File Manager types for a function table

[pamoroso]

An Interlisp program I'm writing has a global variable bound to a function table, an association list with pairs whose key is a symbol and whose value is a function. The initialization of the table will look like this:

(SETQ FUNTAB `((KEY1 ,(FUNCTION FUN1)) ... (KEYn ,(FUNCTION FUNn))))

where the functions FUN1 ... FUNn are defined in the same symbolic file.

What's the most appropriate File Manater type for managing the table and storing it in the program's symbolic file? Is VARS enough? Do I need UGLYVARS?

[nbriggs]

ALISTS is a file package command/type that will let you define which keys should be saved from a given ALIST. If you want to save the whole thing, VARS should be fine. The value of FUNTAB will look like ((KEY1 FUN1) ... (KEYn FUNn)) so there's nothing special that would suggest UGLYVARS (that's for when PRINT and READ are not inverses of each other).

[nbriggs]

Also see the IRM entry for FUNCTION...

[pamoroso]

Thanks, I'll go with VARS. As for initializing the table, I wasn't sure how to properly reference functions.