Add name lookup to pid/1 helper (#11536)

2 files changed, 9 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/lib/iex/lib/iex/helpers.ex b/lib/iex/lib/iex/helpers.ex
index 548c7e9b6..1a46ddc02 100644
--- a/lib/iex/lib/iex/helpers.ex
+++ b/lib/iex/lib/iex/helpers.ex
@@ -1178,18 +1178,25 @@ defmodule IEx.Helpers do
   defp history, do: Process.get(:iex_history)
 
   @doc """
-  Creates a PID from `string`.
+  Creates a PID from `string` or `atom`.
 
   ## Examples
 
       iex> pid("0.21.32")
       #PID<0.21.32>
 
+      iex> pid(:init)
+      #PID<0.0.0>
+
   """
   def pid(string) when is_binary(string) do
     :erlang.list_to_pid('<#{string}>')
   end
 
+  def pid(name) when is_atom(name) do
+    Process.whereis(name)
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Creates a PID with 3 non-negative integers passed as arguments
   to the function.
diff --git a/lib/iex/test/iex/helpers_test.exs b/lib/iex/test/iex/helpers_test.exs
index f189be972..3a68de6a5 100644
--- a/lib/iex/test/iex/helpers_test.exs
+++ b/lib/iex/test/iex/helpers_test.exs
@@ -1347,6 +1347,7 @@ defmodule IEx.HelpersTest do
     test "builds a PID from string" do
       assert inspect(pid("0.32767.3276")) == "#PID<0.32767.3276>"
       assert inspect(pid("0.5.6")) == "#PID<0.5.6>"
+      assert inspect(pid(:init) == "#PID<0.0.0>")
 
       assert_raise ArgumentError, fn ->
         pid("0.6.-6")