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(emacs-lisp-intro.info)print-graph Varlist

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The `print-graph' Varlist
=========================

   In writing the `print-graph' function, the first task is to write
the varlist in the `let' expression.  (We will leave aside for the
moment any thoughts about making the function interactive or about the
contents of its documentation string.)

   The varlist should set several values.  Clearly, the top of the label
for the vertical axis must be at least the height of the graph, which
means that we must obtain this information here.  Note that the
`print-graph-body' function also requires this information.  There is
no reason to calculate the height of the graph in two different places,
so we should change `print-graph-body' from the way we defined it
earlier to take advantage of the calculation.

   Similarly, both the function for printing the X axis labels and the
`print-graph-body' function need to learn the value of the width of
each symbol.  We can perform the calculation here and change the
definition for `print-graph-body' from the way we defined it in the
previous chapter.

   The length of the label for the horizontal axis must be at least as
long as the graph.  However, this information is used only in the
function that prints the horizontal axis, so it does not need to be
calculated here.

   These thoughts lead us directly to the following form for the varlist
in the `let' for `print-graph':

     (let ((height (apply 'max numbers-list)) ; First version.
           (symbol-width (length graph-blank)))

As we shall see, this expression is not quite right.