# SRFI 16: Syntax for procedures of variable arity.

by Lars T Hansen

> > > This copy of the SRFI 16 specification document is distributed as part of the Racket package srfi-doc.

> > > The canonical source of this document is https://srfi.schemers.org/srfi-16/srfi-16.html.

## Status

This SRFI is currently in final status. Here is an explanation of each status that a SRFI can hold. To provide input on this SRFI, please send email to `srfi-16@nospamsrfi.schemers.org`. To subscribe to the list, follow these instructions. You can access previous messages via the mailing list archive.

- Received: 1999-11-01
- Draft: 1999-11-06--2000-01-07
- Final: 2000-03-10

## Abstract

CASE-LAMBDA, a syntax for procedures with a variable number of arguments, is introduced.

## Rationale

CASE-LAMBDA reduces the clutter of procedures that execute different code depending on the number of arguments they were passed; it is a pattern-matching mechanism that matches on the number of arguments. CASE-LAMBDA is available in some Scheme systems.

While CASE-LAMBDA can be implemented as a macro using only facilities available in R5RS Scheme, it admits considerable implementation-specific optimization.

## Specification

(CASE-LAMBDA <clause> ...)
Syntax

  Each <clause> should have the form (<formals> <body>), where <formals> is a formal arguments list as for LAMBDA, cf section 4.1.4 of the R5RS. Each <body> is a <tail-body>, cf section 3.5 of the R5RS.

  A CASE-LAMBDA expression evaluates to a procedure that accepts a variable number of arguments and is lexically scoped in the same manner as procedures resulting from LAMBDA expressions. When the procedure is called with some arguments V1 .. Vk, then the first <clause> for which the arguments agree with <formals> is selected, where agreement is specified as for the <formals> of a LAMBDA expression. The variables of <formals> are bound to fresh locations, the values V1 .. Vk are stored in those locations, the <body> is evaluated in the extended environment, and the results of <body> are returned as the results of the procedure call.

  It is an error for the arguments not to agree with the <formals> of any <clause>.

                   (define plus
                     (case-lambda
                       (() 0)
                       ((x) x)
                       ((x y) (+ x y))
                       ((x y z) (+ (+ x y) z))
                       (args (apply + args))))

                   (plus)                     --> 0
                   (plus 1)                   --> 1
                   (plus 1 2 3)               --> 6

                   ((case-lambda
                     ((a) a)
                     ((a b) (* a b)))
                    1 2 3)                    --> error

## Implementation

The following implementation is written in R5RS Scheme. It is not compatible with the IEEE Scheme standard because the IEEE standard does not contain the high-level macro system.

The implementation assumes that some top-level names defined by the R5RS are bound to their original values.

    ;; This code is in the public domain.

    (define-syntax case-lambda
      (syntax-rules ()
        ((case-lambda)
         (lambda args
           (error "CASE-LAMBDA without any clauses.")))
        ((case-lambda
          (?a1 ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...)
         (lambda args
           (let ((l (length args)))
             (case-lambda "CLAUSE" args l
               (?a1 ?e1 ...)
               ?clause1 ...))))
        ((case-lambda "CLAUSE" ?args ?l
          ((?a1 ...) ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...)
         (if (= ?l (length '(?a1 ...)))
             (apply (lambda (?a1 ...) ?e1 ...) ?args)
             (case-lambda "CLAUSE" ?args ?l
               ?clause1 ...)))
        ((case-lambda "CLAUSE" ?args ?l
          ((?a1 . ?ar) ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...)
         (case-lambda "IMPROPER" ?args ?l 1 (?a1 . ?ar) (?ar ?e1 ...)
           ?clause1 ...))
        ((case-lambda "CLAUSE" ?args ?l
          (?a1 ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...)
         (let ((?a1 ?args))
           ?e1 ...))
        ((case-lambda "CLAUSE" ?args ?l)
         (error "Wrong number of arguments to CASE-LAMBDA."))
        ((case-lambda "IMPROPER" ?args ?l ?k ?al ((?a1 . ?ar) ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...)
         (case-lambda "IMPROPER" ?args ?l (+ ?k 1) ?al (?ar ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...))
        ((case-lambda "IMPROPER" ?args ?l ?k ?al (?ar ?e1 ...)
          ?clause1 ...)
         (if (>= ?l ?k)
             (apply (lambda ?al ?e1 ...) ?args)
             (case-lambda "CLAUSE" ?args ?l
               ?clause1 ...)))))

## Copyright

Copyright (C) Lars T Hansen (1999). All Rights Reserved.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

Last modified: Fri Sep 18 18:34:31 MST 2009