FullForm

FullForm[expr]

prints as the full form of expr, with no special syntax.

Details and Options

  • FullForm always effectively uses "PrintableASCII" as the setting for $CharacterEncoding.
  • The option NumberMarks can be used to specify whether ` marks should be used to indicate type, precision, or accuracy of approximate numbers. »
  • The typeset form of FullForm[expr] is interpreted the same as expr when used in input. »
  • When an input evaluates to FullForm[expr], FullForm does not appear in the output. »

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

FullForm of a typeset expression:

FullForm of a graphic:

Scope  (8)

Basic Objects  (2)

Integer, Rational, Real, and Complex numbers:

Arbitrary-precision Real and Complex numbers:

Special constants:

Characters and strings of characters:

Control characters for strings:

Special Input Forms  (4)

Different inputs interpreted as Power expressions:

Special typeset expressions:

Different list structures:

Input without special interpretation:

With special characters in the same positions, there may be special interpretations:

In the case of superscripts, most things get interpreted as Power:

Special Output Forms  (2)

Some objects use a special output representation:

Some objects use an elided output representation:

The elided parts are visible in the underlying FullForm:

Options  (2)

NumberMarks  (2)

Inexact numbers format without number marks by default:

The same numbers without number marks:

A mixed symbolic and numeric expression:

Omit all number marks:

Applications  (4)

The FullForm will show the precedence of operators:

Grouping with parentheses affects the precedence:

See the underlying interpretation for a TraditionalForm output:

Perform replacements:

Replace lists with a new wrapper newhead:

Multiplications have the head Times:

Find all multiplications in expr:

See the underlying expressions:

Properties & Relations  (4)

The typeset form of FullForm[expr] is interpreted the same as expr when used in input:

Copy the output and paste it into an input cell. The Power[x,2] is interpreted as x2:

When an input evaluates to FullForm[expr], FullForm does not appear in the output:

Out is assigned the value x2, not FullForm[x^2]:

FullForm has linear formatting without special syntax:

InputForm formats as linear input:

TreeForm graphically displays an expression's tree structure:

Possible Issues  (2)

Even when an output omits FullForm from the top level, it is not stripped from subexpressions:

The output does not have FullForm in it:

However, the variable e does have FullForm in it, which may affect subsequent evaluations:

The product is not evaluated due to the intervening FullForm:

Assign variables first and then apply FullForm to the result to maintain computability:

Pattern matching is based on the FullForm:

The previous fraction is represented as a single Power expression:

Perform the desired replacement:

Wolfram Research (1988), FullForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FullForm.html (updated 2003).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), FullForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FullForm.html (updated 2003).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "FullForm." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2003. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FullForm.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). FullForm. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FullForm.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2024_fullform, author="Wolfram Research", title="{FullForm}", year="2003", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FullForm.html}", note=[Accessed: 22-November-2024 ]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2024_fullform, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={FullForm}, year={2003}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FullForm.html}, note=[Accessed: 22-November-2024 ]}