sscript.tex

%% the following is needed for the stolen code to work
\newdimen\scratchdimen
\newdimen\zeropoint\zeropoint=0pt
\newbox\scratchbox

\def\fontexheight{\fontdimen5 }
\def\mathsubnormal{\fontdimen16 }
\def\mathsupnormal{\fontdimen14 }
\def\strutheight{0pt}
\def\strutdepth{0pt}

\long\def\firstofoneargument#1{#1}
\long\def\gobbleoneargument#1{}

\long\def\doif#1#2%
  {\edef\stringa{#1}%
   \edef\stringb{#2}%
   \ifx\stringa\stringb
     \expandafter\firstofoneargument
   \else
     \expandafter\gobbleoneargument
   \fi}

\let\dontleavehmode\quitvmode
\let\unexpanded\relax
\let\dosingleempty\relax
\let\tx\sevenrm

%% below, almost, unchanged ConTeXt code

%D \macros
%D   {low, high, lohi}
%D
%D Although \TEX\ is pretty well aware of super- and
%D subscripts, its mechanism is mainly tuned for math mode.
%D The next few commands take care of script texts both modes.
%D
%D \startbuffer
%D The higher\high{one goes} the lower\low{one drops}, or\lohi{yes}{no}?
%D \stopbuffer
%D
%D \typebuffer
%D
%D \getbuffer
%D
%D Note the different placement of \type {\lohi}, where we
%D need a bit more space. The implementation looks a bit
%D fuzzy, since some \type {\fontdimen}'s are involved to
%D determine the optimal placement.

\def\dodohighlow
  {\ifx\fontsize\empty
     \ifmmode
       \ifnum\fam<0 \tx \else \holamathfont \fi
     \else
       \tx
     \fi
   \else
     \tx
   \fi}

\def\dohighlow#1#2#3#4#5% todo, named fontdimens
  {\dontleavehmode
   \bgroup
   \scratchdimen\ifdim\fontexheight\textfont2=1ex #2\textfont2\else #3ex\fi
   \advance\scratchdimen #4ex
   \kern.1ex
   \setbox\scratchbox\hbox{#1\scratchdimen\hbox{\dodohighlow#5}}%
   \ht\scratchbox\strutheight
   \dp\scratchbox\strutdepth
   \box\scratchbox
   \egroup}

\unexpanded\def\high{\dohighlow\raise\mathsupnormal{.86}{0}}
\unexpanded\def\low {\dohighlow\lower\mathsubnormal{.48}{0}}

% \unexpanded\def\lohi#1#2%
%   {\dontleavehmode
%    \hbox
%      {\setbox4=\hbox{\dohighlow\lower\mathsubnormal{.48}{.1}{#1}}%
%       \setbox6=\hbox{\dohighlow\raise\mathsupnormal{.86}{.1}{#2}}%
%       \ifdim\wd4<\wd6
%         \wd4=\zeropoint\box4\box6
%       \else
%         \wd6=\zeropoint\box6\box4
%       \fi}}

\unexpanded\def\lohi
  {\dosingleempty\dolohi}

\def\dolohi[#1]#2#3%
  {\dontleavehmode
   \hbox
     {\setbox4\hbox{\dohighlow\lower\mathsubnormal{.48}{.1}{#2}}%
      \setbox6\hbox{\dohighlow\raise\mathsupnormal{.86}{.1}{#3}}%
      \doif{#1}{left}
        {\ifdim\wd4<\wd6
          \setbox4\hbox to \wd6{\hss\box4}%
        \else
          \setbox6\hbox to \wd4{\hss\box6}%
        \fi}%
      \ifdim\wd4<\wd6
        \wd4=\zeropoint\box4\box6
      \else
        \wd6=\zeropoint\box6\box4
      \fi}}

%D You can provide an optional keyword \type {left}, in which
%D case the super and subscripts will be aligned in a way that
%D permits placement at the left of a word (which means that
%D it will be right aligned).
%D
%D \startbuffer
%D \lohi{aha}{ah} test \lohi{aha}{ah} test
%D \lohi[left]{aha}{ah} test \lohi[left]{aha}{ah} test
%D \lohi{aha}{ah} test\lohi{aha}{ah} test
%D \lohi[left]{aha}{ah}test \lohi[left]{aha}{ah}test
%D \stopbuffer
%D
%D \typebuffer
%D
%D \getbuffer

%% test

A\lohi[]{xy}{abxx}
\lohi[left]{xy}{abxx}A
A\low{xy} A\high{xy}
\bye