[comp.text.tex] One big first letter using latex

xiaofei@acsu.buffalo.edu (Xiaofei Wang) (09/05/90)

Jim Gerland of Buffalo picked it up from net and posted this without knowing 
whom to credit. 

I did some minor changes to make it LaTeXible. It is so cute that I 
think it worth reposting.

\documentstyle{article}
\begin{document}
\def\bigfirstletter#1#2{{\noindent
    \setbox0\hbox{\Huge #1}\setbox1\hbox{#2}\setbox2\hbox{(}%
    \count0=\ht0\advance\count0 by\dp0\count1\baselineskip
    \advance\count0 by-\ht1\advance\count0 by\ht2
    \dimen1=.5ex\advance\count0 by\dimen1\divide\count0 by\count1
    \advance\count0 by1\dimen0\wd0
    \advance\dimen0 by.25em\dimen1=\ht0\advance\dimen1 by-\ht1
    \global\hangindent\dimen0\global\hangafter-\count0
    \hskip-\dimen0\setbox0\hbox to\dimen0{\raise-\dimen1\box0\hss}%
    \dp0=0in\ht0=0in\box0}#2}
\bigfirstletter
This works very well. The first letter `T' is bigger than the others. See 
where the second line goes? Guess what? It is behind T. and also see where 
the third line goes? guess what? It is aligned with T.
\end{document}