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I keep encountering situations where I would like to quickly include a few "fill-in-the-blank" style underlined horizontal spaces (usually within an enumerated environment) but each time I come to search the tex.SE, all I find in searches are more specific or advanced applications. Even when I use the "questions that may already have your answer" and "similar questions" I don't find anything that addresses this specific case.

It seems to me I should be able to make this happen relatively easily, without necessarily loading a new package (if that's what's best, then that's what's best, but I'm trying to learn how to build up expressions myself, instead of always relying on existing packages), but I can't seem to make it happen.

Until now, I have not posted the question, because I've assumed I'm just not using the right language, but this is the 4th or 5th time that I've done this, so I figure I can't be the only one not finding the result.


Basically, I just want something that behaves like

\newcommand{\myBlank}{\underline{\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad}.}

or

\newcommand{\myBlank}{\underline{\hspace{5cm}}.}

except, instead of a constant length, have it expand to the remaining space on the current line (i.e. until the end of line).

I tried using glue (which I only recently discovered, and know very little about), but that didn't seem to work, either:

\newlength{\myBlankSp}  
      \setlength{\myBlankSp}{10cm plus 10cm minus 15cm}

\def\myBlank{\underline{\hspace{\myBlankSp}}}

Any simple solutions? Again, both interested in understanding how to create it, but also ensuring that a simple answer (ideally not just calling a package) is actual findable on the SE, as it seems both useful and as though it's the type of issue that can teach you something important about the way LaTeX works.

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1 Answer 1

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You are looking for \hrulefill. EDITED to show in an enumerate environment.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\begin{enumerate}
\item blah \hrulefill.

\item blah blah \hrulefill.

\item blah blah blah \hrulefill. (10pt)
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}

enter image description here

The OP asks for a deeper line. No problem, by setting the parameters for \hrule (which is part of the definition of the \hrulefill).

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[nopar]{lipsum}
\makeatletter
\newcommand\arulefill{%
  \leaders\hrule\@width0pt\@height-6pt\@depth6.5pt\hfill\kern\z@}
\makeatother
\begin{document}
\begin{enumerate}
\item blah \arulefill.

\item blah blah \arulefill.

\item \lipsum[3] \arulefill. (10pt)
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}

enter image description here


EDITED to include definition provided in comments

The macro uses the concept of leaders (the things that allow a string of dots in a table of contents, for example). In this case, though, it uses an \hrule rather than a dot fill. The actual definition of \hrulefill is \leaders\hrule\hfill\kern\z@

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  • I should've asked long ago. Less revealing than I expected, though.
    – Rax Adaam
    Apr 20, 2018 at 17:08
  • 1
    @RaxAdaam The macro uses the concept of leaders (the things that allow a string of dots in a table of contents, for example). In this case, though, it uses an \hrule rather than a dot fill. The actual definition of \hrulefill is \leaders\hrule\hfill\kern\z@. Apr 20, 2018 at 17:11
  • Is there any simple way of adjusting the height of the line? When used within a paragraph (i.e. bottom line of a long question), I find the line doesn't leave much room for writing on. I can post a linked question, if so. Thank you also for taking the time to explain the relationship. I'll add that to the answer, as I think it's helpful for users to (at least gradually) learn how these things work :)
    – Rax Adaam
    Apr 21, 2018 at 12:20
  • 1
    @RaxAdaam I have edited the answer to show how to set the rule depth/height. Apr 21, 2018 at 14:16

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