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Re: Length of a held expression

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg96567] Re: Length of a held expression
  • From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:00:16 -0500 (EST)
  • Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • References: <gn8jdj$7qa$1@smc.vnet.net>

In article <gn8jdj$7qa$1 at smc.vnet.net>,
 Nikolaus Rath <Nikolaus at rath.org> wrote:

> How can I get the length of a list in a Hold[] expression? I.e. if
> 
>  b = Sequence[1,2];
> 
> then I want the length of {b,3} given as 2. But
> 
>  Length[{b,3}]
> 
> gives me the length after splicing in b (which is 4), while

Which is 3 actually.

>  Length[Hold[{b,3}]]
> 
> gives me the length of the hold expression (which is 1).

You should use *Unevaluated* rather than *Hold*.

In[1]:= b = Sequence[1, 2];
Length[Unevaluated[{b, 3}]]

Out[2]= 2

In[3]:= Length[Unevaluated[1 + 2 + 3]]

Out[3]= 3

In[4]:= Length[Hold[1 + 2 + 3]]

Out[4]= 1

Regards,
--Jean-Marc


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