18 The SYSTEM Package

merge-ef-specs

Function

Summary

Creates a new external format spec from two other external format specs.

Package

system

Signature

merge-ef-specs ef-spec1 ef-spec2 => ef-spec

Arguments

ef-spec1: The first external format spec to use.
ef-spec2: The second external format spec to use.

Values

ef-spec: The resultant external format spec created from information in ef-spec1 and ef-spec2.

Description

Returns an external format spec constructed by adding information not supplied in ef-spec1 from ef-spec2. The arguments are either symbols or lists.

If ef-spec1 is:default, return ef-spec2.

If ef-spec1 is a list beginning with:default and ef-spec2 is a symbol, return(ef-spec2 . (cdref-spec1))

If ef-spec1 is a list beginning with:default and ef-spec2 is a list, return((caref-spec2) .parameters) where parameters is a destructuring lambda list containing the parameter descriptions of ef-spec1 and any additional parameter descriptions from ef-spec2.

If ef-spec1 is a symbol other than:default, or a list beginning with a symbol other than:default, and ef-spec2 is a symbol, return ef-spec1.

If ef-spec1 is a symbol other than:default, and ef-spec2 is a list, return(ef-spec1 . (cdref-spec2)).

If ef-spec1 is a list beginning with a symbol other than:default, and ef-spec2 is a list, return
((caref-spec1) .parameters) where parameters is a destructuring lambda list containing the parameter descriptions of ef-spec1 and any additional parameter descriptions from ef-spec2.