Hello, I would like to \defineconversion and the use that set of symbols inside a metapost graphic. But I need to know the number of symbols, so that I can define enough "metapost images with symbols" in advance. I realise that there might be a problem since conversion can sometimes take an arbitrary number (using a command defined elsewhere), but if I could have a reasonable guess for conversions defined explicitely, that would already help a lot. (As a workaround and/or if there is no easy method to figure that out I can still hardcode "25" and wait until someone complains that that is not enough to satisfy his/her needs.) Thanks a lot, Mojca \startMPextensions numeric variant; variant = 1; vardef gp_the_symbol(expr n) = picture pict; % using metapost if variant=1: pict := image( fill fullcircle scaled 4pt; ); % TODO % using TeX, variant = 2 else: % TODO: limit the number first pict := sometxt(n); fi; pict shifted -center pict enddef ; def gp_point(expr x, y, n) = draw (gp_the_symbol(n) scaled 1 shifted (x,y)); enddef ; \stopMPextensions \starttext \defineconversion[abc][$\star$,$\bullet$,$\ast$] \startTeXtexts % TODO: 6 is only a guess: I need a better guess (3 in this case) \dostepwiserecurse{1}{6}{1}{\TeXtext{\recurselevel}{{\convertnumber{abc}{\recurselevel}}}} \stopTeXtexts \startMPcode variant := 1; gp_point(1cm,0cm,1); gp_point(2cm,0cm,2); variant := 2; gp_point(1cm,1cm,1); gp_point(2cm,1cm,2); gp_point(3cm,1cm,3); gp_point(4cm,1cm,4); gp_point(5cm,1cm,8); \stopMPcode \stoptext