Issue: CLOSED-STREAM-OPERATION

[ROSENKING@A.ISI.EDU]

Status:	Draft
Issue:			CLOSED-STREAM-OPERATIONS
References:		CLOSE (CLtL, page 332 and ANSI Draft, page 
6-40)
Category:		CLARIFICATION
Edit History:		26-Aug-88, 	Version 1 by Chapman
			08-Oct-88, 	Version 2 by Masinter
			26-Oct-88, 	Version 3 by Rosenking

Related Issues:	STREAM-CAPABILITIES, STREAM-ACCESS, STREAM-
INFO

Problem Description:

Based on the type of stream, and the implementation used, when a 
stream is closed  using the close operation it may return one of
several different values, including the stream name or T, or even
an error if it was a broadcast or concatenated stream in the MAC
implementation which was already closed.

Proposal:

Require that CLOSE return the stream name at all times, of the form 
#<stream>, and that it is an error to perform any operation on a closed stream.

Rationale:

This will standardize the use of CLOSE on all implementations and 
require that only streams which are not closed may be closed.

Current Practice:

Depending upon the type of stream and implementation a variety of 
values may be returned, as stated above.

Adoption Cost:

None.

Benefits:

This clarification will assist users in writing portable code.

Conversion Cost:

None.

Aesthetics:

None

Discussion: