[R6RS] modules

[R. Kent Dybvig]

>   (module M (x get-x)
>     (require M)
>     (define x 5)
>     (define (get-x) #'x))

Is the (require M) above a mistake or does it do something special that
is somehow germaine to your question?  I'll assume you meant

  (module M (x get-x)
    (define x 5)
    (define (get-x) #'x))

but correct me if I'm wrong.

>   (module N (def-f-fun def-f-mac)
>     (require only-for-syntax M)
>     (define-syntax def-f-mac 
>       (lambda (stx) 
>         (with-syntax ((x2 (get-x)))
>           #'(define-syntax f (lambda (stx) x2)))))
>     (define-syntax def-f-fun
>       (lambda (stx) 
>         (with-syntax ((x2 (get-x)))
>           #'(define f (lambda (stx) x2))))))

> I expect that either `def-f-mac' or `def-f-fun' always works, and the
> other never works. But which one (if either)?

def-f-fun should fail because it produces a run-time reference to a
variable---M's x---that is available only at expansion time.

I don't see any reason why def-f-mac should fail.  M's x is used only
for syntax, as required.

Incidentally, I hope we agree that no one can use def-f-mac's product
in any case, since f is an introduced identifier with no references.
(The same was true in your earlier example.)  But this variant should
also work:

(module N (def-f-mac)
  (require only-for-syntax M)
  (define-syntax def-f-mac
    (lambda (stx)
      (syntax-case stx ()
        [(_ f) (with-syntax ((x2 (get-x)))
                 #'(define-syntax f (lambda (stx) x2)))]))))
(require N)
(def-f-mac high)
high ;-> 5

Kent