Re: The DSSSList Digest V3 #168

[Norman Walsh <ndw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

/ DPawson@xxxxxxxxxxx was heard to say:
| >There is, however, (html-prefix) in dbchunk.dsl:
| >
| >(define (html-prefix nd) 
| 
| Well I never! If its not a function
| (from the scheme perspective) what is it?

If it's a function, then its definition is bound to the symbol.
The definition is evaluated when it's called.

If it's not a function, the definition is evaluated, and the
result is bound to the symbol. The result is returned when the
symbol is referenced.

You can't reference (current-node) and other grove-dependent
things in a variable definition because there is no current node
at the point of evaluation. You can use them in functions
because the evaluation isn't performed until you call the
function. (Of course, if you call the function before there's
a current node, then you'll get the same errors.)

                                        Cheers,
                                          norm

-- 
Norman Walsh <ndw@xxxxxxxxxx>      | Simplicity is always a
http://nwalsh.com/                 | virtue.--Edward Abbey


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