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I'm reading through tex.web:

@ Next are the ordinary run-of-the-mill command codes.  Codes that are
|min_internal| or more represent internal quantities that might be
expanded by `\.{\\the}'.

@d char_num=16 {character specified numerically ( \.{\\char} )}
...

... and I would actually like to call this one:

@d remove_item=25 {nullify last item ( \.{\\unpenalty},
  \.{\\unkern}, \.{\\unskip} )}

Is it possible to somehow call these "ordinary" "command codes" from LaTeX - and how might they be "expanded by \the"?

Edit: to clarify: above I see a "command" called remove_item which has some sort of a code of 25. Is it possible to call this command from LaTeX - maybe through \catcode25 (which doesn't work) or something similar (I'm speculating here: say, something like \cmd:remove_item)?

I don't understand the source code of Tex - but the way I read the above, there is an internal command remove_item in TeX, which apparently calls \unpenalty \unkern \unskip. I was hoping there is a way to call this remove_item from Latex...

sdaau
  • 17,079

1 Answers1

4

In general there is no automatic mapping between internal functions of the web sources and functionality exposed as TeX primitives, so the answer to your question is essentially "no". You can do \the\lastpenalty and \unpenalty but that isn't quite what you were after.

David Carlisle
  • 757,742
  • Many thanks for confirming that, @DavidCarlisle - given I lack a lot of the TeX background, I have allowed (in this case) the code comments to slightly mislead me; which is why it's great to have an explicit answer to this documented. Cheers! – sdaau Jun 28 '12 at 21:28