ACL5beta: #'character

[Lyman S. Taylor]

In article <m37m0nj...@mute.eaglets.com>,
Sam Steingold <s...@goems.com> wrote:
>ACL5beta:
>user(8): (character 1000)
>nil
>user(9): char-code-limit
>65536
>
>Is this a bug?

More than likely. In the nitty gritty language lawyer parlance, no.
The HyperSpec says that it "should signal an error". This phrase in the
glossary on error terminology:

http://www.harlequin.com/education/books/HyperSpec/Body/sec_1-4-2.html

essentially means it only "has to" with the safety level turned all the way
up. However, I have yet to see any of these kinds of "animals" change their
"spots" when in fact you do pump up the safety level. In my experience,
it is rare that environments have the "correct" version waiting in the
wings to insert _only_ if the safety level is high.

--

Lyman S. Taylor "Computers are too reliable to replace
(ly...@cc.gatech.edu) humans effectively."
Commander Nathan Spring, "Starcops"

[Erik Naggum]

* Sam Steingold <s...@goems.com>

| ACL5beta:
| user(8): (character 1000)
| nil
| user(9): char-code-limit
| 65536
|

| Is this a bug? (looks like it; #'character should either return a
| character or signal an error, right?)

CHARACTER does not take an integer argument in ANSI CL.

I have to _guess_ that the implied question really is why the value of
CHAR-CODE-LIMIT does not reflect the true limit, which is 256. if this
is so, see the standard's entries on CHAR-CODE-LIMIT and CODE-CHAR. the
latter _does_ take an integer argument, an _may_ return NIL.

_always_ consult the specification. there are no short-cuts.

http://www.harlequin.com/books/HyperSpec/Body/convar_char-code-limit.html
http://www.harlequin.com/books/HyperSpec/Body/fun_code-char.html
http://www.harlequin.com/books/HyperSpec/Body/fun_character.html
http://www.harlequin.com/books/HyperSpec/Body/glo_c.html#character_designator

#:Erik
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