Recursive COMPILE-FILE?

["Scott E. Fahlman" <Fahlman@C.CS.CMU.EDU>]

    Is a Common Lisp compiler required to correctly handle forms such as:

    (eval-when (compile)
      (compile-file "utils"))

I don't think that there's anything in the current spec that requires
COMPILE-FILE to be re-entrant, and at least a couple of implementations
would have a hard time doing this because of the way they store the
compilation environment.  Obviously it is better for all concerned if
something like this does work in your favorite implementation, but I
don't think it is required.

There is now a subcommittee under X3J13 that is studying the whole
question of tightening up the compiler specifications.  It will be up to
them to weigh the costs and benefits of requiring this change and to
make a recommendation to X3J13.  I'm sure at some point they will be
seeking the community's input on such issues.

-- Scott