*eof-value*

[MURRAY%cs.umass.edu@RELAY.CS.NET]

From: MURRAY%cs.umass.edu@RELAY.CS.NET
 I would like to suggest the addition of new constant, *eof-value*, that
 is the default value for EOF-VALUE in all the read functions.  

>From:	IN%"Steven Haflich <smh@ems.media.mit.edu>" 28-JUL-1987 01:59
>Although the proposed change is otherwise cogent, I
>would opt against it since the benefit is only minor convenience and
>not increased functionality.

But at no real cost, since the constant is going to exist anyway.

>From: Barry Margolin <barmar@THINK.COM>
>While I admit that it is common, it is not foolproof, because someone
>can type #.*eof-value*.  The only really safe eof value is an object
>consed on the fly, as in..

I hadn't considered this, but it just occured to me you found a neat
way of commenting out the rest of a file! 
(Assuming the loader is checking for *eof-value*, and not NIL, or something
consed on the fly, or si:*eof-value*, or etc.)

(defun foo ..)
#.*eof-value* 
(defun unused-foo ..)
..

 - Kelly Murray
   University of Massachusetts