[gls@THINK-AQUINAS.ARPA: setf place]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Apr 86 11:32 EST
From: Guy Steele <gls@THINK-AQUINAS.ARPA>

    Date: 8 Apr 86 23:36:00 EST
    From: "BACH::NELSON" <nelson%bach.decnet@hudson.dec.com>

    Guy, we've had a request from a VAX LISP customer to change our implementation
    of SETF.  This user reads the description of acceptable places (p. 97) to 
    mean that if one says (setf (a b) c) and if A has a macro definition, that we 
    first check for a setf expander for the form (a b), and only macroexpand if we
    find no setf expander for the un-macroexpanded form.  I consider this an
    incorrect reading of the book; I think that the book says that if A has
    a macro definition, only the result of the macroexpansion will be used.
    Could you tell me what you think the book says?  Thanks very much.

    Beryl Nelson
    nelson@hudson.dec.com
    ------

I agree that the book is not properly organized here.  The list of items on
pp.  94-97 was not intended to be in any particular order, and certainly not
in priority order.  However, I can see that the list might be interpreted in
that manner.  It should be clear that what your user wants will "do the
right thing" under more sets of circumstances, and it is what I would
expect; but I agree that the book should be made more clear.
--Guy