[tex-k] dynamically loading \patterns

[Robin Fairbairns]

> Correct me if I am wrong, but essentially you are asking to change 
> Format properties without building a new Format. (??)
>  
> At the risk of sounding (less than informed) I would like to pursue your 
> idea of changing hyphenation patterns on the fly. My exposure to such 
> flexibility is to use the Babel package and rebuild the LaTeX format all 
> over again.   
> 
> What would happen if a user were to insert the following 
> line in their document: 
> 
>  \input  plhyph.tex
>  
> effectively changing the hyphenation pattern from the default to 
> in this case Polish. 

hyphenation patterns are organised by "language"; i would assume that
the patterns loaded would be appended to the current patterns for the
language; it would be sensible to start with a previously unused
"language" selected.

> Is this even possible ?  Is this correct ?  Will TeX complain ? 
> I have never tried it. 

the whole point of the suggestion is that the present complaint

! Patterns can be loaded only by INITEX.

should be eliminated by addressing any complications that arise in the
code.