string to symbol

string to symbol

[TheFlyingDutchman]

I want to call the documentation or describe-function, functions, with
a list of strings that are function names. Those functions take a
symbol as an argument. e.g. (describe-function 'shell).  Given a
string "shell" is it possible to convert that to the symbol shell so
that I can use it as an argument to those functions?

Re: string to symbol

[Thierry Volpiatto]

TheFlyingDutchman <zzbbaadd@aol.com> writes:

> I want to call the documentation or describe-function, functions, with
> a list of strings that are function names. Those functions take a
> symbol as an argument. e.g. (describe-function 'shell).  Given a
> string "shell" is it possible to convert that to the symbol shell so
> that I can use it as an argument to those functions?
>
,----
| ELISP> (intern "shell")
| shell
| ELISP> (symbol-name 'shell)
| "shell"
| ELISP> 
`----
-- 
A + Thierry Volpiatto
Location: Saint-Cyr-Sur-Mer - France

Re: string to symbol

[TheFlyingDutchman]

>
> ,----
> | ELISP> (intern "shell")
> | shell

Thanks Thierry, worked like a charm! Is there a way to determine,
given a string, whether or not an interned symbol already exists with
that name?

Re: string to symbol

[Pascal J. Bourguignon]

TheFlyingDutchman <zzbbaadd@aol.com> writes:

>>
>> ,----
>> | ELISP> (intern "shell")
>> | shell
>
> Thanks Thierry, worked like a charm! Is there a way to determine,
> given a string, whether or not an interned symbol already exists with
> that name?

intern-soft

-- 
__Pascal Bourguignon__

Re: string to symbol

[TheFlyingDutchman]

>
> intern-soft
>
> --
> __Pascal Bourguignon__

Thanks Pascal!