12.5 Functions That Operate on Vectors

Here are some functions that relate to vectors:

Function: vectorp object

This function returns t if object is a vector.

(vectorp [a])
     ⇒ t
(vectorp "asdf")
     ⇒ nil

Function: vector &rest objects

This function creates and returns a vector whose elements are the arguments, objects.

(vector 'foo 23 [bar baz] "rats")
     ⇒ [foo 23 [bar baz] "rats"]
(vector)
     ⇒ []

Function: make-vector length object

This function returns a new vector consisting of length elements, each initialized to object.

(setq sleepy (make-vector 9 'Z))
     ⇒ [Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z]

Function: vconcat &rest sequences

This function returns a new vector containing all the elements of the sequences. The arguments sequences may be lists, vectors, or strings. If no sequences are given, an empty vector is returned.

The value is a newly constructed vector that is not eq to any existing vector.

(setq a (vconcat '(A B C) '(D E F)))
     ⇒ [A B C D E F]
(eq a (vconcat a))
     ⇒ nil

(vconcat)
     ⇒ []
(vconcat [A B C] "aa" '(foo (6 7)))
     ⇒ [A B C 97 97 foo (6 7)]

The vconcat function also allows integers as arguments. It converts them to strings of digits, making up the decimal print representation of the integer, and then uses the strings instead of the original integers. Don’t use this feature; we plan to eliminate it. If you already use this feature, change your programs now! The proper way to convert an integer to a decimal number in this way is with format (see Formatting Strings) or number-to-string (see String Conversion).

For other concatenation functions, see mapconcat in Mapping Functions, concat in Creating Strings, append in Building Lists, and bvconcat in Bit Vector Functions.

The append function provides a way to convert a vector into a list with the same elements (see Building Lists):

(setq avector [1 two (quote (three)) "four" [five]])
     ⇒ [1 two (quote (three)) "four" [five]]
(append avector nil)
     ⇒ (1 two (quote (three)) "four" [five])