Re: let-fluid problem

[Brad Lucier <lucier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To follow up on Olin's e-mail, I prefer dynamic-define, dynamic-ref,
dynamic-set!, and dynamic-let as in Gambit-C, rather than fluid-let and
friends.  In particular, I don't like having to
have variables with dynamic scope visible lexically in the context where
they're used.  Here is the relevant section from the gambit-c manual:

@deffn {special form} dynamic-define @var{var} @var{val}
@deffnx {special form} dynamic-ref @var{var}
@deffnx {special form} dynamic-set! @var{var} @var{val}
@deffnx {special form} dynamic-let ((@var{var} @var{val})@dots{}) @var{body}
@cindex dynamic scoping
@cindex dynamic variables
@cindex variables, dynamic

These special forms provide support for ``dynamic variables'' which
have dynamic scope.  Dynamic variables and normal (lexically scoped)
variables are in different namespaces so there is no possible naming
conflict between them.  In all these special forms @var{var} is an
identifier which names the dynamic variable.  @code{dynamic-define}
defines the global dynamic variable @var{var} (if it doesn't already
exist) and assigns to it the value of @var{val}.  @code{dynamic-let}
has a syntax similar to @code{let}.  It creates bindings of the given
dynamic variables which are accessible for the duration of the
evaluation of @var{body}.  @code{dynamic-ref} returns the value
currently bound to the dynamic variable @var{var}.
@code{dynamic-set!}  assigns the value of @var{val} to the dynamic
variable @var{var}.  The dynamic environment that was in effect when a
continuation was created by @code{call-with-current-continuation} is
restored when that continuation is invoked.

For example:
@example
> (dynamic-define radix 10)
> (define (f x) (number->string x (dynamic-ref radix)))
> (list (f 5) (f 15))
("5" "15")
> (dynamic-let ((radix 2))
  (list (f 5) (f 15)))
("101" "1111")
@end example

@end deffn

Brad Lucier