Issue COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE Writeup

Issue:		COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE

References:	CLtL p. 182, 183

Category:	CHANGE, CLARIFICATION

Edit History:   1 Sep 1988, Sandra Loosemore (initial version)

		21 Sep 1988, Sandra Loosemore (minor tweak to current practice)



Problem Description:


The variable *PACKAGE* is rebound by the function LOAD, so that its

old value will be restored in spite of any calls to IN-PACKAGE

appearing in the file being loaded.  Since COMPILE-FILE must evaluate

any top-level calls to IN-PACKAGE that it sees, it may also alter the

value of *PACKAGE*.  It is inconsistent to have COMPILE-FILE and LOAD

behave differently regarding the rebinding of this variable.



Proposal COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE:REBIND:


Require COMPILE-FILE to rebind *PACKAGE* before processing the file.



Rationale:


This makes COMPILE-FILE and LOAD more consistent.  It is a more

compatible solution than either requiring LOAD not to rebind

*PACKAGE*, or removing the specialness of IN-PACKAGE and the other

package functions.



Current Practice:


Lucid Common Lisp, the TI Explorer, and VaxLisp already implement this 

proposal.



Cost to implementors:


Trivial.



Cost to users:


I find it hard to believe that users would consider COMPILE-FILE altering

the value of *PACKAGE* as a useful side effect.



Benefits:


The language is made more uniform.



Discussion: