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Issue IMPORT-SETF-SYMBOL-PACKAGE Writeup

Issue:        IMPORT-SETF-SYMBOL-PACKAGE

References: IMPORT (CLtL p. 186)

Category: CLARIFICATION.

Edit History: Version 2 at committee meeting 15-Mar-87 15:19:23

Version 3 by Masinter 15-Mar-87 18:42:13

Version 4 29-May-87 by Masinter, remove confusing

"to further clarify".

Version 5 to X3J13

Problem Description:

The action of IMPORT on the home package of a symbol is not described

well; does it affects the "home package" of a symbol.

Proposal (IMPORT-SETF-SYMBOL-PACKAGE:YES):

IMPORT behaves as follows: if any symbol to be imported has no home

package (SYMBOL-PACKAGE returns NIL), then IMPORT sets the home package

of the symbol to the specified package being imported to.

Rationale:

Current practice:

Most Common Lisp implementations work this way.

Adoption Cost:

small -- it requires a simple rewrite if not done this way.

Benefits:

Without this proposal, there is confusion about how Common Lisp works,

and the risks that some new implementations will not work this way.

Conversion Cost:

None, as this describes current practice.

Discussion:

The cleanup committee supports this clarification.


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