\settodepth ¶Synopsis:
\settodepth{\len}{text}
Set the length \len to the depth of box that LaTeX gets on
typesetting the text argument. The length name \len
has to be a control sequence (see Control sequence, control word and control symbol), and as such
must begin with a backslash, \ under normal circumstances.
This will print how low the character descenders go.
\newlength{\alphabetdepth}
\settodepth{\alphabetdepth}{abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz}
\the\alphabetdepth
If you did not declare \len with \newlength, if for example you
mistype the above as \settodepth{\aplhabetdepth}{abc...},
then you get something like ‘Undefined control sequence. <argument>
\aplhabetdepth’. If you leave the backslash out of \len, as in
\settodepth{alphabetdepth}{...} then you get something like
‘Missing number, treated as zero. <to be read again> \setbox’.