SBCL compilation units

[soltanis]

So I have a question with the SBCL Common Lisp implementation. Why is it that every time I use the REPL and make a mistake, for example,



* (apply #'foo (1 2))


The error is



; in: LAMBDA NIL
; (1 2)
;
; caught ERROR:
; illegal function call
;
; compilation unit finished
; caught 1 ERROR condition

debugger invoked on a SB-INT:COMPILED-PROGRAM-ERROR in thread #<THREAD "initial thread" RUNNING {A8345C9}>:
Execution of a form compiled with errors.
Form:
(1 2)
Compile-time error:
illegal function call


What is LAMBDA NIL? Does SBCL wrap all its compilation units into a lambda function that takes no arguments, and then execute it?

[CptPicard]

Observe this:



* (1 2)
; in: LAMBDA NIL
; (1 2)
;
; caught ERROR:
; illegal function call
;
; compilation unit finished
; caught 1 ERROR condition
...


((LAMBDA ()))


Here we're trying to put into function position something that is not a symbol that has a valid function cell. Actually 1 is a literal, not even a symbol that would cause an "unbound variable" or "undefined function" error. So essentially what the reader does is that it produces, seemingly a (lambda ()) for the function, which evaluates to nil. The result of this lambda is probably the LAMBDA NIL you're seeing.

Just a quick analysis, I may be wrong/inaccurate. :)

[soltanis]

Are we the only two on this forum who bother with CL or what?