%------------------------- poormanssc.sty -----------------------------------

% Kludge to get pseudo-small-caps in any font
\newbox\testbox
\newdimen\targetheight
\newdimen\resultantheight
\newdimen\testheight
\def\poormanssc#1#2#3#4{%
\font\targetsc=#1 #2
\setbox\testbox=\hbox{{\targetsc x}}
\targetheight=\ht\testbox
\testheight=\targetheight
\message{Calculating small caps for #1 #2 (needs \the\targetheight)...}
\loop
\font#3=#1 at\testheight
\setbox\testbox=\hbox{{#3 X}}
\resultantheight=\ht\testbox
\message{Trying \the\testheight, measured \the\resultantheight.}
\ifdim\resultantheight<\targetheight\advance\testheight by1pt\repeat
\def\Smallcaps##1{{#3\uppercase\expandafter{##1}}}
\global\let#4=\Smallcaps}
% \jobname test code courtesy of Phil Taylor
\newif\ifdoc
\def\docid#1#2{\begingroup
               \escapechar = -1
               \edef \jobname {\jobname}
               \edef \Jobname {\expandafter \string \csname #1\endcsname}
               \ifx  \jobname \Jobname
                     \message {Test of `#1'}
                     \poormanssc{cmbx10}{at 10pt}{\bfsc}{\boldsmallcaps}
                     \targetsc This is a demo of \boldsmallcaps{poor man's 
                          smallcaps} using Computer Modern Bold Extended 
                          at 10pt.\vfill\eject\expandafter\end
               \else
                     \message {#2}               
               \fi\endgroup}
\docid{poormanssc}{Poor-man's-smallcaps established}
                     

\endinput

Article 18651 of comp.text.tex:
Newsgroups: comp.text.tex
Path: sifon!newsflash.concordia.ca!utcsri!utnut!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ieunet!curia!pflynn
From: pflynn@curia.ucc.ie (Peter Flynn)
Subject: Re: how to make /bf/sc work?
Message-ID: <CDusDr.n5B@curia.ucc.ie>
Sender: usenet@curia.ucc.ie
Reply-To: pflynn@curia.ucc.ie
Organization: University College, Cork
References: <9309240605.AA20221@eng.auburn.edu>
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 10:13:02 GMT
Lines: 55

In article AA20221@eng.auburn.edu, Yong Wang <Yong.Wang@eng.auburn.edu> () writes:
>
>
>Hi, does anyone know how to make {\bf\sc text tex} work?
>It seems \bf and \sc do not work together.

This should go in the FAQ.

TeX's font-changing commands are NOT commutative like a wordprocessor's,
each one is a _separate_ font, so saying \bf\sc simply changes to the \bf
font and then immediately changes to the \sc font. There is no such thing
as bold small caps in any typeface that I am aware of, but you can fake one
with the poormanssc.sty file, updated version appended here.

///Peter