[texhax] Problem with color package

[Reinhard Kotucha]

On 2013-12-12 at 20:08:33 -0500, Michael Barr wrote:

 > It is not surprising that using the color package, the word Test2 prints 
 > in red in the example:
 > \setbox0\hbox{\color{red} Test1}\box0 Test2
 > 
 > But it seems like a failure of the tex grouping mechanism when the same 
 > happens in this example:
 > 
 > {\setbox0\hbox{\color{red} Test1}\box0} Test2
 > 
 > Adding a group in another place does not improve things:
 > 
 > \setbox0\hbox{{\color{red} Test1}}\box0 Test2
 > 
 > but adding both sets of groupings does:
 > 
 > {\setbox0\hbox{{\color{red} Test1}}\box0} Test2
 > 
 > I got a partial (but not entirely convincing) explanation of this
 > from Daniel Müllner.  But is there any way to force \color to
 > confine itself to being inside a group.  And why does it need two
 > levels of grouping to get it to work?
 > 
 > The following also work:
 > \setbox0\hbox{{{\color{red} Test1}}}\box0 Test2 
 > {{{\setbox0\hbox{\color{red} Test1}\box0\relax}}} Test2

Avoid plain TeX.  TeX doesn't support color at all.  The LaTeX color
package emits information to the PS or PDF driver but neither PS nor
PDF is aware of TeX's grouping mechanism.  LaTeX has it's own boxes
which support color much better than plain TeX.

Regards,
  Reinhard

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