Newcommand with single and double argument (probability function)
You can do better, with a much easier user syntax.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb}
\usepackage{xparse}
\ExplSyntaxOn
\NewDocumentCommand{\PP}{ s O{} >{\SplitArgument{1}{|}}m }
{
\mathbb{P}
\IfBooleanTF{#1}
{ \PPauto #3 }
{ \PPfixed {#2} #3 }
}
\NewDocumentCommand{\PPauto}{mm}
{
\left(
\IfNoValueTF{#2} { #1 } { #1 \;\middle|\; #2 }
\right)
}
\NewDocumentCommand{\PPfixed}{mmm}
{
\mathopen{#1(}
\IfNoValueTF{#3} { #2 } { #2 \mathrel{#1|} #3 }
\mathclose{#1)}
}
\ExplSyntaxOff
\begin{document}
\[
\PP{X} \quad \PP[\big]{X} \quad \PP*{\frac{X}{2}}
\]
\[
\PP{X|Y} \quad \PP[\big]{X | Y} \quad \PP*{\frac{X}{2} | Y}
\]
\end{document}
The command \PP
has an optional argument for the size (never rely on \left
and \right
alone) or a *
variant for the automatic sizing (use it only if really necessary).
The mandatory argument is split at |
, if present. So the input code is much easier to read. Spaces around |
are irrelevant.
I propose a syntax that uses a single argument only. EDITED to include Mico's spacing suggestion.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{listofitems,amssymb}
\newcommand\PP[1]{%
\readlist\arglist{#1}
\ifnum1=\arglistlen\relax
\mathbb{P}{\left(#1\right)}
\else
\mathbb{P}{\left(\arglist[1]\;\middle|\;\arglist[2]\right)}
\fi
}
\begin{document}
$\PP{X}$
$\PP{X,Y}$
\end{document}
Inspired of Werner's Answer and similar to Segletes's answer above:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\newcommand{\pp}[1]{\ppaux#1\relax}
\def\ppaux#1#2\relax{%
\ifnum\pdfstrcmp{#2}{}=0
\mathbb{P}{\left(#1\right)}
\else
\mathbb{P}{\left(#1 \;\middle|\; #2\right)}
\fi
}
\begin{document}
$\pp{X}$
$\pp{XY}$
$\pp{{XY}}$
\end{document}