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#### 5.2.2 Functions and Variables for Strings

Function: concat (arg_1, arg_2, …)

  Concatenates its arguments. The arguments must evaluate to atoms. The return value is a symbol if the first argument is a symbol and a string otherwise.

  `concat` evaluates its arguments. The single quote `'` prevents evaluation.

  See also `sconcat`, that works on non-atoms, too, `simplode`, `string` and `eval_string`. For complex string conversions see also `printf`.

      (%i1) y: 7$
      (%i2) z: 88$
      (%i3) concat (y, z/2);
      (%o3)                          744
      (%i4) concat ('y, z/2);
      (%o4)                          y44

  A symbol constructed by `concat` may be assigned a value and appear in expressions. The `::` (double colon) assignment operator evaluates its left-hand side.

      (%i5) a: concat ('y, z/2);
      (%o5)                          y44
      (%i6) a:: 123;
      (%o6)                          123
      (%i7) y44;
      (%o7)                          123
      (%i8) b^a;
                                     y44
      (%o8)                         b
      (%i9) %, numer;
                                     123
      (%o9)                         b

  Note that although `concat (1, 2)` looks like a number, it is a string.

      (%i10) concat (1, 2) + 3;
      (%o10)                       12 + 3

  Categories:Expressions ·Strings ·

Function: sconcat (arg_1, arg_2, …)

  Concatenates its arguments into a string. Unlike `concat`, the arguments do not need to be atoms.

  See also `concat`, `simplode`, `string` and `eval_string`. For complex string conversions see also `printf`.

      (%i1) sconcat ("xx[", 3, "]:", expand ((x+y)^3));
      (%o1)             xx[3]:y^3+3*x*y^2+3*x^2*y+x^3

  Another purpose for `sconcat` is to convert arbitrary objects to strings.

      (%i1) sconcat (x);
      (%o1)                           x

      (%i2) stringp(%);
      (%o2)                         true

  Categories:Expressions ·Strings ·

Function: string (expr)

  Converts `expr` to Maxima’s linear notation just as if it had been typed in.

  The return value of `string` is a string, and thus it cannot be used in a computation.

  See also `concat`, `sconcat`, `simplode` and `eval_string`.

  Categories:Strings ·

Option variable: stringdisp

  Default value: `false`

  When `stringdisp` is `true`, strings are displayed enclosed in double quote marks. Otherwise, quote marks are not displayed.

  `stringdisp` is always `true` when displaying a function definition.

  Examples:

      (%i1) stringdisp: false$

      (%i2) "This is an example string.";
      (%o2)              This is an example string.

      (%i3) foo () :=
            print ("This is a string in a function definition.");
      (%o3) foo() :=
                    print("This is a string in a function definition.")

      (%i4) stringdisp: true$

      (%i5) "This is an example string.";
      (%o5)             "This is an example string."

  Categories:Display flags and variables ·

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