\gdef\mpxshipout{\shipout\hbox\bgroup% \setbox0=\hbox\bgroup}% \gdef\stopmpxshipout{\egroup \dimen0=\ht0 \advance\dimen0\dp0 \dimen1=\ht0 \dimen2=\dp0 \setbox0=\hbox\bgroup \box0 \ifnum\dimen0>0 \vrule width1sp height\dimen1 depth\dimen2 \else \vrule width1sp height1sp depth0sp\relax \fi\egroup \ht0=0pt \dp0=0pt \box0 \egroup} \mpxshipout% line 1 ./mptextmp.mp \(y\vec\jmath\)% \stopmpxshipout \end{document}