---
title: "Discussion on \"Getting started with the PicoLisp database\" | Hashnode"
description: "Discussion on \"Getting started with the PicoLisp database\". The following posts are based on this tutorial which was included in a previous release of PicoLisp.\n\nOpening and Writing to a Database file\nLet's start with the basics: opening and writing to a database file. We can do this from the REPL ($ pil +):\n..."
url: "https://hashnode.com/posts/getting-started-with-the-picolisp-database/617277620c5e175a1c614296"
---

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# [Getting started with the PicoLisp database](https://picolisp-explored.com/getting-started-with-the-picolisp-database?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

The following posts are based on this tutorial which was included in a previous release of PicoLisp. Opening and Writing to a Database file Let's start with the basics: opening and writing to a database file. We can do this from the REPL ($ pil +): ...

Oct 22, 2021 · 4 min read · picolisp-explored.com  
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-   [#functional-programming](https://hashnode.com/tag/functional-programming)
-   [#databases](https://hashnode.com/tag/databases)
-   [#nosql](https://hashnode.com/tag/nosql)
-   [#tutorial](https://hashnode.com/tag/tutorial)

## Written by

[Mia Temma](https://hashnode.com/@miatemma)

@miatemma · Berlin, Germany

  
[View profile](https://hashnode.com/@miatemma)

## Responses 1

Markdown supported · ⌘↵ to post

[Nehal Singhal](https://hashnode.com/@nehal5)

[Feb 1, 2023](https://hashnode.com/posts/getting-started-with-the-picolisp-database/617277620c5e175a1c614296/comment/63da26f6672b295ef3b42346)

How do we set val to {2} as was set to {1} as "Hello World"? In the blog, (default) val of {2} is NIL.

[Mia Temma](https://hashnode.com/@miatemma)

[Feb 5, 2023](https://hashnode.com/posts/getting-started-with-the-picolisp-database/617277620c5e175a1c614296/comment/63da26f6672b295ef3b42346#reply-63dfd40e666a6ca61942d9aa)

Hi Nehal, I'm not totally sure what you mean by that, so excuse me if my answer is a little bit off!

First of all, you can set any external symbol ({1}, {2}, {3}, ..) like this: (set '{2} 123)

However, this is more suitable for debugging mode because except than debugging, you do not know the external symboll for each data has.

And note that {1} has a little bit special role because it is the root of the database, this is why you can set the value via the \*DB global variable.

Let me know if you have more questions, this topic is really a little bit hard to explain&understand in the beginning.

[Nehal Singhal](https://hashnode.com/@nehal5)

[Feb 6, 2023](https://hashnode.com/posts/getting-started-with-the-picolisp-database/617277620c5e175a1c614296/comment/63da26f6672b295ef3b42346#reply-63e0de9bbf2ce4a649f603d7)

Hi [Mia Temma](https://hashnode.com/@miatemma), hope you've been good. Thank you for responding on previous blogs too. Glad you could come over.

My fault actually. I didn't type a quote. 😐 And was getting NIL - - Protected.

< First of all, you can set any external symbol ({1}, {2}, {3}, ..) like this: (set '{2} 123) >

I'm set with set now. :)