Here's a code sample from SRFI-9, in both s-expressions (the original) and sweet-expressions. This demonstrates how these s-expressions can be represented as sweet-expressions. My hope is that this (and other examples) shows that sweet-expressions are readable to a wider audience.
I'm pasting it below; you can get these as files from the http://readable.sourceforge.net git repo ("develop" branch). In the sweet-expressions I'm always using "!" as the first indent character, which is certainly not required but it deals with mail readers that gobble up leading spaces.
--- David A. Wheeler
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; As s-expressions
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; This code is from SRFI-9 by Richard Kelsey,
; http://srfi.schemers.org/srfi-9/srfi-9.html
; According to "Scheme Systems Supporting SRFIs" by John Cowan
; (http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tRCHK6jWXuKMABKAfoOwWqw&output=html)
; this is the most widely implemented Scheme SFRI.
; Syntax definitions
; Definition of DEFINE-RECORD-TYPE
(define-syntax define-record-type
(syntax-rules ()
((define-record-type type
(constructor constructor-tag ...)
predicate
(field-tag accessor . more) ...)
(begin
(define type
(make-record-type 'type '(field-tag ...)))
(define constructor
(record-constructor type '(constructor-tag ...)))
(define predicate
(record-predicate type))
(define-record-field type field-tag accessor . more)
...))))
; An auxilliary macro for define field accessors and modifiers.
; This is needed only because modifiers are optional.
(define-syntax define-record-field
(syntax-rules ()
((define-record-field type field-tag accessor)
(define accessor (record-accessor type 'field-tag)))
((define-record-field type field-tag accessor modifier)
(begin
(define accessor (record-accessor type 'field-tag))
(define modifier (record-modifier type 'field-tag))))))
; Record types
; We define the following procedures:
;
; (make-record-type <type-name <field-names>) -> <record-type>
; (record-constructor <record-type<field-names>) -> <constructor>
; (record-predicate <record-type>) -> <predicate>
; (record-accessor <record-type <field-name>) -> <accessor>
; (record-modifier <record-type <field-name>) -> <modifier>
; where
; (<constructor> <initial-value> ...) -> <record>
; (<predicate> <value>) -> <boolean>
; (<accessor> <record>) -> <value>
; (<modifier> <record> <value>) -> <unspecific>
; Record types are implemented using vector-like records. The first
; slot of each record contains the record's type, which is itself a
; record.
(define (record-type record)
(record-ref record 0))
;----------------
; Record types are themselves records, so we first define the type for
; them. Except for problems with circularities, this could be defined as:
; (define-record-type :record-type
; (make-record-type name field-tags)
; record-type?
; (name record-type-name)
; (field-tags record-type-field-tags))
; As it is, we need to define everything by hand.
(define :record-type (make-record 3))
(record-set! :record-type 0 :record-type) ; Its type is itself.
(record-set! :record-type 1 ':record-type)
(record-set! :record-type 2 '(name field-tags))
; Now that :record-type exists we can define a procedure for making more
; record types.
(define (make-record-type name field-tags)
(let ((new (make-record 3)))
(record-set! new 0 :record-type)
(record-set! new 1 name)
(record-set! new 2 field-tags)
new))
; Accessors for record types.
(define (record-type-name record-type)
(record-ref record-type 1))
(define (record-type-field-tags record-type)
(record-ref record-type 2))
;----------------
; A utility for getting the offset of a field within a record.
(define (field-index type tag)
(let loop ((i 1) (tags (record-type-field-tags type)))
(cond ((null? tags)
(error "record type has no such field" type tag))
((eq? tag (car tags))
i)
(else
(loop (+ i 1) (cdr tags))))))
;----------------
; Now we are ready to define RECORD-CONSTRUCTOR and the rest of the
; procedures used by the macro expansion of DEFINE-RECORD-TYPE.
(define (record-constructor type tags)
(let ((size (length (record-type-field-tags type)))
(arg-count (length tags))
(indexes (map (lambda (tag)
(field-index type tag))
tags)))
(lambda args
(if (= (length args)
arg-count)
(let ((new (make-record (+ size 1))))
(record-set! new 0 type)
(for-each (lambda (arg i)
(record-set! new i arg))
args
indexes)
new)
(error "wrong number of arguments to constructor" type args)))))
(define (record-predicate type)
(lambda (thing)
(and (record? thing)
(eq? (record-type thing)
type))))
(define (record-accessor type tag)
(let ((index (field-index type tag)))
(lambda (thing)
(if (and (record? thing)
(eq? (record-type thing)
type))
(record-ref thing index)
(error "accessor applied to bad value" type tag thing)))))
(define (record-modifier type tag)
(let ((index (field-index type tag)))
(lambda (thing value)
(if (and (record? thing)
(eq? (record-type thing)
type))
(record-set! thing index value)
(error "modifier applied to bad value" type tag thing)))))
; Records
; This implements a record abstraction that is identical to vectors,
; except that they are not vectors (VECTOR? returns false when given a
; record and RECORD? returns false when given a vector). The following
; procedures are provided:
; (record? <value>) -> <boolean>
; (make-record <size>) -> <record>
; (record-ref <record> <index>) -> <value>
; (record-set! <record> <index> <value>) -> <unspecific>
;
; These can implemented in R5RS Scheme as vectors with a distinguishing
; value at index zero, providing VECTOR? is redefined to be a procedure
; that returns false if its argument contains the distinguishing record
; value. EVAL is also redefined to use the new value of VECTOR?.
; Define the marker and redefine VECTOR? and EVAL.
(define record-marker (list 'record-marker))
(define real-vector? vector?)
(define (vector? x)
(and (real-vector? x)
(or (= 0 (vector-length x))
(not (eq? (vector-ref x 0)
record-marker)))))
; This won't work if ENV is the interaction environment and someone has
; redefined LAMBDA there.
(define eval
(let ((real-eval eval))
(lambda (exp env)
((real-eval `(lambda (vector?) ,exp))
vector?))))
; Definitions of the record procedures.
(define (record? x)
(and (real-vector? x)
(< 0 (vector-length x))
(eq? (vector-ref x 0)
record-marker)))
(define (make-record size)
(let ((new (make-vector (+ size 1))))
(vector-set! new 0 record-marker)
new))
(define (record-ref record index)
(vector-ref record (+ index 1)))
(define (record-set! record index value)
(vector-set! record (+ index 1) value))
; Copyright (C) Richard Kelsey (1999). All Rights Reserved.
;
; Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
; copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
; to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
; the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
; and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
; Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
;
; The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
; in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
;
; THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
; IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
; FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL
; THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
; OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
; ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
; OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; As sweet-expressions
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; This code is from SRFI-9 by Richard Kelsey,
; http://srfi.schemers.org/srfi-9/srfi-9.html
; According to "Scheme Systems Supporting SRFIs" by John Cowan
; (http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tRCHK6jWXuKMABKAfoOwWqw&output=html)
; this is the most widely implemented Scheme SFRI.
; Syntax definitions
; Definition of DEFINE-RECORD-TYPE
define-syntax define-record-type
! syntax-rules ()
! \\
! define-record-type
! type
! constructor constructor-tag ...
! predicate
! field-tag accessor . more
! ...
! begin
! define type
! ! make-record-type 'type 'field-tag(...)
! define constructor
! ! record-constructor type 'constructor-tag(...)
! define predicate record-predicate(type)
! define-record-field type field-tag accessor . more
! ...
; An auxilliary macro for define field accessors and modifiers.
; This is needed only because modifiers are optional.
define-syntax define-record-field
! syntax-rules ()
! define-record-field(type field-tag accessor)
! define accessor record-accessor(type 'field-tag)
! define-record-field(type field-tag accessor modifier)
! begin
! define accessor record-accessor(type 'field-tag)
! define modifier record-modifier(type 'field-tag)
; Record types
; We define the following procedures:
;
; (make-record-type <type-name <field-names>) -> <record-type>
; (record-constructor <record-type<field-names>) -> <constructor>
; (record-predicate <record-type>) -> <predicate>
; (record-accessor <record-type <field-name>) -> <accessor>
; (record-modifier <record-type <field-name>) -> <modifier>
; where
; (<constructor> <initial-value> ...) -> <record>
; (<predicate> <value>) -> <boolean>
; (<accessor> <record>) -> <value>
; (<modifier> <record> <value>) -> <unspecific>
; Record types are implemented using vector-like records. The first
; slot of each record contains the record's type, which is itself a
; record.
define record-type(record) record-ref(record 0)
;----------------
; Record types are themselves records, so we first define the type for
; them. Except for problems with circularities, this could be defined as:
; (define-record-type :record-type
; (make-record-type name field-tags)
; record-type?
; (name record-type-name)
; (field-tags record-type-field-tags))
; As it is, we need to define everything by hand.
define :record-type make-record(3)
record-set! :record-type 0 :record-type; Its type is itself.
record-set! :record-type 1 ':record-type
record-set! :record-type 2 'name(field-tags)
; Now that :record-type exists we can define a procedure for making more
; record types.
define make-record-type(name field-tags)
! let <* new $ make-record 3 *>
! record-set! new 0 :record-type
! record-set! new 1 name
! record-set! new 2 field-tags
! new
; Accessors for record types.
define record-type-name(record-type)
! record-ref record-type 1
define record-type-field-tags(record-type)
! record-ref record-type 2
;----------------
; A utility for getting the offset of a field within a record.
define field-index(type tag)
! let loop <* i 1 \\ tags $ record-type-field-tags type *>
! cond
! null?(tags) error("record type has no such field" type tag)
! eq?(tag car(tags)) i
! else loop({i + 1} cdr(tags))
;----------------
; Now we are ready to define RECORD-CONSTRUCTOR and the rest of the
; procedures used by the macro expansion of DEFINE-RECORD-TYPE.
define record-constructor(type tags)
! let
! \\
! size $ length record-type-field-tags(type)
! arg-count $ length tags
! indexes $ map lambda(tag() field-index(type tag)) tags
! lambda args
! if {length(args) = arg-count}
! let (new(make-record{size + 1}))
! ! record-set! new 0 type
! ! for-each lambda(arg(i) record-set!(new i arg)) args indexes
! ! new
! error "wrong number of arguments to constructor" type args
define record-predicate(type)
! lambda thing()
! {record?(thing) and eq?(record-type(thing) type)}
define record-accessor(type tag)
! let <* index $ field-index type tag *>
! lambda thing()
! if {record?(thing) and eq?(record-type(thing) type)}
! record-ref thing index
! error "accessor applied to bad value" type tag thing
define record-modifier(type tag)
! let <* index $ field-index type tag *>
! lambda thing(value)
! if {record?(thing) and eq?(record-type(thing) type)}
! record-set! thing index value
! error "modifier applied to bad value" type tag thing
; Records
; This implements a record abstraction that is identical to vectors,
; except that they are not vectors (VECTOR? returns false when given a
; record and RECORD? returns false when given a vector). The following
; procedures are provided:
; (record? <value>) -> <boolean>
; (make-record <size>) -> <record>
; (record-ref <record> <index>) -> <value>
; (record-set! <record> <index> <value>) -> <unspecific>
;
; These can implemented in R5RS Scheme as vectors with a distinguishing
; value at index zero, providing VECTOR? is redefined to be a procedure
; that returns false if its argument contains the distinguishing record
; value. EVAL is also redefined to use the new value of VECTOR?.
; Define the marker and redefine VECTOR? and EVAL.
define record-marker list('record-marker)
define real-vector? vector?
define vector?(x)
! and
! real-vector? x
! or
! {0 = vector-length(x)}
! not eq?(vector-ref(x 0) record-marker)
; This won't work if ENV is the interaction environment and someone has
; redefined LAMBDA there.
define eval
! let <* real-eval eval *>
! lambda exp(env)
! real-eval(`lambda(vector?() ,exp)) vector?
; Definitions of the record procedures.
define record?(x)
! and
! real-vector? x
! {0 < vector-length(x)}
! eq? vector-ref(x 0) record-marker
define make-record(size)
! let <* new make-vector{size + 1} *>
! vector-set! new 0 record-marker
! new
define record-ref(record index)
! vector-ref record {index + 1}
define record-set!(record index value)
! vector-set! record {index + 1} value
; Copyright (C) Richard Kelsey (1999). All Rights Reserved.
;
; Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
; copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
; to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
; the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
; and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
; Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
;
; The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
; in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
;
; THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
; IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
; FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL
; THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
; OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
; ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
; OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
