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(elisp)Dotted Pair Notation

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Dotted Pair Notation
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   "Dotted pair notation" is an alternative syntax for cons cells that
represents the CAR and CDR explicitly.  In this syntax, `(A . B)'
stands for a cons cell whose CAR is the object A, and whose CDR is the
object B.  Dotted pair notation is therefore more general than list
syntax.  In the dotted pair notation, the list `(1 2 3)' is written as
`(1 . (2 . (3 . nil)))'.  For `nil'-terminated lists, you can use either
notation, but list notation is usually clearer and more convenient.
When printing a list, the dotted pair notation is only used if the CDR
of a cons cell is not a list.

   Here's an example using boxes to illustrate dotted pair notation.
This example shows the pair `(rose . violet)':

         --- ---
        |   |   |--> violet
         --- ---
          |
          |
           --> rose

   You can combine dotted pair notation with list notation to represent
conveniently a chain of cons cells with a non-`nil' final CDR.  You
write a dot after the last element of the list, followed by the CDR of
the final cons cell.  For example, `(rose violet . buttercup)' is
equivalent to `(rose . (violet . buttercup))'.  The object looks like
this:

         --- ---      --- ---
        |   |   |--> |   |   |--> buttercup
         --- ---      --- ---
          |            |
          |            |
           --> rose     --> violet

   The syntax `(rose . violet . buttercup)' is invalid because there is
nothing that it could mean.  If anything, it would say to put
`buttercup' in the CDR of a cons cell whose CDR is already used for
`violet'.

   The list `(rose violet)' is equivalent to `(rose . (violet))', and
looks like this:

         --- ---      --- ---
        |   |   |--> |   |   |--> nil
         --- ---      --- ---
          |            |
          |            |
           --> rose     --> violet

   Similarly, the three-element list `(rose violet buttercup)' is
equivalent to `(rose . (violet . (buttercup)))'.  It looks like this:

         --- ---      --- ---      --- ---
        |   |   |--> |   |   |--> |   |   |--> nil
         --- ---      --- ---      --- ---
          |            |            |
          |            |            |
           --> rose     --> violet   --> buttercup