{documentclass-writing} is about writing document classes. If your question is about choosing, installing, or using document classes, choose {documentclass} instead.
56
votes
5answers
9k views
Style/class tutorials
What are some good tutorials on writing custom styles (classes) that clearly explain commands used and some of the features that TeX has to offer in the way of styles?
45
votes
2answers
5k views
Where do I start LaTeX programming?
I'm interested in writing packages for TeX/LaTeX/XeLaTeX. I googled around, but all I found was guides or tutorials about how to prepare documents using LaTeX. I want to know how LaTeX works and how ...
44
votes
4answers
808 views
What is good practice when preparing a package for CTAN?
I'm thinking of submitting a package to CTAN, and would like some hints which will help keep the path as smooth as possible for me, the CTAN administators, and the final users.
Please tell me what I ...
35
votes
4answers
3k views
Reference guide to begin writing a class and/or a package
Once a LaTeX user gets more and more skilled, and writes his/her own code, the question "Should I make a package (or a class) out of it?" will probably arise.
My question is (you catch me: I'm one of ...
32
votes
2answers
594 views
When or why should I use %% as opposed to %?
I've noticed that many (all?) style and class files have "documentation blocks" with a double comment character at the beginning of the line,
%% like so
instead of the usual style of comments,
% ...
31
votes
5answers
4k views
A cookbook in LaTeX?
I am interested in making a cookbook in LaTeX. Each page will contain a recipe, including ingredients, instructions, and a photo of the finished food. Has this been done previously? Where do I ...
25
votes
7answers
1k views
What's a good editor for (La)TeX programming?
I've found several questions about editors for writing LaTeX documents ( LaTeX Editors/IDEs seems to be the definitive one). But I'd like to know which editors are out there that help you develop ...
21
votes
1answer
364 views
When to use “.sty” extension and when to use “.def”
I'm new to this forum and a recent LaTeX user. I state that, before posting here, I searched all the web through, but I was not succeeded to solve a doubt.
I'm writing my own class (myclass.cls), ...
20
votes
2answers
783 views
\newcommand vs \DeclareRobustCommand
I sort of understand the difference between the two. But that's not what I'm interested in—I just want to know, which one should I use? In general, when I'm creating commands in a package or class, ...
19
votes
1answer
365 views
Macro naming best practice?
Is there a preferred or generally accepted idiom for naming user defined macros? I notice that in the change from Tufte 3.5.0 to 3.5.2, for example, the names of the debugging macros have change, for ...
19
votes
1answer
247 views
When should I upload my new style?
I've been working lately in a new style for my university, which is heavily influenced by a pre-existing style (feupteses). However, feupteses was never meant for PhD dissertations, so I decided to ...
18
votes
1answer
564 views
How do I document my style files?
I have many style files (and one or two class files) that I've written in my local texmf tree. Most were simple things that got me out of some trouble and which I put in to a style file in case I ...
17
votes
5answers
3k views
How to write a LaTeX class file for my thesis
I want to design a new LaTeX for my college thesis, so that all students could use it. I have decent understanding of how LaTeX works.
I am looking for some nice article explaining how to write a ...
16
votes
2answers
417 views
Write new package with LaTeX2e or LaTeX3
I’m planning to create a package and I wonder if it’s better do do this with LaTeX3 syntax or the „old“ LaTeX2e, which is the one I know.
Will LaTeX2e packages be supported by LaTeX3?
I can give ...
15
votes
3answers
739 views
Customizing LaTeX - create a document class or a package?
Are there general rules for when to create a document class vs. creating a package to customize LaTeX? Does one have benefits over the other?
My specific need is to create a customized page layout, ...
15
votes
1answer
178 views
What are the established methods for filing and tracking bugs in packages?
My particular concern is in finding Polyglossia's author, Francois Charette, whose email address I could not find in Google. However, I think the issue is much more general.
If you encounter a bug in ...
13
votes
3answers
317 views
Advantages of a custom class over a package and environment
What are the advantages/disadvantages of defining a class over a package and environment?
I have recently started to clean up some of the cruft in the preamble of my letters. The simplest solution ...
13
votes
3answers
407 views
Macro for Declaring Variables in Class Files
I'm designing a new LaTeX class, and trying to write a convenient helper command for declaring new 'variables' for use in the class.
Specifically, say I want to use a variable called \foo. I'd like ...
13
votes
2answers
398 views
Defining a wrapper class for a set of document classes
Until now, I have been collecting my "frequently used packages", custom macros, and configurations in a personal style file. However, some of those configurations depend on the use of one of the ...
13
votes
1answer
119 views
Should I use packages when writing a class
I am trying to write a class based on the book class (a thesis class for my department).
My question is: is it bad for some reason (or, is it considered bad) to use packages in the class files ...
13
votes
1answer
366 views
How does “missing \begin{document}” work?
I would like to know how does LaTeX invoke the error Missing \begin{document}. I would like to reproduce it in the sense of the following MWE (it will become a part of my own document class):
...
13
votes
3answers
799 views
How can I word-wrap LaTeX warning/error output?
This question led to a new package:
hardwrap
In writing error messages and warnings for a package/class, I find it a pain to manually insert \MessageBreaks so that words don't get cruelly ...
12
votes
3answers
454 views
what TeX package(s) should I use for a Church Bulletin
I create Sunday Bulletins (aka service leaflets) for an Episcopal Church each week. Currently, I use the MS Publisher (PITA) I also do some web design using Ruby. While a physics undergrad, I ...
12
votes
1answer
224 views
Creating new class file: Where to start?
Recently, a journal I have some editorial involvement with has decided that for its 'rapid publication' outlet, it will no longer accept submissions where LaTeX has been used to format the document. ...
11
votes
3answers
303 views
LaTeX document without \documentclass
I need to create a really simple document template for other people to fill in and compile (e.g., they need to provide a name and email address). I could distribute it as a .cls file and a template ...
10
votes
1answer
228 views
Is TeX necessary if using LaTeX?
I have been using LaTeX for a little over two years now. I mostly use it to prepare homework solutions in mathematics and engineering coursework. I also use it to document my research and writing some ...
10
votes
2answers
109 views
article wrapper class that locks down some options, passes others through
I'm writing a wrapper document class that starts with article and adds a bunch of customizations (required for a particular journal style). One of the requirements is to lock down certain options:
...
10
votes
1answer
588 views
Changing the default options of a document class?
I would like to define some base-class.cls, with some options and their defaults, and then provide some mechanism so that other derived classes can reuse the existing options and change the defaults. ...
9
votes
3answers
187 views
Backward compatibility for command names
I have made a class file. It defines commands for use in document files.
I want to change some of the command names, but I also want old document
files to work without changing them.
Here's an ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
How to set default font size in latex cls file?
I am using a custom LaTeX document class for my thesis which is derived from the report class. I'd like to set the default size of the font to 12pt, and still have the option to change it (to 10pt) ...
8
votes
3answers
702 views
Possibility to pass options to packages
I am searching for a possibility to give additional options to another package.
I have tried it with \PassOptionsToPackage.
My idea was that I can use something like ...
8
votes
2answers
225 views
Loading package twice with \RequirePackage causes “option clash”
I thought that loading a package twice with the same options cannot lead to option clash, still I get a clash in the following simple example:
\documentclass{article}
...
8
votes
1answer
134 views
Write a class with language dependent strings
I am unable to make my class strings language dependent using babel.
I have the following minimal example:
file test-babel.cls
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}[1999/12/01]
...
8
votes
1answer
150 views
Developing a document class using a Writer2LaTeX-generated document as a starting point
Background
My university is finally starting to become more LaTeX-aware and has developed and published a document class for theses and memoirs. This class is based on the memoir class and is now ...
8
votes
1answer
716 views
New options and loaded class options bug?
I found some odd behavior that I can't seem to get around. I'm writing a new version of a class file I did a while ago that is based on the memoir class. Now, the memoir class has two mutually ...
8
votes
0answers
145 views
How to detect whether “I'm on arXiv.org”?
I write a class. I'm interested in having a different page headers (and eventually make some other small differences) based on whether the class is used on the site arXiv.org or not. Minimal example ...
7
votes
2answers
130 views
Base a class on another class [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Defining a wrapper class for a set of document classes
When writing a new class (say, journal), how can I base it on an existing class (say, scrbook)?
7
votes
2answers
107 views
How can I stop the “setspace” package from processing a “doublespacing” documentclass option?
LaTeX does not behave as I expected with the following files.
First file:
\documentclass[doublespacing]{article}
\usepackage{lipsum} % for dummy text only
\begin{document}
\lipsum
\end{document}
...
7
votes
3answers
458 views
How to write a class that accepts an optional key-value pair?
a user-defined class:
\ProvidesClass{preview}[2012/12/15 v 0.01 class for creating a tight PSTricks diagram]
\DeclareOption*{\PassOptionsToClass{\CurrentOption}{article}}
\ProcessOptions\relax
...
7
votes
1answer
490 views
What is the minimal codes to create my own `\documentclass` derived from LaTeX's `book`?
I want to invoke my document class as follows:
\documentclass[cymk,dvips,dvipsnames]{mybook}
Internally mybook.cls includes my own packages such as mytables.sty, mypstricks.sty, etc.
What is the ...
7
votes
1answer
499 views
Using of \usetikzlibrary in an expl3 package fails
In the example below I provided a small test package mytestpackage.sty which uses the syntax of expl3.
If I use the command \usetikzlibrary inside the package I will get the error:
Runaway argument?
...
7
votes
2answers
74 views
New class base on book class with options
I created a class of my own that uses book as base class.
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}
\ProvidesClass{manuscript}[2013/03/23 Creative writing manuscripts class]
\LoadClass[a4paper,12pt,oneside]{book}
...
6
votes
3answers
308 views
What is the difference between \myname and \my@name while writing a .cls file?
What is the difference between \myname and \my@name while writing a .cls file? Are they equivalent?
Please let me know if it is necessary to post a minimal example.
Edit:
Let me ask my question more ...
6
votes
2answers
165 views
How to make certain macros defined in document class inaccessible from within an input file using it?
In C#, we can specify certain properties of a class to be private, read only, etc. I want to apply this methodology in writing LaTeX document class if it is possible.
I can find articles pertaining ...
6
votes
1answer
319 views
Create environment within my own latex class?
How can I automate multiple choice question type in my own class in LaTeX?
6
votes
2answers
115 views
Controlling placement of package warnings in the log
Is there any way to control where in the log file or console output \PackageWarning or \ClassWarning messages get placed? I have a class warning (generated by my own document class) that gets buried ...
6
votes
1answer
96 views
Detect number of pages in custom class
How can I make a conditional in my custom documentclass (based on article) for when the document is only one page long?
I need this because when it is only one page, I don't want to put the page ...
6
votes
1answer
140 views
Mark key-value class options as used
I have written a wrapper for the scrartcl class in the following way:
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}
\ProvidesClass{mycls}[2012/08/23]
\RequirePackage{kvoptions}
\DeclareStringOption{title}
...
6
votes
3answers
116 views
Class/package for German documentation
I’m writing the musuos class and I’m writing the documentation with ltxdoc.cls and doc.sty which seems to work. But the documentation is in German so it’s not very nice to get (environment) in the ...
6
votes
1answer
105 views
When writing my own document class, certain options don't get passed to base class. Why?
I'm trying to create my own class using scrbook as a base class, and biblatex as for my bibliography. Consider this MWE:
\documentclass[bibliography=totoc,fontsize=12]{scrbook}
...
