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ImportString["data","format"]

imports data in the specified format from a string.

ImportString["data",elements]

imports the specified elements.

ImportString["data"]

attempts to determine the format of the string from its contents.

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ImportString   

Listing of Formats »

ImportString["data","format"]

imports data in the specified format from a string.

ImportString["data",elements]

imports the specified elements.

ImportString["data"]

attempts to determine the format of the string from its contents.

Details

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Import a string by automatically inferring its format:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString["<svg height=\"80\" width=\"80\" xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\"><rect width=\"80\" height=\"80\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" style=\"fill:lightgray\" /><circle r=\"35\" cx=\"40\" cy=\"40\" fill=\"purple\"/></svg>"]

Import a string as a table:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString["3,4,6 a,b,c", "Table"]

Scope  (1)

Import a string by automatically inferring its format:

Wolfram Language code: str = "<svg height=\"80\" width=\"80\" xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\"><rect width=\"80\" height=\"80\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" style=\"fill:lightgray\" /><circle r=\"35\" cx=\"40\" cy=\"40\" fill=\"purple\"/></svg>";
Wolfram Language code: ImportString[str]

Use StringFormat to infer the format used by ImportString:

Wolfram Language code: StringFormat[str]

Explicitly specify the format:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString[str, "SVG"]

Import as XML:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString[str, "XML"]

List all available elements:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString[str, "Elements"]

Import a specific element:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString[str, "Dimensions"]

Import with an option:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString[str, ImageSize -> Tiny]

Possible Issues  (1)

Automatic format detection may not give the desired result:

Wolfram Language code: StringFormat["Gr`HOk"]

Specify the intended format:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString["Gr`HOk", "Graph6"]

Give the elements available for a string in specified format:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString["Gr`HOk", {"Graph6", "Elements"}]

Import an available element:

Wolfram Language code: ImportString["Gr`HOk", {"Graph6", "AdjacencyMatrix"}]
Wolfram Research (1999), ImportString, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImportString.html (updated 2007).

Text

Wolfram Research (1999), ImportString, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImportString.html (updated 2007).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1999. "ImportString." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2007. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImportString.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1999). ImportString. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImportString.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_importstring, author="Wolfram Research", title="{ImportString}", year="2007", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImportString.html}", note=[Accessed: 01-September-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_importstring, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={ImportString}, year={2007}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImportString.html}, note=[Accessed: 01-September-2026]}