({{, (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox])[x,y]
is the low-level box representation for (Overscript[x, y]) in notebook expressions. }})

OpenersNotesSection(Spacer1)Details and Options

(RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]) is the low-level representation of (RefLink[Overscript, paclet:ref/Overscript]). Except for low-level notebook expression manipulation, (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]) should not need to be used directly.

Inside \(…\) (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox])[x,y] can be input as x\&y.

In a notebook, an (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]) can be created using (Key1[ctrl, 7]) or (Key1[ctrl, &]). (Key1[ctrl, space]) moves out of the overscript position.

In (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]), (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox])[x,y] is interpreted on input as (RefLink[Overscript, paclet:ref/Overscript])[x,y].

The following special interpretations are made:

For these special cases special input forms such as x\&_ can be used.

The baseline of (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox])[x,y] is taken to be the baseline of x.

(RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox])[x,y] is usually output with y in a smaller font than x.

With the option setting (RefLink[LimitsPositioning, paclet:ref/LimitsPositioning])->(RefLink[True, paclet:ref/True]), y is placed in an overscript position when the whole (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]) is displayed large, and in a superscript position when it is displayed smaller.

In (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]), explicit (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]) objects are output literally. You can use (RefLink[DisplayForm, paclet:ref/DisplayForm]) to see the display form of such objects.

OpenersPrimaryExamplesSection(Spacer1)Examples  (3)

OpenersExampleSection0(Spacer1)Basic Examples  (3)

Display a letter with an overscript:

OverscriptBox["x","1"]//DisplayForm

An (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]) form is typically interpreted as an (RefLink[Overscript, paclet:ref/Overscript]) expression:

ToExpression[OverscriptBox["x","1"],StandardForm]

%//FullForm

The standard formatting for (RefLink[Overscript, paclet:ref/Overscript]) uses (RefLink[OverscriptBox, paclet:ref/OverscriptBox]):

ToBoxes[Overscript[x,1],StandardForm]//FullForm

The formatted result looks like this:

Overscript[x,1]

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedFunction.png, ({{See Also}, {(RefLink[Overscript, paclet:ref/Overscript])  ▪  (RefLink[UnderscriptBox, paclet:ref/UnderscriptBox])  ▪  (RefLink[UnderoverscriptBox, paclet:ref/UnderoverscriptBox])  ▪  (RefLink[SuperscriptBox, paclet:ref/SuperscriptBox])  ▪  (RefLink[GridBox, paclet:ref/GridBox])  ▪  (RefLink[FractionBox, paclet:ref/FractionBox])  ▪  (RefLink[ScriptSizeMultipliers, paclet:ref/ScriptSizeMultipliers])  ▪  (RefLink[PlotLabel, paclet:ref/PlotLabel])}})}})

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedTutorial.png, ({{Tutorials}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Representing Textual Forms by Boxes, paclet:tutorial/RepresentingTextualFormsByBoxes])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[String Representation of Boxes, paclet:tutorial/StringRepresentationOfBoxes])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Typing Overscripts, paclet:tutorial/TypingOverscripts])}})}})

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedGuide.png, ({{Related Guides}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Low-Level Notebook Structure, paclet:guide/LowLevelNotebookStructure])}})}})