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6.7 Bool-vectors

A bool-vector is much like a vector, except that it stores only the values t and nil. If you try to store any non-nil value into an element of the bool-vector, the effect is to store t there. As with all arrays, bool-vector indices start from 0, and the length cannot be changed once the bool-vector is created. Bool-vectors are constants when evaluated.

Several functions work specifically with bool-vectors; aside from that, you manipulate them with same functions used for other kinds of arrays.

function make-bool-vector length initial​

Return a new bool-vector of length elements, each one initialized to initial.

function bool-vector \&rest objects​

This function creates and returns a bool-vector whose elements are the arguments, objects.

function bool-vector-p object​

This returns t if object is a bool-vector, and nil otherwise.

There are also some bool-vector set operation functions, described below:

function bool-vector-exclusive-or a b \&optional c​

Return bitwise exclusive or of bool vectors a and b. If optional argument c is given, the result of this operation is stored into c. All arguments should be bool vectors of the same length.

function bool-vector-union a b \&optional c​

Return bitwise or of bool vectors a and b. If optional argument c is given, the result of this operation is stored into c. All arguments should be bool vectors of the same length.

function bool-vector-intersection a b \&optional c​

Return bitwise and of bool vectors a and b. If optional argument c is given, the result of this operation is stored into c. All arguments should be bool vectors of the same length.

function bool-vector-set-difference a b \&optional c​

Return set difference of bool vectors a and b. If optional argument c is given, the result of this operation is stored into c. All arguments should be bool vectors of the same length.

function bool-vector-not a \&optional b​

Return set complement of bool vector a. If optional argument b is given, the result of this operation is stored into b. All arguments should be bool vectors of the same length.

function bool-vector-subsetp a b​

Return t if every t value in a is also t in b, nil otherwise. All arguments should be bool vectors of the same length.

function bool-vector-count-consecutive a b i​

Return the number of consecutive elements in a equal b starting at i. a is a bool vector, b is t or nil, and i is an index into a.

function bool-vector-count-population a​

Return the number of elements that are t in bool vector a.

The printed form represents up to 8 boolean values as a single character:

(bool-vector t nil t nil)
     ⇒ #&4"^E"
(bool-vector)
     ⇒ #&0""

You can use vconcat to print a bool-vector like other vectors:

(vconcat (bool-vector nil t nil t))
     ⇒ [nil t nil t]

Here is another example of creating, examining, and updating a bool-vector:

(setq bv (make-bool-vector 5 t))
     ⇒ #&5"^_"
(aref bv 1)
     ⇒ t
(aset bv 3 nil)
     ⇒ nil
bv
     ⇒ #&5"^W"

These results make sense because the binary codes for control-_ and control-W are 11111 and 10111, respectively.