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1---
2title: Builtin Functions (Oils Reference)
3all_docs_url: ..
4body_css_class: width40
5default_highlighter: oils-sh
6preserve_anchor_case: yes
7---
8
9<div class="doc-ref-header">
10
11[Oils Reference](index.html) &mdash;
12Chapter **Builtin Functions**
13
14</div>
15
16This chapter describes builtin functions (as opposed to [builtin
17commands](chap-builtin-cmd.html).)
18
19<span class="in-progress">(in progress)</span>
20
21<div id="dense-toc">
22</div>
23
24## Values
25
26### len()
27
28Returns the
29
30- number of entries in a `List`
31- number of pairs in a `Dict`
32- number of bytes in a `Str`
33 - TODO: `countRunes()` can return the number of UTF-8 encoded code points.
34
35### func/type()
36
37Given an arbitrary value, returns a string representing the value's runtime
38type.
39
40For example:
41
42 var d = {'foo': 'bar'}
43 var n = 1337
44
45 $ = type(d)
46 (Str) 'Dict'
47
48 $ = type(n)
49 (Str) 'Int'
50
51Similar names: [type][]
52
53[type]: chap-index.html#type
54
55### repeat()
56
57TODO:
58
59 = repeat('a', 3)
60 (Str) 'aaa'
61
62 = repeat(['a'], 3)
63 (List) ['a', 'a', 'a']
64
65Note that list elements are NOT copied. They are repeated by reference, which
66means the List can have aliases.
67
68 = repeat([[42]], 3)
69 (List) [[42], [42], [42]]
70
71Modeled after these Python expressions:
72
73 >>> 'a' * 3
74 'aaa'
75 >>> ['a'] * 3
76 ['a', 'a', 'a']
77
78
79## Conversions
80
81### bool()
82
83Returns the truth value of its argument. Similar to `bool()` in python, it
84returns `false` for:
85
86- `false`, `0`, `0.0`, `''`, `{}`, `[]`, and `null`.
87
88Returns `true` for all other values.
89
90### int()
91
92Given a float, returns the largest integer that is less than its argument (i.e. `floor()`).
93
94 $ = int(1.99)
95 (Int) 1
96
97Given a string, `Int()` will attempt to convert the string to a base-10
98integer. The base can be overriden by calling with a second argument.
99
100 $ = int('10')
101 (Int) 10
102
103 $ = int('10', 2)
104 (Int) 2
105
106 ysh$ = Int('foo')
107 # fails with an expression error
108
109### float()
110
111Given an integer, returns the corressponding flaoting point representation.
112
113 $ = float(1)
114 (Float) 1.0
115
116Given a string, `Float()` will attempt to convert the string to float.
117
118 $ = float('1.23')
119 (Float) 1.23
120
121 ysh$ = float('bar')
122 # fails with an expression error
123
124### str()
125
126Converts a `Float` or `Int` to a string.
127
128### list()
129
130Given a list, returns a shallow copy of the original.
131
132Given an iterable value (e.g. a range or dictionary), returns a list containing
133one element for each item in the original collection.
134
135 $ = list({'a': 1, 'b': 2})
136 (List) ['a', 'b']
137
138 $ = list(1:5)
139 (List) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
140
141### dict()
142
143Given a dictionary, returns a shallow copy of the original.
144
145### runes()
146
147TODO
148
149Given a string, decodes UTF-8 into a List of integer "runes" (aka code points).
150
151Each rune is in the range `U+0` to `U+110000`, and **excludes** the surrogate
152range.
153
154 runes(s, start=-1, end=-1)
155
156TODO: How do we signal errors?
157
158(`runes()` can be used to implement implemented Python's `ord()`.)
159
160### encodeRunes()
161
162TODO
163
164Given a List of integer "runes" (aka code points), return a string.
165
166(`encodeRunes()` can be used to implement implemented Python's `chr()`.)
167
168### bytes()
169
170TODO
171
172Given a string, return a List of integer byte values.
173
174Each byte is in the range 0 to 255.
175
176### encodeBytes()
177
178TODO
179
180Given a List of integer byte values, return a string.
181
182## Str
183
184### strcmp()
185
186TODO
187
188### split()
189
190TODO
191
192If no argument is passed, splits by whitespace
193
194<!-- respecting Unicode space? -->
195
196If a delimiter Str with a single byte is given, splits by that byte.
197
198Modes:
199
200- Python-like algorithm
201- Is awk any different?
202- Split by eggex
203
204### shSplit()
205
206Split a string into a List of strings, using the shell algorithm that respects
207`$IFS`.
208
209Prefer `split()` to `shSplit()`.
210
211
212## List
213
214### join()
215
216Given a List, stringify its items, and join them by a separator. The default
217separator is the empty string.
218
219 var x = ['a', 'b', 'c']
220
221 $ echo $[join(x)]
222 abc
223
224 $ echo $[join(x, ' ')] # optional separator
225 a b c
226
227
228It's also often called with the `=>` chaining operator:
229
230 var items = [1, 2, 3]
231
232 json write (items => join()) # => "123"
233 json write (items => join(' ')) # => "1 2 3"
234 json write (items => join(', ')) # => "1, 2, 3"
235
236## Word
237
238### glob()
239
240See `glob-pat` topic for syntax.
241
242### maybe()
243
244## Serialize
245
246### toJson()
247
248Convert an object in memory to JSON text:
249
250 $ = toJson({name: "alice"})
251 (Str) '{"name":"alice"}'
252
253Add indentation by passing the `space` param:
254
255 $ = toJson([42], space=2)
256 (Str) "[\n 42\n]"
257
258Similar to `json write (x)`, except the default value of `space` is 0.
259
260See [err-json-encode][] for errors.
261
262[err-json-encode]: chap-errors.html#err-json-encode
263
264### fromJson()
265
266Convert JSON text to an object in memory:
267
268 = fromJson('{"name":"alice"}')
269 (Dict) {"name": "alice"}
270
271Similar to `json read <<< '{"name": "alice"}'`.
272
273See [err-json-decode][] for errors.
274
275[err-json-decode]: chap-errors.html#err-json-decode
276
277### toJson8()
278
279Like `toJson()`, but it also converts binary data (non-Unicode strings) to
280J8-style `b'foo \yff'` strings.
281
282In contrast, `toJson()` will do a lossy conversion with the Unicode replacement
283character.
284
285See [err-json8-encode][] for errors.
286
287[err-json8-encode]: chap-errors.html#err-json8-encode
288
289### fromJson8()
290
291Like `fromJson()`, but it also accepts binary data denoted by J8-style `b'foo
292\yff'` strings.
293
294See [err-json8-decode][] for errors.
295
296[err-json8-decode]: chap-errors.html#err-json8-decode
297
298## Pattern
299
300### `_group()`
301
302Like `Match => group()`, but accesses the global match created by `~`:
303
304 if ('foo42' ~ / d+ /) {
305 echo $[_group(0)] # => 42
306 }
307
308### `_start()`
309
310Like `Match => start()`, but accesses the global match created by `~`:
311
312 if ('foo42' ~ / d+ /) {
313 echo $[_start(0)] # => 3
314 }
315
316### `_end()`
317
318Like `Match => end()`, but accesses the global match created by `~`:
319
320 if ('foo42' ~ / d+ /) {
321 echo $[_end(0)] # => 5
322 }
323
324## Introspection
325
326### `shvarGet()`
327
328Given a variable name, return its value. It uses the "dynamic scope" rule,
329which looks up the stack for a variable.
330
331It's meant to be used with `shvar`:
332
333 proc proc1 {
334 shvar PATH=/tmp { # temporarily set PATH in this stack frame
335 my-proc
336 }
337
338 proc2
339 }
340
341 proc proc2 {
342 proc3
343 }
344
345 proc proc3 {
346 var path = shvarGet('PATH') # Look up the stack (dynamic scoping)
347 echo $path # => /tmp
348 }
349
350 proc1
351
352Note that `shvar` is usually for string variables, and is analogous to `shopt`
353for "booleans".
354
355If the variable isn't defined, `shvarGet()` returns `null`. So there's no way
356to distinguish an undefined variable from one that's `null`.
357
358### `getVar()`
359
360Given a variable name, return its value.
361
362 $ var x = 42
363 $ echo $[getVar('x')]
364 42
365
366The variable may be local or global. (Compare with `shvarGet()`.) the "dynamic
367scope" rule.)
368
369If the variable isn't defined, `getVar()` returns `null`. So there's no way to
370distinguish an undefined variable from one that's `null`.
371
372### `evalExpr()`
373
374Given a an expression quotation, evaluate it and return its value:
375
376 $ var expr = ^[1 + 2]
377
378 $ = evalExpr(expr)
379 3
380
381## Hay Config
382
383### parseHay()
384
385### evalHay()
386
387
388## Hashing
389
390### sha1dc()
391
392Git's algorithm.
393
394### sha256()
395
396
397<!--
398
399### Better Syntax
400
401These functions give better syntax to existing shell constructs.
402
403- `shQuote()` for `printf %q` and `${x@Q}`
404- `trimLeft()` for `${x#prefix}` and `${x##prefix}`
405- `trimRight()` for `${x%suffix}` and `${x%%suffix}`
406- `trimLeftGlob()` and `trimRightGlob()` for slow, legacy glob
407- `upper()` for `${x^^}`
408- `lower()` for `${x,,}`
409- `strftime()`: hidden in `printf`
410
411-->