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Re: Distinguishing Strings from Symbols

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg81142] Re: Distinguishing Strings from Symbols
• From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 03:28:41 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
• References: <fcb33k$f9l$1@smc.vnet.net>

dr DanW wrote:

> I have several notebooks where I am using short strings that might be
> the same as the name of a symbol; for example, "x".  When these
> strings show up as output, I cannot tell if I am looking at a string
> "x" or a symbol x.  Is there a way I can define a Format or alter
> OutputForm so strings in output always have a different look than
> symbols, such as appearing in red or in italics?

If you want to see the double quotes around the strings when displayed 
in output cells, you can set the parameter *ShowStringCharacters* to 
*True* (the default is *False*).

"ShowStringCharacters is an option for Cell which specifies whether to 
display " when a string is entered."

http://reference.wolfram.com/mathematica/ref/ShowStringCharacters.html?q=ShowStringCharacters

{Note that you can set up this option at the notebook or global level 
via the options inspector.)

HTH,
-- 
Jean-Marc