describe object[Function]
- Prints the information about object to the stream that is
the value of *standard-output*. The description of an object consists of several fields,
each of which is described in a recursive manner. For example,
a symbol may have fields such as
home package, variable documentation, value, function documentation,
function binding, type documentation, deftype definition,
properties.
inspect object[Function]
- Prints the information about object
in an interactive manner. The output of inspect is similar to that
of describe,
but after printing the label and the value of a field
(the value itself is not describe 'd),
it prompts the user to input a one-character command. The input to inspect is taken from the stream
that is the value of *query-io* . Normally, the
inspection of object terminates
after all of its fields have been inspected. The following commands are
supported:
- n
- Next. Goes to the next level; the field is inspected
recursively.
- s
- Skip. Skips the inspection of the field. inspect proceeds to
the next field.
- p
- Print. Pretty-prints the field and prompts again.
- u form
- Update. The form is evaluated and the field is
replaced by the resulting value. If the field cannot be updated, the message
Not updated. will be printed.
- a
- Abort. Aborts the inspection of the current object. The field and
the rest of the fields are not inspected.
- e form
- Eval. Evaluates the specified form in the null environment
and prints the resulting values. Then prompts again with the same
field.
- q
- Quit. Aborts the entire inspection.
- ?
- Help. Lists the inspect commands.