[tex-k] TeX erranously expands tokens from a token variable

[Karl Berry]

Hi Wolfgang,

    The exception from this rule 

As far as I can see, it's not an exception. It's a consequence of the
(admittedly intricate) rules, as written. TeX's expansion of \edef or
anything else works a token at a time. You seem to be describing TeX as
reading the entire replacement text of \edef and specially marking the
\the's for non-expansion before doing anything else. That's not how it
works.

Admittedly this is a point that many/most readers would fail to see, but
I am pretty certain that Don would not change The TeXbook for this. I
don't believe anything in TB is erroneous in this regard. A statement in
one part of TB can't be taken in isolation of all the rest. --best, karl.