Cleanup Issue IMPORT-SETF-SYMBOL-PACKAGE

Status
passed, jun87
Category
CLARIFICATION.
References
IMPORT (CLtL p. 186)

Problem Description

The action of IMPORT on the home package of a symbol is not described well; does it affects the "home package" of a symbol.

Proposal (YES)

IMPORT behaves as follows: if any symbol to be imported has no home package (SYMBOL-PACKAGE returns NIL), then IMPORT sets the home package of the symbol to the specified package being imported to.

Rationale

Current Practice

Most Common Lisp implementations work this way.

Adoption Cost

small -- it requires a simple rewrite if not done this way.

Benefits

Without this proposal, there is confusion about how Common Lisp works, and the risks that some new implementations will not work this way.

Conversion Cost

None, as this describes current practice.

Discussion

The cleanup committee supports this clarification.

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