*describe-level* Variable

Summary

Controls the depth to which describe describes arrays, structures and conses.

Package

lispworks

Initial Value

1

Description

The variable *describe-level* controls the depth to which the function describe describes arrays, structures and conses.

Notes

The describe functionality is load-on-demand in the LispWorks image as shipped. Therefore if you have not do (require "describe") or called describe, *describe-level* may be unbound.

Examples

CL-USER 23 > (describe 1)
[... load output not shown ...]
 
1 is a BIT
DECIMAL      1
HEX          1
OCTAL        1
BINARY       1
 
CL-USER 24 > *describe-level*
1
 
CL-USER 25 > (defstruct foo a s d)
FOO
 
CL-USER 26 > (defmethod describe-object ((f foo) (s stream))
                (format s "FOO ~S~%" f)
                (describe (foo-a f) s))
#<STANDARD-METHOD DESCRIBE-OBJECT NIL (FOO STREAM) 2068295C>
 
CL-USER 27 > (describe (make-foo :a (vector 1 2 3) :s 42))
 
FOO #S(FOO A #(1 2 3) S 42 D NIL)
#(1 2 3)

To make describe operate on objects inside the structure instance, increase the value of *describe-level*:

CL-USER 28 > (setf *describe-level* 2)
2
 
CL-USER 29 > (describe (make-foo :a (vector 1 2 3) :s 42))
 
FOO #S(FOO A #(1 2 3) S 42 D NIL)
#(1 2 3) is a SIMPLE-VECTOR
     0      1
     1      2
     2      3

See also

describe