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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c This is part of the XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual.
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c See the file lispref.texi for copying conditions.
5 @setfilename ../../info/compile.info
6 @node Byte Compilation, Debugging, Loading, Top
7 @chapter Byte Compilation
8 @cindex byte-code
9 @cindex compilation
10
11 XEmacs Lisp has a @dfn{compiler} that translates functions written
12 in Lisp into a special representation called @dfn{byte-code} that can be
13 executed more efficiently. The compiler replaces Lisp function
14 definitions with byte-code. When a byte-coded function is called, its
15 definition is evaluated by the @dfn{byte-code interpreter}.
16
17 Because the byte-compiled code is evaluated by the byte-code
18 interpreter, instead of being executed directly by the machine's
19 hardware (as true compiled code is), byte-code is completely
20 transportable from machine to machine without recompilation. It is not,
21 however, as fast as true compiled code.
22
23 In general, any version of Emacs can run byte-compiled code produced
24 by recent earlier versions of Emacs, but the reverse is not true. In
25 particular, if you compile a program with Emacs 19.29, the compiled
26 code does not run in earlier versions.
27 @iftex
28 @xref{Docs and Compilation}.
29 @end iftex
30 Files compiled in versions before 19.29 may not work in 19.29 if they
31 contain character constants with modifier bits, because the bits were
32 renumbered in Emacs 19.29.
33
34 @xref{Compilation Errors}, for how to investigate errors occurring in
35 byte compilation.
36
37 @menu
38 * Speed of Byte-Code:: An example of speedup from byte compilation.
39 * Compilation Functions:: Byte compilation functions.
40 * Docs and Compilation:: Dynamic loading of documentation strings.
41 * Dynamic Loading:: Dynamic loading of individual functions.
42 * Eval During Compile:: Code to be evaluated when you compile.
43 * Compiled-Function Objects:: The data type used for byte-compiled functions.
44 * Disassembly:: Disassembling byte-code; how to read byte-code.
45 @end menu
46
47 @node Speed of Byte-Code
48 @section Performance of Byte-Compiled Code
49
50 A byte-compiled function is not as efficient as a primitive function
51 written in C, but runs much faster than the version written in Lisp.
52 Here is an example:
53
54 @example
55 @group
56 (defun silly-loop (n)
57 "Return time before and after N iterations of a loop."
58 (let ((t1 (current-time-string)))
59 (while (> (setq n (1- n))
60 0))
61 (list t1 (current-time-string))))
62 @result{} silly-loop
63 @end group
64
65 @group
66 (silly-loop 100000)
67 @result{} ("Fri Mar 18 17:25:57 1994"
68 "Fri Mar 18 17:26:28 1994") ; @r{31 seconds}
69 @end group
70
71 @group
72 (byte-compile 'silly-loop)
73 @result{} @r{[Compiled code not shown]}
74 @end group
75
76 @group
77 (silly-loop 100000)
78 @result{} ("Fri Mar 18 17:26:52 1994"
79 "Fri Mar 18 17:26:58 1994") ; @r{6 seconds}
80 @end group
81 @end example
82
83 In this example, the interpreted code required 31 seconds to run,
84 whereas the byte-compiled code required 6 seconds. These results are
85 representative, but actual results will vary greatly.
86
87 @node Compilation Functions
88 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
89 @section The Compilation Functions
90 @cindex compilation functions
91
92 You can byte-compile an individual function or macro definition with
93 the @code{byte-compile} function. You can compile a whole file with
94 @code{byte-compile-file}, or several files with
95 @code{byte-recompile-directory} or @code{batch-byte-compile}.
96
97 When you run the byte compiler, you may get warnings in a buffer
98 called @samp{*Compile-Log*}. These report things in your program that
99 suggest a problem but are not necessarily erroneous.
100
101 @cindex macro compilation
102 Be careful when byte-compiling code that uses macros. Macro calls are
103 expanded when they are compiled, so the macros must already be defined
104 for proper compilation. For more details, see @ref{Compiling Macros}.
105
106 Normally, compiling a file does not evaluate the file's contents or
107 load the file. But it does execute any @code{require} calls at top
108 level in the file. One way to ensure that necessary macro definitions
109 are available during compilation is to require the file that defines
110 them (@pxref{Named Features}). To avoid loading the macro definition files
111 when someone @emph{runs} the compiled program, write
112 @code{eval-when-compile} around the @code{require} calls (@pxref{Eval
113 During Compile}).
114
115 @defun byte-compile symbol
116 This function byte-compiles the function definition of @var{symbol},
117 replacing the previous definition with the compiled one. The function
118 definition of @var{symbol} must be the actual code for the function;
119 i.e., the compiler does not follow indirection to another symbol.
120 @code{byte-compile} returns the new, compiled definition of
121 @var{symbol}.
122
123 If @var{symbol}'s definition is a compiled-function object,
124 @code{byte-compile} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. Lisp records
125 only one function definition for any symbol, and if that is already
126 compiled, non-compiled code is not available anywhere. So there is no
127 way to ``compile the same definition again.''
128
129 @example
130 @group
131 (defun factorial (integer)
132 "Compute factorial of INTEGER."
133 (if (= 1 integer) 1
134 (* integer (factorial (1- integer)))))
135 @result{} factorial
136 @end group
137
138 @group
139 (byte-compile 'factorial)
140 @result{}
141 #<byte-code (integer)
142 "ÁU«‚Á‡ÂS!_‡"
143 [integer 1 factorial]
144 3 "Compute factorial of INTEGER.">
145 @end group
146 @end example
147
148 @noindent
149 The result is a compiled-function object. The string it contains is
150 the actual byte-code; each character in it is an instruction or an
151 operand of an instruction. The vector contains all the constants,
152 variable names and function names used by the function, except for
153 certain primitives that are coded as special instructions.
154 @end defun
155
156 @deffn Command compile-defun &optional arg
157 This command reads the defun containing point, compiles it, and
158 evaluates the result. If you use this on a defun that is actually a
159 function definition, the effect is to install a compiled version of that
160 function.
161
162 @c XEmacs feature
163 If @var{arg} is non-@code{nil}, the result is inserted in the current
164 buffer after the form; otherwise, it is printed in the minibuffer.
165 @end deffn
166
167 @deffn Command byte-compile-file filename &optional load
168 This function compiles a file of Lisp code named @var{filename} into
169 a file of byte-code. The output file's name is made by appending
170 @samp{c} to the end of @var{filename}.
171
172 @c XEmacs feature
173 If @code{load} is non-@code{nil}, the file is loaded after having been
174 compiled.
175
176 Compilation works by reading the input file one form at a time. If it
177 is a definition of a function or macro, the compiled function or macro
178 definition is written out. Other forms are batched together, then each
179 batch is compiled, and written so that its compiled code will be
180 executed when the file is read. All comments are discarded when the
181 input file is read.
182
183 This command returns @code{t}. When called interactively, it prompts
184 for the file name.
185
186 @example
187 @group
188 % ls -l push*
189 -rw-r--r-- 1 lewis 791 Oct 5 20:31 push.el
190 @end group
191
192 @group
193 (byte-compile-file "~/emacs/push.el")
194 @result{} t
195 @end group
196
197 @group
198 % ls -l push*
199 -rw-r--r-- 1 lewis 791 Oct 5 20:31 push.el
200 -rw-rw-rw- 1 lewis 638 Oct 8 20:25 push.elc
201 @end group
202 @end example
203 @end deffn
204
205 @c flag is not optional in FSF Emacs
206 @deffn Command byte-recompile-directory directory &optional flag
207 @cindex library compilation
208 This function recompiles every @samp{.el} file in @var{directory} that
209 needs recompilation. A file needs recompilation if a @samp{.elc} file
210 exists but is older than the @samp{.el} file.
211
212 When a @samp{.el} file has no corresponding @samp{.elc} file, then
213 @var{flag} says what to do. If it is @code{nil}, these files are
214 ignored. If it is non-@code{nil}, the user is asked whether to compile
215 each such file.
216
217 The returned value of this command is unpredictable.
218 @end deffn
219
220 @defun batch-byte-compile
221 This function runs @code{byte-compile-file} on files specified on the
222 command line. This function must be used only in a batch execution of
223 Emacs, as it kills Emacs on completion. An error in one file does not
224 prevent processing of subsequent files. (The file that gets the error
225 will not, of course, produce any compiled code.)
226
227 @example
228 % emacs -batch -f batch-byte-compile *.el
229 @end example
230 @end defun
231
232 @c XEmacs feature
233 @defun batch-byte-recompile-directory
234 This function is similar to @code{batch-byte-compile} but runs the
235 command @code{byte-recompile-directory} on the files remaining on the
236 command line.
237 @end defun
238
239 @c XEmacs feature
240 @defvar byte-recompile-directory-ignore-errors-p
241 If non-@code{nil}, this specifies that @code{byte-recompile-directory}
242 will continue compiling even when an error occurs in a file. This is
243 normally @code{nil}, but is bound to @code{t} by
244 @code{batch-byte-recompile-directory}.
245 @end defvar
246
247 @defun byte-code code-string data-vector max-stack
248 @cindex byte-code interpreter
249 This function actually interprets byte-code. A byte-compiled function
250 is actually defined with a body that calls @code{byte-code}. Don't call
251 this function yourself. Only the byte compiler knows how to generate
252 valid calls to this function.
253
254 In newer Emacs versions (19 and up), byte-code is usually executed as
255 part of a compiled-function object, and only rarely due to an explicit
256 call to @code{byte-code}.
257 @end defun
258
259 @node Docs and Compilation
260 @section Documentation Strings and Compilation
261 @cindex dynamic loading of documentation
262
263 Functions and variables loaded from a byte-compiled file access their
264 documentation strings dynamically from the file whenever needed. This
265 saves space within Emacs, and makes loading faster because the
266 documentation strings themselves need not be processed while loading the
267 file. Actual access to the documentation strings becomes slower as a
268 result, but normally not enough to bother users.
269
270 Dynamic access to documentation strings does have drawbacks:
271
272 @itemize @bullet
273 @item
274 If you delete or move the compiled file after loading it, Emacs can no
275 longer access the documentation strings for the functions and variables
276 in the file.
277
278 @item
279 If you alter the compiled file (such as by compiling a new version),
280 then further access to documentation strings in this file will give
281 nonsense results.
282 @end itemize
283
284 If your site installs Emacs following the usual procedures, these
285 problems will never normally occur. Installing a new version uses a new
286 directory with a different name; as long as the old version remains
287 installed, its files will remain unmodified in the places where they are
288 expected to be.
289
290 However, if you have built Emacs yourself and use it from the
291 directory where you built it, you will experience this problem
292 occasionally if you edit and recompile Lisp files. When it happens, you
293 can cure the problem by reloading the file after recompiling it.
294
295 Byte-compiled files made with Emacs 19.29 will not load into older
296 versions because the older versions don't support this feature. You can
297 turn off this feature by setting @code{byte-compile-dynamic-docstrings}
298 to @code{nil}. Once this is done, you can compile files that will load
299 into older Emacs versions. You can do this globally, or for one source
300 file by specifying a file-local binding for the variable. Here's one
301 way to do that:
302
303 @example
304 -*-byte-compile-dynamic-docstrings: nil;-*-
305 @end example
306
307 @defvar byte-compile-dynamic-docstrings
308 If this is non-@code{nil}, the byte compiler generates compiled files
309 that are set up for dynamic loading of documentation strings.
310 @end defvar
311
312 @cindex @samp{#@@@var{count}}
313 @cindex @samp{#$}
314 The dynamic documentation string feature writes compiled files that
315 use a special Lisp reader construct, @samp{#@@@var{count}}. This
316 construct skips the next @var{count} characters. It also uses the
317 @samp{#$} construct, which stands for ``the name of this file, as a
318 string.'' It is best not to use these constructs in Lisp source files.
319
320 @node Dynamic Loading
321 @section Dynamic Loading of Individual Functions
322
323 @cindex dynamic loading of functions
324 @cindex lazy loading
325 When you compile a file, you can optionally enable the @dfn{dynamic
326 function loading} feature (also known as @dfn{lazy loading}). With
327 dynamic function loading, loading the file doesn't fully read the
328 function definitions in the file. Instead, each function definition
329 contains a place-holder which refers to the file. The first time each
330 function is called, it reads the full definition from the file, to
331 replace the place-holder.
332
333 The advantage of dynamic function loading is that loading the file
334 becomes much faster. This is a good thing for a file which contains
335 many separate commands, provided that using one of them does not imply
336 you will soon (or ever) use the rest. A specialized mode which provides
337 many keyboard commands often has that usage pattern: a user may invoke
338 the mode, but use only a few of the commands it provides.
339
340 The dynamic loading feature has certain disadvantages:
341
342 @itemize @bullet
343 @item
344 If you delete or move the compiled file after loading it, Emacs can no
345 longer load the remaining function definitions not already loaded.
346
347 @item
348 If you alter the compiled file (such as by compiling a new version),
349 then trying to load any function not already loaded will get nonsense
350 results.
351 @end itemize
352
353 If you compile a new version of the file, the best thing to do is
354 immediately load the new compiled file. That will prevent any future
355 problems.
356
357 The byte compiler uses the dynamic function loading feature if the
358 variable @code{byte-compile-dynamic} is non-@code{nil} at compilation
359 time. Do not set this variable globally, since dynamic loading is
360 desirable only for certain files. Instead, enable the feature for
361 specific source files with file-local variable bindings, like this:
362
363 @example
364 -*-byte-compile-dynamic: t;-*-
365 @end example
366
367 @defvar byte-compile-dynamic
368 If this is non-@code{nil}, the byte compiler generates compiled files
369 that are set up for dynamic function loading.
370 @end defvar
371
372 @defun fetch-bytecode function
373 This immediately finishes loading the definition of @var{function} from
374 its byte-compiled file, if it is not fully loaded already. The argument
375 @var{function} may be a compiled-function object or a function name.
376 @end defun
377
378 @node Eval During Compile
379 @section Evaluation During Compilation
380
381 These features permit you to write code to be evaluated during
382 compilation of a program.
383
384 @defspec eval-and-compile body
385 This form marks @var{body} to be evaluated both when you compile the
386 containing code and when you run it (whether compiled or not).
387
388 You can get a similar result by putting @var{body} in a separate file
389 and referring to that file with @code{require}. Using @code{require} is
390 preferable if there is a substantial amount of code to be executed in
391 this way.
392 @end defspec
393
394 @defspec eval-when-compile body
395 This form marks @var{body} to be evaluated at compile time and not when
396 the compiled program is loaded. The result of evaluation by the
397 compiler becomes a constant which appears in the compiled program. When
398 the program is interpreted, not compiled at all, @var{body} is evaluated
399 normally.
400
401 At top level, this is analogous to the Common Lisp idiom
402 @code{(eval-when (compile eval) @dots{})}. Elsewhere, the Common Lisp
403 @samp{#.} reader macro (but not when interpreting) is closer to what
404 @code{eval-when-compile} does.
405 @end defspec
406
407 @node Compiled-Function Objects
408 @section Compiled-Function Objects
409 @cindex compiled function
410 @cindex byte-code function
411
412 Byte-compiled functions have a special data type: they are
413 @dfn{compiled-function objects}.
414
415 A compiled-function object is a bit like a vector; however, the
416 evaluator handles this data type specially when it appears as a function
417 to be called. The printed representation for a compiled-function
418 object normally begins with @samp{#<compiled-function} and ends with
419 @samp{>}. However, if the variable @code{print-readably} is
420 non-@code{nil}, the object is printed beginning with @samp{#[} and
421 ending with @samp{]}. This representation can be read directly
422 by the Lisp reader, and is used in byte-compiled files (those ending
423 in @samp{.elc}).
424
425 In Emacs version 18, there was no compiled-function object data type;
426 compiled functions used the function @code{byte-code} to run the byte
427 code.
428
429 A compiled-function object has a number of different elements.
430 They are:
431
432 @table @var
433 @item arglist
434 The list of argument symbols.
435
436 @item instructions
437 The string containing the byte-code instructions.
438
439 @item constants
440 The vector of Lisp objects referenced by the byte code. These include
441 symbols used as function names and variable names.
442
443 @item stacksize
444 The maximum stack size this function needs.
445
446 @item doc-string
447 The documentation string (if any); otherwise, @code{nil}. The value may
448 be a number or a list, in case the documentation string is stored in a
449 file. Use the function @code{documentation} to get the real
450 documentation string (@pxref{Accessing Documentation}).
451
452 @item interactive
453 The interactive spec (if any). This can be a string or a Lisp
454 expression. It is @code{nil} for a function that isn't interactive.
455
456 @item domain
457 The domain (if any). This is only meaningful if I18N3 (message-translation)
458 support was compiled into XEmacs. This is a string defining which
459 domain to find the translation for the documentation string and
460 interactive prompt. @xref{Domain Specification}.
461 @end table
462
463 Here's an example of a compiled-function object, in printed
464 representation. It is the definition of the command
465 @code{backward-sexp}.
466
467 @example
468 #<compiled-function
469 (&optional arg)
470 "¬‚ÁÂ[!‡"
471 [arg 1 forward-sexp]
472 2
473 579173
474 "_p">
475 @end example
476
477 The primitive way to create a compiled-function object is with
478 @code{make-byte-code}:
479
480 @defun make-byte-code &rest elements
481 This function constructs and returns a compiled-function object
482 with @var{elements} as its elements.
483
484 @emph{NOTE:} Unlike all other Emacs-lisp functions, calling this with
485 five arguments is @emph{not} the same as calling it with six arguments,
486 the last of which is @code{nil}. If the @var{interactive} arg is
487 specified as @code{nil}, then that means that this function was defined
488 with @code{(interactive)}. If the arg is not specified, then that means
489 the function is not interactive. This is terrible behavior which is
490 retained for compatibility with old @samp{.elc} files which expected
491 these semantics.
492 @end defun
493
494 You should not try to come up with the elements for a compiled-function
495 object yourself, because if they are inconsistent, XEmacs may crash
496 when you call the function. Always leave it to the byte compiler to
497 create these objects; it makes the elements consistent (we hope).
498
499 The following primitives are provided for accessing the elements of
500 a compiled-function object.
501
502 @defun compiled-function-arglist function
503 This function returns the argument list of compiled-function object
504 @var{function}.
505 @end defun
506
507 @defun compiled-function-instructions function
508 This function returns a string describing the byte-code instructions
509 of compiled-function object @var{function}.
510 @end defun
511
512 @defun compiled-function-constants function
513 This function returns the vector of Lisp objects referenced by
514 compiled-function object @var{function}.
515 @end defun
516
517 @defun compiled-function-stack-size function
518 This function returns the maximum stack size needed by compiled-function
519 object @var{function}.
520 @end defun
521
522 @defun compiled-function-doc-string function
523 This function returns the doc string of compiled-function object
524 @var{function}, if available.
525 @end defun
526
527 @defun compiled-function-interactive function
528 This function returns the interactive spec of compiled-function object
529 @var{function}, if any. The return value is @code{nil} or a two-element
530 list, the first element of which is the symbol @code{interactive} and
531 the second element is the interactive spec (a string or Lisp form).
532 @end defun
533
534 @defun compiled-function-domain function
535 This function returns the domain of compiled-function object
536 @var{function}, if any. The result will be a string or @code{nil}.
537 @xref{Domain Specification}.
538 @end defun
539
540 @node Disassembly
541 @section Disassembled Byte-Code
542 @cindex disassembled byte-code
543
544 People do not write byte-code; that job is left to the byte compiler.
545 But we provide a disassembler to satisfy a cat-like curiosity. The
546 disassembler converts the byte-compiled code into humanly readable
547 form.
548
549 The byte-code interpreter is implemented as a simple stack machine.
550 It pushes values onto a stack of its own, then pops them off to use them
551 in calculations whose results are themselves pushed back on the stack.
552 When a byte-code function returns, it pops a value off the stack and
553 returns it as the value of the function.
554
555 In addition to the stack, byte-code functions can use, bind, and set
556 ordinary Lisp variables, by transferring values between variables and
557 the stack.
558
559 @deffn Command disassemble object &optional stream
560 This function prints the disassembled code for @var{object}. If
561 @var{stream} is supplied, then output goes there. Otherwise, the
562 disassembled code is printed to the stream @code{standard-output}. The
563 argument @var{object} can be a function name or a lambda expression.
564
565 As a special exception, if this function is used interactively,
566 it outputs to a buffer named @samp{*Disassemble*}.
567 @end deffn
568
569 Here are two examples of using the @code{disassemble} function. We
570 have added explanatory comments to help you relate the byte-code to the
571 Lisp source; these do not appear in the output of @code{disassemble}.
572 These examples show unoptimized byte-code. Nowadays byte-code is
573 usually optimized, but we did not want to rewrite these examples, since
574 they still serve their purpose.
575
576 @example
577 @group
578 (defun factorial (integer)
579 "Compute factorial of an integer."
580 (if (= 1 integer) 1
581 (* integer (factorial (1- integer)))))
582 @result{} factorial
583 @end group
584
585 @group
586 (factorial 4)
587 @result{} 24
588 @end group
589
590 @group
591 (disassemble 'factorial)
592 @print{} byte-code for factorial:
593 doc: Compute factorial of an integer.
594 args: (integer)
595 @end group
596
597 @group
598 0 constant 1 ; @r{Push 1 onto stack.}
599
600 1 varref integer ; @r{Get value of @code{integer}}
601 ; @r{from the environment}
602 ; @r{and push the value}
603 ; @r{onto the stack.}
604 @end group
605
606 @group
607 2 eqlsign ; @r{Pop top two values off stack,}
608 ; @r{compare them,}
609 ; @r{and push result onto stack.}
610 @end group
611
612 @group
613 3 goto-if-nil 10 ; @r{Pop and test top of stack;}
614 ; @r{if @code{nil}, go to 10,}
615 ; @r{else continue.}
616 @end group
617
618 @group
619 6 constant 1 ; @r{Push 1 onto top of stack.}
620
621 7 goto 17 ; @r{Go to 17 (in this case, 1 will be}
622 ; @r{returned by the function).}
623 @end group
624
625 @group
626 10 constant * ; @r{Push symbol @code{*} onto stack.}
627
628 11 varref integer ; @r{Push value of @code{integer} onto stack.}
629 @end group
630
631 @group
632 12 constant factorial ; @r{Push @code{factorial} onto stack.}
633
634 13 varref integer ; @r{Push value of @code{integer} onto stack.}
635
636 14 sub1 ; @r{Pop @code{integer}, decrement value,}
637 ; @r{push new value onto stack.}
638 @end group
639
640 @group
641 ; @r{Stack now contains:}
642 ; @minus{} @r{decremented value of @code{integer}}
643 ; @minus{} @r{@code{factorial}}
644 ; @minus{} @r{value of @code{integer}}
645 ; @minus{} @r{@code{*}}
646 @end group
647
648 @group
649 15 call 1 ; @r{Call function @code{factorial} using}
650 ; @r{the first (i.e., the top) element}
651 ; @r{of the stack as the argument;}
652 ; @r{push returned value onto stack.}
653 @end group
654
655 @group
656 ; @r{Stack now contains:}
657 ; @minus{} @r{result of recursive}
658 ; @r{call to @code{factorial}}
659 ; @minus{} @r{value of @code{integer}}
660 ; @minus{} @r{@code{*}}
661 @end group
662
663 @group
664 16 call 2 ; @r{Using the first two}
665 ; @r{(i.e., the top two)}
666 ; @r{elements of the stack}
667 ; @r{as arguments,}
668 ; @r{call the function @code{*},}
669 ; @r{pushing the result onto the stack.}
670 @end group
671
672 @group
673 17 return ; @r{Return the top element}
674 ; @r{of the stack.}
675 @result{} nil
676 @end group
677 @end example
678
679 The @code{silly-loop} function is somewhat more complex:
680
681 @example
682 @group
683 (defun silly-loop (n)
684 "Return time before and after N iterations of a loop."
685 (let ((t1 (current-time-string)))
686 (while (> (setq n (1- n))
687 0))
688 (list t1 (current-time-string))))
689 @result{} silly-loop
690 @end group
691
692 @group
693 (disassemble 'silly-loop)
694 @print{} byte-code for silly-loop:
695 doc: Return time before and after N iterations of a loop.
696 args: (n)
697
698 0 constant current-time-string ; @r{Push}
699 ; @r{@code{current-time-string}}
700 ; @r{onto top of stack.}
701 @end group
702
703 @group
704 1 call 0 ; @r{Call @code{current-time-string}}
705 ; @r{ with no argument,}
706 ; @r{ pushing result onto stack.}
707 @end group
708
709 @group
710 2 varbind t1 ; @r{Pop stack and bind @code{t1}}
711 ; @r{to popped value.}
712 @end group
713
714 @group
715 3 varref n ; @r{Get value of @code{n} from}
716 ; @r{the environment and push}
717 ; @r{the value onto the stack.}
718 @end group
719
720 @group
721 4 sub1 ; @r{Subtract 1 from top of stack.}
722 @end group
723
724 @group
725 5 dup ; @r{Duplicate the top of the stack;}
726 ; @r{i.e., copy the top of}
727 ; @r{the stack and push the}
728 ; @r{copy onto the stack.}
729 @end group
730
731 @group
732 6 varset n ; @r{Pop the top of the stack,}
733 ; @r{and bind @code{n} to the value.}
734
735 ; @r{In effect, the sequence @code{dup varset}}
736 ; @r{copies the top of the stack}
737 ; @r{into the value of @code{n}}
738 ; @r{without popping it.}
739 @end group
740
741 @group
742 7 constant 0 ; @r{Push 0 onto stack.}
743 @end group
744
745 @group
746 8 gtr ; @r{Pop top two values off stack,}
747 ; @r{test if @var{n} is greater than 0}
748 ; @r{and push result onto stack.}
749 @end group
750
751 @group
752 9 goto-if-nil-else-pop 17 ; @r{Goto 17 if @code{n} <= 0}
753 ; @r{(this exits the while loop).}
754 ; @r{else pop top of stack}
755 ; @r{and continue}
756 @end group
757
758 @group
759 12 constant nil ; @r{Push @code{nil} onto stack}
760 ; @r{(this is the body of the loop).}
761 @end group
762
763 @group
764 13 discard ; @r{Discard result of the body}
765 ; @r{of the loop (a while loop}
766 ; @r{is always evaluated for}
767 ; @r{its side effects).}
768 @end group
769
770 @group
771 14 goto 3 ; @r{Jump back to beginning}
772 ; @r{of while loop.}
773 @end group
774
775 @group
776 17 discard ; @r{Discard result of while loop}
777 ; @r{by popping top of stack.}
778 ; @r{This result is the value @code{nil} that}
779 ; @r{was not popped by the goto at 9.}
780 @end group
781
782 @group
783 18 varref t1 ; @r{Push value of @code{t1} onto stack.}
784 @end group
785
786 @group
787 19 constant current-time-string ; @r{Push}
788 ; @r{@code{current-time-string}}
789 ; @r{onto top of stack.}
790 @end group
791
792 @group
793 20 call 0 ; @r{Call @code{current-time-string} again.}
794 @end group
795
796 @group
797 21 list2 ; @r{Pop top two elements off stack,}
798 ; @r{create a list of them,}
799 ; @r{and push list onto stack.}
800 @end group
801
802 @group
803 22 unbind 1 ; @r{Unbind @code{t1} in local environment.}
804
805 23 return ; @r{Return value of the top of stack.}
806
807 @result{} nil
808 @end group
809 @end example
810
811