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(librep.info)Symbol Syntax

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Symbol Syntax
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   The read syntax of a symbol is usually its name; however, if the name
contains any meta-characters (whitespace or any from `()[]'";|\') they
will have to be entered specially. There are two ways to tell the
reader that a meta-character is actually part of the symbol's name:

  1. Precede the meta-character by a backslash character (`\'), for
     example:

          xy\(z\)                 ;the symbol whose name is `xy(z)'

  2. Enclose part of the name in vertical bars (two `|' characters).
     All characters after the starting vertical line are copied as-is
     until the closing vertical line is encountered. For example:

          xy|(z)|                 ;the symbol `xy(z)'

   Here are some example read syntaxes.

     setq                    ; `setq'
     |setq|                  ; `setq'
     \s\e\t\q                ; `setq'
     1                       ; the _number_ 1
     \1                      ; the _symbol_ `1'
     |!$%zf78&|              ; `!$%zf78&'
     foo|(bar)|              ; `foo(bar)'
     foo\(bar\)              ; `foo(bar)'