How to add-to-list to read-in file contents

Question

When I do this (setq v (f-read-text "s.el")) where s.el is of this form

((thing1 . thing2) (thing3 . thing4))

I get v back as one long string. And (setq v (append (f-read-text "s.el"))) doesn't seem to change things to a list. I want to do a push or add-to-list an item, but I seem to be adding that item to a list containing a big string. I'd like to return the contents of s.el as a list and then do the push or add-to-list. Then I need to write it back out, again not as a string.

is `(append (read v) '((thing5 . thing6)))` what you're looking for? — mutbuerger, Dec 01 '15 at 20:18
Probably from [f.el](https://github.com/rejeep/f.el#f-read-text-path-optional-coding) — npostavs, Dec 01 '15 at 20:29

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 01 '15 at 23:50

3

If your file contains just one lisp form, all you need to do is

(setq v (read (f-read-text "s.el")))

(see Input Functions).

If there are several forms, like (a b) (c d), you will need to read in cycle using read-from-string or do

(read (concat "(" my-string ")"))

answered Dec 01 '15 at 23:50

sds

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After your `(setq v (read (f-read-text "s.el")))` a `(push '(thing5 . thing6) v)` does exactly what I wanted. Thanks. – 147pm Dec 02 '15 at 03:19

How to add-to-list to read-in file contents

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