.. include:: ../../global.rst

.. _`symbol type`:

Symbol Type
===========

Symbols are usually what you think of in other languages as
identifiers, the references to values.  In :lname:`Idio` they can also
be used first class values in their own right, often as flags.

If a symbol is bound to a value, ie. it is being used as an
identifier, then the evaluator will evaluate the symbol to the value.
To prevent the evaluator performing that function you need to
:ref:`quote <quote special form>` the symbol.

.. _`symbol?`:

.. idio:function:: symbol? o


   test if `o` is a symbol				
   						
   :param o: object to test			
   :return: ``#t`` if `o` is a symbol, ``#f`` otherwise	


.. _`gensym`:

.. idio:function:: gensym [prefix]


   generate a new *unique* symbol using `prefix` followed by ``/``	
   							
   Such *gensyms* are not guaranteed to be unique if saved.
   							
   :param prefix: prefix string, defaults to ``"g"``	
   :type prefix: string or symbol, optional	
   :return: unique symbol				
   :rtype: symbol					


.. _`gensym?`:

.. idio:function:: gensym? o


   test if `o` is a gensym				
   						
   :param o: object to test			
   :return: ``#t`` if `o` is a gensym, ``#f`` otherwise	


.. _`string->symbol`:

.. idio:function:: string->symbol s


   return a symbol derived from `s`		
   						
   :param s: string				
   :type s: string					
   :return: symbol					
   :rtype: symbol					


.. _`symbols`:

.. idio:function:: symbols


   return all known symbols			
   						
   :return: all known symbols			
   :rtype: list					




.. include:: ../../commit.rst