bug#55156: [PATCH] eval.c: New functions `defvar-f` and `defconst-f`

[Stefan Monnier]

>> Try:
>>
>>     (let ((f (byte-compile
>>               '(lambda (x)
>>                  (defvar sm-x (progn (message "hello %S" x) x)))))) 
>>       (funcall f 5)
>>       (funcall f 6))
>>
>> and check *Messages* :-(
>
> Oh, if we call a function containing the defvar...  Yes, that's probably
> rare enough that nobody's noticed.
>
> I tried to byte-compile a file and just load the .elc a few times, and
> the message was only done once:
>
> (defvar this-thing (message "hello"))

Duh, I forgot about the toplevel special case, indeed.  OK, now it makes sense.

>> If we prefer keeping the behavior we currently promise, we can of course
>> do that (just change `defvar-f` so it takes a function of no argument as
>> second arg, it makes the generated code (and the C code) a bit less
>> simple, but it's no worse than what we currently have).
> I think I'd prefer keeping the behaviour we currently promise,

So do I.  I'll see about updating the patch.


        Stefan