Questions, comments and clarifications on clarifications

[Guy Steele <gls@THINK-AQUINAS.ARPA>]

    Date: Mon, 16 Dec 85 14:05 EST
    From: Daniel L. Weinreb <DLW@SCRC-QUABBIN.ARPA>

	Date: Mon, 16 Dec 85 13:01 EST
	From: Guy Steele <gls@THINK-AQUINAS.ARPA>
	...

    If this is what you mean, it should be made clear that (1) the model of
    a "file" is that it has a single associated element-type, and (2) if you
    use the new form of file-length, and you pass in :element-type, then the
    value must be the same as the actual element-type of the file, or else
    it is an error (the result is undefined).

    (Put more crudely, there should be no defined way to write a file in
    units of X and then ask for its length in units of Y, that claims to be
    portable.)

I agree.  I think that (1) was already, if not clear, then at least translucent
from the existing description of FILE-LENGTH.  Clearly (2) is a necessary
consequence for portability.