Number: 105

Date: 17-Mar-84  0':15':58

Submitter: Sannella.PA

Source: Nuyens.pa

Subject: Atoms NOW, THEN being bound!

Lisp Version: 13-Mar-84 10':21':31

Description: '
Date': 14 Mar 84 16':03 PST'
From': Nuyens.pa'
Subject': Lisp': NOW is being bound!'
To': LispSupport.pa'
cc': Nuyens.pa'
Lisp-System-Date': 13-Mar-84 10':21':31'
Machine-Type': Dolphin'
'
I just got screwed by an undocumented system-updated atom called NOW.  It seems to be a synonym for (IDATE).  Please limit system atom names to improbable user choices.'
-----'
Date': 14 Mar 84 16':16 PST'
From': Nuyens.pa'
Subject': Lisp': more on mystery vars'
To': LispSupport.pa'
cc': Nuyens.pa'
Lisp-System-Date': 13-Mar-84 10':21':31'
Machine-Type': Dolphin'
'
THEN also seems to be magic.  I used masterscope to ensure that my application (which does add a process) is not binding them.  I checked another lisp users world, these vars are not bound.  I looked at calls of CROCK.PROCESS and \TIMER.PROCESS.  Aside from these I don''t see where these are being bound in my world.   Ideas?'
'
Greg'
-----'
Date': 16 MAR 84 11':18 PST'
From': JONL.PA'
Subject': Re': Lisp': NOW is being bound!'
To':   Nuyens, LispSupport'
cc':   JONL'
'
In response to the message sent  14 Mar 84 16':03 PST from Nuyens.pa'
'
ABCDATABASE.SYSOUT shows only two funcitons SETting NOW, and both of them'
have it boud first.  PPROC1 from PROC and \ITEM.WINDOW.SELECTION.HANDLER'
from INSPECT.'
'
Nobody seems to use THEN as a variable.'
-----'
Date': 16 Mar 84 15':47 PST'
From': vanMelle.pa'
Subject': Re': AR 105': Atoms NOW, THEN being bound!'
In-reply-to': Sannella.PA''s message of 15 Mar 84 17':35':50 PST (Thursday)'
To': LispSupport.PA'
cc': LispCore^.pa'
'
Not being BOUND, being SET.  Ask the abc database'
'
. WHO USES NOW OR THEN FREE'
'
-----'
'
Date':  2 Apr 84 17':57 PST'
From': Nuyens.pa'
Subject': Re': Lisp': NOW is being bound!'
In-reply-to': JONL.PA''s message of 16 MAR 84 11':18 PST'
To': JONL.PA'
cc': Nuyens.PA, LispSupport.PA'
'
The problem is simply that \LASTUSERACTION is destructively changed.   Thus (SETQ A \LASTUSERACTION) will update A every millisecond (or whatever).  So no mystery.'
'
Greg'
'
-----'
'
[Date': 13 Apr 84 09':08 PST'
From': Masinter.pa'
AR#105 (NOW, THEN) is fixed (I dunno what the problem was, but it isn''t broken any more, Greg.)]'
'
-----'
'
Date': 17 Apr 84 00':35 PST'
From': Nuyens.pa'
Subject': Re': AR 105': Atoms NOW, THEN being bound!'
In-reply-to': LispSupport.pa''s message of 13 Apr 84 15':42':55 PST (Friday)'
To': LispSupport.pa'
cc': Nuyens.pa, Masinter'
'
'
I already sent in a msg saying my bug was bogus (sorta).  It  was the fact that \LASTUSERACTION  is updated destructively, so anything set to it is also updated.'
'
Greg'


Workaround: 

Test Case: 

Edit-By: Sannella.PA

Edit-Date: 17-Apr-84 16':41':05

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System: Language Support

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Machine: 1100

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Frequency: Everytime

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Status: Declined

Problem Type: Design - UI

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