# How can I find every \function or \symbol ever?

I want a list, or a way to create a list that contains every valid

\somecommand


entry.

Ideally I would be able to tell without having to test it, how many parameters it takes. Thus far, the largest list I have found is about 2500, however it is still missing plenty of commands and symbols.

• Do you want to limit this to all packages on CTAN (of which there are thousands)? Or some smaller scope? ctan.org/tex-archive/info/symbols/comprehensive has >14000 symbols. – Torbjørn T. Apr 27 '16 at 7:41
• Good question; my backstory is that I am creating a library that will interpret Latex into readable speech. This will be useful for the blind, and for audiobooks in general. The only limitation I could possibly put on this, is whatever is compatible with Wikipedia's [itex] </math> tags. However, I don't mind doing the >14k if I can get enough useful metadata on the symbols that can help me streamline writing code for it. – Akiva Apr 27 '16 at 7:49
• Another decision concerns packages. While a package may provide the user a handful of new macros, the internal macros in any given package can easily be hundreds to thousands. Do you want those too? – Steven B. Segletes Apr 27 '16 at 9:48
• I use the "Search->Find in Files.." feature of TexnicCenter to check all of the sty files I have loaded for names. The downside it that it lists every usage as well as the definitions. You should also download source2e.pdf and symbols.pdf from ctan. – John Kormylo Apr 27 '16 at 20:09