# [Tex/LaTex] Sharp or angled v in math mode (\varv)

fontsmath-mode

I'm trying to achive a more angled $v$ that is more distinct from $u$. The default math mode v looks like this in the default font:

What I'm trying to achive is something like this (from txfonts):

(Edit: the picture is a bit misleading – I posted it to demonstrate the angledness. I'm not trying to get the Greek letter "nu", but rather the classic Latin letter "v" which is straight-lined and mostly symmetric.)

I remember I used to be able to get the alternative v by using \varv (analogously to \varphi), but I guess this was just a command defined in the template I used when I didn't know much LaTeX. I can't find a package that defines \varv. Ironically (and confusingly), the angled v is default in txfonts, and to get the rounded one, there is a package option called varv.

I'm using the default fonts right now (Computer Modern / lmodern), but I might switch to Minion or Palatino plus matching math (mathpazo for Palatino, forgot what the math font for Minion was called), so an ideal solution would be somewhat font independent.

Grab \varv from txfonts using guidelines from Importing a single symbol from a different font:

\documentclass{article}
\DeclareSymbolFont{matha}{OML}{txmi}{m}{it}% txfonts
\DeclareMathSymbol{\varv}{\mathord}{matha}{118}
\begin{document}
$v\ \varv\ u\ \nu$
\end{document}


How do you know \varv is character 118? Use fonttable's \fonttable{txmi} (see Find out the number of a symbol to access it):