ToC DocOverview CGDoc RelNotes Index PermutedIndex
Allegro CL
Home Previous Up Next Table of Contents Index
  19.2 Pathnames   19.2.2 Interpreting Pathname Component Values   19.2.2.2 Special Pathname Component Values   19.2.2.2.3 :UNSPECIFIC as a Component Value

19.2.2.2.3.1 Relation between component values NIL and :UNSPECIFIC

If a pathname is converted to a namestring, the symbols nil and :unspecific cause the field to be treated as if it were empty. That is, both nil and :unspecific cause the component not to appear in the namestring.

However, when merging a pathname with a set of defaults, only a nil value for a component will be replaced with the default for that component, while a value of :unspecific will be left alone as if the field were "filled"; see the function merge-pathnames and Section 19.2.3 Merging Pathnames.


Home Previous Up Next Table of Contents Index
© Franz Inc. All Rights Reserved - File last updated 2022-07-25