[Sbcl-help] How to use a macro defined in another file

[Cecil W. <Ce...@de...>]

What I am describing here is happening in Emacs/Smile.

In another file I have:
    (defmacro define-constant (name value &optional doc)
      `(defconstant ,name (if (boundp ',name) (symbol-value ',name) ,value)
         ,@(when doc (list doc))))

Took it from the Internet. Should properly be bettered: it is an error
when name is already defined and has another value.

The definition is included with:
    (load (merge-pathnames "clisp/script-utils" (user-homedir-pathname)))

But when doing:
    (define-constant +db+ (merge-pathnames "recepten.db" (user-homedir-pathname)))
there is an error.
The folowing does work:
    (defvar +db+ (merge-pathnames "recepten.db" (user-homedir-pathname)))

Variables and functions defined in ~/clisp/script-utils do not have a
problem. (As far as I know.)

When giving 'C-x C-e' after the definition of define-constant I can
use define-constant. What am I doing wrong?

I also tried it in sbcl standalone and there I got:
    * (load (merge-pathnames "clisp/script-utils" (user-homedir-pathname)))

    T
    * (define-constant +db+ (merge-pathnames "recepten.db" (user-homedir-pathname)))

    ; in: DEFINE-CONSTANT +DB+
    ;     (DEFINE-CONSTANT +DB+ (MERGE-PATHNAMES "recepten.db" (USER-HOMEDIR-PATHNAME)))
    ; 
    ; caught WARNING:
    ;   undefined variable: +DB+
    ; 
    ; caught STYLE-WARNING:
    ;   undefined function: DEFINE-CONSTANT
    ; 
    ; compilation unit finished
    ;   Undefined function:
    ;     DEFINE-CONSTANT
    ;   Undefined variable:
    ;     +DB+
    ;   caught 1 WARNING condition
    ;   caught 1 STYLE-WARNING condition

    debugger invoked on a UNBOUND-VARIABLE in thread #<THREAD
                                                       "initial thread" RUNNING
                                                       {A9FA801}>:
      The variable +DB+ is unbound.

When defining define-constant manually I get:
    (defmacro define-constant (name value &optional doc)
      `(defconstant ,name (if (boundp ',name) (symbol-value ',name) ,value)
         ,@(when doc (list doc))))

    STYLE-WARNING:
       DEFINE-CONSTANT is being redefined as a macro when it was previously assumed to be a function.
    DEFINE-CONSTANT

and then executing the macro gives the expected result.

-- 
Cecil Westerhof
Senior Software Engineer
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilwesterhof