3

Like Dijkstra, I believe one should count things starting at zero. How do I achieve zero-based numbering throughout in LaTeX for chapters, sections, figures, tables, pages, references, footnotes, equations, list items, lines, and whatever else there may be?

I'm using the memoir documentclass.

Improve this question
5
  • 3
    Use \setcounter{chapter}{-1}
    – Sigur
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 13:50
  • 1
    I think you're reading Dijkstra in the wrong way. The chapter number is zero until a chapter starts, so it must be number 1. Another instance when numbering from 1 is right: when I talk about the sequence of vectors $\{v_1;v_2;\dots;v_n\}$ I'm not excluding $n=0$, in which case the sequence is empty; $n$ denotes exactly the number of vectors in the sequence.
    – egreg
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 14:54
  • @egreg it's over use of C it addles the mind:-)
    – David Carlisle
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 14:58
  • @egreg I'm pretty sure Dijkstra means that the lowest-numbered element should have number zero. That's how he numbers his pages in the note I linked to, for instance, and he gives "0 ≤ i < N" as an example of a good subscript range. In any case, that's how I want to do it.
    – jolson
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 22:57
  • 1
    @jolson And my example shows he's, with due respect, wrong.
    – egreg
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 23:06

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7

enter image description here

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\def\@arabic#1{\number\numexpr#1-1\relax}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\section{zzz}

aa
\begin{equation}1=0\end{equation}

\subsection{bbb}

zz
\begin{equation}1=0\end{equation}
\subsection{bbb}

\section{hhh}

\subsection{lll}

zz
\begin{figure}
\fbox{XXXXX}

\caption{zzz}
\end{figure}

\begin{enumerate}
\item zzz
\item 333
\item kkk
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}

or with memoir and \chapter

\documentclass{memoir}

\makeatletter
\def\@arabic#1{\number\numexpr#1-1\relax}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\chapter{gg}
\section{zzz}

aa
\begin{equation}1=0\end{equation}

\subsection{bbb}

zz
\begin{equation}1=0\end{equation}
\subsection{bbb}

\section{hhh}

\subsection{lll}

zz
\begin{figure}
\fbox{XXXXX}

\caption{zzz}
\end{figure}

\begin{enumerate}
\item zzz
\item 333
\item kkk
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}
Improve this answer
6
  • You beat me to it :)
    – yo'
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 14:54
  • Good choice to redefine only the arabic numerals -- I'd hate to think how one might go about adjusting Roman numerals and alphabetically labeled sequences...
    – Mico
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 15:01
  • 1
    @Mico exactly the same change (although romannumeral for 0 is empty so it may look a bit odd)
    – David Carlisle
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 15:05
  • @DavidCarlisle - So, redefining \@alph will give an empty number for the letter immediately before "a"? :-)
    – Mico
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 15:16
  • 1
    @Mico yes if you just subtract 1 as above and rely on the \ifcase that \@alph uses. Alternativeively you could subtract one as above than the redefine \@alph to put something before the first \or (whatever symbol you want for zero)
    – David Carlisle
    Commented Nov 1, 2014 at 15:20

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .