how is it possible to intern macros in clojure?

Question

I want to do something like this for debugging purposes:

(intern 'clojure.core 'doc clojure.repl/doc)

but it is not letting me because the compiler says - cant take value of a macro.

is there another way?

Answer 1

A macro is a function stored in a Var with :macro true in its metadata map. So, you can

1. obtain the macro function itself by derefing the Var:

   @#'doc
   

2. use intern to install a function as a macro by attaching appropriate metadata to the name symbol (see (doc intern) which promises to transfer any metadata provided in this way to the Var):

   (intern 'clojure.core
           (with-meta 'doc {:macro true})
           @#'clojure.repl/doc)
   

Using reader metadata is possible too, just remember to put it "inside the quote":

;; attaches metadata to the symbol, which is what we want:
' ^:macro doc

;; attaches metadata to the list structure (quote doc):
^:macro 'doc

^:macro is shorthand for ^{:macro true}.