SWI-Prolog -- API-function PL_new

Documentation
- Reference manual
  - Foreign Language Interface
    - The Foreign Include File
      - Atoms and functors
        
        PL_new_atom()
        
        PL_new_atom_mbchars()
        
        PL_atom_chars()
        
        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 11.4.2.1). 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 long the case in SWI-Prolog version 7.

atom_t ATOM_nil(ATOM_nil): tomic constant that represents the empty list. It is adviced to use PL_get_nil(), PL_put_nil() or PL_unify_nil() where applicable.
atom_t ATOM_dot(ATOM_dot): 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 adviced to use PL_get_list(), PL_put_list() or PL_unify_list() where applicable.