[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Couple things...

This page is part of the web mail archives of SRFI 50 from before July 7th, 2015. The new archives for SRFI 50 contain all messages, not just those from before July 7th, 2015.




On Fri, 9 Jan 2004, Bradd W. Szonye wrote:

>For example, if C code needs access to a Scheme number, then allow it to
>ask for a handle to the number. When it wants the value of that number,
>use a handle->int or handle->double function. If C code needs to access
>arbitrary Scheme data, use something like handle->malloc that allocates
>a copy that C can stomp on all it wants.
>
>Sorry for the vagueness -- I've got a head cold, and it's hard to think
>straight. If I understand him correctly, this is similar to the approach
>that Tom Lord advocates. Arbitrary C code *can* deal with Scheme data,
>but it doesn't actually touch the heap; all of the "heap critical
>sections" are in the FFI itself.

I think that's best.  For one thing, it makes the job of optimizing
scheme code a lot easier by making all mutations go through an explicit
call in the FFI.  That allows you to know when mutations are happening
and decide how to handle it.

				Bear