[erlang-bugs] bug

[Richard Carlsson]

Bjorn Gustavsson wrote:
 > "Joe Armstrong" <erlang@REDACTED> writes:
 >> start() ->
 >>     lists:filter(fun is_reference/1, [1,2,3]).
 >>
 >> %% this program compiles correctly
 >> %% it should fail with a missing function
 >
 > Maybe. I am not sure whether this is a bug or a feature.
 > ...the guard BIF is_reference/1 will be called, so the code
 > will actually work.

If this is ok:

start() ->
     lists:filter(fun (X) -> is_reference(X) end, [1,2,3]).

i.e., if is_reference/1 is in scope, being automatically imported
from the module 'erlang' (just like is_atom/1 and the rest), then
your example should also be perfectly legal and well defined.

(The old-style names reference/1, atom/1, etc., are however not
in scope outside guards, so 'fun reference/1' should cause complaints
about a missing function, unless you have defined it yourself.)

     /Richard