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## Selection commands

The low-level commands used to select a text font are as follows.

`\fontencoding` `{`<encoding>`}`
`\fontfamily` `{`<family>`}`
`\fontseries` `{`<series>`}`
`\fontshape` `{`<shape>`}`
`\fontsize` `{`<size>`}` `{`<baselineskip>`}`
`\linespread` `{`<factor>`}`

Each of the commands starting with `\font...` sets one of the font attributes; `\fontsize` also sets `\baselineskip`. The `\linespread` command prepares to multiply the current (or newly defined) `\baselineskip` with <factor> (e.g., spreads the lines apart for values greater one).

The actual font in use is not altered by these commands, but the current attributes are used to determine which font and baseline skip to use after the next `\selectfont` command.

`\selectfont`

Selects a text font, based on the current values of the font attributes. Warning: There must be a `\selectfont` command immediately after any settings of the font parameters by (some of) the six commands above, before any following text. For example, it is legal to say:

       \fontfamily{ptm}\fontseries{b}\selectfont Some text.

but it is not legal to say:

       \fontfamily{ptm} Some \fontseries{b}\selectfont text.

You may get unexpected results if you put text between a `\font<parameter>` command (or `\linespread`) and a `\selectfont`.

`\usefont` `{`<encoding>`}` `{`<family>`}` `{`<series>`}` `{`<shape>`}`

A short hand for the equivalent `\font...` commands followed by a call to `\selectfont`.

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