Tell me more ×
TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for users of TeX, LaTeX, ConTeXt, and related typesetting systems. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 2 down vote favorite

I'm using the acronym package.

I have in two chapters the acronym MAC one time for "Media Access Control" and in the second chapter as "Message Authentication Code".

How can I use both MACs?

Is a other package better?

share|improve this question
1  
Maybe the answer to this question will answer yours too: tex.stackexchange.com/questions/42214/… – Philipp Jan 26 '12 at 12:10

1 Answer

up vote 6 down vote accepted

You definitely should use different acronyms/abbreviations for the two. Otherwise, it wouldn't be possible to distinguish between the two.

You could typeset one in small caps (\textsc{}) and one in a monospaced typeface (\texttt{}) but it's not ideal.

Another solution is using \textsc{mac} for media access control and \textsc{ma}u\textsc{c} for message authentication code.

BTW, your problem isn't that uncommon. For example, consider the abbreviation CSP. I've found the following different usages:

  • Communicating Sequential Process;
  • Constraint Satisfaction Problem;
  • Constant Sign Partition;
  • 192 more abbreviations omitted
share|improve this answer
3  
For small caps, use \textsc{mac}, not \textsc{MAC}. The latter looks just like MAC. – Michael Palmer Jan 26 '12 at 16:35
@MichaelPalmer Thanks. I've corrected it. – Marc van Dongen Jan 26 '12 at 19:43

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.