[OS X TeX] PlainTeX Macro to Define Macros in Uppercase

[David Watson]

On Jan 4, 2009, at 6:06 PM, Brad & Angie wrote:

> I wrote an interesting macro to create some macros for me.
> Essentially, \setupMCitems{abcde} creates the following macros.
>
> \xa = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil a\hfil)}
> \xb = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil b\hfil)}
> \xc = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil c\hfil)}
> \xd = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil d\hfil)}
> \xe = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil e\hfil)}
>
> in order to easily create (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) all with the same  
> width.
>
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
> % \setupMCitems{arg}
> %  setup multiple choice item macros for each token in arg
> %  create a macro \x<token> to typeset (token)
> %  set \wdx to the width of (token)
>
> 1.  \newdimen\wdx
> 2.  \def\setupMCitems#1{\findwidest\/#1\end \createMCdefs\/#1\end}
>
> 3.  \def\findwidest#1{\ifx#1\end \let\next=\relax \else \let\next= 
> \findwidest
> 4.  	\ifx#1\/ \dimen0=0pt \else \setbox0=\hbox{#1}
> 5.  	\ifdim\wd0>\dimen0 \dimen0=\wd0 \fi \fi \fi \next}
>
> 6.  \def\createMCdefs#1{\ifx#1\end \let\next=\relax \else \let\next= 
> \createMCdefs
> 7.  	\ifx#1\/ \setbox0=\hbox{(\hbox to\dimen0{\hfil})} \global\wdx= 
> \wd0 \else
> 8.  	\expandafter\gdef\csname x#1\endcsname{\noindent\hbox to 
> \wdx{(\hfil#1\hfil)}}
> 9.  	\fi \fi \next}
> 	
> 10.  \setupMCitems{abcde}
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>
> My problem is that I would like the definitions to be \xA, \xB, etc.  
> in uppercase.
> I need to change #1 on line#8 to uppercase, but
> I can't figure out how to change to uppercase inside a \csname 
> \endcsname.
>
> Here is a simple example:
>
> \def\brad{brad dallas}
> \def\BRAD{BRAD DALLAS}
> My name is \csname brad\endcsname
> My name is \csname\uppercase{brad}\endcsname
>
> The first produces brad dallas, while the second line raises an error.
> Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
> Yours,
> Brad.

You would get a lot more help if you were to copy the error message  
from your log and paste it into your message.
Oh yes, and include a minimal example including your documentclass,  
extra packages needed, etc.

Otherwise we have to typeset what you have given us, and make certain  
assumptions about your setup; the error messages we get may not be  
helpful at all.