Environment not defined

Question

I am writing a thesis with the gatech-thesis class. This class defines an environment, preliminary. When I compile (in LyX or in TeXworks), I get an error that this environment is not defined. The class as a whole is clearly recognized, because the document compiles as it should when I comment out that environment.

I'm using MikTeX for Windows 8.

Answer 1

The class has a number of required fields, without these it throws various errors including claiming that the preliminary environment is not defined. You can almost find all the requierd fields by looking directly in the class file gatech-thesis.cls, but that misses that some adviser is needed too. The following is a minimal document that will compile:

\documentclass{gatech-thesis}

\begin{document}
\title{Profound title}

\author{A. Student} 

\department{Department of Mathematics}

\degree{Doctor of Philosophy}

\gradyear{2013}

\approveddate{\ }

\principaladvisor{A. Fields Medallist}

\submitdate{Tomorrow}
\begin{preliminary}
  \begin{abstract}
    Test.
  \end{abstract}
\end{preliminary}
\end{document}

Note that e.g. \approvedate must actually print something (here a space), an empty argument is not enough. I guess the class does it this way to enforce the particular rules of the Georgia Institute of Technology.