Hi - the problem reported in 2011 https://groups.google.com/g/comp.text.tex/c/SEHJUKtksU8 still exists. \def\test#1{\meaning}\write-1{\expandafter\test\string}\bye * ok: tex, aleph, luatex, hitex => Stops with error ! Unbalanced write command. * bad: pdftex, xetex, eptex, euptex => Segmentation fault: 11 Hironobu