile:
5565 ${CC} ${CFLAGS} ${FOO_OBJECTS} `guile-config link` -o foo
5567 Previous Guile releases recommended that you use autoconf to detect
5568 which of a predefined set of libraries were present on your system.
5569 It is more robust to use `guile-config', since it records exactly which
5570 libraries the installed Guile library requires.
5572 This was originally called `build-guile', but was renamed to
5573 `guile-config' before Guile 1.3 was released, to be consistent with
5574 the analogous script for the GTK+ GUI toolkit, which is called
5578 ** Use the GUILE_FLAGS macro in your configure.in file to find Guile.
5580 If you are using the GNU autoconf package to configure your program,
5581 you can use the GUILE_FLAGS autoconf macro to call `guile-config'
5582 (described above) and gather the necessary values for use in your
5585 The GUILE_FLAGS macro expands to configure script code which runs the
5586 `guile-config' script, to find out where Guile's header files and
5587 libraries are installed. It sets two variables, marked for
5588 substitution, as by AC_SUBST.
5590 GUILE_CFLAGS --- flags to pass to a C or C++ compiler to build
5591 code that uses Guile header files. This is almost always just a
5594 GUILE_LDFLAGS --- flags to pass to the linker to link a
5595 program against Guile. This includes `-lguile' for the Guile
5596 library itself, any libraries that Guile itself requires (like
5597 -lqthreads), and so on. It may also include a -L flag to tell the
5598 compiler where to find the libraries.
5600 GUILE_FLAGS is defined in the file guile.m4, in the top-level
5601 directory of the Guile distribution. You can copy it into your
5602 package's aclocal.m4 file, and then use it in your configure.in file.
5604 If you are using the `aclocal' program, distributed with GNU automake,
5605 to maintain your aclocal.m4 file, the Guile installation process
5606 installs guile.m4 where aclocal will find it. All you need to do is
5607 use GUILE_FLAGS in your configure.in file, and then run `aclocal';
5608 this will copy the definition of GUILE_FLAGS into your aclocal.m4
5612 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
5614 ** Multi-byte strings have been removed, as have multi-byte and wide
5615 ports. We felt that these were the wrong approach to
5616 internationalization support.
5618 ** New function: readline [PROMPT]
5619 Read a line from the terminal, and allow the user to edit it,
5620 prompting with PROMPT. READLINE provides a large set of Emacs-like
5621 editing commands, lets the user recall previously typed lines, and
5622 works on almost every kind of terminal, including dumb terminals.
5624 READLINE assumes that the cursor is at the beginning of the line when
5625 it is invoked. Thus, you can't print a prompt yourself, and then call
5626 READLINE; you need to package up your prompt as a string, pass it to
5627 the function, and let READLINE print the prompt itself. This is
5628 because READLINE needs to know the prompt's screen width.
5630 For Guile to provide this function, you must have the readline
5631 library, version 2.1 or later, installed on your system. Readline is
5632 available via anonymous FTP from prep.ai.mit.edu in pub/gnu, or from
5633 any GNU mirror site.
5635 See also ADD-HISTORY function.
5637 ** New function: add-history STRING
5638 Add STRING as the most recent line in the history used by the READLINE
5639 command. READLINE does not add lines to the history itself; you must
5640 call ADD-HISTORY to make previous input available to the user.
5642 ** The behavior of the read-line function has changed.
5644 This function now uses standard C library functions to read the line,
5645 for speed. This means that it doesn not respect the value of
5646 scm-line-incrementors; it assumes that lines are delimited with
5649 (Note that this is read-line, the function that reads a line of text
5650 from a port, not readline, the function that reads a line from a
5651 terminal, providing full editing capabilities.)
5653 ** New module (ice-9 getopt-gnu-style): Parse command-line arguments.
5655 This module provides some simple argument parsing. It exports one
5658 Function: getopt-gnu-style ARG-LS
5659 Parse a list of program arguments into an alist of option
5662 Each item in the list of program arguments is examined to see if
5663 it meets the syntax of a GNU long-named option. An argument like
5664 `--MUMBLE' produces an element of the form (MUMBLE . #t) in the
5665 returned alist, where MUMBLE is a keyword object with the same
5666 name as the argument. An argument like `--MUMBLE=FROB' produces
5667 an element of the form (MUMBLE . FROB), where FROB is a string.
5669 As a special case, the returned alist also contains a pair whose
5670 car is the symbol `rest'. The cdr of this pair is a list
5671 containing all the items in the argument list that are not options
5672 of the form mentioned above.
5674 The argument `--' is treated specially: all items in the argument
5675 list appearing after such an argument are not examined, and are
5676 returned in the special `rest' list.
5678 This function does not parse normal single-character switches.
5679 You will need to parse them out of the `rest' list yourself.
5681 ** The read syntax for byte vectors and short vectors has changed.
5683 Instead of #bytes(...), write #y(...).
5685 Instead of #short(...), write #h(...).
5687 This may seem nutty, but, like the other uniform vectors, byte vectors
5688 and short vectors want to have the same print and read syntax (and,
5689 more basic, want to have read syntax!). Changing the read syntax to
5690 use multiple characters after the hash sign breaks with the
5691 conventions used in R5RS and the conventions used for the other
5692 uniform vectors. It also introduces complexity in the current reader,
5693 both on the C and Scheme levels. (The Right solution is probably to
5694 change the syntax and prototypes for uniform vectors entirely.)
5697 ** The new module (ice-9 session) provides useful interactive functions.
5699 *** New procedure: (apropos REGEXP OPTION ...)
5701 Display a list of top-level variables whose names match REGEXP, and
5702 the modules they are imported from. Each OPTION should be one of the
5705 value --- Show the value of each matching variable.
5706 shadow --- Show bindings shadowed by subsequently imported modules.
5707 full --- Same as both `shadow' and `value'.
5711 guile> (apropos "trace" 'full)
5712 debug: trace #<procedure trace args>
5713 debug: untrace #<procedure untrace args>
5714 the-scm-module: display-backtrace #<compiled-closure #<primitive-procedure gsubr-apply>>
5715 the-scm-module: before-backtrace-hook ()
5716 the-scm-module: backtrace #<primitive-procedure backtrace>
5717 the-scm-module: after-backtrace-hook ()
5718 the-scm-module: has-shown-backtrace-hint? #f
5721 ** There are new functions and syntax for working with macros.
5723 Guile implements macros as a special object type. Any variable whose
5724 top-level binding is a macro object acts as a macro. The macro object
5725 specifies how the expression should be transformed before evaluation.
5727 *** Macro objects now print in a reasonable way, resembling procedures.
5729 *** New function: (macro? OBJ)
5730 True iff OBJ is a macro object.
5732 *** New function: (primitive-macro? OBJ)
5733 Like (macro? OBJ), but true only if OBJ is one of the Guile primitive
5734 macro transformers, implemented in eval.c rather than Scheme code.
5736 Why do we have this function?
5737 - For symmetry with procedure? and primitive-procedure?,
5738 - to allow custom print procedures to tell whether a macro is
5739 primitive, and display it differently, and
5740 - to allow compilers and user-written evaluators to distinguish
5741 builtin special forms from user-defined ones, which could be
5744 *** New function: (macro-type OBJ)
5745 Return a value indicating what kind of macro OBJ is. Possible return
5748 The symbol `syntax' --- a macro created by procedure->syntax.
5749 The symbol `macro' --- a macro created by procedure->macro.
5750 The symbol `macro!' --- a macro created by procedure->memoizing-macro.
5751 The boolean #f --- if OBJ is not a macro object.
5753 *** New function: (macro-name MACRO)
5754 Return the name of the macro object MACRO's procedure, as returned by
5757 *** New function: (macro-transformer MACRO)
5758 Return the transformer procedure for MACRO.
5760 *** New syntax: (use-syntax MODULE ... TRANSFORMER)
5762 Specify a new macro expander to use in the current module. Each
5763 MODULE is a module name, with the same meaning as in the `use-modules'
5764 form; each named module's exported bindings are added to the current
5765 top-level environment. TRANSFORMER is an expression evaluated in the
5766 resulting environment which must yield a procedure to use as the
5767 module's eval transformer: every expression evaluated in this module
5768 is passed to this function, and the result passed to the Guile
5771 *** macro-eval! is removed. Use local-eval instead.
5773 ** Some magic has been added to the printer to better handle user
5774 written printing routines (like record printers, closure printers).
5776 The problem is that these user written routines must have access to
5777 the current `print-state' to be able to handle fancy things like
5778 detection of circular references. These print-states have to be
5779 passed to the builtin printing routines (display, write, etc) to
5780 properly continue the print chain.
5782 We didn't want to change all existing print code so that it
5783 explicitly passes thru a print state in addition to a port. Instead,
5784 we extented the possible values that the builtin printing routines
5785 accept as a `port'. In addition to a normal port, they now also take
5786 a pair of a normal port and a print-state. Printing will go to the
5787 port and the print-state will be used to control the detection of
5788 circular references, etc. If the builtin function does not care for a
5789 print-state, it is simply ignored.
5791 User written callbacks are now called with such a pair as their
5792 `port', but because every function now accepts this pair as a PORT
5793 argument, you don't have to worry about that. In fact, it is probably
5794 safest to not check for these pairs.
5796 However, it is sometimes necessary to continue a print chain on a
5797 different port, for example to get a intermediate string
5798 representation of the printed value, mangle that string somehow, and
5799 then to finally print the mangled string. Use the new function
5801 inherit-print-state OLD-PORT NEW-PORT
5803 for this. It constructs a new `port' that prints to NEW-PORT but
5804 inherits the print-state of OLD-PORT.
5806 ** struct-vtable-offset renamed to vtable-offset-user
5808 ** New constants: vtable-index-layout, vtable-index-vtable, vtable-index-printer
5810 ** There is now a third optional argument to make-vtable-vtable
5811 (and fourth to make-struct) when constructing new types (vtables).
5812 This argument initializes field vtable-index-printer of the vtable.
5814 ** The detection of circular references has been extended to structs.
5815 That is, a structure that -- in the process of being printed -- prints
5816 itself does not lead to infinite recursion.
5818 ** There is now some basic support for fluids. Please read
5819 "libguile/fluid.h" to find out more. It is accessible from Scheme with
5820 the following functions and macros:
5822 Function: make-fluid
5824 Create a new fluid object. Fluids are not special variables or
5825 some other extension to the semantics of Scheme, but rather
5826 ordinary Scheme objects. You can store them into variables (that
5827 are still lexically scoped, of course) or into any other place you
5828 like. Every fluid has a initial value of `#f'.
5830 Function: fluid? OBJ
5832 Test whether OBJ is a fluid.
5834 Function: fluid-ref FLUID
5835 Function: fluid-set! FLUID VAL
5837 Access/modify the fluid FLUID. Modifications are only visible
5838 within the current dynamic root (that includes threads).
5840 Function: with-fluids* FLUIDS VALUES THUNK
5842 FLUIDS is a list of fluids and VALUES a corresponding list of
5843 values for these fluids. Before THUNK gets called the values are
5844 installed in the fluids and the old values of the fluids are
5845 saved in the VALUES list. When the flow of control leaves THUNK
5846 or reenters it, the values get swapped again. You might think of
5847 this as a `safe-fluid-excursion'. Note that the VALUES list is
5848 modified by `with-fluids*'.
5850 Macro: with-fluids ((FLUID VALUE) ...) FORM ...
5852 The same as `with-fluids*' but with a different syntax. It looks
5853 just like `let', but both FLUID and VALUE are evaluated. Remember,
5854 fluids are not special variables but ordinary objects. FLUID
5855 should evaluate to a fluid.
5857 ** Changes to system call interfaces:
5859 *** close-port, close-input-port and close-output-port now return a
5860 boolean instead of an `unspecified' object. #t means that the port
5861 was successfully closed, while #f means it was already closed. It is
5862 also now possible for these procedures to raise an exception if an
5863 error occurs (some errors from write can be delayed until close.)
5865 *** the first argument to chmod, fcntl, ftell and fseek can now be a
5868 *** the third argument to fcntl is now optional.
5870 *** the first argument to chown can now be a file descriptor or a port.
5872 *** the argument to stat can now be a port.
5874 *** The following new procedures have been added (most use scsh
5877 *** procedure: close PORT/FD
5878 Similar to close-port (*note close-port: Closing Ports.), but also
5879 works on file descriptors. A side effect of closing a file
5880 descriptor is that any ports using that file descriptor are moved
5881 to a different file descriptor and have their revealed counts set
5884 *** procedure: port->fdes PORT
5885 Returns the integer file descriptor underlying PORT. As a side
5886 effect the revealed count of PORT is incremented.
5888 *** procedure: fdes->ports FDES
5889 Returns a list of existing ports which have FDES as an underlying
5890 file descriptor, without changing their revealed counts.
5892 *** procedure: fdes->inport FDES
5893 Returns an existing input port which has FDES as its underlying
5894 file descriptor, if one exists, and increments its revealed count.
5895 Otherwise, returns a new input port with a revealed count of 1.
5897 *** procedure: fdes->outport FDES
5898 Returns an existing output port which has FDES as its underlying
5899 file descriptor, if one exists, and increments its revealed count.
5900 Otherwise, returns a new output port with a revealed count of 1.
5902 The next group of procedures perform a `dup2' system call, if NEWFD
5903 (an integer) is supplied, otherwise a `dup'. The file descriptor to be
5904 duplicated can be supplied as an integer or contained in a port. The
5905 type of value returned varies depending on which procedure is used.
5907 All procedures also have the side effect when performing `dup2' that
5908 any ports using NEWFD are moved to a different file descriptor and have
5909 their revealed counts set to zero.
5911 *** procedure: dup->fdes PORT/FD [NEWFD]
5912 Returns an integer file descriptor.
5914 *** procedure: dup->inport PORT/FD [NEWFD]
5915 Returns a new input port using the new file descriptor.
5917 *** procedure: dup->outport PORT/FD [NEWFD]
5918 Returns a new output port using the new file descriptor.
5920 *** procedure: dup PORT/FD [NEWFD]
5921 Returns a new port if PORT/FD is a port, with the same mode as the
5922 supplied port, otherwise returns an integer file descriptor.
5924 *** procedure: dup->port PORT/FD MODE [NEWFD]
5925 Returns a new port using the new file descriptor. MODE supplies a
5926 mode string for the port (*note open-file: File Ports.).
5928 *** procedure: setenv NAME VALUE
5929 Modifies the environment of the current process, which is also the
5930 default environment inherited by child processes.
5932 If VALUE is `#f', then NAME is removed from the environment.
5933 Otherwise, the string NAME=VALUE is added to the environment,
5934 replacing any existing string with name matching NAME.
5936 The return value is unspecified.
5938 *** procedure: truncate-file OBJ SIZE
5939 Truncates the file referred to by OBJ to at most SIZE bytes. OBJ
5940 can be a string containing a file name or an integer file
5941 descriptor or port open for output on the file. The underlying
5942 system calls are `truncate' and `ftruncate'.
5944 The return value is unspecified.
5946 *** procedure: setvbuf PORT MODE [SIZE]
5947 Set the buffering mode for PORT. MODE can be:
5955 block buffered, using a newly allocated buffer of SIZE bytes.
5956 However if SIZE is zero or unspecified, the port will be made
5959 This procedure should not be used after I/O has been performed with
5962 Ports are usually block buffered by default, with a default buffer
5963 size. Procedures e.g., *Note open-file: File Ports, which accept a
5964 mode string allow `0' to be added to request an unbuffered port.
5966 *** procedure: fsync PORT/FD
5967 Copies any unwritten data for the specified output file descriptor
5968 to disk. If PORT/FD is a port, its buffer is flushed before the
5969 underlying file descriptor is fsync'd. The return value is
5972 *** procedure: open-fdes PATH FLAGS [MODES]
5973 Similar to `open' but returns a file descriptor instead of a port.
5975 *** procedure: execle PATH ENV [ARG] ...
5976 Similar to `execl', but the environment of the new process is
5977 specified by ENV, which must be a list of strings as returned by
5978 the `environ' procedure.
5980 This procedure is currently implemented using the `execve' system
5981 call, but we call it `execle' because of its Scheme calling
5984 *** procedure: strerror ERRNO
5985 Returns the Unix error message corresponding to ERRNO, an integer.
5987 *** procedure: primitive-exit [STATUS]
5988 Terminate the current process without unwinding the Scheme stack.
5989 This is would typically be useful after a fork. The exit status
5990 is STATUS if supplied, otherwise zero.
5992 *** procedure: times
5993 Returns an object with information about real and processor time.
5994 The following procedures accept such an object as an argument and
5995 return a selected component:
5998 The current real time, expressed as time units relative to an
6002 The CPU time units used by the calling process.
6005 The CPU time units used by the system on behalf of the
6009 The CPU time units used by terminated child processes of the
6010 calling process, whose status has been collected (e.g., using
6014 Similarly, the CPU times units used by the system on behalf of
6015 terminated child processes.
6017 ** Removed: list-length
6018 ** Removed: list-append, list-append!
6019 ** Removed: list-reverse, list-reverse!
6021 ** array-map renamed to array-map!
6023 ** serial-array-map renamed to serial-array-map!
6025 ** catch doesn't take #f as first argument any longer
6027 Previously, it was possible to pass #f instead of a key to `catch'.
6028 That would cause `catch' to pass a jump buffer object to the procedure
6029 passed as second argument. The procedure could then use this jump
6030 buffer objekt as an argument to throw.
6032 This mechanism has been removed since its utility doesn't motivate the
6033 extra complexity it introduces.
6035 ** The `#/' notation for lists now provokes a warning message from Guile.
6036 This syntax will be removed from Guile in the near future.
6038 To disable the warning message, set the GUILE_HUSH environment
6039 variable to any non-empty value.
6041 ** The newline character now prints as `#\newline', following the
6042 normal Scheme notation, not `#\nl'.
6044 * Changes to the gh_ interface
6046 ** The gh_enter function now takes care of loading the Guile startup files.
6047 gh_enter works by calling scm_boot_guile; see the remarks below.
6049 ** Function: void gh_write (SCM x)
6051 Write the printed representation of the scheme object x to the current
6052 output port. Corresponds to the scheme level `write'.
6054 ** gh_list_length renamed to gh_length.
6056 ** vector handling routines
6058 Several major changes. In particular, gh_vector() now resembles
6059 (vector ...) (with a caveat -- see manual), and gh_make_vector() now
6060 exists and behaves like (make-vector ...). gh_vset() and gh_vref()
6061 have been renamed gh_vector_set_x() and gh_vector_ref(). Some missing
6062 vector-related gh_ functions have been implemented.
6064 ** pair and list routines
6066 Implemented several of the R4RS pair and list functions that were
6069 ** gh_scm2doubles, gh_doubles2scm, gh_doubles2dvect
6071 New function. Converts double arrays back and forth between Scheme
6074 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6076 ** The function scm_boot_guile now takes care of loading the startup files.
6078 Guile's primary initialization function, scm_boot_guile, now takes
6079 care of loading `boot-9.scm', in the `ice-9' module, to initialize
6080 Guile, define the module system, and put together some standard
6081 bindings. It also loads `init.scm', which is intended to hold
6082 site-specific initialization code.
6084 Since Guile cannot operate properly until boot-9.scm is loaded, there
6085 is no reason to separate loading boot-9.scm from Guile's other
6086 initialization processes.
6088 This job used to be done by scm_compile_shell_switches, which didn't
6089 make much sense; in particular, it meant that people using Guile for
6090 non-shell-like applications had to jump through hoops to get Guile
6091 initialized properly.
6093 ** The function scm_compile_shell_switches no longer loads the startup files.
6094 Now, Guile always loads the startup files, whenever it is initialized;
6095 see the notes above for scm_boot_guile and scm_load_startup_files.
6097 ** Function: scm_load_startup_files
6098 This new function takes care of loading Guile's initialization file
6099 (`boot-9.scm'), and the site initialization file, `init.scm'. Since
6100 this is always called by the Guile initialization process, it's
6101 probably not too useful to call this yourself, but it's there anyway.
6103 ** The semantics of smob marking have changed slightly.
6105 The smob marking function (the `mark' member of the scm_smobfuns
6106 structure) is no longer responsible for setting the mark bit on the
6107 smob. The generic smob handling code in the garbage collector will
6108 set this bit. The mark function need only ensure that any other
6109 objects the smob refers to get marked.
6111 Note that this change means that the smob's GC8MARK bit is typically
6112 already set upon entry to the mark function. Thus, marking functions
6113 which look like this:
6116 if (SCM_GC8MARKP (ptr))
6118 SCM_SETGC8MARK (ptr);
6119 ... mark objects to which the smob refers ...
6122 are now incorrect, since they will return early, and fail to mark any
6123 other objects the smob refers to. Some code in the Guile library used
6126 ** The semantics of the I/O port functions in scm_ptobfuns have changed.
6128 If you have implemented your own I/O port type, by writing the
6129 functions required by the scm_ptobfuns and then calling scm_newptob,
6130 you will need to change your functions slightly.
6132 The functions in a scm_ptobfuns structure now expect the port itself
6133 as their argument; they used to expect the `stream' member of the
6134 port's scm_port_table structure. This allows functions in an
6135 scm_ptobfuns structure to easily access the port's cell (and any flags
6136 it its CAR), and the port's scm_port_table structure.
6138 Guile now passes the I/O port itself as the `port' argument in the
6139 following scm_ptobfuns functions:
6141 int (*free) (SCM port);
6142 int (*fputc) (int, SCM port);
6143 int (*fputs) (char *, SCM port);
6144 scm_sizet (*fwrite) SCM_P ((char *ptr,
6148 int (*fflush) (SCM port);
6149 int (*fgetc) (SCM port);
6150 int (*fclose) (SCM port);
6152 The interfaces to the `mark', `print', `equalp', and `fgets' methods
6155 If you have existing code which defines its own port types, it is easy
6156 to convert your code to the new interface; simply apply SCM_STREAM to
6157 the port argument to yield the value you code used to expect.
6159 Note that since both the port and the stream have the same type in the
6160 C code --- they are both SCM values --- the C compiler will not remind
6161 you if you forget to update your scm_ptobfuns functions.
6164 ** Function: int scm_internal_select (int fds,
6168 struct timeval *timeout);
6170 This is a replacement for the `select' function provided by the OS.
6171 It enables I/O blocking and sleeping to happen for one cooperative
6172 thread without blocking other threads. It also avoids busy-loops in
6173 these situations. It is intended that all I/O blocking and sleeping
6174 will finally go through this function. Currently, this function is
6175 only available on systems providing `gettimeofday' and `select'.
6177 ** Function: SCM scm_internal_stack_catch (SCM tag,
6178 scm_catch_body_t body,
6180 scm_catch_handler_t handler,
6183 A new sibling to the other two C level `catch' functions
6184 scm_internal_catch and scm_internal_lazy_catch. Use it if you want
6185 the stack to be saved automatically into the variable `the-last-stack'
6186 (scm_the_last_stack_var) on error. This is necessary if you want to
6187 use advanced error reporting, such as calling scm_display_error and
6188 scm_display_backtrace. (They both take a stack object as argument.)
6190 ** Function: SCM scm_spawn_thread (scm_catch_body_t body,
6192 scm_catch_handler_t handler,
6195 Spawns a new thread. It does a job similar to
6196 scm_call_with_new_thread but takes arguments more suitable when
6197 spawning threads from application C code.
6199 ** The hook scm_error_callback has been removed. It was originally
6200 intended as a way for the user to install his own error handler. But
6201 that method works badly since it intervenes between throw and catch,
6202 thereby changing the semantics of expressions like (catch #t ...).
6203 The correct way to do it is to use one of the C level catch functions
6204 in throw.c: scm_internal_catch/lazy_catch/stack_catch.
6206 ** Removed functions:
6208 scm_obj_length, scm_list_length, scm_list_append, scm_list_append_x,
6209 scm_list_reverse, scm_list_reverse_x
6211 ** New macros: SCM_LISTn where n is one of the integers 0-9.
6213 These can be used for pretty list creation from C. The idea is taken
6214 from Erick Gallesio's STk.
6216 ** scm_array_map renamed to scm_array_map_x
6218 ** mbstrings are now removed
6220 This means that the type codes scm_tc7_mb_string and
6221 scm_tc7_mb_substring has been removed.
6223 ** scm_gen_putc, scm_gen_puts, scm_gen_write, and scm_gen_getc have changed.
6225 Since we no longer support multi-byte strings, these I/O functions
6226 have been simplified, and renamed. Here are their old names, and
6227 their new names and arguments:
6229 scm_gen_putc -> void scm_putc (int c, SCM port);
6230 scm_gen_puts -> void scm_puts (char *s, SCM port);
6231 scm_gen_write -> void scm_lfwrite (char *ptr, scm_sizet size, SCM port);
6232 scm_gen_getc -> void scm_getc (SCM port);
6235 ** The macros SCM_TYP7D and SCM_TYP7SD has been removed.
6237 ** The macro SCM_TYP7S has taken the role of the old SCM_TYP7D
6239 SCM_TYP7S now masks away the bit which distinguishes substrings from
6242 ** scm_catch_body_t: Backward incompatible change!
6244 Body functions to scm_internal_catch and friends do not any longer
6245 take a second argument. This is because it is no longer possible to
6246 pass a #f arg to catch.
6248 ** Calls to scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect now nest properly.
6250 The function scm_protect_object protects its argument from being freed
6251 by the garbage collector. scm_unprotect_object removes that
6254 These functions now nest properly. That is, for every object O, there
6255 is a counter which scm_protect_object(O) increments and
6256 scm_unprotect_object(O) decrements, if the counter is greater than
6257 zero. Every object's counter is zero when it is first created. If an
6258 object's counter is greater than zero, the garbage collector will not
6259 reclaim its storage.
6261 This allows you to use scm_protect_object in your code without
6262 worrying that some other function you call will call
6263 scm_unprotect_object, and allow it to be freed. Assuming that the
6264 functions you call are well-behaved, and unprotect only those objects
6265 they protect, you can follow the same rule and have confidence that
6266 objects will be freed only at appropriate times.
6269 Changes in Guile 1.2 (released Tuesday, June 24 1997):
6271 * Changes to the distribution
6273 ** Nightly snapshots are now available from ftp.red-bean.com.
6274 The old server, ftp.cyclic.com, has been relinquished to its rightful
6277 Nightly snapshots of the Guile development sources are now available via
6278 anonymous FTP from ftp.red-bean.com, as /pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz.
6280 Via the web, that's: ftp://ftp.red-bean.com/pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz
6281 For getit, that's: ftp.red-bean.com:/pub/guile/guile-snap.tar.gz
6283 ** To run Guile without installing it, the procedure has changed a bit.
6285 If you used a separate build directory to compile Guile, you'll need
6286 to include the build directory in SCHEME_LOAD_PATH, as well as the
6287 source directory. See the `INSTALL' file for examples.
6289 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
6291 ** The standard Guile load path for Scheme code now includes
6292 $(datadir)/guile (usually /usr/local/share/guile). This means that
6293 you can install your own Scheme files there, and Guile will find them.
6294 (Previous versions of Guile only checked a directory whose name
6295 contained the Guile version number, so you had to re-install or move
6296 your Scheme sources each time you installed a fresh version of Guile.)
6298 The load path also includes $(datadir)/guile/site; we recommend
6299 putting individual Scheme files there. If you want to install a
6300 package with multiple source files, create a directory for them under
6303 ** Guile 1.2 will now use the Rx regular expression library, if it is
6304 installed on your system. When you are linking libguile into your own
6305 programs, this means you will have to link against -lguile, -lqt (if
6306 you configured Guile with thread support), and -lrx.
6308 If you are using autoconf to generate configuration scripts for your
6309 application, the following lines should suffice to add the appropriate
6310 libraries to your link command:
6312 ### Find Rx, quickthreads and libguile.
6313 AC_CHECK_LIB(rx, main)
6314 AC_CHECK_LIB(qt, main)
6315 AC_CHECK_LIB(guile, scm_shell)
6317 The Guile 1.2 distribution does not contain sources for the Rx
6318 library, as Guile 1.0 did. If you want to use Rx, you'll need to
6319 retrieve it from a GNU FTP site and install it separately.
6321 * Changes to Scheme functions and syntax
6323 ** The dynamic linking features of Guile are now enabled by default.
6324 You can disable them by giving the `--disable-dynamic-linking' option
6327 (dynamic-link FILENAME)
6329 Find the object file denoted by FILENAME (a string) and link it
6330 into the running Guile application. When everything works out,
6331 return a Scheme object suitable for representing the linked object
6332 file. Otherwise an error is thrown. How object files are
6333 searched is system dependent.
6335 (dynamic-object? VAL)
6337 Determine whether VAL represents a dynamically linked object file.
6339 (dynamic-unlink DYNOBJ)
6341 Unlink the indicated object file from the application. DYNOBJ
6342 should be one of the values returned by `dynamic-link'.
6344 (dynamic-func FUNCTION DYNOBJ)
6346 Search the C function indicated by FUNCTION (a string or symbol)
6347 in DYNOBJ and return some Scheme object that can later be used
6348 with `dynamic-call' to actually call this function. Right now,
6349 these Scheme objects are formed by casting the address of the
6350 function to `long' and converting this number to its Scheme
6353 (dynamic-call FUNCTION DYNOBJ)
6355 Call the C function indicated by FUNCTION and DYNOBJ. The
6356 function is passed no arguments and its return value is ignored.
6357 When FUNCTION is something returned by `dynamic-func', call that
6358 function and ignore DYNOBJ. When FUNCTION is a string (or symbol,
6359 etc.), look it up in DYNOBJ; this is equivalent to
6361 (dynamic-call (dynamic-func FUNCTION DYNOBJ) #f)
6363 Interrupts are deferred while the C function is executing (with
6364 SCM_DEFER_INTS/SCM_ALLOW_INTS).
6366 (dynamic-args-call FUNCTION DYNOBJ ARGS)
6368 Call the C function indicated by FUNCTION and DYNOBJ, but pass it
6369 some arguments and return its return value. The C function is
6370 expected to take two arguments and return an `int', just like
6373 int c_func (int argc, char **argv);
6375 ARGS must be a list of strings and is converted into an array of
6376 `char *'. The array is passed in ARGV and its size in ARGC. The
6377 return value is converted to a Scheme number and returned from the
6378 call to `dynamic-args-call'.
6380 When dynamic linking is disabled or not supported on your system,
6381 the above functions throw errors, but they are still available.
6383 Here is a small example that works on GNU/Linux:
6385 (define libc-obj (dynamic-link "libc.so"))
6386 (dynamic-args-call 'rand libc-obj '())
6388 See the file `libguile/DYNAMIC-LINKING' for additional comments.
6390 ** The #/ syntax for module names is depreciated, and will be removed
6391 in a future version of Guile. Instead of
6399 The latter syntax is more consistent with existing Lisp practice.
6401 ** Guile now does fancier printing of structures. Structures are the
6402 underlying implementation for records, which in turn are used to
6403 implement modules, so all of these object now print differently and in
6404 a more informative way.
6406 The Scheme printer will examine the builtin variable *struct-printer*
6407 whenever it needs to print a structure object. When this variable is
6408 not `#f' it is deemed to be a procedure and will be applied to the
6409 structure object and the output port. When *struct-printer* is `#f'
6410 or the procedure return `#f' the structure object will be printed in
6411 the boring #<struct 80458270> form.
6413 This hook is used by some routines in ice-9/boot-9.scm to implement
6414 type specific printing routines. Please read the comments there about
6417 One of the more specific uses of structs are records. The printing
6418 procedure that could be passed to MAKE-RECORD-TYPE is now actually
6419 called. It should behave like a *struct-printer* procedure (described
6422 ** Guile now supports a new R4RS-compliant syntax for keywords. A
6423 token of the form #:NAME, where NAME has the same syntax as a Scheme
6424 symbol, is the external representation of the keyword named NAME.
6425 Keyword objects print using this syntax as well, so values containing
6426 keyword objects can be read back into Guile. When used in an
6427 expression, keywords are self-quoting objects.
6429 Guile suports this read syntax, and uses this print syntax, regardless
6430 of the current setting of the `keyword' read option. The `keyword'
6431 read option only controls whether Guile recognizes the `:NAME' syntax,
6432 which is incompatible with R4RS. (R4RS says such token represent
6435 ** Guile has regular expression support again. Guile 1.0 included
6436 functions for matching regular expressions, based on the Rx library.
6437 In Guile 1.1, the Guile/Rx interface was removed to simplify the
6438 distribution, and thus Guile had no regular expression support. Guile
6439 1.2 again supports the most commonly used functions, and supports all
6440 of SCSH's regular expression functions.
6442 If your system does not include a POSIX regular expression library,
6443 and you have not linked Guile with a third-party regexp library such as
6444 Rx, these functions will not be available. You can tell whether your
6445 Guile installation includes regular expression support by checking
6446 whether the `*features*' list includes the `regex' symbol.
6448 *** regexp functions
6450 By default, Guile supports POSIX extended regular expressions. That
6451 means that the characters `(', `)', `+' and `?' are special, and must
6452 be escaped if you wish to match the literal characters.
6454 This regular expression interface was modeled after that implemented
6455 by SCSH, the Scheme Shell. It is intended to be upwardly compatible
6456 with SCSH regular expressions.
6458 **** Function: string-match PATTERN STR [START]
6459 Compile the string PATTERN into a regular expression and compare
6460 it with STR. The optional numeric argument START specifies the
6461 position of STR at which to begin matching.
6463 `string-match' returns a "match structure" which describes what,
6464 if anything, was matched by the regular expression. *Note Match
6465 Structures::. If STR does not match PATTERN at all,
6466 `string-match' returns `#f'.
6468 Each time `string-match' is called, it must compile its PATTERN
6469 argument into a regular expression structure. This operation is
6470 expensive, which makes `string-match' inefficient if the same regular
6471 expression is used several times (for example, in a loop). For better
6472 performance, you can compile a regular expression in advance and then
6473 match strings against the compiled regexp.
6475 **** Function: make-regexp STR [FLAGS]
6476 Compile the regular expression described by STR, and return the
6477 compiled regexp structure. If STR does not describe a legal
6478 regular expression, `make-regexp' throws a
6479 `regular-expression-syntax' error.
6481 FLAGS may be the bitwise-or of one or more of the following:
6483 **** Constant: regexp/extended
6484 Use POSIX Extended Regular Expression syntax when interpreting
6485 STR. If not set, POSIX Basic Regular Expression syntax is used.
6486 If the FLAGS argument is omitted, we assume regexp/extended.
6488 **** Constant: regexp/icase
6489 Do not differentiate case. Subsequent searches using the
6490 returned regular expression will be case insensitive.
6492 **** Constant: regexp/newline
6493 Match-any-character operators don't match a newline.
6495 A non-matching list ([^...]) not containing a newline matches a
6498 Match-beginning-of-line operator (^) matches the empty string
6499 immediately after a newline, regardless of whether the FLAGS
6500 passed to regexp-exec contain regexp/notbol.
6502 Match-end-of-line operator ($) matches the empty string
6503 immediately before a newline, regardless of whether the FLAGS
6504 passed to regexp-exec contain regexp/noteol.
6506 **** Function: regexp-exec REGEXP STR [START [FLAGS]]
6507 Match the compiled regular expression REGEXP against `str'. If
6508 the optional integer START argument is provided, begin matching
6509 from that position in the string. Return a match structure
6510 describing the results of the match, or `#f' if no match could be
6513 FLAGS may be the bitwise-or of one or more of the following:
6515 **** Constant: regexp/notbol
6516 The match-beginning-of-line operator always fails to match (but
6517 see the compilation flag regexp/newline above) This flag may be
6518 used when different portions of a string are passed to
6519 regexp-exec and the beginning of the string should not be
6520 interpreted as the beginning of the line.
6522 **** Constant: regexp/noteol
6523 The match-end-of-line operator always fails to match (but see the
6524 compilation flag regexp/newline above)
6526 **** Function: regexp? OBJ
6527 Return `#t' if OBJ is a compiled regular expression, or `#f'
6530 Regular expressions are commonly used to find patterns in one string
6531 and replace them with the contents of another string.
6533 **** Function: regexp-substitute PORT MATCH [ITEM...]
6534 Write to the output port PORT selected contents of the match
6535 structure MATCH. Each ITEM specifies what should be written, and
6536 may be one of the following arguments:
6538 * A string. String arguments are written out verbatim.
6540 * An integer. The submatch with that number is written.
6542 * The symbol `pre'. The portion of the matched string preceding
6543 the regexp match is written.
6545 * The symbol `post'. The portion of the matched string
6546 following the regexp match is written.
6548 PORT may be `#f', in which case nothing is written; instead,
6549 `regexp-substitute' constructs a string from the specified ITEMs
6552 **** Function: regexp-substitute/global PORT REGEXP TARGET [ITEM...]
6553 Similar to `regexp-substitute', but can be used to perform global
6554 substitutions on STR. Instead of taking a match structure as an
6555 argument, `regexp-substitute/global' takes two string arguments: a
6556 REGEXP string describing a regular expression, and a TARGET string
6557 which should be matched against this regular expression.
6559 Each ITEM behaves as in REGEXP-SUBSTITUTE, with the following
6562 * A function may be supplied. When this function is called, it
6563 will be passed one argument: a match structure for a given
6564 regular expression match. It should return a string to be
6565 written out to PORT.
6567 * The `post' symbol causes `regexp-substitute/global' to recurse
6568 on the unmatched portion of STR. This *must* be supplied in
6569 order to perform global search-and-replace on STR; if it is
6570 not present among the ITEMs, then `regexp-substitute/global'
6571 will return after processing a single match.
6573 *** Match Structures
6575 A "match structure" is the object returned by `string-match' and
6576 `regexp-exec'. It describes which portion of a string, if any, matched
6577 the given regular expression. Match structures include: a reference to
6578 the string that was checked for matches; the starting and ending
6579 positions of the regexp match; and, if the regexp included any
6580 parenthesized subexpressions, the starting and ending positions of each
6583 In each of the regexp match functions described below, the `match'
6584 argument must be a match structure returned by a previous call to
6585 `string-match' or `regexp-exec'. Most of these functions return some
6586 information about the original target string that was matched against a
6587 regular expression; we will call that string TARGET for easy reference.
6589 **** Function: regexp-match? OBJ
6590 Return `#t' if OBJ is a match structure returned by a previous
6591 call to `regexp-exec', or `#f' otherwise.
6593 **** Function: match:substring MATCH [N]
6594 Return the portion of TARGET matched by subexpression number N.
6595 Submatch 0 (the default) represents the entire regexp match. If
6596 the regular expression as a whole matched, but the subexpression
6597 number N did not match, return `#f'.
6599 **** Function: match:start MATCH [N]
6600 Return the starting position of submatch number N.
6602 **** Function: match:end MATCH [N]
6603 Return the ending position of submatch number N.
6605 **** Function: match:prefix MATCH
6606 Return the unmatched portion of TARGET preceding the regexp match.
6608 **** Function: match:suffix MATCH
6609 Return the unmatched portion of TARGET following the regexp match.
6611 **** Function: match:count MATCH
6612 Return the number of parenthesized subexpressions from MATCH.
6613 Note that the entire regular expression match itself counts as a
6614 subexpression, and failed submatches are included in the count.
6616 **** Function: match:string MATCH
6617 Return the original TARGET string.
6619 *** Backslash Escapes
6621 Sometimes you will want a regexp to match characters like `*' or `$'
6622 exactly. For example, to check whether a particular string represents
6623 a menu entry from an Info node, it would be useful to match it against
6624 a regexp like `^* [^:]*::'. However, this won't work; because the
6625 asterisk is a metacharacter, it won't match the `*' at the beginning of
6626 the string. In this case, we want to make the first asterisk un-magic.
6628 You can do this by preceding the metacharacter with a backslash
6629 character `\'. (This is also called "quoting" the metacharacter, and
6630 is known as a "backslash escape".) When Guile sees a backslash in a
6631 regular expression, it considers the following glyph to be an ordinary
6632 character, no matter what special meaning it would ordinarily have.
6633 Therefore, we can make the above example work by changing the regexp to
6634 `^\* [^:]*::'. The `\*' sequence tells the regular expression engine
6635 to match only a single asterisk in the target string.
6637 Since the backslash is itself a metacharacter, you may force a
6638 regexp to match a backslash in the target string by preceding the
6639 backslash with itself. For example, to find variable references in a
6640 TeX program, you might want to find occurrences of the string `\let\'
6641 followed by any number of alphabetic characters. The regular expression
6642 `\\let\\[A-Za-z]*' would do this: the double backslashes in the regexp
6643 each match a single backslash in the target string.
6645 **** Function: regexp-quote STR
6646 Quote each special character found in STR with a backslash, and
6647 return the resulting string.
6649 *Very important:* Using backslash escapes in Guile source code (as
6650 in Emacs Lisp or C) can be tricky, because the backslash character has
6651 special meaning for the Guile reader. For example, if Guile encounters
6652 the character sequence `\n' in the middle of a string while processing
6653 Scheme code, it replaces those characters with a newline character.
6654 Similarly, the character sequence `\t' is replaced by a horizontal tab.
6655 Several of these "escape sequences" are processed by the Guile reader
6656 before your code is executed. Unrecognized escape sequences are
6657 ignored: if the characters `\*' appear in a string, they will be
6658 translated to the single character `*'.
6660 This translation is obviously undesirable for regular expressions,
6661 since we want to be able to include backslashes in a string in order to
6662 escape regexp metacharacters. Therefore, to make sure that a backslash
6663 is preserved in a string in your Guile program, you must use *two*
6664 consecutive backslashes:
6666 (define Info-menu-entry-pattern (make-regexp "^\\* [^:]*"))
6668 The string in this example is preprocessed by the Guile reader before
6669 any code is executed. The resulting argument to `make-regexp' is the
6670 string `^\* [^:]*', which is what we really want.
6672 This also means that in order to write a regular expression that
6673 matches a single backslash character, the regular expression string in
6674 the source code must include *four* backslashes. Each consecutive pair
6675 of backslashes gets translated by the Guile reader to a single
6676 backslash, and the resulting double-backslash is interpreted by the
6677 regexp engine as matching a single backslash character. Hence:
6679 (define tex-variable-pattern (make-regexp "\\\\let\\\\=[A-Za-z]*"))
6681 The reason for the unwieldiness of this syntax is historical. Both
6682 regular expression pattern matchers and Unix string processing systems
6683 have traditionally used backslashes with the special meanings described
6684 above. The POSIX regular expression specification and ANSI C standard
6685 both require these semantics. Attempting to abandon either convention
6686 would cause other kinds of compatibility problems, possibly more severe
6687 ones. Therefore, without extending the Scheme reader to support
6688 strings with different quoting conventions (an ungainly and confusing
6689 extension when implemented in other languages), we must adhere to this
6690 cumbersome escape syntax.
6692 * Changes to the gh_ interface
6694 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6696 * Changes to system call interfaces:
6698 ** The value returned by `raise' is now unspecified. It throws an exception
6701 *** A new procedure `sigaction' can be used to install signal handlers
6703 (sigaction signum [action] [flags])
6705 signum is the signal number, which can be specified using the value
6708 If action is omitted, sigaction returns a pair: the CAR is the current
6709 signal hander, which will be either an integer with the value SIG_DFL
6710 (default action) or SIG_IGN (ignore), or the Scheme procedure which
6711 handles the signal, or #f if a non-Scheme procedure handles the
6712 signal. The CDR contains the current sigaction flags for the handler.
6714 If action is provided, it is installed as the new handler for signum.
6715 action can be a Scheme procedure taking one argument, or the value of
6716 SIG_DFL (default action) or SIG_IGN (ignore), or #f to restore
6717 whatever signal handler was installed before sigaction was first used.
6718 Flags can optionally be specified for the new handler (SA_RESTART is
6719 always used if the system provides it, so need not be specified.) The
6720 return value is a pair with information about the old handler as
6723 This interface does not provide access to the "signal blocking"
6724 facility. Maybe this is not needed, since the thread support may
6725 provide solutions to the problem of consistent access to data
6728 *** A new procedure `flush-all-ports' is equivalent to running
6729 `force-output' on every port open for output.
6731 ** Guile now provides information on how it was built, via the new
6732 global variable, %guile-build-info. This variable records the values
6733 of the standard GNU makefile directory variables as an assocation
6734 list, mapping variable names (symbols) onto directory paths (strings).
6735 For example, to find out where the Guile link libraries were
6736 installed, you can say:
6738 guile -c "(display (assq-ref %guile-build-info 'libdir)) (newline)"
6741 * Changes to the scm_ interface
6743 ** The new function scm_handle_by_message_noexit is just like the
6744 existing scm_handle_by_message function, except that it doesn't call
6745 exit to terminate the process. Instead, it prints a message and just
6746 returns #f. This might be a more appropriate catch-all handler for
6747 new dynamic roots and threads.
6750 Changes in Guile 1.1 (released Friday, May 16 1997):
6752 * Changes to the distribution.
6754 The Guile 1.0 distribution has been split up into several smaller
6756 guile-core --- the Guile interpreter itself.
6757 guile-tcltk --- the interface between the Guile interpreter and
6758 Tcl/Tk; Tcl is an interpreter for a stringy language, and Tk
6759 is a toolkit for building graphical user interfaces.
6760 guile-rgx-ctax --- the interface between Guile and the Rx regular
6761 expression matcher, and the translator for the Ctax
6762 programming language. These are packaged together because the
6763 Ctax translator uses Rx to parse Ctax source code.
6765 This NEWS file describes the changes made to guile-core since the 1.0
6768 We no longer distribute the documentation, since it was either out of
6769 date, or incomplete. As soon as we have current documentation, we
6774 * Changes to the stand-alone interpreter
6776 ** guile now accepts command-line arguments compatible with SCSH, Olin
6777 Shivers' Scheme Shell.
6779 In general, arguments are evaluated from left to right, but there are
6780 exceptions. The following switches stop argument processing, and
6781 stash all remaining command-line arguments as the value returned by
6782 the (command-line) function.
6783 -s SCRIPT load Scheme source code from FILE, and exit
6784 -c EXPR evalute Scheme expression EXPR, and exit
6785 -- stop scanning arguments; run interactively
6787 The switches below are processed as they are encountered.
6788 -l FILE load Scheme source code from FILE
6789 -e FUNCTION after reading script, apply FUNCTION to
6790 command line arguments
6791 -ds do -s script at this point
6792 --emacs enable Emacs protocol (experimental)
6793 -h, --help display this help and exit
6794 -v, --version display version information and exit
6795 \ read arguments from following script lines
6797 So, for example, here is a Guile script named `ekko' (thanks, Olin)
6798 which re-implements the traditional "echo" command:
6800 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
6803 (map (lambda (arg) (display arg) (display " "))
6807 (main (command-line))
6809 Suppose we invoke this script as follows:
6811 ekko a speckled gecko
6813 Through the magic of Unix script processing (triggered by the `#!'
6814 token at the top of the file), /usr/local/bin/guile receives the
6815 following list of command-line arguments:
6817 ("-s" "./ekko" "a" "speckled" "gecko")
6819 Unix inserts the name of the script after the argument specified on
6820 the first line of the file (in this case, "-s"), and then follows that
6821 with the arguments given to the script. Guile loads the script, which
6822 defines the `main' function, and then applies it to the list of
6823 remaining command-line arguments, ("a" "speckled" "gecko").
6825 In Unix, the first line of a script file must take the following form:
6827 #!INTERPRETER ARGUMENT
6829 where INTERPRETER is the absolute filename of the interpreter
6830 executable, and ARGUMENT is a single command-line argument to pass to
6833 You may only pass one argument to the interpreter, and its length is
6834 limited. These restrictions can be annoying to work around, so Guile
6835 provides a general mechanism (borrowed from, and compatible with,
6836 SCSH) for circumventing them.
6838 If the ARGUMENT in a Guile script is a single backslash character,
6839 `\', Guile will open the script file, parse arguments from its second
6840 and subsequent lines, and replace the `\' with them. So, for example,
6841 here is another implementation of the `ekko' script:
6843 #!/usr/local/bin/guile \
6847 (for-each (lambda (arg) (display arg) (display " "))
6851 If the user invokes this script as follows:
6853 ekko a speckled gecko
6855 Unix expands this into
6857 /usr/local/bin/guile \ ekko a speckled gecko
6859 When Guile sees the `\' argument, it replaces it with the arguments
6860 read from the second line of the script, producing:
6862 /usr/local/bin/guile -e main -s ekko a speckled gecko
6864 This tells Guile to load the `ekko' script, and apply the function
6865 `main' to the argument list ("a" "speckled" "gecko").
6867 Here is how Guile parses the command-line arguments:
6868 - Each space character terminates an argument. This means that two
6869 spaces in a row introduce an empty-string argument.
6870 - The tab character is not permitted (unless you quote it with the
6871 backslash character, as described below), to avoid confusion.
6872 - The newline character terminates the sequence of arguments, and will
6873 also terminate a final non-empty argument. (However, a newline
6874 following a space will not introduce a final empty-string argument;
6875 it only terminates the argument list.)
6876 - The backslash character is the escape character. It escapes
6877 backslash, space, tab, and newline. The ANSI C escape sequences
6878 like \n and \t are also supported. These produce argument
6879 constituents; the two-character combination \n doesn't act like a
6880 terminating newline. The escape sequence \NNN for exactly three
6881 octal digits reads as the character whose ASCII code is NNN. As
6882 above, characters produced this way are argument constituents.
6883 Backslash followed by other characters is not allowed.
6885 * Changes to the procedure for linking libguile with your programs
6887 ** Guile now builds and installs a shared guile library, if your
6888 system support shared libraries. (It still builds a static library on
6889 all systems.) Guile automatically detects whether your system
6890 supports shared libraries. To prevent Guile from buildisg shared
6891 libraries, pass the `--disable-shared' flag to the configure script.
6893 Guile takes longer to compile when it builds shared libraries, because
6894 it must compile every file twice --- once to produce position-
6895 independent object code, and once to produce normal object code.
6897 ** The libthreads library has been merged into libguile.
6899 To link a program against Guile, you now need only link against
6900 -lguile and -lqt; -lthreads is no longer needed. If you are using
6901 autoconf to generate configuration scripts for your application, the
6902 following lines should suffice to add the appropriate libraries to
6905 ### Find quickthreads and libguile.
6906 AC_CHECK_LIB(qt, main)
6907 AC_CHECK_LIB(guile, scm_shell)
6909 * Changes to Scheme functions
6911 ** Guile Scheme's special syntax for keyword objects is now optional,
6912 and disabled by default.
6914 The syntax variation from R4RS made it difficult to port some
6915 interesting packages to Guile. The routines which accepted keyword
6916 arguments (mostly in the module system) have been modified to also
6917 accept symbols whose names begin with `:'.
6919 To change the keyword syntax, you must first import the (ice-9 debug)
6921 (use-modules (ice-9 debug))
6923 Then you can enable the keyword syntax as follows:
6924 (read-set! keywords 'prefix)
6926 To disable keyword syntax, do this:
6927 (read-set! keywords #f)
6929 ** Many more primitive functions accept shared substrings as
6930 arguments. In the past, these functions required normal, mutable
6931 strings as arguments, although they never made use of this
6934 ** The uniform array functions now operate on byte vectors. These
6935 functions are `array-fill!', `serial-array-copy!', `array-copy!',
6936 `serial-array-map', `array-map', `array-for-each', and
6939 ** The new functions `trace' and `untrace' implement simple debugging
6940 support for Scheme functions.
6942 The `trace' function accepts any number of procedures as arguments,
6943 and tells the Guile interpreter to display each procedure's name and
6944 arguments each time the procedure is invoked. When invoked with no
6945 arguments, `trace' returns the list of procedures currently being
6948 The `untrace' function accepts any number of procedures as arguments,
6949 and tells the Guile interpreter not to trace them any more. When
6950 invoked with no arguments, `untrace' untraces all curretly traced
6953 The tracing in Guile has an advantage over most other systems: we
6954 don't create new procedure objects, but mark the procedure objects
6955 themselves. This means that anonymous and internal procedures can be
6958 ** The function `assert-repl-prompt' has been renamed to
6959 `set-repl-prompt!'. It takes one argument, PROMPT.
6960 - If PROMPT is #f, the Guile read-eval-print loop will not prompt.
6961 - If PROMPT is a string, we use it as a prompt.
6962 - If PROMPT is a procedure accepting no arguments, we call it, and
6963 display the result as a prompt.
6964 - Otherwise, we display "> ".
6966 ** The new function `eval-string' reads Scheme expressions from a
6967 string and evaluates them, returning the value of the last expression
6968 in the string. If the string contains no expressions, it returns an
6971 ** The new function `thunk?' returns true iff its argument is a
6972 procedure of zero arguments.
6974 ** `defined?' is now a builtin function, instead of syntax. This
6975 means that its argument should be quoted. It returns #t iff its
6976 argument is bound in the current module.
6978 ** The new syntax `use-modules' allows you to add new modules to your
6979 environment without re-typing a complete `define-module' form. It
6980 accepts any number of module names as arguments, and imports their
6981 public bindings into the current module.
6983 ** The new function (module-defined? NAME MODULE) returns true iff
6984 NAME, a symbol, is defined in MODULE, a module object.
6986 ** The new function `builtin-bindings' creates and returns a hash
6987 table containing copies of all the root module's bindings.
6989 ** The new function `builtin-weak-bindings' does the same as
6990 `builtin-bindings', but creates a doubly-weak hash table.
6992 ** The `equal?' function now considers variable objects to be
6993 equivalent if they have the same name and the same value.
6995 ** The new function `command-line' returns the command-line arguments
6996 given to Guile, as a list of strings.
6998 When using guile as a script interpreter, `command-line' returns the
6999 script's arguments; those processed by the interpreter (like `-s' or
7000 `-c') are omitted. (In other words, you get the normal, expected
7001 behavior.) Any application that uses scm_shell to process its
7002 command-line arguments gets this behavior as well.
7004 ** The new function `load-user-init' looks for a file called `.guile'
7005 in the user's home directory, and loads it if it exists. This is
7006 mostly for use by the code generated by scm_compile_shell_switches,
7007 but we thought it might also be useful in other circumstances.
7009 ** The new function `log10' returns the base-10 logarithm of its
7012 ** Changes to I/O functions
7014 *** The functions `read', `primitive-load', `read-and-eval!', and
7015 `primitive-load-path' no longer take optional arguments controlling
7016 case insensitivity and a `#' parser.
7018 Case sensitivity is now controlled by a read option called
7019 `case-insensitive'. The user can add new `#' syntaxes with the
7020 `read-hash-extend' function (see below).
7022 *** The new function `read-hash-extend' allows the user to change the
7023 syntax of Guile Scheme in a somewhat controlled way.
7025 (read-hash-extend CHAR PROC)
7026 When parsing S-expressions, if we read a `#' character followed by
7027 the character CHAR, use PROC to parse an object from the stream.
7028 If PROC is #f, remove any parsing procedure registered for CHAR.
7030 The reader applies PROC to two arguments: CHAR and an input port.
7032 *** The new functions read-delimited and read-delimited! provide a
7033 general mechanism for doing delimited input on streams.
7035 (read-delimited DELIMS [PORT HANDLE-DELIM])
7036 Read until we encounter one of the characters in DELIMS (a string),
7037 or end-of-file. PORT is the input port to read from; it defaults to
7038 the current input port. The HANDLE-DELIM parameter determines how
7039 the terminating character is handled; it should be one of the
7042 'trim omit delimiter from result
7043 'peek leave delimiter character in input stream
7044 'concat append delimiter character to returned value
7045 'split return a pair: (RESULT . TERMINATOR)
7047 HANDLE-DELIM defaults to 'peek.
7049 (read-delimited! DELIMS BUF [PORT HANDLE-DELIM START END])
7050 A side-effecting variant of `read-delimited'.
7052 The data is written into the string BUF at the indices in the
7053 half-open interval [START, END); the default interval is the whole
7054 string: START = 0 and END = (string-length BUF). The values of
7055 START and END must specify a well-defined interval in BUF, i.e.
7056 0 <= START <= END <= (string-length BUF).
7058 It returns NBYTES, the number of bytes read. If the buffer filled
7059 up without a delimiter character being found, it returns #f. If the
7060 port is at EOF when the read starts, it returns the EOF object.
7062 If an integer is returned (i.e., the read is successfully terminated
7063 by reading a delimiter character), then the HANDLE-DELIM parameter
7064 determines how to handle the terminating character. It is described
7065 above, and defaults to 'peek.
7067 (The descriptions of these functions were borrowed from the SCSH
7068 manual, by Olin Shivers and Brian Carlstrom.)
7070 *** The `%read-delimited!' function is the primitive used to implement
7071 `read-delimited' and `read-delimited!'.
7073 (%read-delimited! DELIMS BUF GOBBLE? [PORT START END])
7075 This returns a pair of values: (TERMINATOR . NUM-READ).
7076 - TERMINATOR describes why the read was terminated. If it is a
7077 character or the eof object, then that is the value that terminated
7078 the read. If it is #f, the function filled the buffer without finding
7079 a delimiting character.
7080 - NUM-READ is the number of characters read into BUF.
7082 If the read is successfully terminated by reading a delimiter
7083 character, then the gobble? parameter determines what to do with the
7084 terminating character. If true, the character is removed from the
7085 input stream; if false, the character is left in the input stream
7086 where a subsequent read operation will retrieve it. In either case,
7087 the character is also the first value returned by the procedure call.
7089 (The descriptions of this function was borrowed from the SCSH manual,
7090 by Olin Shivers and Brian Carlstrom.)
7092 *** The `read-line' and `read-line!' functions have changed; they now
7093 trim the terminator by default; previously they appended it to the
7094 returned string. For the old behavior, use (read-line PORT 'concat).
7096 *** The functions `uniform-array-read!' and `uniform-array-write!' now
7097 take new optional START and END arguments, specifying the region of
7098 the array to read and write.
7100 *** The `ungetc-char-ready?' function has been removed. We feel it's
7101 inappropriate for an interface to expose implementation details this
7104 ** Changes to the Unix library and system call interface
7106 *** The new fcntl function provides access to the Unix `fcntl' system
7109 (fcntl PORT COMMAND VALUE)
7110 Apply COMMAND to PORT's file descriptor, with VALUE as an argument.
7111 Values for COMMAND are:
7113 F_DUPFD duplicate a file descriptor
7114 F_GETFD read the descriptor's close-on-exec flag
7115 F_SETFD set the descriptor's close-on-exec flag to VALUE
7116 F_GETFL read the descriptor's flags, as set on open
7117 F_SETFL set the descriptor's flags, as set on open to VALUE
7118 F_GETOWN return the process ID of a socket's owner, for SIGIO
7119 F_SETOWN set the process that owns a socket to VALUE, for SIGIO
7120 FD_CLOEXEC not sure what this is
7122 For details, see the documentation for the fcntl system call.
7124 *** The arguments to `select' have changed, for compatibility with
7125 SCSH. The TIMEOUT parameter may now be non-integral, yielding the
7126 expected behavior. The MILLISECONDS parameter has been changed to
7127 MICROSECONDS, to more closely resemble the underlying system call.
7128 The RVEC, WVEC, and EVEC arguments can now be vectors; the type of the
7129 corresponding return set will be the same.
7131 *** The arguments to the `mknod' system call have changed. They are
7134 (mknod PATH TYPE PERMS DEV)
7135 Create a new file (`node') in the file system. PATH is the name of
7136 the file to create. TYPE is the kind of file to create; it should
7137 be 'fifo, 'block-special, or 'char-special. PERMS specifies the
7138 permission bits to give the newly created file. If TYPE is
7139 'block-special or 'char-special, DEV specifies which device the
7140 special file refers to; its interpretation depends on the kind of
7141 special file being created.
7143 *** The `fork' function has been renamed to `primitive-fork', to avoid
7144 clashing with various SCSH forks.
7146 *** The `recv' and `recvfrom' functions have been renamed to `recv!'
7147 and `recvfrom!'. They no longer accept a size for a second argument;
7148 you must pass a string to hold the received value. They no longer
7149 return the buffer. Instead, `recv' returns the length of the message
7150 received, and `recvfrom' returns a pair containing the packet's length
7151 and originating address.
7153 *** The file descriptor datatype has been removed, as have the
7154 `read-fd', `write-fd', `close', `lseek', and `dup' functions.
7155 We plan to replace these functions with a SCSH-compatible interface.
7157 *** The `create' function has been removed; it's just a special case
7160 *** There are new functions to break down process termination status
7161 values. In the descriptions below, STATUS is a value returned by
7164 (status:exit-val STATUS)
7165 If the child process exited normally, this function returns the exit
7166 code for the child process (i.e., the value passed to exit, or
7167 returned from main). If the child process did not exit normally,
7168 this function returns #f.
7170 (status:stop-sig STATUS)
7171 If the child process was suspended by a signal, this function
7172 returns the signal that suspended the child. Otherwise, it returns
7175 (status:term-sig STATUS)
7176 If the child process terminated abnormally, this function returns
7177 the signal that terminated the child. Otherwise, this function
7180 POSIX promises that exactly one of these functions will return true on
7181 a valid STATUS value.
7183 These functions are compatible with SCSH.
7185 *** There are new accessors and setters for the broken-out time vectors
7186 returned by `localtime', `gmtime', and that ilk. They are:
7188 Component Accessor Setter
7189 ========================= ============ ============
7190 seconds tm:sec set-tm:sec
7191 minutes tm:min set-tm:min
7192 hours tm:hour set-tm:hour
7193 day of the month tm:mday set-tm:mday
7194 month tm:mon set-tm:mon
7195 year tm:year set-tm:year
7196 day of the week tm:wday set-tm:wday
7197 day in the year tm:yday set-tm:yday
7198 daylight saving time tm:isdst set-tm:isdst
7199 GMT offset, seconds tm:gmtoff set-tm:gmtoff
7200 name of time zone tm:zone set-tm:zone
7202 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `uname',
7203 describing the host system:
7206 ============================================== ================
7207 name of the operating system implementation utsname:sysname
7208 network name of this machine utsname:nodename
7209 release level of the operating system utsname:release
7210 version level of the operating system utsname:version
7211 machine hardware platform utsname:machine
7213 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getpw',
7214 `getpwnam', `getpwuid', and `getpwent', describing entries from the
7215 system's user database:
7218 ====================== =================
7219 user name passwd:name
7220 user password passwd:passwd
7223 real name passwd:gecos
7224 home directory passwd:dir
7225 shell program passwd:shell
7227 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getgr',
7228 `getgrnam', `getgrgid', and `getgrent', describing entries from the
7229 system's group database:
7232 ======================= ============
7233 group name group:name
7234 group password group:passwd
7236 group members group:mem
7238 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `gethost',
7239 `gethostbyaddr', `gethostbyname', and `gethostent', describing
7243 ========================= ===============
7244 official name of host hostent:name
7245 alias list hostent:aliases
7246 host address type hostent:addrtype
7247 length of address hostent:length
7248 list of addresses hostent:addr-list
7250 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getnet',
7251 `getnetbyaddr', `getnetbyname', and `getnetent', describing internet
7255 ========================= ===============
7256 official name of net netent:name
7257 alias list netent:aliases
7258 net number type netent:addrtype
7259 net number netent:net
7261 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getproto',
7262 `getprotobyname', `getprotobynumber', and `getprotoent', describing
7266 ========================= ===============
7267 official protocol name protoent:name
7268 alias list protoent:aliases
7269 protocol number protoent:proto
7271 *** There are new accessors for the vectors returned by `getserv',
7272 `getservbyname', `getservbyport', and `getservent', describing
7276 ========================= ===============
7277 official service name servent:name
7278 alias list servent:aliases
7279 port number servent:port
7280 protocol to use servent:proto
7282 *** There are new accessors for the sockaddr structures returned by
7283 `accept', `getsockname', `getpeername', `recvfrom!':
7286 ======================================== ===============
7287 address format (`family') sockaddr:fam
7288 path, for file domain addresses sockaddr:path
7289 address, for internet domain addresses sockaddr:addr
7290 TCP or UDP port, for internet sockaddr:port
7292 *** The `getpwent', `getgrent', `gethostent', `getnetent',
7293 `getprotoent', and `getservent' functions now return #f at the end of
7294 the user database. (They used to throw an exception.)
7296 Note that calling MUMBLEent function is equivalent to calling the
7297 corresponding MUMBLE function with no arguments.
7299 *** The `setpwent', `setgrent', `sethostent', `setnetent',
7300 `setprotoent', and `setservent' routines now take no arguments.
7302 *** The `gethost', `getproto', `getnet', and `getserv' functions now
7303 provide more useful information when they throw an exception.
7305 *** The `lnaof' function has been renamed to `inet-lnaof'.
7307 *** Guile now claims to have the `current-time' feature.
7309 *** The `mktime' function now takes an optional second argument ZONE,
7310 giving the time zone to use for the conversion. ZONE should be a
7311 string, in the same format as expected for the "TZ" environment variable.
7313 *** The `strptime' function now returns a pair (TIME . COUNT), where
7314 TIME is the parsed time as a vector, and COUNT is the number of
7315 characters from the string left unparsed. This function used to
7316 return the remaining characters as a string.
7318 *** The `gettimeofday' function has replaced the old `time+ticks' function.
7319 The return value is now (SECONDS . MICROSECONDS); the fractional
7320 component is no longer expressed in "ticks".
7322 *** The `ticks/sec' constant has been removed, in light of the above change.
7324 * Changes to the gh_ interface
7326 ** gh_eval_str() now returns an SCM object which is the result of the
7329 ** gh_scm2str() now copies the Scheme data to a caller-provided C
7332 ** gh_scm2newstr() now makes a C array, copies the Scheme data to it,
7333 and returns the array
7335 ** gh_scm2str0() is gone: there is no need to distinguish
7336 null-terminated from non-null-terminated, since gh_scm2newstr() allows
7337 the user to interpret the data both ways.
7339 * Changes to the scm_ interface
7341 ** The new function scm_symbol_value0 provides an easy way to get a
7342 symbol's value from C code:
7344 SCM scm_symbol_value0 (char *NAME)
7345 Return the value of the symbol named by the null-terminated string
7346 NAME in the current module. If the symbol named NAME is unbound in
7347 the current module, return SCM_UNDEFINED.
7349 ** The new function scm_sysintern0 creates new top-level variables,
7350 without assigning them a value.
7352 SCM scm_sysintern0 (char *NAME)
7353 Create a new Scheme top-level variable named NAME. NAME is a
7354 null-terminated string. Return the variable's value cell.
7356 ** The function scm_internal_catch is the guts of catch. It handles
7357 all the mechanics of setting up a catch target, invoking the catch
7358 body, and perhaps invoking the handler if the body does a throw.
7360 The function is designed to be usable from C code, but is general
7361 enough to implement all the semantics Guile Scheme expects from throw.
7363 TAG is the catch tag. Typically, this is a symbol, but this function
7364 doesn't actually care about that.
7366 BODY is a pointer to a C function which runs the body of the catch;
7367 this is the code you can throw from. We call it like this:
7368 BODY (BODY_DATA, JMPBUF)
7370 BODY_DATA is just the BODY_DATA argument we received; we pass it
7371 through to BODY as its first argument. The caller can make
7372 BODY_DATA point to anything useful that BODY might need.
7373 JMPBUF is the Scheme jmpbuf object corresponding to this catch,
7374 which we have just created and initialized.
7376 HANDLER is a pointer to a C function to deal with a throw to TAG,
7377 should one occur. We call it like this:
7378 HANDLER (HANDLER_DATA, THROWN_TAG, THROW_ARGS)
7380 HANDLER_DATA is the HANDLER_DATA argument we recevied; it's the
7381 same idea as BODY_DATA above.
7382 THROWN_TAG is the tag that the user threw to; usually this is
7383 TAG, but it could be something else if TAG was #t (i.e., a
7384 catch-all), or the user threw to a jmpbuf.
7385 THROW_ARGS is the list of arguments the user passed to the THROW
7388 BODY_DATA is just a pointer we pass through to BODY. HANDLER_DATA
7389 is just a pointer we pass through to HANDLER. We don't actually
7390 use either of those pointers otherwise ourselves. The idea is
7391 that, if our caller wants to communicate something to BODY or
7392 HANDLER, it can pass a pointer to it as MUMBLE_DATA, which BODY and
7393 HANDLER can then use. Think of it as a way to make BODY and
7394 HANDLER closures, not just functions; MUMBLE_DATA points to the
7397 Of course, it's up to the caller to make sure that any data a
7398 MUMBLE_DATA needs is protected from GC. A common way to do this is
7399 to make MUMBLE_DATA a pointer to data stored in an automatic
7400 structure variable; since the collector must scan the stack for
7401 references anyway, this assures that any references in MUMBLE_DATA
7404 ** The new function scm_internal_lazy_catch is exactly like
7405 scm_internal_catch, except:
7407 - It does not unwind the stack (this is the major difference).
7408 - If handler returns, its value is returned from the throw.
7409 - BODY always receives #f as its JMPBUF argument (since there's no
7410 jmpbuf associated with a lazy catch, because we don't unwind the
7413 ** scm_body_thunk is a new body function you can pass to
7414 scm_internal_catch if you want the body to be like Scheme's `catch'
7415 --- a thunk, or a function of one argument if the tag is #f.
7417 BODY_DATA is a pointer to a scm_body_thunk_data structure, which
7418 contains the Scheme procedure to invoke as the body, and the tag
7419 we're catching. If the tag is #f, then we pass JMPBUF (created by
7420 scm_internal_catch) to the body procedure; otherwise, the body gets
7423 ** scm_handle_by_proc is a new handler function you can pass to
7424 scm_internal_catch if you want the handler to act like Scheme's catch
7425 --- call a procedure with the tag and the throw arguments.
7427 If the user does a throw to this catch, this function runs a handler
7428 procedure written in Scheme. HANDLER_DATA is a pointer to an SCM
7429 variable holding the Scheme procedure object to invoke. It ought to
7430 be a pointer to an automatic variable (i.e., one living on the stack),
7431 or the procedure object should be otherwise protected from GC.
7433 ** scm_handle_by_message is a new handler function to use with
7434 `scm_internal_catch' if you want Guile to print a message and die.
7435 It's useful for dealing with throws to uncaught keys at the top level.
7437 HANDLER_DATA, if non-zero, is assumed to be a char * pointing to a
7438 message header to print; if zero, we use "guile" instead. That
7439 text is followed by a colon, then the message described by ARGS.
7441 ** The return type of scm_boot_guile is now void; the function does
7442 not return a value, and indeed, never returns at all.
7444 ** The new function scm_shell makes it easy for user applications to
7445 process command-line arguments in a way that is compatible with the
7446 stand-alone guile interpreter (which is in turn compatible with SCSH,
7449 To use the scm_shell function, first initialize any guile modules
7450 linked into your application, and then call scm_shell with the values
7451 of ARGC and ARGV your `main' function received. scm_shell will add
7452 any SCSH-style meta-arguments from the top of the script file to the
7453 argument vector, and then process the command-line arguments. This
7454 generally means loading a script file or starting up an interactive
7455 command interpreter. For details, see "Changes to the stand-alone
7458 ** The new functions scm_get_meta_args and scm_count_argv help you
7459 implement the SCSH-style meta-argument, `\'.
7461 char **scm_get_meta_args (int ARGC, char **ARGV)
7462 If the second element of ARGV is a string consisting of a single
7463 backslash character (i.e. "\\" in Scheme notation), open the file
7464 named by the following argument, parse arguments from it, and return
7465 the spliced command line. The returned array is terminated by a
7468 For details of argument parsing, see above, under "guile now accepts
7469 command-line arguments compatible with SCSH..."
7471 int scm_count_argv (char **ARGV)
7472 Count the arguments in ARGV, assuming it is terminated by a null
7475 For an example of how these functions might be used, see the source
7476 code for the function scm_shell in libguile/script.c.
7478 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
7481 ** The new function scm_compile_shell_switches turns an array of
7482 command-line arguments into Scheme code to carry out the actions they
7483 describe. Given ARGC and ARGV, it returns a Scheme expression to
7484 evaluate, and calls scm_set_program_arguments to make any remaining
7485 command-line arguments available to the Scheme code. For example,
7486 given the following arguments:
7488 -e main -s ekko a speckled gecko
7490 scm_set_program_arguments will return the following expression:
7492 (begin (load "ekko") (main (command-line)) (quit))
7494 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
7497 ** The function scm_shell_usage prints a usage message appropriate for
7498 an interpreter that uses scm_compile_shell_switches to handle its
7499 command-line arguments.
7501 void scm_shell_usage (int FATAL, char *MESSAGE)
7502 Print a usage message to the standard error output. If MESSAGE is
7503 non-zero, write it before the usage message, followed by a newline.
7504 If FATAL is non-zero, exit the process, using FATAL as the
7505 termination status. (If you want to be compatible with Guile,
7506 always use 1 as the exit status when terminating due to command-line
7509 You will usually want to use scm_shell instead of calling this
7512 ** scm_eval_0str now returns SCM_UNSPECIFIED if the string contains no
7513 expressions. It used to return SCM_EOL. Earth-shattering.
7515 ** The macros for declaring scheme objects in C code have been
7516 rearranged slightly. They are now:
7518 SCM_SYMBOL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7519 Declare a static SCM variable named C_NAME, and initialize it to
7520 point to the Scheme symbol whose name is SCHEME_NAME. C_NAME should
7521 be a C identifier, and SCHEME_NAME should be a C string.
7523 SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7524 Just like SCM_SYMBOL, but make C_NAME globally visible.
7526 SCM_VCELL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7527 Create a global variable at the Scheme level named SCHEME_NAME.
7528 Declare a static SCM variable named C_NAME, and initialize it to
7529 point to the Scheme variable's value cell.
7531 SCM_GLOBAL_VCELL (C_NAME, SCHEME_NAME)
7532 Just like SCM_VCELL, but make C_NAME globally visible.
7534 The `guile-snarf' script writes initialization code for these macros
7535 to its standard output, given C source code as input.
7537 The SCM_GLOBAL macro is gone.
7539 ** The scm_read_line and scm_read_line_x functions have been replaced
7540 by Scheme code based on the %read-delimited! procedure (known to C
7541 code as scm_read_delimited_x). See its description above for more
7544 ** The function scm_sys_open has been renamed to scm_open. It now
7545 returns a port instead of an FD object.
7547 * The dynamic linking support has changed. For more information, see
7548 libguile/DYNAMIC-LINKING.
7553 User-visible changes from Thursday, September 5, 1996 until Guile 1.0
7556 * Changes to the 'guile' program:
7558 ** Guile now loads some new files when it starts up. Guile first
7559 searches the load path for init.scm, and loads it if found. Then, if
7560 Guile is not being used to execute a script, and the user's home
7561 directory contains a file named `.guile', Guile loads that.
7563 ** You can now use Guile as a shell script interpreter.
7565 To paraphrase the SCSH manual:
7567 When Unix tries to execute an executable file whose first two
7568 characters are the `#!', it treats the file not as machine code to
7569 be directly executed by the native processor, but as source code
7570 to be executed by some interpreter. The interpreter to use is
7571 specified immediately after the #! sequence on the first line of
7572 the source file. The kernel reads in the name of the interpreter,
7573 and executes that instead. It passes the interpreter the source
7574 filename as its first argument, with the original arguments
7575 following. Consult the Unix man page for the `exec' system call
7576 for more information.
7578 Now you can use Guile as an interpreter, using a mechanism which is a
7579 compatible subset of that provided by SCSH.
7581 Guile now recognizes a '-s' command line switch, whose argument is the
7582 name of a file of Scheme code to load. It also treats the two
7583 characters `#!' as the start of a comment, terminated by `!#'. Thus,
7584 to make a file of Scheme code directly executable by Unix, insert the
7585 following two lines at the top of the file:
7587 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
7590 Guile treats the argument of the `-s' command-line switch as the name
7591 of a file of Scheme code to load, and treats the sequence `#!' as the
7592 start of a block comment, terminated by `!#'.
7594 For example, here's a version of 'echo' written in Scheme:
7596 #!/usr/local/bin/guile -s
7598 (let loop ((args (cdr (program-arguments))))
7601 (display (car args))
7602 (if (pair? (cdr args))
7604 (loop (cdr args)))))
7607 Why does `#!' start a block comment terminated by `!#', instead of the
7608 end of the line? That is the notation SCSH uses, and although we
7609 don't yet support the other SCSH features that motivate that choice,
7610 we would like to be backward-compatible with any existing Guile
7611 scripts once we do. Furthermore, if the path to Guile on your system
7612 is too long for your kernel, you can start the script with this
7616 exec /really/long/path/to/guile -s "$0" ${1+"$@"}
7619 Note that some very old Unix systems don't support the `#!' syntax.
7622 ** You can now run Guile without installing it.
7624 Previous versions of the interactive Guile interpreter (`guile')
7625 couldn't start up unless Guile's Scheme library had been installed;
7626 they used the value of the environment variable `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH'
7627 later on in the startup process, but not to find the startup code
7628 itself. Now Guile uses `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH' in all searches for Scheme
7631 To run Guile without installing it, build it in the normal way, and
7632 then set the environment variable `SCHEME_LOAD_PATH' to a
7633 colon-separated list of directories, including the top-level directory
7634 of the Guile sources. For example, if you unpacked Guile so that the
7635 full filename of this NEWS file is /home/jimb/guile-1.0b3/NEWS, then
7638 export SCHEME_LOAD_PATH=/home/jimb/my-scheme:/home/jimb/guile-1.0b3
7641 ** Guile's read-eval-print loop no longer prints #<unspecified>
7642 results. If the user wants to see this, she can evaluate the
7643 expression (assert-repl-print-unspecified #t), perhaps in her startup
7646 ** Guile no longer shows backtraces by default when an error occurs;
7647 however, it does display a message saying how to get one, and how to
7648 request that they be displayed by default. After an error, evaluate
7650 to see a backtrace, and
7651 (debug-enable 'backtrace)
7652 to see them by default.
7656 * Changes to Guile Scheme:
7658 ** Guile now distinguishes between #f and the empty list.
7660 This is for compatibility with the IEEE standard, the (possibly)
7661 upcoming Revised^5 Report on Scheme, and many extant Scheme
7664 Guile used to have #f and '() denote the same object, to make Scheme's
7665 type system more compatible with Emacs Lisp's. However, the change
7666 caused too much trouble for Scheme programmers, and we found another
7667 way to reconcile Emacs Lisp with Scheme that didn't require this.
7670 ** Guile's delq, delv, delete functions, and their destructive
7671 counterparts, delq!, delv!, and delete!, now remove all matching
7672 elements from the list, not just the first. This matches the behavior
7673 of the corresponding Emacs Lisp functions, and (I believe) the Maclisp
7674 functions which inspired them.
7676 I recognize that this change may break code in subtle ways, but it
7677 seems best to make the change before the FSF's first Guile release,
7681 ** The compiled-library-path function has been deleted from libguile.
7683 ** The facilities for loading Scheme source files have changed.
7685 *** The variable %load-path now tells Guile which directories to search
7686 for Scheme code. Its value is a list of strings, each of which names
7689 *** The variable %load-extensions now tells Guile which extensions to
7690 try appending to a filename when searching the load path. Its value
7691 is a list of strings. Its default value is ("" ".scm").
7693 *** (%search-load-path FILENAME) searches the directories listed in the
7694 value of the %load-path variable for a Scheme file named FILENAME,
7695 with all the extensions listed in %load-extensions. If it finds a
7696 match, then it returns its full filename. If FILENAME is absolute, it
7697 returns it unchanged. Otherwise, it returns #f.
7699 %search-load-path will not return matches that refer to directories.
7701 *** (primitive-load FILENAME :optional CASE-INSENSITIVE-P SHARP)
7702 uses %seach-load-path to find a file named FILENAME, and loads it if
7703 it finds it. If it can't read FILENAME for any reason, it throws an
7706 The arguments CASE-INSENSITIVE-P and SHARP are interpreted as by the
7709 *** load uses the same searching semantics as primitive-load.
7711 *** The functions %try-load, try-load-with-path, %load, load-with-path,
7712 basic-try-load-with-path, basic-load-with-path, try-load-module-with-
7713 path, and load-module-with-path have been deleted. The functions
7714 above should serve their purposes.
7716 *** If the value of the variable %load-hook is a procedure,
7717 `primitive-load' applies its value to the name of the file being
7718 loaded (without the load path directory name prepended). If its value
7719 is #f, it is ignored. Otherwise, an error occurs.
7721 This is mostly useful for printing load notification messages.
7724 ** The function `eval!' is no longer accessible from the scheme level.
7725 We can't allow operations which introduce glocs into the scheme level,
7726 because Guile's type system can't handle these as data. Use `eval' or
7727 `read-and-eval!' (see below) as replacement.
7729 ** The new function read-and-eval! reads an expression from PORT,
7730 evaluates it, and returns the result. This is more efficient than
7731 simply calling `read' and `eval', since it is not necessary to make a
7732 copy of the expression for the evaluator to munge.
7734 Its optional arguments CASE_INSENSITIVE_P and SHARP are interpreted as
7735 for the `read' function.
7738 ** The function `int?' has been removed; its definition was identical
7739 to that of `integer?'.
7741 ** The functions `<?', `<?', `<=?', `=?', `>?', and `>=?'. Code should
7742 use the R4RS names for these functions.
7744 ** The function object-properties no longer returns the hash handle;
7745 it simply returns the object's property list.
7747 ** Many functions have been changed to throw errors, instead of
7748 returning #f on failure. The point of providing exception handling in
7749 the language is to simplify the logic of user code, but this is less
7750 useful if Guile's primitives don't throw exceptions.
7752 ** The function `fileno' has been renamed from `%fileno'.
7754 ** The function primitive-mode->fdes returns #t or #f now, not 1 or 0.
7757 * Changes to Guile's C interface:
7759 ** The library's initialization procedure has been simplified.
7760 scm_boot_guile now has the prototype:
7762 void scm_boot_guile (int ARGC,
7764 void (*main_func) (),
7767 scm_boot_guile calls MAIN_FUNC, passing it CLOSURE, ARGC, and ARGV.
7768 MAIN_FUNC should do all the work of the program (initializing other
7769 packages, reading user input, etc.) before returning. When MAIN_FUNC
7770 returns, call exit (0); this function never returns. If you want some
7771 other exit value, MAIN_FUNC may call exit itself.
7773 scm_boot_guile arranges for program-arguments to return the strings
7774 given by ARGC and ARGV. If MAIN_FUNC modifies ARGC/ARGV, should call
7775 scm_set_program_arguments with the final list, so Scheme code will
7776 know which arguments have been processed.
7778 scm_boot_guile establishes a catch-all catch handler which prints an
7779 error message and exits the process. This means that Guile exits in a
7780 coherent way when system errors occur and the user isn't prepared to
7781 handle it. If the user doesn't like this behavior, they can establish
7782 their own universal catcher in MAIN_FUNC to shadow this one.
7784 Why must the caller do all the real work from MAIN_FUNC? The garbage
7785 collector assumes that all local variables of type SCM will be above
7786 scm_boot_guile's stack frame on the stack. If you try to manipulate
7787 SCM values after this function returns, it's the luck of the draw
7788 whether the GC will be able to find the objects you allocate. So,
7789 scm_boot_guile function exits, rather than returning, to discourage
7790 people from making that mistake.
7792 The IN, OUT, and ERR arguments were removed; there are other
7793 convenient ways to override these when desired.
7795 The RESULT argument was deleted; this function should never return.
7797 The BOOT_CMD argument was deleted; the MAIN_FUNC argument is more
7801 ** Guile's header files should no longer conflict with your system's
7804 In order to compile code which #included <libguile.h>, previous
7805 versions of Guile required you to add a directory containing all the
7806 Guile header files to your #include path. This was a problem, since
7807 Guile's header files have names which conflict with many systems'
7810 Now only <libguile.h> need appear in your #include path; you must
7811 refer to all Guile's other header files as <libguile/mumble.h>.
7812 Guile's installation procedure puts libguile.h in $(includedir), and
7813 the rest in $(includedir)/libguile.
7816 ** Two new C functions, scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect_object,
7817 have been added to the Guile library.
7819 scm_protect_object (OBJ) protects OBJ from the garbage collector.
7820 OBJ will not be freed, even if all other references are dropped,
7821 until someone does scm_unprotect_object (OBJ). Both functions
7824 Note that calls to scm_protect_object do not nest. You can call
7825 scm_protect_object any number of times on a given object, and the
7826 next call to scm_unprotect_object will unprotect it completely.
7828 Basically, scm_protect_object and scm_unprotect_object just
7829 maintain a list of references to things. Since the GC knows about
7830 this list, all objects it mentions stay alive. scm_protect_object
7831 adds its argument to the list; scm_unprotect_object remove its
7832 argument from the list.
7835 ** scm_eval_0str now returns the value of the last expression
7838 ** The new function scm_read_0str reads an s-expression from a
7839 null-terminated string, and returns it.
7841 ** The new function `scm_stdio_to_port' converts a STDIO file pointer
7842 to a Scheme port object.
7844 ** The new function `scm_set_program_arguments' allows C code to set
7845 the value returned by the Scheme `program-arguments' function.
7850 * Guile no longer includes sophisticated Tcl/Tk support.
7852 The old Tcl/Tk support was unsatisfying to us, because it required the
7853 user to link against the Tcl library, as well as Tk and Guile. The
7854 interface was also un-lispy, in that it preserved Tcl/Tk's practice of
7855 referring to widgets by names, rather than exporting widgets to Scheme
7856 code as a special datatype.
7858 In the Usenix Tk Developer's Workshop held in July 1996, the Tcl/Tk
7859 maintainers described some very interesting changes in progress to the
7860 Tcl/Tk internals, which would facilitate clean interfaces between lone
7861 Tk and other interpreters --- even for garbage-collected languages
7862 like Scheme. They expected the new Tk to be publicly available in the
7865 Since it seems that Guile might soon have a new, cleaner interface to
7866 lone Tk, and that the old Guile/Tk glue code would probably need to be
7867 completely rewritten, we (Jim Blandy and Richard Stallman) have
7868 decided not to support the old code. We'll spend the time instead on
7869 a good interface to the newer Tk, as soon as it is available.
7871 Until then, gtcltk-lib provides trivial, low-maintenance functionality.
7874 Copyright information:
7876 Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
7878 Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies
7879 of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the
7880 copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved,
7881 thus giving the recipient permission to redistribute in turn.
7883 Permission is granted to distribute modified versions
7884 of this document, or of portions of it,
7885 under the above conditions, provided also that they
7886 carry prominent notices stating who last changed them.
7891 paragraph-separate: "[
\f]*$"