3.7 Displaying packages

Symbols can be displayed either with their package information attached or not. In the LispWorks IDE, symbols are displayed with the package name attached by default.

For example, suppose you have created a package FOO which includes a symbol named bar and a symbol named baz . Suppose further that you created a new package FOO2 , which used the FOO package. This can be done as shown below:

(defpackage foo (:use "COMMON-LISP"))

(defpackage foo2 (:use "FOO" "COMMON-LISP"))

Note that in defining both packages, the COMMON-LISP package has also been used. It is good practice to use this package, to ensure that commonly-used symbols are available.

When creating packages which use other packages, exported symbols can be called without having to refer to the package name.

To illustrate this, let us return to our example.

Figure 3.6 Two example packages

We have two packages: FOO1 and FOO2 . FOO1 contains symbols bar and baz . The symbol bar has been exported, whereas the symbol baz is not exported.

When the current package is FOO2 , you can refer to bar without using the package name. This is because FOO2 uses FOO1 and bar is exported. However to refer to baz you must still use the FOO1 package name like this: foo1::baz . This is because baz is not exported.

Note also that when the current package is other than FOO1 or FOO2 , you can refer to foo1:bar , but you can only refer to baz as foo1::baz .

Package names are usually displayed alongside symbols in a list. Having a package entry on every line can be unhelpful, especially if the majority of items listed are from the same package. To hide the package names for the symbols in a given type of tool:

1. Raise the Preferences dialog as described in Setting preferences.
2. Select the tool type in the list on the left side of the dialog.
3. Uncheck Show Package Names in the General tab.
4. Click OK to confirm your setting.

3.7.1 Specifying a package

LispWorks IDE User Guide (Windows version) - 25 Nov 2011