How to convert list to string in Emacs Lisp

Question

How can I convert a list to string so I can call insert or message with it? I need to display c-offsets-alist but I got Wrong type argument: char-or-string-p for insert or Wrong type argument: stringp for message.

Answer 1

I am not sure of what you are trying to achieve, but format converts "stuff" to strings. For instance:

(format "%s" your-list)

will return a representation of your list. message uses format internally, so

(message "%s" your-list)

will print it

Answer 2

(format) will embed parentheses in the string, e.g.:

ELISP> (format "%s" '("foo" "bar"))
"(foo bar)"

Thus if you need an analogue to Ruby/JavaScript-like join(), there is (mapconcat):

ELISP> (mapconcat 'identity '("foo" "bar") " ")
"foo bar"

Answer 3

Or

(prin1-to-string your-string)

Finally something special

(princ your-string)

Answer 4

M-x pp-eval-expression RET c-offsets-alist RET