Hold the value of a variable

Question

This is my code

xyzzy = 1;
Hold[xyzzy] // ToString // StringLength

The output is 11.

This 2nd one below.

ClearAll[xyzzy]
 ToString[xyzzy] // StringLength]

The output is 5.

Why is this?

I think these 2 codes will be the same output

the result of Hold[xyzzy] is Hold[xyzzy] and that is 11 characters long. When xyzzy has not been assigned any value then the ToString[xyzzy] will be the string xyzzy and that is 5 characters long. — Bill, Sep 04 '20 at 02:24
@Bill How can I fix this? How can make it have the same output? — kile, Sep 04 '20 at 02:28
Possibly HoldForm[xyzzy] // ToString // StringLength does what you want? — Carl Woll, Sep 04 '20 at 04:16
or Hold[xyzzy] // ReplaceAll[ Hold[a_] :> StringLength@ ToString[Unevaluated@a]]? — kglr, Sep 04 '20 at 05:55
@Bill Hold[xyzzy] and that is 11 characters long. How can you draw such a conclusion? — kile, Sep 06 '20 at 01:15
To be precise, the result of Hold[xyzzy] // ToString is "Hold[xyzzy]", and it's obviously 11 characters long. — xzczd, Sep 06 '20 at 02:43

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 04 '20 at 06:12

2

Your first code acts as below line:

StringLength["Hold[xyzzy]"]

And second one acts as below line:

StringLength["xyzzy"]

answered Sep 04 '20 at 06:12

Mustafa Kösem

1 Answers1