CLHS: Issue COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE Writeup

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## Issue COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE Writeup

    Issue:		COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE
    References:	CLtL p. 182, 183
    Category:	CHANGE, CLARIFICATION
    Edit History:   1 Sep 1988, Sandra Loosemore (initial version)
    		21 Sep 1988, Sandra Loosemore (minor tweak to current practice)

    Problem Description:

    The variable *PACKAGE* is rebound by the function LOAD, so that its
    old value will be restored in spite of any calls to IN-PACKAGE
    appearing in the file being loaded.  Since COMPILE-FILE must evaluate
    any top-level calls to IN-PACKAGE that it sees, it may also alter the
    value of *PACKAGE*.  It is inconsistent to have COMPILE-FILE and LOAD
    behave differently regarding the rebinding of this variable.

    Proposal COMPILE-FILE-PACKAGE:REBIND:

    Require COMPILE-FILE to rebind *PACKAGE* before processing the file.

    Rationale:

    This makes COMPILE-FILE and LOAD more consistent.  It is a more
    compatible solution than either requiring LOAD not to rebind
    *PACKAGE*, or removing the specialness of IN-PACKAGE and the other
    package functions.

    Current Practice:

    Lucid Common Lisp, the TI Explorer, and VaxLisp already implement this
    proposal.

    Cost to implementors:

    Trivial.

    Cost to users:

    I find it hard to believe that users would consider COMPILE-FILE altering
    the value of *PACKAGE* as a useful side effect.

    Benefits:

    The language is made more uniform.

    Discussion:

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