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I have written the following commands which first chunk the input text by ; and then make "fractions" out of text that is separated by /. My intention with this is to display genotypes with propper formatting.

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{xstring} \newcommand\genoLineDist{.2mm} \newcommand{\genoSplit}[2]{% $\begin{array}{@{}c@{}} \text{\protect#1} \\ \noalign{\vskip\genoLineDist} \hline \noalign{\vskip\genoLineDist} \text{\protect#2} \end{array}$% } \newcommand{\geno}[1]{% \def\remainder{#1}% \def\splitchar{;}% \genoHelper } \newcommand{\genoHelper}{% \IfSubStr{\remainder}{\splitchar}{% \StrBefore{\remainder}{\splitchar}[\firstpart]% \StrBehind{\remainder}{\splitchar}[\remainder]% \genoSplitHelper \ifx\remainder\empty \else \ ;\ \genoHelper \fi }{% \def\firstpart{\remainder}% \genoSplitHelper }% } \newcommand{\genoSplitHelper}{% \IfSubStr{\firstpart}{/}{% \StrBefore{\firstpart}{/}[\upperGeno]% \StrBehind{\firstpart}{/}[\lowerGenoTemp]% \IfSubStr{\lowerGenoTemp}{\splitchar}{% \StrBefore{\lowerGenoTemp}{\splitchar}[\lowerGeno]% \StrBehind{\lowerGenoTemp}{\splitchar}[\remainder]% }{\def\lowerGeno{\lowerGenoTemp}}% \genoSplit{\upperGeno}{\lowerGeno}% }{% \firstpart\unskip% }% } \begin{document} %working \geno{y w ; ap$^{DG3}$ / CyO} %breaks %\geno{ y w ; ap\textsuperscript{DG3} / CyO} \end{document}

Now by typing the following command in the document body

\geno{y w ; ap$^{DG3}$ / CyO}

We produce this output:

genotype

However, when I try to include any commands like \textsuperscript, or symbols like \Male or \Female anywhere in the input string, I run into the following error:

Incomplete \iffalse; all text was ignored after line [line with \geno command].

My best guess is that I'm running into issues with argument expansion in one of the if statements, so I tried placing some \protects in places I suspected could cause issues like when \remainder is first defined in the \geno command and the \IfSubStr to little success. I have also attempted to use the \MakeRobust command like so:

%definitions above here \MakeRobust{\geno} \MakeRobust{\genoHelper} \MakeRobust{\genoSplitHelper}

But unfortunately the problem persisted.

Other blind shots in the dark include

  • replacing the \ifx with \if\relax\detokenize{\remainder}\relax (same error)
  • \detokenizeing the input to \IfSubStr (seems like they all return a false, might be doing something wrong?)
  • Using various alternatives for the \genoSplit command (same error, I am now positive it is not the issue)
  • Rewriting all commands to use \newcommand and \renewcommand (same error)

I have also found this question, but I am not sure this is the same issue I'm experiencing, and the accepted answer (\begingroup\noexpandarg [...] \endgroup) prevents the macro from working.

I'm at my wit's end and would greatly appreciate some insight into what is causing this issue.

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  • 1
    always provide a small but complete example. That makes it much easier to test your issue. Commented Jan 14, 2024 at 17:57
  • @UlrikeFischer Sorry about that, I've updated the first codeblock to work as a complete example now. Commented Jan 14, 2024 at 18:22

3 Answers 3

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xstrings doesn't like fragile commands in its arguments.

Here's an expl3 implementation: first we split at semicolons; then each item is passed as argument to a function that produces the fake fraction, if / is present.

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \newcommand\genoLineDist{.2mm} \ExplSyntaxOn \NewDocumentCommand{\geno}{m} { \tired_geno:n { #1 } } \seq_new:N \l__tired_geno_parts_in_seq \seq_new:N \l__tired_geno_parts_out_seq \seq_new:N \l__tired_geno_temp_seq \cs_new_protected:Nn \tired_geno:n { \seq_set_split:Nnn \l__tired_geno_parts_in_seq { ; } { #1 } \seq_set_map:NNn \l__tired_geno_parts_out_seq \l__tired_geno_parts_in_seq { \__tired_geno_split:n { ##1 } } \seq_use:Nn \l__tired_geno_parts_out_seq { \ ; \ } } \cs_new_protected:Nn \__tired_geno_split:n { \seq_set_split:Nnn \l__tired_geno_temp_seq { / } { #1 } \int_compare:nTF { \seq_count:N \l__tired_geno_temp_seq == 1 } { #1 % no / } { \begin{tabular}{@{}c@{}} \seq_item:Nn \l__tired_geno_temp_seq { 1 } \\ \noalign{\vskip\genoLineDist} \hline \noalign{\vskip\genoLineDist} \seq_item:Nn \l__tired_geno_temp_seq { 2 } \\ \end{tabular} } } \ExplSyntaxOff \begin{document} \geno{y w ; ap$^{DG3}$ / CyO} \geno{ y w ; ap\textsuperscript{DG3} / CyO} \geno{y/w ; ap$^{DG3}$ / CyO} \end{document}

enter image description here

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  • Thank you very much, this is perfect! expl3 seems really useful. Is there a resource you'd recommend to learn more about it, or should I just jump into the documentation? Commented Jan 14, 2024 at 20:40
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Using only TeX primitive commands you can define your \geno macro like this:

\def\geno#1{\def\genoS{\def\genoS{; }}\genoA #1; \end; } \def\genoA#1; {\ifx\end#1\else \genoS \isinslash#1/\iffalse #1\else \genoB #1/\fi \expandafter\genoA \fi } \def\genoB #1/#2/{$\displaystyle{\hbox{#1\unskip}\over\hbox{\ignorespaces#2\unskip}}$ } \def\isinslash #1/#2\iffalse{\ifx/#2/} \geno{y w ; ap$^{DG3}$ / CyO ; next ; A/B}
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This might suffice, using listofitems parsing. EDITED to handle the more general syntax specified by the author in the comment.

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{listofitems} \newcommand\geno[1]{% \setsepchar[&]{;&/}% \readlist*\myterm{#1}% \foreachitem\z\in\myterm[]{% \ifnum\zcnt=1 \else \ ;\ \fi \ifnum\listlen\myterm[\zcnt]=1 \myterm[\zcnt]% \else $\displaystyle \frac{\text{\myterm[\zcnt,1]}}{\text{\myterm[\zcnt,2]}}$% \fi }% } \begin{document} \geno{y w ; ap$^{DG3}$ / CyO} \bigskip \geno{ y w ; ap\textsuperscript{DG3} / CyO} \bigskip \geno{ y w ; ap\textsuperscript{DG3} / CyO ; bp\textsuperscript{DG0} / CzO ; z x} \end{document}

enter image description here

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  • Thank you very much. Unfortunately it needs to display up to four different "list entries" that each should have the option to be a fraction, e.g. oneA / oneB ; two ; threeA / threeB ; fourA / fourB etc. Commented Jan 14, 2024 at 19:31
  • @tired63194 I have EDITED my answer to handle the more general situation you specify in your comment. Commented Jan 15, 2024 at 0:05

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