c('PL_new_atom')

Documentation
- Reference manual
  - Foreign Language Interface
    - The Foreign Include File
      - Atoms and functors
        
        PL_new_atom()
        
        PL_new_atom_mbchars()
        
        PL_atom_mbchars()
        
        PL_atom_chars()
        
        PL_atom_index()
        
        PL_atom_from_index()
        
        PL_new_functor()
        
        PL_functor_name()
        
        PL_functor_arity()
        
        Atoms and atom garbage collection
- Packages

Availability:C-language interface function

atom_t PL_new_atom(const char *)

Return an atom handle for the given C-string. This function always succeeds. The returned handle is valid as long as the atom is referenced (see section 12.4.2.1). Currently aborts the process with a fatal error on failure. Future versions may raise a resource exception and return (atom_t)0.

The following atoms are provided as macros, giving access to the empty list symbol and the name of the list constructor. Prior to version 7, ATOM_nil is the same as PL_new_atom("[]") and ATOM_dot is the same as PL_new_atom("."). This is no longer the case in SWI-Prolog version 7.

atom_t ATOM_nil(A): tomic constant that represents the empty list. It is advised to use PL_get_nil(), PL_put_nil() or PL_unify_nil() where applicable.
atom_t ATOM_dot(A): tomic constant that represents the name of the list constructor. The list constructor itself is created using PL_new_functor(ATOM_dot,2). It is advised to use PL_get_list(), PL_put_list() or PL_unify_list() where applicable.