[plt-scheme] macro-generating macros and the bizarre properties of syntax-local-get-shadower

syntax-local-get-shadower is also used in the unit implementation  
(essentially, I hypothesize), so I at least am glad that MzScheme  
exposes it.

-Scott

On May 14, 2007, at 11:24 PM, Matthew Flatt wrote:

> `syntax-local-get-shadower' is indeed bizarre, and I regret having
> exposed it in MzScheme. The only good use for it that I know is to
> implement `syntax-parameterize'.
>
> As for the problem with `define-foo1', here's a simpler version of the
> same problem:
>
>  (define-syntax (define-x stx)
>    (syntax-case stx ()
>      [(_ id v)
>       (with-syntax ([(g) (generate-temporaries '(g))])
>         #'(define-syntax (id stx)
>             (let ([g v])
>               #`#,g)))]))
>  (define-x foo 4)
>  foo
>
> It boils down to this: what lexical context is given to a datum  
> that is
> converted to a syntax object by `quasisyntax' via an `unsyntax'? The
> answer is that it's the context of the expression under `unsyntax'.
>
> That is, in the even simpler example
>
>    (let ([x 2])
>      #`#,x)
>
> the new syntax object for 2 is given the lexical context of the `x'
> use.
>
> In the `define-x' example above, the syntax form of 4 is given the
> lexical context of the `g' use. But `g' is generated by
> `generate-temporaries', which means that it starts out with an empty
> lexical context, so that it includes no binding for `#%datum'.
>
> Jens Axel solved the problem by converting the number to a syntax
> object explicitly, instead of letting `quasisyntax' pick a context.
>
> It's possible that a better choice would be the lexical context of the
> `unsyntax', instead of the expression under the `unsyntax. That would
> have automagically given you the result you want in this case. I think
> the current choice of context is probably the right one, though,
> because it works better when the expression under `unsyntax' was  
> itself
> part of a macro input.
>
> Matthew
>
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