1 01/12/82 APL Search Paths 2 3 The MR9.0 release of APL offers the ability for the site and/or the 4 user to specify search paths to be used by the APL executive when 5 searching for an external function or a workspace to be loaded. This 6 permits the site and/or the user to designate one or more directories 7 as libraries of workspaces and external functions. If no search paths 8 are defined for APL, workspaces and external functions are searched 9 for in the same way as with previous versions of APL. 10 11 The user may determine if the site has defined search paths for APL 12 and, if so, what they are, by entering the command 'print_search_paths 13 apl'. If the site does not define any search paths for APL, the user 14 may do so with the 'set_search_paths' command. Once search paths have 15 been defined for APL, the user may use the 'add_search_paths' and 16 'delete_search_paths' commands to modify them. 17 18 19 Effect of search paths on the ')LOAD' command: 20 If the workspace in a ')LOAD' command is identified by an entry name 21 rather than an absolute or relative pathname, it is searched for first 22 in the directories specified by any APL search paths, and then in the 23 user's working directory. 24 25 26 Effects of search paths on the ')DFN', ')MFN' & ')ZFN' commands: 27 If the function in an external function definition command is 28 identified by a reference name rather than an absolute or relative 29 pathname, it is searched for first among the already initiated 30 segments, then in the directories specified by any APL search paths, 31 and finally according to the current search rules. 32 33 34 Effects of search paths on the 'qCALL' function: 35 'qCALL' searches for the external routine it is to invoke first among 36 the already initiated segments, then in the directories specified by 37 any APL search paths, and finally according to the current search 38 rules. If any of the arguments to the external routine to be called 39 are themselves external routines, they are searched for in the same 40 way.