[tex-k] Bug? The faster \asts solution

[Bertram Scharpf]

Hi Karl,

on Thursday, 30. Jun 2022, 16:54:55 -0600, Karl Berry wrote:
> Subject: Re: [tex-k] Bug? \epsilon vs. x
> [...]

Sorry, it's me again. This one is from the
many-dangerous-bends-section and therefore not neccessarily to be
considered a bug at all.

As far as I see, the errata don't yet discuss this subject.

On page A374, line 11, I found the faster solution for inserting a
specified number of asterisks:

  \setbox0=\hbox{*}\cleaders\copy0\hskip\n\wd0

However, this does not work in every situation.

In vertical mode, especially after |\par|, it produces an error
and should be prefixed by some |\leavevmode|, |\vrule width0pt|,
maybe |\indent| or |\noindent|.

At the end of a paragraph, the glue will be removed and therefore
won't produce the asterisks. Some |\vrule width0pt| or |\hbox{}|
would help.

The most reasonable solution is probably to put an |\hbox| around
it.

  \hbox{\setbox0=\hbox{*}\cleaders\copy0\hskip\n\wd0}

As the text introducing the statement says: "into a paragraph",
that could also be understood as: not at the end of one and it
doesn't begin one. I wouldn't be surprised if this was Don's
intention.

What do you think about it?

Regards,

Bertram


-- 
Bertram Scharpf
Stuttgart, Deutschland/Germany
http://www.bertram-scharpf.de