How to generate characters by a function which works like the Esc + a + ESC

Question

How to generate characters by a function which works like the Esc + a + ESC

In[24]:= CharacterRange["a","z"]
Out[24]= {a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z}

How to batch convert them to Greek Letters just like that done by this way Esc + a + Esc ... something like this, a function works,

In[25]:= CharacterRange["\[Alpha]","\[Zeta]"]
Out[25]= {\[Alpha],\[Beta],\[Gamma],\[Delta],\[CurlyEpsilon],\[Zeta]}

EnglishToGreekRange["a", "z"]

Comes out

{\[Alpha],\[Beta],\[Chi]...}

Answer 1

That's a good question, though perhaps difficult to answer. The input aliases for these letters are stored not in the InputAliases option of the $FrontEnd object but rather in the UnicodeCharacters.tr file. Surely they are loaded into the Front End but I do not know the location of that data, and as such I cannot think of a clean way to access that mapping. Perhaps someone like John Fultz will take the time to answer this question and provide the correct look-up method.

If it is acceptable to allow conversion of only the Greek letters than could be accomplished by manually building a conversion table. Here is such a table for your convenience:

aliastable = 
 {"a" -> "α", "b" -> "β", "g" -> "γ", "d" -> "δ", "e" -> "ϵ", "z" -> "ζ",
 "et" -> "η", "th" -> "θ", "i" -> "ι", "k" -> "κ", "l" -> "λ", "m" -> "μ",
 "n" -> "ν", "x" -> "ξ", "om" -> "ο", "p" -> "π", "r" -> "ρ", "s" -> "σ",
 "t" -> "τ", "u" -> "υ", "ph" -> "ϕ", "ch" -> "χ", "ps" -> "ψ", "o" -> "ω",
 "di" -> "ϝ", "ko" -> "ϟ", "sti" -> "ϛ", "sa" -> "ϡ", "A" -> "Α", "B" -> "Β",
 "G" -> "Γ", "D" -> "Δ", "E" -> "Ε", "Z" -> "Ζ", "Et" -> "Η", "Th" -> "Θ",
 "I" -> "Ι", "K" -> "Κ", "L" -> "Λ", "M" -> "Μ", "N" -> "Ν", "X" -> "Ξ",
 "Om" -> "Ο", "P" -> "Π", "R" -> "Ρ", "S" -> "Σ", "T" -> "Τ", "U" -> "Υ",
 "cU" -> "ϒ", "Ph" -> "Φ", "Ch" -> "Χ", "Ps" -> "Ψ", "O" -> "Ω", "Di" -> "Ϝ",
 "Ko" -> "Ϟ", "Sti" -> "Ϛ", "Sa" -> "Ϡ"};

Now:

CharacterRange["a", "z"] /. aliastable

You can access a limited set of additional input aliases, including user-created ones, with:

CurrentValue["InputAliases"]

---

Here is a larger table with every letter in the Special Characters palette:

bigtable = {"a" -> "α", "b" -> "β", "g" -> "γ", "d" -> "δ", "e" -> "ϵ", "z" -> "ζ", "et" -> "η", "th" -> "θ", "i" -> "ι", "k" -> "κ", "l" -> "λ", "m" -> "μ", "n" -> "ν", "x" -> "ξ", "om" -> "ο", "p" -> "π", "r" -> "ρ", "s" -> "σ", "t" -> "τ", "u" -> "υ", "ph" -> "ϕ", "ch" -> "χ", "ps" -> "ψ", "o" -> "ω", "di" -> "ϝ", "ko" -> "ϟ", "sti" -> "ϛ", "sa" -> "ϡ", "A" -> "Α", "B" -> "Β", "G" -> "Γ", "D" -> "Δ", "E" -> "Ε", "Z" -> "Ζ", "Et" -> "Η", "Th" -> "Θ", "I" -> "Ι", "K" -> "Κ", "L" -> "Λ", "M" -> "Μ", "N" -> "Ν", "X" -> "Ξ", "Om" -> "Ο", "P" -> "Π", "R" -> "Ρ", "S" -> "Σ", "T" -> "Τ", "U" -> "Υ", "cU" -> "ϒ", "Ph" -> "Φ", "Ch" -> "Χ", "Ps" -> "Ψ", "O" -> "Ω", "Di" -> "Ϝ", "Ko" -> "Ϟ", "Sti" -> "Ϛ", "Sa" -> "Ϡ", "sca" -> "", "scb" -> "", "scc" -> "", "scd" -> "", "sce" -> "ℯ", "scf" -> "", "scg" -> "ℊ", "sch" -> "", "sci" -> "", "scj" -> "", "sck" -> "", "scl" -> "ℓ", "scm" -> "", "scn" -> "", "sco" -> "ℴ", "scp" -> "", "scq" -> "", "scr" -> "", "scs" -> "", "sct" -> "", "scu" -> "", "scv" -> "", "scw" -> "", "scx" -> "", "scy" -> "", "scz" -> "", "scA" -> "", "scB" -> "ℬ", "scC" -> "", "scD" -> "", "scE" -> "ℰ", "scF" -> "ℱ", "scG" -> "", "scH" -> "ℋ", "scI" -> "ℐ", "scJ" -> "", "scK" -> "", "scL" -> "ℒ", "scM" -> "ℳ", "scN" -> "", "scO" -> "", "scP" -> "", "scQ" -> "", "scR" -> "ℛ", "scS" -> "", "scT" -> "", "scU" -> "", "scV" -> "", "scW" -> "", "scX" -> "", "scY" -> "", "scZ" -> "", "goa" -> "", "gob" -> "", "goc" -> "", "god" -> "", "goe" -> "", "gof" -> "", "gog" -> "", "goh" -> "", "goi" -> "", "goj" -> "", "gok" -> "", "gol" -> "", "gom" -> "", "gon" -> "", "goo" -> "", "gop" -> "", "goq" -> "", "gor" -> "", "gos" -> "", "got" -> "", "gou" -> "", "gov" -> "", "gow" -> "", "gox" -> "", "goy" -> "", "goz" -> "", "goA" -> "", "goB" -> "", "goC" -> "ℭ", "goD" -> "", "goE" -> "", "goF" -> "", "goG" -> "", "goH" -> "ℌ", "goI" -> "ℑ", "goJ" -> "", "goK" -> "", "goL" -> "", "goM" -> "", "goN" -> "", "goO" -> "", "goP" -> "", "goQ" -> "", "goR" -> "ℜ", "goS" -> "", "goT" -> "", "goU" -> "", "goV" -> "", "goW" -> "", "goX" -> "", "goY" -> "", "goZ" -> "ℨ", "dsa" -> "", "dsb" -> "", "dsc" -> "", "dsd" -> "", "dse" -> "", "dsf" -> "", "dsg" -> "", "dsh" -> "", "dsi" -> "", "dsj" -> "", "dsk" -> "", "dsl" -> "", "dsm" -> "", "dsn" -> "", "dso" -> "", "dsp" -> "", "dsq" -> "", "dsr" -> "", "dss" -> "", "dst" -> "", "dsu" -> "", "dsv" -> "", "dsw" -> "", "dsx" -> "", "dsy" -> "", "dsz" -> "", "dsA" -> "", "dsB" -> "", "dsC" -> "", "dsD" -> "", "dsE" -> "", "dsF" -> "", "dsG" -> "", "dsH" -> "", "dsI" -> "", "dsJ" -> "", "dsK" -> "", "dsL" -> "", "dsM" -> "", "dsN" -> "", "dsO" -> "", "dsP" -> "", "dsQ" -> "", "dsR" -> "", "dsS" -> "", "dsT" -> "", "dsU" -> "", "dsV" -> "", "dsW" -> "", "dsX" -> "", "dsY" -> "", "dsZ" -> "", "a`" -> "à", "a'" -> "á", "a^" -> "â", "a~" -> "ã", "au" -> "ă", "a\"" -> "ä", "a-" -> "ā", "ao" -> "å", "ae" -> "æ", "c'" -> "ć", "cv" -> "č", "c," -> "ç", "e`" -> "è", "e'" -> "é", "e^" -> "ê", "eu" -> "ĕ", "e\"" -> "ë", "e-" -> "ē", "i`" -> "ì", "i'" -> "í", "i^" -> "î", "iu" -> "ĭ", "i\"" -> "ï", "d-" -> "ð", "l/" -> "ł", "n~" -> "ñ", "o`" -> "ò", "o'" -> "ó", "o^" -> "ô", "o~" -> "õ", "o\"" -> "ö", "o''" -> "ő", "o/" -> "ø", "sv" -> "š", "u`" -> "ù", "u'" -> "ú", "u^" -> "û", "u\"" -> "ü", "u''" -> "ű", "y'" -> "ý", "y\"" -> "ÿ", "thn" -> "þ", "A`" -> "À", "A'" -> "Á", "A^" -> "Â", "A~" -> "Ã", "Au" -> "Ă", "A\"" -> "Ä", "A-" -> "Ā", "Ao" -> "Å", "AE" -> "Æ", "C'" -> "Ć", "Cv" -> "Č", "C," -> "Ç", "E`" -> "È", "E'" -> "É", "E^" -> "Ê", "Eu" -> "Ĕ", "E\"" -> "Ë", "E-" -> "Ē", "I`" -> "Ì", "I'" -> "Í", "I^" -> "Î", "Iu" -> "Ĭ", "I\"" -> "Ï", "D-" -> "Ð", "L/" -> "Ł", "N~" -> "Ñ", "O`" -> "Ò", "O'" -> "Ó", "O^" -> "Ô", "O~" -> "Õ", "O\"" -> "Ö", "O''" -> "Ő", "O/" -> "Ø", "OE" -> "Œ", "Sv" -> "Š", "U`" -> "Ù", "U'" -> "Ú", "U^" -> "Û", "U\"" -> "Ü", "U''" -> "Ű", "Y'" -> "Ý", "Thn" -> "Þ", "sz" -> "ß", "$a" -> "", "$b" -> "", "$c" -> "", "$d" -> "", "$e" -> "", "$f" -> "", "$g" -> "", "$h" -> "", "$i" -> "", "$j" -> "", "$k" -> "", "$l" -> "", "$m" -> "", "$n" -> "", "$o" -> "", "$p" -> "", "$q" -> "", "$r" -> "", "$s" -> "", "$t" -> "", "$u" -> "", "$v" -> "", "$w" -> "", "$x" -> "", "$y" -> "", "$z" -> "", "$A" -> "", "$B" -> "", "$C" -> "", "$D" -> "", "$E" -> "", "$F" -> "", "$G" -> "", "$H" -> "", "$I" -> "", "$J" -> "", "$K" -> "", "$L" -> "", "$M" -> "", "$N" -> "", "$O" -> "", "$P" -> "", "$Q" -> "", "$R" -> "", "$S" -> "", "$T" -> "", "$U" -> "", "$V" -> "", "$W" -> "", "$X" -> "", "$Y" -> "", "$Z" -> "", "cc" -> "", "ee" -> "", "ii" -> "", "jj" -> "", "pp" -> "", "gg" -> "", "inf" -> "∞", "mi" -> "µ", "mho" -> "℧", "Ang" -> "Å", "hb" -> "ℏ", "al" -> "ℵ", "be" -> "ℶ", "gi" -> "ℷ", "da" -> "ℸ", "wp" -> "℘", "es" -> "∅", "deg" -> "°", "␣␣" -> " ", "*" -> "×", "div" -> "÷", "sqrt" -> "√", "cross" -> "", "+-" -> "±", "-+" -> "∓", "sum" -> "∑", "prod" -> "∏", "del" -> "∇", "dd" -> "", "pd" -> "∂", "DD" -> "", "int" -> "∫", "cint" -> "∮", "ccint" -> "∲", "cccint" -> "∳", "->" -> "", ":>" -> "", "not" -> "¬", "and" -> "∧", "nand" -> "⊼", "or" -> "∨", "nor" -> "⊽", "xor" -> "⊻", "=>" -> "", "fa" -> "∀", "ex" -> "∃", "!ex" -> "∄", "st" -> "∍", "tf" -> "∴", "sq" -> "", "sc" -> "∘", "c+" -> "⊕", "c-" -> "⊖", "c." -> "⊙", "c*" -> "⊗", "dia" -> "⋄", "." -> "·", "star" -> "⋆", "\\" -> "∖", "^" -> "⋀", "v" -> "⋁", "un" -> "⋃", "inter" -> "⋂", "coprod" -> "∐", "|" -> "", "lf" -> "⌊", "rf" -> "⌋", "lc" -> "⌈", "rc" -> "⌉", "[[" -> "〚", "]]" -> "〛", "<" -> "〈", ">" -> "〉", "l|" -> "", "r|" -> "", "l||" -> "", "r||" -> "", ":" -> "∶", "!=" -> "≠", "==" -> "", "===" -> "≡", "!===" -> "≢", ".=" -> "≐", "prop" -> "∝", "!~=" -> "≄", "~=" -> "≃", "~==" -> "≅", "!~==" -> "≇", "!~" -> "≁", "~" -> "∼", "~~" -> "≈", "!~~" -> "≉", "!=~" -> "", "=~" -> "≂", "!h=" -> "", "h=" -> "≏", "!<" -> "≮", "!>" -> "≯", "!</" -> "", "</" -> "⩽", ">/" -> "⩾", "!>/" -> "", "!<=" -> "≰", "<=" -> "≤", ">=" -> "≥", "!>=" -> "≱", "!<~" -> "≴", "<~" -> "≲", ">~" -> "≳", "!>~" -> "≵", "!sub" -> "⊄", "sub" -> "⊂", "sup" -> "⊃", "!sup" -> "⊅", "!sub=" -> "⊈", "sub=" -> "⊆", "sup=" -> "⊇", "!sup=" -> "⊉", "!elem" -> "∉", "elem" -> "∈", "mem" -> "∋", "!mem" -> "∌", "!|" -> "", "␣|" -> "", "␣||" -> "∥", "!||" -> "∦", "<-" -> "←", "␣->" -> "→", "<->" -> "↔", "<=>" -> "⇔", "<-->" -> "⟷", "<==>" -> "⟺", "␣<=" -> "⇐", "␣=>" -> "⇒", "<--" -> "⟵", "<==" -> "⟸", "-->" -> "⟶", "==>" -> "⟹", "vec" -> "⇀", "equi" -> "⇌", "lT" -> "⊣", "rT" -> "⊢", "uT" -> "⊥", "dT" -> "⊤", "fsq" -> "■", "fsci" -> "", "fci" -> "●", "esq" -> "□", "esci" -> "◦", "eci" -> "○", "fvssq" -> "▪", "fssq" -> "◼", "gsq" -> "", "gci" -> "", "evssq" -> "▫", "essq" -> "◻", "*5" -> "★", "*6" -> "✶", "math" -> "", ":-)" -> "☺", ":-|" -> "", ":-(" -> "☹", ":-@" -> "", "wolf" -> "", "-" -> "–", "--" -> "—", "hy" -> "‐", "cent" -> "¢", "d?" -> "¿", "d!" -> "¡", "#" -> "", "g<<" -> "«", "g>>" -> "»", "bu" -> "•", "dg" -> "†", "ddg" -> "‡", "'" -> "′", "''" -> "″", "`" -> "‵", "``" -> "‶", "hc" -> "̌", "bv" -> "̆", "dbv" -> "̑", "cd" -> "̧", "['" -> "‘", "]'" -> "’", "[\"" -> "“", "]\"" -> "”", "..." -> "…", "hline" -> "─", "vline" -> "│", "u(" -> "︶", "o(" -> "︵", "u[" -> "⎵", "o[" -> "⎴", "u{" -> "︸", "o{" -> "︷", "space" -> "␣", "cl" -> "⌘", "ret" -> "↵", "alt" -> "", "cmd" -> "", "ctrl" -> "", "␣del" -> "", "ent" -> "", "␣esc" -> "", "m1" -> "", "m2" -> "", "opt" -> "", "sh" -> "", "spc" -> "", "␣ret" -> "", "tab" -> "", "kb" -> "", "[" -> "", "]" -> "", "spl" -> "", "pl" -> "", "cont" -> "", "esc" -> ""};

Generated from the Mathematica 7 palette with:

nb = NotebookGet @ NotebookOpen @ 
      FileNameJoin[{$InstallationDirectory, "SystemFiles", "FrontEnd", "Palettes", 
       "SpecialCharacters.nb"}];

Cases[nb, {_[_[str1_String, ___], ___], _String, 
   str2_String?(StringMatchQ[#, "*\[EscapeKey]*\[EscapeKey]*"] &)} :> (StringTake[
     str2, {3, -3}] -> str1), -1]

---

Updated extraction code for the Mathematica 10.0.2 palette:

Cases[nb, _[{_[_[
      str1_String, ___], ___]}, {_String}, {str2_String?(StringMatchQ[#, 
        "*\[EscapeKey]*\[EscapeKey]*"] &)}, ___] :> (StringTake[str2, {4, -4}] -> 
    StringTake[str1, {2, -2}]), -1]

Answer 2

Here's a function that might help:

Clear[escapify];
Attributes[escapify] = {Listable};
escapify[s_String] :=
  NotebookWrite[SelectedNotebook[], StringJoin[
    "\\" <> "[AliasDelimiter]" <> # <> "\\" <> "[AliasDelimiter]" & /@ Characters[s]]];

This takes each character in a string (or list of strings) and puts it into a new cell with escapes around it. When you type ESC in the front-end, Mathematica turns it into an \[AliasDelimiter]. This function splits of the slash from the front so the front end doesn't try to interpret it until it's written into the new cell.

escapify[CharacterRange["a", "z"]];

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