Hyperref is loaded by the class, and I need to load packages that are supposed to be loaded before

Question

I am using the lipics documentclass, which loads hyperref. Since I want my figures boxed, I added the following

\usepackage{float}
\floatstyle{boxed}
\restylefloat{figure}

The problem: I receive warnings of the kind

name{figure.1} has been referenced but does not exist,replaced by a fixed one

which use to happen when I load the float package after hyperref.

The question: is there any correct way to do this without redefining the class?

Answer 1

In the KOMA-Script-bundle, Markus Kohm’s replacement for the standard LaTeX-classes and much more, he includes a package called scrlfile, that is designed to execute actions both before and after the loading of files. May be that package can solve your problems. It can be used on a stand alone basis.

If you do not read German, the author has started the work on improving the English manual. He describes scrlfile on pages 248ff. You will find KOMA-Script at CTAN and BerliOS.

Links to the new, improved, English manual you will find here.

Answer 2

Short version: yes, you'll have to redefine the class, or at least patch their hyperref inclusion.

I ran into a similar problem with my hyperref-using thesis class (which was originally a package). When it was a package, I could have students load packages before or after my thesis package, and hyperref would then be in the right order. Once I made a class, though, all my packages would be loaded first in the \documentclass line, which made it impossible for anyone to work around hyperref. Rather than abandon hyperref entirely, I added the following to the class:

\IfFileExists{\jobname-packages-loaded-before-hyperref.sty}{%
  \RequirePackage{\jobname-packages-loaded-before-hyperref}
}{}

% For all sorts of hyperlinks in the PDF output.
\RequirePackage[pdfcreator={pdfLaTeX with hyperref},
  plainpages=false,
  pdfpagelabels,
  hypertexnames=true,
  colorlinks=false]{hyperref}

\IfFileExists{\jobname-packages-loaded-after-hyperref.sty}{%
  \RequirePackage{\jobname-packages-loaded-after-hyperref}%
}{}

and now my students just have to put all their extra \usepackage or \RequirePackage entries in one of two .sty files. Examples: before package, after package, and class.

Answer 3

It is well-known (and should be to class authors) that hyperref needs to be loaded as late as possible. Hence, the class should really be changed not to load hyperref.

Answer 4

In my case, I added:

\RequirePackage{fooPackage}
\PassOptionsToPackage{bookmarks=false}{hyperref}

BEFORE \documentclass, which fixed the issue I was having without modifying the class.