> each <name_i> with a brace group (\csname doesn't mind category 1 and 2
> characters), since even an ingenious fool has work very hard to get braces
> mismatched in arguments, whereas with the current naming scheme
this is weird :-) and i thought my learning days on TeX the programs have been
over.
even
\expandafter\show \csname ab{cd\endcsname
does work.
well, off hand i think you do not only have a good point but also a good
solution.
frank