I'm working on some custom headers, specific to the projection that is being produced, however it would be more efficient to have a single custom header that could automatically detect the projection and include or exclude text appropriately. Unfortunately my tex coding is not up to it, and so I would like some tips as to how to test for the projection so I can selectively use the snippets below. What I am missing is the existing variable names and a little bit of skill in conditional tests in tex. For example, I would like to include, below the scale bar and above the map-comment; -"Extended Elevation" for maps where the projection is extended, {\the\legendtextsize\ss {Developed elevation looking generally North} \par} -"\outcsname Plan View<br>Arrow points to \northdir north" for maps where the projection is plan \edef\tmp{\the\outcsname} \ifx\tmp\empty \else {\the\legendtextsize\ss\the\outcsname { plan projection}\par} \fi \edef\tmp{\the\northdir} \ifx\tmp\empty \else {\the\legendtextsize\ss Arrow points to \the\northdir { north }\par\par} \fi I need to sort this out so it gives a sensible result if the coordinate system is arbitrary, and hopefully figure out a way to detect if the bearings are magnetic or adjusted by a declination (and hence grid or true north), but first things first... and -"\outcsname Elevation looking XXX deg" for maps where the projection is [elevation XXX deg] \edef\tmp{\the\outcsname} \ifx\tmp\empty \else {\the\legendtextsize\ss\the\outcsname { elevation looking 020 deg}\par} \fi As well as detecting that the projection is 'elevation', I need a way of detecting what the elevation bearing is, rather than hard coding it as I have done here Ideas anyone? Bruce