OwnValues

OwnValues[x]

gives a list of transformation rules corresponding to all ownvalues defined for the symbol x.

OwnValues["symbol"]

gives a list of transformation rules corresponding to all ownvalues defined for the symbol named "symbol" if it exists.

Details and Options

  • Ownvalues are definitions for the symbol appearing on its own.
  • You can specify the ownvalues for x by making an assignment of the form OwnValues[x]=list.
  • The list returned by OwnValues has elements of the form HoldPattern[lhs]:>rhs.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

Set a value for x:

Display its ownvalues:

Scope  (3)

OwnValues returns rules corresponding to definitions made for symbols:

Create several values:

Obtain the ownvalues of symbols whose names start with x:

OwnValues can be used to set values directly:

Applications  (2)

The resulting rules are in the order given:

Now reorder the definitions:

Copy a symbol's definitions to another symbol:

Properties & Relations  (6)

Values can be defined by immediate or delayed assignments:

HoldPattern is used to protect the rules from their own definitions:

OwnValues has attribute HoldAll to protect against its argument's values:

OwnValues["sym"] will issue a message if the specified symbol does not exist:

If the symbol exists but has no definitions, an empty list is returned:

Definition and Information display ownvalues but do not return them as values:

OwnValues returns a value that can be used in a program:

Evaluation of a symbol is equivalent to applying the rules for its definition:

Neat Examples  (1)

Copy a symbol's value to another symbol:

Wolfram Research (1991), OwnValues, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html (updated 2022).

Text

Wolfram Research (1991), OwnValues, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html (updated 2022).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1991. "OwnValues." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2022. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1991). OwnValues. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2024_ownvalues, author="Wolfram Research", title="{OwnValues}", year="2022", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html}", note=[Accessed: 21-November-2024 ]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2024_ownvalues, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={OwnValues}, year={2022}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html}, note=[Accessed: 21-November-2024 ]}