CHICKEN User's Manual - Unit utils

# Unit utils

This unit contains file/pathname oriented procedures, apropos, plus acts as a "grab bag" for procedures without a good home, and which don't have to be available by default (as compared to the extras unit.

This unit uses the `extras` and `regex` units.

## Environment Query

### apropos

    [procedure] (apropos SYMBOL-PATTERN [ENVIRONMENT])

Displays symbols matching `SYMBOL-PATTERN` in the `ENVIRONMENT` on the `(current-output-port)`.

`SYMBOL-PATTERN`
  A symbol, string, or regex. When symbol or string substring matching is performed.
`ENVIRONMENT`
  An environment. When missing the `(interaction-environment)` is assumed.

### apropos-list

    [procedure] (apropos-list SYMBOL-PATTERN [ENVIRONMENT])

Like `apropos` but returns a list of matching symbols.

## Pathname operations

### absolute-pathname?

    [procedure] (absolute-pathname? PATHNAME)

Returns `#t` if the string `PATHNAME` names an absolute pathname, and returns `#f` otherwise.

### decompose-pathname

    [procedure] (decompose-pathname PATHNAME)

Returns three values: the directory-, filename- and extension-components of the file named by the string `PATHNAME`. For any component that is not contained in `PATHNAME`, `#f` is returned.

### make-pathname

### make-absolute-pathname

    [procedure] (make-pathname DIRECTORY FILENAME [EXTENSION [SEPARATOR]])
    [procedure] (make-absolute-pathname DIRECTORY FILENAME [EXTENSION [SEPARATOR]])

Returns a string that names the file with the components `DIRECTORY, FILENAME` and (optionally) `EXTENSION` with `SEPARATOR` being the directory separation indicator (usually `/` on UNIX systems and `\` on Windows, defaulting to whatever platform this is running on). `DIRECTORY` can be `#f` (meaning no directory component), a string or a list of strings. `FILENAME` and `EXTENSION` should be strings or `#f`. `make-absolute-pathname` returns always an absolute pathname.

### pathname-directory

    [procedure] (pathname-directory PATHNAME)

### pathname-file

    [procedure] (pathname-file PATHNAME)

### pathname-extension

    [procedure] (pathname-extension PATHNAME)

Accessors for the components of `PATHNAME`. If the pathname does not contain the accessed component, then `#f` is returned.

### pathname-replace-directory

    [procedure] (pathname-replace-directory PATHNAME DIRECTORY)

### pathname-replace-file

    [procedure] (pathname-replace-file PATHNAME FILENAME)

### pathname-replace-extension

    [procedure] (pathname-replace-extension PATHNAME EXTENSION)

Return a new pathname with the specified component of `PATHNAME` replaced by a new value.

### pathname-strip-directory

    [procedure] (pathname-strip-directory PATHNAME)

### pathname-strip-extension

    [procedure] (pathname-strip-extension PATHNAME)

Return a new pathname with the specified component of `PATHNAME` stripped.

## Temporary files

### create-temporary-file

    [procedure] (create-temporary-file [EXTENSION])

Creates an empty temporary file and returns its pathname. If `EXTENSION` is not given, then `.tmp` is used. If the environment variable `TMPDIR, TEMP` or `TMP` is set, then the pathname names a file in that directory.

## Deleting a file without signalling an error

### delete-file*

    [procedure] (delete-file* FILENAME)

If the file `FILENAME` exists, it is deleted and `#t` is returned. If the file does not exist, nothing happens and `#f` is returned.

## Iterating over input lines and files

### for-each-line

    [procedure] (for-each-line PROCEDURE [PORT])

Calls `PROCEDURE` for each line read from `PORT` (which defaults to the value of `(current-input-port)`. The argument passed to `PORCEDURE` is a string with the contents of the line, excluding any line-terminators. When all input has been read from the port, `for-each-line` returns some unspecified value.

### for-each-argv-line

    [procedure] (for-each-argv-line PROCEDURE)

    Opens each file listed on the command line in order, passing one line

at a time into `PROCEDURE`. The filename `-` is interpreted as `(current-input-port)`. If no arguments are given on the command line it again uses the value of `(current-input-port)`. During execution of `PROCEDURE`, the current input port will be correctly bound to the current input source.

This code will act as a simple Unix cat(1) command:

    (for-each-argv-line print)

### port-for-each

    [procedure] (port-for-each FN THUNK)

Apply `FN` to successive results of calling the zero argument procedure `THUNK` until it returns `#!eof`, discarding the results.

### port-map

    [procedure] (port-map FN THUNK)

Apply `FN` to successive results of calling the zero argument procedure `THUNK` until it returns `#!eof`, returning a list of the collected results.

## Executing shell commands with formatstring and error checking

### system*

    [procedure] (system* FORMATSTRING ARGUMENT1 ...)

Similar to `(system (sprintf FORMATSTRING ARGUMENT1 ...))`, but signals an error if the invoked program should return a nonzero exit status.

## Reading a file's contents

### read-all

    [procedure] (read-all [FILE-OR-PORT])

If `FILE-OR-PORT` is a string, then this procedure returns the contents of the file as a string. If `FILE-OR-PORT` is a port, all remaining input is read and returned as a string. The port is not closed. If no argument is provided, input will be read from the port that is the current value of `(current-input-port)`.

## Miscellaneous handy things

### shift!

    [procedure] (shift! LIST [DEFAULT])

Returns the car of `LIST` (or `DEFAULT` if `LIST` is empty) and replaces the car of `LIST` with it's cadr and the cdr with the cddr. If `DEFAULT` is not given, and the list is empty, `#f` is returned. An example might be clearer, here:

    (define lst '(1 2 3))
    (shift! lst)             ==> 1, lst is now (2 3)

The list must at least contain 2 elements.

### unshift!

    [procedure] (unshift! X PAIR)

Sets the car of `PAIR` to `X` and the cdr to its cddr. Returns `PAIR`:

    (define lst '(2))
    (unshift! 99 lst)      ; lst is now (99 2)

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