Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!gatech!utkcs2!usenet
From: woo@ornl.gov (John W. Wooten)
Newsgroups: comp.text.tex
Subject: empty box sizeof another box
Message-ID: <1991May30.142228.18865@cs.utk.edu>
Date: 30 May 91 14:22:28 GMT
Sender: usenet@cs.utk.edu (USENET News Poster)
Organization: Univ of TN, Knoxville - CS Department
Lines: 15

I am trying to create an empty box the same size as an existing box that  
contains text.  The following shows my attempt.  It doesn't work.  How does one  
get the length and use it.  I can't find anything like \widthof{} or similar.   
Then it would be \savebox{\nulllabel}[\widthof{1990-}]{}
--
\newlength{\gnat}
\settowidth{\gnat}{1990-}
\newsavebox{\nulllabel}
\savebox{\nulllabel}[\value{gnat}]{}
\begin{description}
\item[1990-present:] Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
	Director, Office of Technology Transfer
\item[\usebox{\nulllabel}] Responsible for establishing the first Office of  
Technology Transfer for the
university including developing role, function and procedure guidelines for all