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<programming> (call/cc) A Lisp control function that implements the continuation passing style of programming.
In continuation passing style (CPS), every function f takes an extra final argument k called the "continuation". The continuation is itself a function and represents the rest of the program. Instead of just returning a value in the normal way, f passes it as an argument to k and returns the result of that.
call/cc takes a function f as its argument and calls f, passing it the current continuation k. It thus allows a CPS function to be called in a non-CPS (direct) context.
For example, if the final result is to print the value returned by call/cc then anything passed to k will also be printed.
E.g, in Scheme:
(define (f k) (k 1) (k 2) 3) (display (call-with-current-continuation f))Will display 1.
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(2014-09-24)
Nearby terms: Call-Level Interface « Call Unix « Callware « call-with-current-continuation » CALS » Caltech Intermediate Form » CAM
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