[gambit-list] Compiling programs that use syntax-case macros

Marc Feeley feeley at iro.umontreal.ca
Thu Sep 26 16:03:23 EDT 2013


On 2013-09-26, at 3:00 PM, Panicz Maciej Godek <godek.maciek at gmail.com> wrote:

> 2013/9/26 Marc Feeley <feeley at iro.umontreal.ca>
> 
> On 2013-09-26, at 11:34 AM, Caolan McMahon <caolan.mcmahon at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > gsc -:s filename.scm
> >
> > and for interpreter:
> >
> > gsi -:s filename.scm
> >
> > ...recently had to figure this out myself :)
> 
> This only contributes to my belief that noone reads documentation anymore...
> 
> http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~gambit/doc/gambit-c.html#index-define_002dsyntax
> 
> Well, that's not entirely true -- I've read a lot of documentation before
> I dared to post. I've googled for many variations of "gambit scheme define
> macros" and "gambit scheme syntax case", and it either directed me
> here http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~gambit/doc/gambit-c.html (without
> pointing to the particuar node -- which might be significant, as the
> document consists of 21 chapters), or here
> http://prael.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/r5rs-define-syntax-macros-in-gambit-scheme/
> (which doesn't mention the case for the compiler), or to some mailing
> list archives (which were difficult to digest)
> 
> The node you've pointed to is in section 6.3 "Miscellaneous extensions" (of chapter "Scheme extensions"), together with e.g. "vector-copy". Since syntax-rules are described in R5RS, I wouldn't ever think that it might be regarded as an extension to Scheme. Furthermore, I don't know what could be the reason for making the macro feature switched off by default, so it would never come to my mind that it must be switched on explicitly.
> 
> Perhaps if the table of contents of the documentation was a little bit more detailed, or if the documentation was generated as one node per page (so that google could index it with more precision), the chances of finding a particular information would increase.
> 
> Anyway, I'm really glad that I wrote, because you've helped me so quickly, and so I'm grateful :)
> 
> Thanks!
> M.

I'm sorry for overeacting...  Blame it on the frustration of being asked regularly to write more detailed/clear documentation for things that are already documented.  It is more fun and time efficient for me to answer questions on undocumented things when they come up.

Marc




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