Name of patterns cast as expressions from strings

Question

I'm trying to match a part of a string while imposing conditions on the patterns, e.g.:

StringCases["223", a: DigitCharacter ~~ b: DigitCharacter /; Unequal[a, b]]

what is very simple and works as expected:

(* {23} *) 

However when I try to specify the names of the patterns I've put before the condition with names I've retrieved from a string, say "ab":

Characters["ab"]

(* {a, b} *)

it does not work and the condition is not successfully enforced:

StringCases["223", a: DigitCharacter ~~ b: DigitCharacter /;Unequal[ToExpression /@ Characters["ab"]]]

(* {22} *)

Why doesn't it work, in spite of taking the precaution of converting the string characters returned from Characters to symbols? Aren't those strings, cast as symbols, proper variables (I'm suspicious since their color doesn't turn blue as usual and remains black, but do seem to work as regular variables)? How could I make it work this way?

Answer 1

StringCases["223", a : DigitCharacter ~~ b : DigitCharacter /; 
  Evaluate[Unequal @@ (ToExpression /@ Characters["ab"])]]

 {23}

Compare the evaluation of the three forms using Trace:

Trace[StringCases["223",  a : DigitCharacter ~~ b : DigitCharacter /; 
    Unequal[ToExpression /@ Characters["ab"]]] ] // Column

Trace[StringCases["223", a : DigitCharacter ~~ b : DigitCharacter /; 
   (Unequal @@ (ToExpression /@ Characters["ab"]))]] // Column

Trace[StringCases["223", a : DigitCharacter ~~ b : DigitCharacter /; 
    Evaluate[Unequal @@ (ToExpression /@ Characters["ab"])]]] // Column