Section name in header also without numbering sections

Question

my problem I try to have the section names in the header. Some sections are not numbered, however do I want them as well in my header.

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancypagestyle{plain}{}
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[RE,LO]{\rmfamily \small \nouppercase \leftmark}
\fancyfoot[LE,RO]{\thepage}
\setlength{\headsep}{.5cm}

This is the codes I use for my headers and footers.

\section*{List of Symbols and Abbreviations}

The list of symbols doesn't have to be numbered, so I put an asterisk after \section. Is there a way to have "List of Symbols and Abbreviations" in the header?

This is the code to copy+past and try it out by yourself..

\documentclass[10pt, a4paper,twoside]{scrartcl}

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}

\fancypagestyle{plain}{}
\fancyhf{}

\fancyhead[RE,LO]{\rmfamily \small \nouppercase \leftmark}

\setlength{\headsep}{.5cm}


\begin{document}

\section*{Abstract}

\newpage

\tableofcontents
\newpage

\listoffigures
\newpage

\section*{List of Symbols}
\newpage

\section{Introduction}
\newpage                        
 
\section{Basics}
\newpage

\section*{appenix}
\end{document}

as you can see the section abstract, list of symbols and appenix is not displayed in the header, whereas the section introduction is displyed

Answer 1

Try this code. I understand that you use the starred commands to avoid having those section appearing in the TOC.

\documentclass[10pt, a4paper,twoside]{scrartcl}

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}

\fancypagestyle{plain}{}
\fancyhf{}

\fancyhead[RE,LO]{\rmfamily \small \nouppercase \leftmark}

\setlength{\headsep}{.5cm}


\begin{document}

\section*{Abstract \protect\markboth{Abstract}{Abstract} }

\newpage

\tableofcontents
\newpage

\listoffigures
\newpage

\section*{List of Symbols\protect\markboth{List of Symbols}{List of Symbols}}
\newpage

\section{Introduction}
\newpage                        
 
\section{Basics}
\newpage

\section*{Appendix \protect\markboth{Appendix}{Appendix}}
\end{document}

Answer 2

A simple way to deal with this sort of thing is to simply change the \secnumdepth counter in the different parts of the document and not use \section* at all and instead just use \section. Then the correct elements will appear both in the TOC and in the headers without any manual intervention other than changing the sectioning depth. For the appendix I've used the \appendix command that changes the section numbering there too.

\documentclass[10pt, a4paper,twoside]{scrartcl}

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}

\fancypagestyle{plain}{}
\fancyhf{}

\fancyhead[RE,LO]{\rmfamily \small \nouppercase \leftmark}

\setlength{\headsep}{.5cm}
\begin{document}
\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0} % turn of numbering of sections in the frontmatter
\section{Abstract}
\newpage

\tableofcontents
\newpage

\listoffigures
\newpage

\section{List of Symbols}
\newpage
\setcounter{secnumdepth}{3} % turn on numbering in the main matter
\section{Introduction}
\newpage                        
 
\section{Basics}
\newpage
\appendix
\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0} % turn it off again in the back matter
\section{Appendix}
\end{document}