autoload -- arrange for a function to be loaded automatically

Usage:

autoload(f,x)
Inputs:
- f
- x
Consequences:
- arranges for a function named f to be automatically loaded from the file x the first time it is used. This is accomplished by creating a suitable function that will load the file and assigning the function to f.

Description

i1 : fn = temporaryFileName()

o1 = /tmp/M2-30014-0/0

i2 : fn << "f = x -> x+1\n" << close

o2 = /tmp/M2-30014-0/0

o2 : File

i3 : autoload(f,fn)

i4 : code f

o4 = ${prefix}/share/Macaulay2/Core/autoload.m2:8:17-13:11: --source
     code:
          sym <- f := x -> (
               load filename;
               if f === value sym 
               then error("symbol '", toString sym, "' didn't acquire a new value in file '", filename, "'");
               (value sym) x
               );
     | symbol    class            value                                                    location of symbol
     | ------    -----            -----                                                    ------------------                                           
     | f         FunctionClosure  FunctionClosure[/home/m2user/work/M2/M2/M2/Macaulay2/m.  ${prefix}/share/Macaulay2/Core/autoload.m2:8:12-8:13
     | sym       Symbol           f                                                        ${prefix}/share/Macaulay2/Core/autoload.m2:6:28-6:31
     | filename  String           "/tmp/M2-30014-0/0"                                      ${prefix}/share/Macaulay2/Core/autoload.m2:6:32-6:40

i5 : f 4

o5 = 5

i6 : removeFile fn

Ways to use autoload:

autoload(Symbol,String)

For the programmer

The object autoload is a method function.

The source of this document is in Macaulay2Doc/ov_system.m2:138:0.