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GNU Info (elisp)Global VariablesGlobal Variables ================ The simplest way to use a variable is "globally". This means that the variable has just one value at a time, and this value is in effect (at least for the moment) throughout the Lisp system. The value remains in effect until you specify a new one. When a new value replaces the old one, no trace of the old value remains in the variable. You specify a value for a symbol with `setq'. For example, (setq x '(a b)) gives the variable `x' the value `(a b)'. Note that `setq' does not evaluate its first argument, the name of the variable, but it does evaluate the second argument, the new value. Once the variable has a value, you can refer to it by using the symbol by itself as an expression. Thus, x => (a b) assuming the `setq' form shown above has already been executed. If you do set the same variable again, the new value replaces the old one: x => (a b) (setq x 4) => 4 x => 4 automatically generated by info2www version 1.2.2.9 |