Make package-install accept a string as well

* lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el (package-install): Allow passing a string
instead of a symbol.  (Bug#72160)
(package-upgrade): Improve docstring.

* test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-tests.el
(package-test-install-single-from-archive/string-type): New test.

2 files changed, 14 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el
index 78bd846c951..cfe57fb9e35 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el
@@ -2196,7 +2196,8 @@ built-in package with a (possibly newer) version from a package archive."
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun package-install (pkg &optional dont-select)
   "Install the package PKG.
-PKG can be a `package-desc' or a symbol naming one of the
+
+PKG can be a `package-desc', or a symbol or string naming one of the
 available packages in an archive in `package-archives'.
 
 Mark the installed package as selected by adding it to
@@ -2229,6 +2230,8 @@ had been enabled."
                      package-archive-contents)
                     nil t))
            nil)))
+  (cl-check-type pkg (or string symbol package-desc))
+  (if (stringp pkg) (setq pkg (intern pkg)))
   (package--archives-initialize)
   (add-hook 'post-command-hook #'package-menu--post-refresh)
   (let ((name (if (package-desc-p pkg)
@@ -2256,7 +2259,9 @@ had been enabled."
 
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun package-upgrade (name)
-  "Upgrade package NAME if a newer version exists."
+  "Upgrade package NAME if a newer version exists.
+
+NAME can be either a symbol or a string."
   (interactive
    (list (completing-read
           "Upgrade package: " (package--upgradeable-packages t) nil t)))
diff --git a/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-tests.el b/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-tests.el
index d8e260319bd..ed778049dcb 100644
--- a/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-tests.el
+++ b/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-tests.el
@@ -450,6 +450,13 @@ but with a different end of line convention (bug#48137)."
     (package-refresh-contents)
     (package-install 'simple-single)))
 
+(ert-deftest package-test-install-single-from-archive/string-type ()
+  "Install a single package from a package archive, using string argument."
+  (with-package-test ()
+    (package-initialize)
+    (package-refresh-contents)
+    (package-install "simple-single")))
+
 (ert-deftest package-test-install-prioritized ()
   "Install a lower version from a higher-prioritized archive."
   (with-package-test ()