RE: [External] : Re: Passing result of macroexpand-all as argument to a function

[Heime <heimeborgia@protonmail.com>]

------- Original Message -------
On Wednesday, August 9th, 2023 at 2:27 PM, Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> wrote:


> > > > 1- What is the problem that you are trying to solve?
> > > 
> > > 2- If you want to pass something to a function and you want that
> > > something
> > > not evaluated, then: quote it. The function can later evaluate it if it
> > > needs to extract the result of the expression, or it can print it using
> > > a
> > > string formatting function.
> > > 
> > > 3- If #2 is not clear, reading a LISP tutorial will help. Investing time
> > > reading on LISP and Emacs Lisp will help a lot.
> > 
> > I am going to pass
> > (myfunc (macroexpand-all something arg) bfname)
> > 
> > How would I define myfunc ?
> > 
> > Will (macroexpand-all something arg) be in a form of a list (list of names
> > and arguments) or what ?
> 
> 
> As several have said, a Lisp macro takes a list sexp that has a symbol car, that is, something that looks like a function call: (foo...), and it returns a Lisp form - pretty much any kind of Lisp object you like: a string, a symbol, a list, a vector, a character or other number.
> 
> `macroexpand-all` just expands the macro calls at all levels of its FORM argument: the topmost sexp and any sexps inside it - all the way down.
> 
> You've already been told that if you want to pass a Lisp object to a function without it being evaluated then quote it.
> 
> Since you want `macroexpand-all' to first expand your` something' form, you want to quote it after evaluating the `macroexpand-all' call. How to do that is the among the FAQiest FAQs: https://emacs.stackexchange.com/q/7481 IOW, (myfunc` ,(macroexpand-all something arg))

Did not occur to me to quote it.  Still I know what quoting means.

I want to pass other variables to my function, example a a buffer name like so

(myfunc ` ,(macroexpand-all something arg) bfname)

So you want to quote it, but then execute macroexpand-all

What I am worried about is this.  Would myfunc get confused when the code of 
macroexpand-all ends and when bfname starts ?

If I understand correctly, just calling would get the result from 
(macroexpand-all something arg) but then evaluate it because the macro 
code changes in context when used as an argument to a function.

(myfunc (macroexpand-all something arg) bfname)
 
> As many have suggested to you ... the Elisp Intro manual is your friend, as is 
> the Elisp manual. It has a wealth of clear explanation and unlimited patience.

I just say things how they are.  If I do not understand and the manual is of no help
(to me of course), no amount of abuse from anyone will convince my understanding.

If you want to help someone, one should not expect a certain result.  Because the
result is not up to you.  The result is determined by the person who receives it.