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I have a feeling that this is a profoundly stupid question but I cannot seem to solve it myself.

I am trying to write an own macro to create a boxed paragraph. The code works fine in-line but when I try to define the command it just creates a small box in the same place that I wrote the command. My codes are below. I am pretty much a complete newbie at this and any help would be greatly appreciated.

\fbox{\parbox{\linewidth}{Inline this works perfectly.}}

\newcommand{\note}{\fbox{\parbox{\linewidth}{}}}
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In 

\newcommand{\note}{\fbox{\parbox{\linewidth}{}}}

The content of the parbox is always specified by {} so empty.

\note{hello}

will make an empty box from \note before seeing hello.

You want hello to be an argument of \note so

\newcommand{\note}[1]{\fbox{\parbox{\linewidth}{#1}}}
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  • And that's called a quick response! -- At the velocity of light! :-)
    – user11232
    Jan 5, 2013 at 16:10
  • Thanks a lot, that works beautifully. Much appreciated!
    – Mara Jade
    Jan 5, 2013 at 16:22
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    @MaraJade \newcommand{\note}[1]{\fbox{\parbox{\dimexpr\linewidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}{#1}}} is probably better. I’d throw in an additional \noindent too.
    – Qrrbrbirlbel
    Jan 5, 2013 at 18:17
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    Yes do as @Qrrbrbirlbel says, I addressed the programming question about how to define a macro with arguments but \newcommand{\note}[1]{\noindent\fbox{\parbox{\dimexpr\linewidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\rel‌​ax}{#1}}} is a better definition in this case as otherwise the box will not fit on the line as the inner box is already full width and then outer box has padding and a rule on either side, and TeX may add paragraph indentation at the start.
    – David Carlisle
    Jan 5, 2013 at 18:30

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