[texhax] \ldots v. \cdots

[Philip G. Ratcliffe]

> P. R. Stanley wrote:
> > Hi
> > I've come across both \ldots and \cdots in typesetting 
> series in \sum
> > -- \{1 + 2 + 3 + ldots + n\}. What would the list recommend?
> > Thanks
> > Paul
> >
> >   
> in most cases I use \dots, not \ldots nor \cdots, \dots has 
> the advance 
> that it looks at the item following it, so \dots, => \ldots, 
> and \dots+ 
> => \cdots+, then the only thing you need to worry about the are 
> situations where the dots come last.
> 
> BTW: someone talked about a fourdots macro, doesn't four dots 
> at the end 
> of a sentence look odd? I usually see three dots at the end of a 
> sentence in the same way as a dot, i.e. end of sentence, no 
> need to an 
> extra dot.

ndeed, I think this depends on which side of the pond you happen to be
writing: all American sources appear to suggest a four-dot version.
However, at schoold in England I was taught never to use four dots; this
page
http://publications.europa.eu/code/en/en-4100100en.htm
and, I believe, the Oxford Guide to Style suggest the same.

Cheers,  Phil