Hi
I am trying to find how to do the following in Lisp:

( (lambda (f) ( f '(b c ))) (lambda (x) (cons 'a x)))

(answer ;Value 2: (a b c) )

This (directly from Graham's Roots of Lisp) works in Scheme.
According to Graham, in Lisp I should do:

( (lambda (f) ( f '(b c ))) '(lambda (x) (cons 'a x)))

But there is no way I can get this to work in Common Lisp (emacs lisp+cl, or CMU Common Lisp). Using 'quote' or 'function ' does not help at all.
emacs gives me

*** Eval error *** Symbol's function definition is void: f

CMU gives me

; In: (LAMBDA (F) (F '#)) '(LAMBDA (X) (CONS 'A X))
; ((LAMBDA # #) '(LAMBDA # #))
; Note: Variable F defined but never used.
; ;
; Warning: This function is undefined:
; F
Error in KERNEL:%COERCE-TO-FUNCTION: the function F is undefined.
[Condition of type UNDEFINED-FUNCTION]
Splitting the two by defining (defun fo (x) (cons 'a x)) first, does not help either.


I am clueless, what is the way to do such a simple thing ?

Cheers

Short answer is do this:
Common Lisp is a "Lisp-2" which means the namespace for functions is separate from the value namespace. For (a lot) more detail: Technical Issues of Separation in Function Cells and Value Cells, Kent Pitman

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Thanks,


Very short, indeed. I remember to have tried apply and funcall, but clearly, that has been in the wrong place .
All of Graham's article stuff works now.