Re: Placing a scaled symbol within the flow of text

[Taco Hoekwater <taco@elvenkind.com>]

Pearson, Mark (Capita Symonds) wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I am attempting to insert a symbol at a reduced size within the
> text flow but I'm not sure how to achieve this.
> 
> I've included my test script below. 
> 
> \starttext
> 
> \definefontsynonym[Dingbats][uzdr]
> \definesymbol[filledSq][\getglyph{Dingbats}{\char110}]
> 
> \def\FilledSq{\symbol[filledSq]}
> \def\FilledSquare{\scale[height=0.5ex]{\symbol[filledSq]}}
> 
> \switchtobodyfont[20pt]
> 
> \startlines
> \FilledSq Here is a line
> This is one line
> and this should be another
> \FilledSq Hello again 
> \FilledSquare and again!!
> and here are some more lines
> this is the last one
> \stoplines
> 
> \stoptext
> 
> When a \FilledSq is inserted, the text which follows appears 
> on the same line but when a \FilledSquare is inserted the text 
> which follows appears on the line below. I'm probably using 
> \scale in an inappropriate way and I'm sure don't know my
> \vbox's from my \hbox's!
> 
> Any examples of how to reduce the size of a glyph whilst
> still being able to insert it as a normal character in the 
> text flow would be greatly appreciated.

In TeX terms, \scale creates a \hbox. If TeX is in vertical
mode (as it is when \startlines is in effect, because every line
is a paragraph by itself in the mode), then a simple \hbox is
not a good enough hint to make it switch to horizontal (paragraph)
mode. So need another command to switch TeX to paragraph building
mode, and it is:

   \def\FilledSquare%
     {\dontleavehmode\scale[height=0.5ex]{\symbol[filledSq]}}

Cheers, Taco