| method | a method object, or a list (see below); not evaluated. |
| method-object | a method object. |
| next-method-list | a list of method objects; not evaluated. |
| results | the values returned by the method invocation. |
The macro call-method is used in method combination. It hides the implementation-dependent details of how methods are called. The macro call-method has lexical scope and can only be used within an effective method form.
[Editorial Note by KMP: This next paragraph still needs some work.]
Whether or not call-method is fbound in the
global environment is implementation-dependent;
however, the restrictions on redefinition and shadowing of
call-method are the same as for symbols in the COMMON-LISP package
which are fbound in the global environment.
The consequences of attempting to use call-method outside
of an effective method form are undefined.
The macro call-method invokes the specified method, supplying it with arguments and with definitions for call-next-method and for next-method-p. If the invocation of call-method is lexically inside of a make-method, the arguments are those that were supplied to that method. Otherwise the arguments are those that were supplied to the generic function. The definitions of call-next-method and next-method-p rely on the specified next-method-list.
If method is a list, the first element of the list must be the symbol make-method and the second element must be a form. Such a list specifies a method object whose method function has a body that is the given form.
Next-method-list can contain method objects or lists, the first element of which must be the symbol make-method and the second element of which must be a form.
Those are the only two places where make-method can be used.
The form used with make-method is evaluated in
the null lexical environment augmented with a local macro definition
for call-method and with bindings named by
symbols not accessible from the COMMON-LISP-USER package.
The call-next-method function available to method will call the first method in next-method-list. The call-next-method function available in that method, in turn, will call the second method in next-method-list, and so on, until the list of next methods is exhausted.
If next-method-list is not supplied, the call-next-method function available to method signals an error of type control-error and the next-method-p function available to method returns nil.