convert strings to symbol

convert strings to symbol

[alruccaba]

Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :

(setq y "z")
(setq x "y")
(print  ..? x ....) -> "z"

Thanks in advance.



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Re: convert strings to symbol

[Nicholas Sandow]

On 16/06/2008, at 11:03 PM, alruccaba@justmail.de wrote:

> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
> One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :
>
> (setq y "z")
> (setq x "y")
> (print  ..? x ....) -> "z"
>
> Thanks in advance.

Have you looked at (intern "foo") or (make-symbol "foo") ?  Do they  
do what you want?

>
>
>
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> MailDomain inkl.
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Re: convert strings to symbol

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:03:57 +0200 alruccaba@justmail.de wrote:

> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?

`intern' or `intern-soft'.

David

Re: convert strings to symbol

[Andreas Röhler]

Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb alruccaba@justmail.de:
> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
> One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :
> 
> (setq y "z")
> (setq x "y")
> (print  ..? x ....) -> "z"
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> 
> 
> Unbegrenzter Speicher, Top-Spamschutz, 120 SMS und eigene E-MailDomain inkl.
> 
http://office.freenet.de/dienste/emailoffice/produktuebersicht/power/mail/index.html
> 
> 
> 
> 

make-symbol (?)

(setq a (make-symbol "eins"))
a => eins

Re: convert strings to symbol

[David Kastrup]

Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@online.de> writes:

> Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb alruccaba@justmail.de:
>> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
>> One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :
>> 
>> (setq y "z")
>> (setq x "y")
>> (print  ..? x ....) -> "z"
>> 
>> Thanks in advance.
>
> make-symbol (?)
>
> (setq a (make-symbol "eins"))
> a => eins

No, that is entirely useless since it creates a new symbol that has only
the print name "eins" but is not accessible via its name.

He wants something like

(print (symbol-value (intern x)))

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum

Re: convert strings to symbol

[Andreas Röhler]

Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb David Kastrup:
> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@online.de> writes:
> 
> > Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb alruccaba@justmail.de:
> >> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
> >> One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :
> >> 
> >> (setq y "z")
> >> (setq x "y")
> >> (print  ..? x ....) -> "z"
> >> 
> >> Thanks in advance.
> >
> > make-symbol (?)
> >
> > (setq a (make-symbol "eins"))
> > a => eins
> 
> No, that is entirely useless since it creates a new symbol that has only
> the print name "eins" but is not accessible via its name.
> 
> He wants something like
> 
> (print (symbol-value (intern x)))
> 
> -- 
> David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum
> 

Don't work for me.
Even not with

(print (symbol-value (intern "x")))

So it works:

(setq a (intern "x"))

(print (symbol-value 'a))

Probably you can explain the reasons.

Andreas Röhler

Re: convert strings to symbol

[David Kastrup]

Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@online.de> writes:

> Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb David Kastrup:
>> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@online.de> writes:
>> 
>> > Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb alruccaba@justmail.de:
>> >> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
>> >> One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :
>> >> 
>> >> (setq y "z")
>> >> (setq x "y")
>> >> (print  ..? x ....) -> "z"
>> >> 
>> >> Thanks in advance.
>> >
>> > make-symbol (?)
>> >
>> > (setq a (make-symbol "eins"))
>> > a => eins
>> 
>> No, that is entirely useless since it creates a new symbol that has only
>> the print name "eins" but is not accessible via its name.
>> 
>> He wants something like
>> 
>>
>
> Don't work for me.

Works perfectly for me.

(setq y "z")
(setq x "y")
(print (symbol-value (intern x))) -> "z"

> Even not with
>
> (print (symbol-value (intern "x")))

That yields "y".  Obviously.

> So it works:
>
> (setq a (intern "x"))
>
> (print (symbol-value 'a))
>
> Probably you can explain the reasons.

Looks like you should reread what you were replying to.  What I posted
works _exactly_ like the poster wanted it to work.  You are doing
something completely different.  Which also works in that it does
something.  Just not what was required.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum

Re: convert strings to symbol

[Andreas Röhler]

Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb David Kastrup:
> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@online.de> writes:
> 
> > Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb David Kastrup:
> >> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@online.de> writes:
> >> 
> >> > Am Montag, 16. Juni 2008 schrieb alruccaba@justmail.de:
> >> >> Does someone have an idea how to convert a string object to a symbol?
> >> >> One purpose would be some kind of variable substitution :
> >> >> 
> >> >> (setq y "z")
> >> >> (setq x "y")
> >> >> (print  ..? x ....) -> "z"
> >> >> 
> >> >> Thanks in advance.
> >> >
> >> > make-symbol (?)
> >> >
> >> > (setq a (make-symbol "eins"))
> >> > a => eins
> >> 
> >> No, that is entirely useless since it creates a new symbol that has only
> >> the print name "eins" but is not accessible via its name.
> >> 
> >> He wants something like
> >> 
> >>
> >
> > Don't work for me.
> 
> Works perfectly for me.
> 
> (setq y "z")
> (setq x "y")
> (print (symbol-value (intern x))) -> "z"
> 
> > Even not with
> >
> > (print (symbol-value (intern "x")))
> 
> That yields "y".  Obviously.
> 
> > So it works:
> >
> > (setq a (intern "x"))
> >
> > (print (symbol-value 'a))
> >
> > Probably you can explain the reasons.
> 
> Looks like you should reread what you were replying to. 

Seems so.

Thanks

Andreas Röhler

> What I posted 
> works _exactly_ like the poster wanted it to work.  You are doing
> something completely different.  Which also works in that it does
> something.  Just not what was required.
> 
> -- 
> David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum
>