Symbolized, Subscripted Variable Doesn't Look Pretty

Question

Background

I'm trying to programmatically generate a subscripted variable in a way that makes it appear "pretty". Here is a minimal working example that shows some strange behavior I'm trying to understand and correct for (picture of NB, code):

Image of Code

Copy-Pasted Code

(*fullform syntax*)
Subscript[s, 1] // FullForm

(*symbolize*)
<< Notation`
Symbolize[
ParsedBoxWrapper[
SubscriptBox["s", "_"]]] // Once

(*recheck fullform syntax*)
Subscript[s, 2] // FullForm (*syntax has changed*)
s\[UnderBracket]Subscript\[UnderBracket]2 (*pretty output*)
s\[UnderBracket]Subscript\[UnderBracket]3 (*not pretty output*)

Question

So, why does a symbolized, subscripted variable have to be input using "ctrl-_" and manually evaluated in order to look "pretty?

Additional Comments

In the end, I'm hoping to generate a list of "pretty" subscripted variables and use this list while I'm doing derivations in higher dimensions, but it will only display pretty subscripted variables if I've previously evaluated them. Example:

n = 3; (*# of subscripted variables to generate*)
S = ToExpression[
   ToString[s\[UnderBracket]Subscript\[UnderBracket]] <> 
    ToString[#]] & /@ Range[n] (*vector of subscripted variables, s2 is the only pretty output*)

Related Questions

However, I really want to get this using the Symbolize[] functionality).

• Creating a List of Symbolized Indexed Variables

• Unexpected interpretation of a variable with subscripts

• Can we use letter with a subscript as a variable in Mathematica?

• Generating a list of symbolic coefficients [duplicate]

• Generating a vector of dummy variables

• Using Symbolize to Convert Multiple Variables at Once

Any discussion/suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Assuming I understand your question the short answer is to produce your Symbols like this:

new = ToExpression[SubscriptBox["s", "3"]];

Head[new]

FullForm[new]

Symbol

s\[UnderBracket]Subscript\[UnderBracket]3

The mechanism of the Notation package is to intercept MakeExpression (called by ToExpression) and MakeBoxes. If these definitions do not trigger the package will not work.

The effect of your Symbolize command is a definition on MakeExpression (by way of NotationMakeExpression) that looks for a Box expression that matches SubscriptBox["s", _] and processes it accordingly. When this processing takes place a rule is made on MakeBoxes (by way of NotationMakeBoxes) to handle the UnderBracket form.

If you are interested in these internal mechanisms have a look at:

DownValues[NotationMakeBoxes] // FullForm

DownValues[NotationMakeExpression] // FullForm