Why textbf is not working in macro

Question

Here is my code:

\newcommand{\testtest}[1]{%%
  \stepcounter{aebir@prob@cnt}%%
  \edef\aebir@tmp{#1}}
\testtest{$\frac{1}{2}$}
\aebir@tmp{}

This prints 1/2 which is fine. But if I try to write something like

\newcommand{\testtest}[1]{%%
  \stepcounter{aebir@prob@cnt}%%
  \edef\aebir@tmp{#1}}
\testtest{\textbf{A}}
\aebir@tmp{}

this not printing bold letter A. This just fails to run. This is a part of my longer code but I need to solve this problem first.

Probably the problem is due to that {#1} thing. Because

\def\aeiki@tmp{\textbf{A}}
\aeiki@tmp{}

This is working perfectly.

Thanks!

Sorry for the bad explanation. Here is my full code, this is something that I need to use for creating an answer key.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\makeatletter
\newcounter{aebir@prob@cnt}
\let\aebir@answer@key\relax
\newcommand\dogrucevapbir[1]{%%
  \stepcounter{aebir@prob@cnt}%%
  \edef\aebir@tmp{\theaebir@prob@cnt/#1}%%
  \ifx\relax\aebir@answer@key
    \edef\aebir@answer@key{\aebir@tmp}%%
  \else
    \edef\aebir@answer@key{\aebir@answer@key,\aebir@tmp}%%
  \fi
  }
Question 1: Correct answer is A.
\dogrucevapbir{A}
Question 2: Correct answer is B.
\dogrucevapbir{B}
Question 3: Correct answer is C.
\dogrucevapbir{C}
Here is the answer key:
\aebir@answer@key{}
\end{document}

Result:

But If I try something like \dogrucevapbir{\textbf{A}} or \dogrucevapbir{\dfrac{1}{2}}, I'm getting error.

Welcome to TeX.SX! It would be easier to answer the question if your example of code was already compilable. Also, maybe you could clarify why you want to use \edef here. If I complete your code to make it compilable and replace \edef with \newcommand, it compiles fine. — Vincent, Feb 02 '23 at 02:35
If you understand everything in macros - Minimal \protected@edef example - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange, you'll be able to diagnose your problem. (nevertheless you have not shown what you actually want here, so a perfectly-valid workaround is to replace \edef with \newcommand. — user202729, Feb 02 '23 at 02:56
Please provide your MWE from \documentclass to \end{document} — MadyYuvi, Feb 02 '23 at 05:30
You should separate the formatting and the name of the key. The system will not know what \theaebir@prob@cnt/\textbf{A} is in the first place. — daleif, Feb 02 '23 at 12:43
The problem is not just formatting. Sometimes I need to write something like \dfrac{1}{2} into it or maybe \ for long answers. — Ertan Sinan Şahin, Feb 02 '23 at 13:43
It is the problem, don't use exotic material as data keys. That will just come back to bite you. Then add and extra variable to keep this in under the same simple key. — daleif, Feb 02 '23 at 16:05

score 9 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 02 '23 at 11:21

You can not use \edef on arbitrary latex input. You give no indication what you want the command to do, but it looks like expansion is not needed here, so you can use \def.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\makeatletter
\newcounter{aebir@prob@cnt}
\newcommand{\testtest}[1]{%%
  \stepcounter{aebir@prob@cnt}%%
  \def\aebir@tmp{#1}}
\testtest{$\frac{1}{2}$}
\aebir@tmp{}
\testtest{\textbf{A}}
\aebir@tmp{}
\end{document}

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 02 '23 at 17:47

6

I'd recommend using old style commands. You can use \edef but you have to know what do you want to expand and what not.

\newcount\probcnt
\def\answerkey{}
\def\dogrucevapbir#1{%
  \global\advance\probcnt by1
  \xdef\answerkey{\ifnum\probcnt=1 1\else
     \unexpanded\expandafter{\answerkey}, \the\probcnt\fi
     /\unexpanded{#1}}%
}
Question 1: Correct answer is A.
\dogrucevapbir{A}
Question 2: Correct answer is B.
\dogrucevapbir{B}
Question 3: Correct answer is C.
\dogrucevapbir{C}
Here is the answer key:
\answerkey

answered Feb 02 '23 at 17:47

wipet

74,238

This is a straight copy of my answer, were it not for the fact that the list you build is “static”, cannot be used for other purposes without defining an ad hoc parser and it's built with very awkward looking commands. – egreg Feb 02 '23 at 18:08
6

This is not copy of egreg's answer. I don't use \int_gincr:N, \exp_not:n etc. because I don't understand this. I use only well known TeX primitives \xdef, \the etc. My answer is usable in TeX environments where Expl3 language isn't present. – wipet Feb 02 '23 at 19:15
I'd say that the very awkward looking commands are in egreg's answer. This is using only well known commands as wipet says. – User Mar 05 '23 at 11:12

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 02 '23 at 15:59

I'd recommend using new style commands.

\documentclass{article}
\ExplSyntaxOn
\int_new:N \g_ertan_answer_count_int
\clist_new:N \g_ertan_answer_keys_clist
\NewDocumentCommand{\dogrucevapbir}{m}
 {
  \int_gincr:N \g_ertan_answer_count_int
  \clist_gput_right:Nx \g_ertan_answer_keys_clist
   {
    \int_to_arabic:n { \g_ertan_answer_count_int } / \exp_not:n {#1} 
   }
 }
\NewDocumentCommand{\printanswerkeys}{}
 {
  \clist_use:Nn \g_ertan_answer_keys_clist { ,~ }
 }
\ExplSyntaxOff
\begin{document}
Question 1: Correct answer is A.
\dogrucevapbir{A}
Question 2: Correct answer is B.
\dogrucevapbir{$\frac{1}{2}$}
Question 3: Correct answer is C.
\dogrucevapbir{\textbf{C}}
Here is the answer key:
\printanswerkeys
\end{document}

Why textbf is not working in macro

3 Answers3