Hi, The *next* lmtx upload (one of these days) will have a small extension to the mp library wrt strings. In order to be more " neutral the string can be bound by STX/EOT characters (enabled by default). In addition to that there is also an option to set the catcode regime. The combination of these permits passing and processing strings as-they-are. Just in case the Gerbens among us need it. Hans ==================== example ===================== \startTEXpage \def\foo{x} \framed{\startMPcode interim catcoderegime := vrbcatcoderegime ; draw textext("stream $\string\foo$") withcolor "darkred" ; \stopMPcode} \framed{\startMPcode draw textext("stream $\foo$") withcolor "darkblue" ; \stopMPcode} \startlmtxmode % here the string starts with ascii code 2 (STX) and ends with % ascii code 3 (EOT) ... visibility depends on the editor and % font used; these are normally not used and therefore nice % alternative string capsules \framed{\startMPcode interim catcoderegime := vrbcatcoderegime ; draw textext(stream $\string\foo$) withcolor "darkgreen" ; \stopMPcode} \framed{\startMPcode draw textext(stream $\foo$) withcolor "darkyellow" ; \stopMPcode} \stoplmtxmode \stopTEXpage ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands tel: 038 477 53 69 | www.pragma-ade.nl | www.pragma-pod.nl -----------------------------------------------------------------