Input
Input []
interactively reads in one Wolfram Language expression.
Input [prompt]
requests input, displaying prompt as a "prompt".
Input [prompt,init]
in a notebook front end uses init as the initial contents of the input field.
Details and Options
- Input returns the expression it reads.
- The operation of Input may vary from one computer system to another. When a Wolfram System front end is used, Input typically works through a dialog box.
- When no front end is used, Input reads from standard input.
- If the standard input is a file, then Input returns EndOfFile if you try to read past the end of the file.
- On systems with textual input, Input [] uses ? as a prompt.
- When Input is evaluated, the Wolfram System stops until the input has been read.
- With a notebook front end, Input by default puts up a dialog window with a standard appearance.
- The prompt given can be text, graphics or any expression.
- Input takes notebook options. The default settings include WindowFloating->False , WindowSize->All and WindowTitle->None .
- Input by default puts up a dialog in the middle of the main display screen. Explicit settings for WindowMargins override this.
- The options for InputField can be given directly as options to Input to control the properties of its input field.
- Input [prompt] is equivalent to Input [prompt,""].
Examples
Basic Examples (2)
Get an input expression and square it:
Request input of a function to plot:
Tech Notes
Related Workflows
- Create a Conversational Interface
History
Introduced in 1988 (1.0) | Updated in 2007 (6.0) ▪ 2014 (10.0)
Text
Wolfram Research (1988), Input, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Input.html (updated 2014).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 1988. "Input." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2014. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Input.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (1988). Input. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Input.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_input, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Input}", year="2014", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Input.html}", note=[Accessed: 10-April-2025 ]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_input, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Input}, year={2014}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Input.html}, note=[Accessed: 10-April-2025 ]}