Newsgroups: comp.lang.clos
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!ghost.unimi.it!hplda1.unipv.it!ipvvis!marco
From: marco@ipvvis.unipv.it (Marco Ramoni)
Subject: Redefining FORMAT
Message-ID: <marco.676653088@ipvvis>
Keywords: defmethod format
Sender: usenet@hplda1.unipv.it (Usenet News Administration)
Nntp-Posting-Host: ipvvis
Organization: Universita' di Pavia - Italy
Date: 11 Jun 91 15:11:28 GMT
Lines: 29


I have defined a class named text-window and I am attempting to write a specialized version of format. My definition is:

(defmethod format ((tw text-window) string &rest arguments)
  "Specialized format for text-windows."
  (print-string-in-window tw (eval `(format nil ,string ,@arguments)))
  )

When I load the file containing this definition I get the following error:

>>Error: FORMAT already names an ordinary function or a macro

LUCID-RUNTIME-SUPPORT:DEFINE-METHOD:
   Required arg 0 (...
   Required arg 1 (...
   ...

    0: Flush the existing definition
    1: Convert current definition into default method
:C  2: Try loading "..." again
    ...
    ...

If I choose option 1 everythig works fine, I get exactly what I want (that is, both the old version and the specialized one). My problem is, is there a way of getting rid of the error message? In other words, can I "Convert the current definition into default method" directly from my program?

My Email address is: alb@ipvaim.unipv.it. Thank you in advance.

					Alberto Riva
					University of Pavia, Italy