# Howto typeset the direct current symbol in LaTeX?

How can I typeset the following symbol for direct current (i.e. a = symbol where the lower line is dashed)?

The image above is an enlarged version, the size I need is like =, \approx, \simeq etc.

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If \Beam from marvosym is not satisfying, then you may try this solution.

\documentclass{article}
\newcommand{\textdirectcurrent}{%
\settowidth{\dimen0}{$=$}%
\vbox to .85ex {\offinterlineskip
\vskip.35ex
\hbox to \dimen0{%
}
\vfill
}%
}
\newcommand{\mathdirectcurrent}{\mathrel{\textdirectcurrent}}

\begin{document}
a =\textdirectcurrent{} b

$a \mathdirectcurrent b$

$a = b$
\end{document}


A maybe better implementation, that can work also in subscripts and superscripts, is

\newcommand{\mathdirectcurrent}{\mathrel{\mathpalette\mathdirectcurrentinner\relax}}
\newcommand{\mathdirectcurrentinner}[2]{%
\settowidth{\dimen0}{$#1=$}%
\vbox to .85ex {\offinterlineskip
\vskip.35ex
\hbox to \dimen0{\hss
\hskip.17\dimen0
\hskip.17\dimen0
\hss}
\vfill
}%
}
\newcommand{\textdirectcurrent}{\mathdirectcurrentinner{\textstyle}{}}


However, the spacing parameters may need to be adapted to the main font used.

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Absolutely awesome! :) – Paulo Cereda Jan 11 '12 at 10:52

Looking at The Comprehensive LaTeX Symbols list, I've found \Beam symbol from marvosym.

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That looks okay in the small preview, but if you look at it more closely, the top bar is thicker than the lower and it protrudes slightly to the right. – Jake Jan 10 '12 at 9:36

Possibly you are looking for unicode U+2393 DIRECT CURRENT SYMBOL FORM TWO see

http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2300.pdf

so the character will be in Unicode fonts such as stix at that position. How to access Unicode characters depends rather on whether you are using a Unicode flavoured TeX variant or not (and others here could no doubt give more up to date advice on that).

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We have a few questions relating to unicode characters, Ulrike's answer at tex.stackexchange.com/q/37445/86 looked quite helpful at first glance. (NB This comment prompted by your parenthetical remark and so is for the benefit of others reading your answer!) – Loop Space Jan 10 '12 at 13:17