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I have Echo's buried in code all over my notebook, I'd like a flag to turn them all on or off globally.

  • Sure Unprotect[Echo];Echo=Identity would disable them, but then you can't re-enable them
  • A solution that works for all the various types of Echos (EchoName, EchoEvaluation, ...) would be nice
  • QuietEcho doesn't work because I'd have to write it add it around every blob of code
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  • $\begingroup$ with Echo=., no? $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 18:32
  • $\begingroup$ sure, but how do reenable it without restarting the kernel $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 18:34
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    $\begingroup$ Also, you might use Echo = #& instead, since Echo can take multiple arguments. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 18:42
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    $\begingroup$ I would advocate for a global search-and-replace of all Echo[ with myEcho in your code, then at the top assign an appropriate value to myEcho, i.e. myEcho = Echo vs. myEcho = Identity depending on what you want. The global search should be relatively safe and painless, since Echo is not a common keyword in other function names. This would also work with all other types of Echo, turning them into myEcho... versions if you wanted. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 18:45
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    $\begingroup$ @RomaLee This is likely due to Echo being one of the autoloaded symbols. Check, e.g. on a fresh kernel, this: OwnValues[Echo], you will see something like {HoldPattern[Echo] :> System`Dump`AutoLoad[Hold[Echo], Hold[Echo, EchoFunction], "Language`Echo`"] /; System`Dump`TestLoad}. So, initially, Echo has OwnValues. When you execute Echo[0] (actually, just Echo is enough), you cause that definition to run. As a result, OwnValues[Echo] get cleared, instead DownValues[Echo] get populated. When you do Echo = Identity without auto-load, you hopelessly overwrite autoload code. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 19:04

2 Answers 2

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Echo has an autoload, so you need to make sure the symbol is autoloaded before you modify its values:

DisableEcho[] := (Unprotect[Echo]; Echo; Echo = #&; Protect[Echo];) EnableEcho[] := (Unprotect[Echo]; Echo=.; Protect[Echo];)

Test:

DisableEcho[] Echo[3] EnableEcho[] Echo[3, "EchoLabel"]

3

EchoLabel 3

3

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  • $\begingroup$ Ah, I forgot the autoload $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 19:22
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I would recommend using QuietEcho rather than redefining Echo:

In[62]:= $Pre = QuietEcho; In[63]:= Echo[3] Out[63]= 3

This has the added benefit of disabling printing for all Echo functions, not just Echo.

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