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When compiling a document using my university's dissertation class file and the TikZ package I receive 3 error messages:

1) Missing number, treated as zero [\xdef],

2) Undefined control sequence. [\xdef\pgfmath@rnd@z],

3) LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}. [\xdef\pgfmath@rnd@z{\the\c@pgfmath@counta]. 

\documentclass{USC-Thesis}
\usepackage{tikz}
\begin{document}
Test 1-2-3
\end{document}

Would someone know how I can solve this problem? I know there are a few similar posts out there, but none seems applicable to this case. Many thanks.

The class file can be found here:

https://svn.kwarc.info/repos/arXMLiv/trunk/sty/USC-Thesis.cls

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  • 1
    You should inform the author about the problems, he might push a new version to bring the class file to a recent state. It will serve many students in the future.
    – Johannes_B
    Jun 13, 2015 at 9:59

1 Answer 1

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Do you have to use this class file? It has really a lot of problems due to its age. The error you get is due to this line of redefinition of \year macro but there are many other problems \def\year#1{\gdef\@year{#1}}.

What I would suggest is that take only the first part of this class file about the page sizes and the fonts but rewrite it with the updated components. You can ask as many questions as you like about the functionality (there are already a lot of questions for this) so you would be done with it.

The rest of the errors can be made go away (but probably screws up other things in the future) is you add or remove the following lines 

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%  Changes to the table of contents   %%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%Changes made by A. Cassidy 05-2009
\RequirePackage{subfigure}                        % A new line added!! Both these
\RequirePackage[titles,subfigure]{tocloft}        % lines are commented or not
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  • Deja vu, I think i have seen the exact same Z/A before.
    – Johannes_B
    Jun 13, 2015 at 9:57
  • @Johannes_B Z/A?
    – Alenanno
    Jun 13, 2015 at 10:24
  • @Alenanno question/answer i meant.
    – Johannes_B
    Jun 13, 2015 at 11:37
  • "What I would suggest is that take only the first part of this class file about the page sizes and the fonts but rewrite it with the updated components" and then find someone at the university who can take responsibility for cleaning it up and maintaining it. There's already at least two public Github repositories (1, 2, maybe others) where people made updates which may be redundant, conflicting, or who knows.
    – Mike Renfro
    Jun 13, 2015 at 14:53
  • @MikeRenfro Even better!
    – percusse
    Jun 13, 2015 at 15:50

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