#once #create message .ND .tr %$ .EQ delim $$ .EN .LP Of course the thing with bars or braces around it can still be part of larger expressions: the input .EQ left | {a over b ~+~ c over d} over 2 right | over a+b+c+d .EN produces .EQ left | {a over b ~+~ c over d} over 2 right | over a+b+c+d .EN For practice, modify file "Example" so it produces output that looks like this, then type "ready". .pl 1 #once #create Ref .LP .EQ left | {a over b ~+~ c over d} over 2 right | sup half .EN .pl 1 #once #create Example .LP .EQ replace me .EN .pl 1 # #once neqn Ref | nroff >X1 & #once neqn message Ref | nroff -T$term %s/tinyms - #user neqn Example | nroff >X2 #cmp X1 X2 #log #next 12.1d 10