When you do
13 --> *count*
you create a symbol named *count* in the current
package (assuming no such symbol previously existed) and put
13 in its value slot. (It is good Muq programming
style to put asterisks around the name of a global
variable.)
When you do
: thirteen 13 ;
you create a symbol named thirteen in the current package
and put :: 13; in its function slot.
When you do
'abc
you create a symbol named abc in the current package.
In all of these cases (and more), the symbols created are entered in the hidden area of the current package, and are considered private to that package. (They can be accessed from other packages by using the package-name::symbolName syntax, but this is intended as a hack for debugging and such, not as something which should be done as a part of normal use of the package.)
Use the export function to make a symbol (and hence
any value, function, or property list associated with it)
publicly available in the package:
'*count* export 'thirteen export 'abc export
This enters the given symbol into the public area of the
current package, making it accessable (for example) via
package-name:symbolName notation.
You may use lxf (List eXported Functions) to list
exported symbols in the current package which have their
function slot set; You may use lxv (List eXported
Variables) to list exported symbols in the the current
package which have their value slot set.
If you export a symbol by mistake, you may undo the
effect using unexport. See section `unexport' in Muf Reference.
It is good programming practice to group all the
export statements in a source file together, often
right after the inPackage line, and accompanied by
comments explaining the intended use of the exported symbol.
These comments may often be all the user of a package needs
to know about it.
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