load-time-eval

[Gregor.pa@Xerox.COM]

I think someone has mentioned this before, but Common Lisp needs a
load-time-eval or deferred-constant facility.

load-time-eval    (form)     [macro]

When evaluated (by the evaluator) simply evaluates form and returns its
result.

When a use of load-time-eval is compiled (by compile-file) arranges for
form to be evaluated at load-time.  The call to load-time-eval when
evaluated will then return the result of having evaulated the form

When compiled to core (by compile-file) simply evaluates form at compile
time and arranges for the call to load-time-eval to return the result of
evaluting form.

It seems like it should be easy for implementors to implement this using
the mechanism they already have for #,.

Or we could have a deferred constant facility like the one in Interlisp.

Or we could have both.

We need something though, because the fact that you can't use #, in a
macro and have it do "what you want" makes #, of limited usefulness.