What's the difference between set-macro-character and set-dispatch-macro-character?

Question

From the signatures of these functions, the obvious difference is that set-macro-character allows you to set reader macro function for a single character, and set-dispatch-macro-character allows you to set it for any combination of two characters. Is this the only difference? When do I need to use one instead of another?

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 15 '19 at 14:30

6

set-macro-character governs reading objects marked with a single special character, e.g.,

lists (...)
comments ; ...

set-dispatch-macro-character governs reading objects marked with two (or more) characters, e.g.,

vectors #(...)
arrays #A(...)
structures #S(...)

See

answered Jan 15 '19 at 14:30

sds

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So, the only difference is that first one allows you to bind reader macro to only a single character, and second one to 2+ characters? – OlegTheCat Jan 16 '19 at 08:25
Yes, this is the difference. – sds Jan 16 '19 at 14:29

What's the difference between set-macro-character and set-dispatch-macro-character?

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