Questions tagged [macros]
{macros} is for questions specifically concerning TeX's macro processor. Note that, because TeX uses macros ubiquitously, most questions about code that uses macros are not looking for information about how macros work, and so are not appropriate for this tag.
8,067
questions
1
vote
0
answers
15
views
Suppress vertical space at beginning of macro when there is no preceding paragraph
I want to create a variant of the itemize command for Beamer that spreads the items vertically. This should increase the space between items as well as to preceding text.
With other words, I want a ...
- 759
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
Interaction between pgfplotstable and a newcommand
I'm trying to generate a big table with informations that are comming from an external csv file that I have generated. I don't really understand what is going on in the following code.
I have defined ...
- 3
1
vote
3
answers
44
views
Figures not indenting with a custom environment
For my homework questions, I have multiple questions which present proof-type and standard solution-type answers. So as something similar to the standard amsthm \begin{proof}....\end{proof} ...
- 21
0
votes
2
answers
105
views
Remaping align* to \[ or $$
I would like to remap the align* environment to \[ \] or $$ $$.
The reason is that I am using a conceal plugin that removes unnecessary stuff when viewing the code. The issue is that when it removes ...
- 255
0
votes
1
answer
38
views
Automatically set command for each capital letter in `\mathsf`, `\mathbb`, and `\mathcal` [duplicate]
I typically create new commands for every capital letter in \mathsf, \mathbb, and \mathcal.
# Sans-serif capital letters
\newcommand{\Asf}{\mathsf{A}}
\newcommand{\Bsf}{\mathsf{B}}
.
.
.
\newcommand}{\...
- 111
0
votes
2
answers
56
views
Expand macro in options list for environment
I am trying to define some options for an environment using a macro.
\usepackage{tabularray}
....
% previous parameter definition, does not scale
\def\cellax{1}
\def\cellay{2}
\def\cellaw{4}
\def\...
- 107
1
vote
1
answer
49
views
conditionals inside newcommand with multiple argument
This question is an extension of conditionals inside newcommand with empty argument
I have a macro that looks like
\newcommand{\pcs}[3]{{#1}_{#2}^{(#3)}}
It is the third input where I would like to ...
- 199
14
votes
1
answer
609
views
TeX jargon - Difference between "argument" and "parameter" in TeX?
What's the difference between the term "parameter" and the term "argument" in TeX jargon?
Are outermost enclosing pairs of matching curly braces of undelimited arguments to be ...
- 349
3
votes
1
answer
43
views
Prior working macro to bold author names, now causes complex errors
I have long used to below macro, originally adapted from another Answer. This macro is used with BibLaTeX, to automatically bold the provided author.
%------------------------------------------------
%...
- 1,909
17
votes
3
answers
960
views
Can names of defined LaTeX commands be retrieved from a compiled PDF?
I am aware that a compiled PDF typically cannot be decompiled back into LaTeX without using workarounds. However, I am worried about portions of the information available in LaTeX still being ...
- 409
1
vote
1
answer
38
views
Use of \l@addto@macro
I am trying to change the font size of the achemso document class, and I came across this snippet of code on the second answer here: Is it possible to use 12 pt font size in the achemso package?
\let\...
- 11
4
votes
3
answers
108
views
One command/environment for both equation and equation*
I want to define a new command/environment for both equation and equation*, based on whether the content contains \label.
For the following equation,
\begin{mymath}
f = g
\end{mymath}
environment ...
- 85
4
votes
3
answers
149
views
Command gobbling extra letters not working when passed another command
On another topic, I was given the following command as an answer: it takes either a two letter font shape (sc, it...) or a full version (scshape, itshape...) to set the corresponding font shape.
\...
- 4,683
5
votes
4
answers
156
views
Passing macro parameters with \DeclareKeys/\SetKeys
Just as an exercise I'm trying to make a keyval interface to amsthm's \newtheoremstyle in the manner of thmtools, but using the kernel's \DeclareKeys instead of keyval and kvsetkeys. Every argument of ...
- 2,521
2
votes
1
answer
38
views
A command that would always place text at the beginning of the document
I am keeping something like a diary, that helps me keep track of things that I am working on. Occasionally there are some actions (To do's) that need to be taken, which I would like to keep on the ...
- 31
0
votes
1
answer
78
views
Automatically wrap a macro
Is it possible to automatically wrap a macro with its arguments? (or at least do that for macros defined with \NewDocumentCommand, as I guess it might be hard to do it for any macro?) I would like my ...
- 7,407
3
votes
0
answers
63
views
Are there tricks for detecting whether a `\csname..\endcsname`-thingie went wrong and, if so, delivering additional messages explaining the issue?
For the sake of having expandable tokens expanded before stringification I sometimes combine \csname..\endcsname-expansion with \string as in
\chardef\stopromannumeral=`\^^00
\edef\gobbleToPrefix{%
\...
- 26.9k
2
votes
2
answers
29
views
customing mdfdefinedstyle using newcommand
I'm currently experimenting on mdfdefinestyle to achieve different colors without having a hard time to adjust its style or rather renaming it one-by-one.
So, here's the mdfdefinestyle I used,
\...
- 101
1
vote
3
answers
72
views
Branch over number of characters of an argument provided to a macro
I currently have the following command:
\newcommand*{\setfontshape}[1]{\@ifnotmtarg{#1}{\csname#1shape\endcsname}}
that helps me produce the command: \scshape from text sc.
I would like to modify my ...
- 4,683
2
votes
1
answer
100
views
How to shorten a math command in Latex
I am trying to shorten the adaptable bracket size left[ into \l[ (same for \right]).
I have tried both:
\DeclareMathOperator{\l[}{\left[}
\DeclareMathOperator{\r]}{\right]}
and:
\newcommand{\l[}{\...
- 123
1
vote
0
answers
36
views
Descriptive position in document like "in the middle, at the top" etc
In a math book (which is written in a nice, more or less informal tone) from which I don't know if it was really written in LaTeX I found something very interesting. In the text there was written ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
38
views
Compute depth without using any macro
For a library robust-externalize, write in a new file something like:
\newsavebox\boxRobExt%
\savebox{\boxRobExt}{%
my content
}%
\usebox{\boxRobExt}%
% some code to write `\the\dp\boxRobExt` into ...
- 7,407
5
votes
3
answers
310
views
Why isn't my environment restored?
I don't know why, but I tried to follow https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/286089/116348 to redefine an environment like:
\let\answers\questions
\let\endanswers\endquestions
in order to save and restore ...
- 7,407
2
votes
3
answers
107
views
Create a macro to append elements to another macro
General overview
The goal is to make a list of photo credits at the end of a book.
MWE
\documentclass{article}
\newcommand\credittable{} % This command contain the final rendering.
\newcommand{\...
- 2,437
0
votes
0
answers
10
views
Fancyhdr - Missing number treated as zero in chapter [duplicate]
I tried to setup a fresh LaTeX template for my thesis. I wanted to display the chapter number and name as well as the section number and name in the header using fancyhdr following the convention .
...
0
votes
0
answers
49
views
Subscripts and superscripts breaking if used on mathematical formula contained by braces
If I contstruct two different commands capturing a subscription:
\newcommand{\nobraces}{a_b}
\newcommand{\braces}{{a_b}}
then the \nobraces version works according to expectations, when e.g. we want ...
- 1
1
vote
3
answers
92
views
The display math mode and the `center` environment
I have asked a question at How to delete a command in the \BODY macro of environment defined by \NewEnviron about the problem when I try to convert my ex environment to the multi environment of moodle ...
- 51
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
How to unify a number of separate latex articles into a thesis?
I am about to compile a number of different published articles into a single thesis. While each document on its own can compile and produce a PDF, there are several macros files (shorthands for ...
- 633
2
votes
2
answers
61
views
Generating tensor expression with macro
I am trying to create a command that given a comma separated list of subscript indices,
subscript values, superscript indices, superscript values and then name of the tensor generates the following ...
- 381
1
vote
1
answer
21
views
Replacing a block of code with a macro (Beamer)
I use a block of code frequently when I use the Beamer package.
\RequirePackage{etoolbox}
\documentclass[handout, 14pt]{beamer}
\usecolortheme{seahorse}
\begin{document}
# Start of the block
\def\...
- 6,003
-2
votes
2
answers
71
views
Looking for \newcommand code for the following purpose [closed]
Command name resumeAchv
Should look like the following
Achievement name: Achievement description (multiple lines, more text Year of achv should go into multiple lines,...
3
votes
2
answers
97
views
LaTeX macro for summing numbers
I have a very simple LaTeX problem which confuses me. I want to write a macro which creates a running total of given numbers. The answer by Ulrike Fischer here is almost exactly what I want - simple ...
- 161
0
votes
0
answers
31
views
Automatically calculate years of experience from provided start/end dates
I'm very very new to LaTeX and not even sure if this is possible.
\resumeSubheading
{Undergraduate Research Assistant}
{6 Years \& 3 Months} % 1 <---------------...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
33
views
newcommand that includes parse lines
I am trying to typeset a series of verses some which have long lines. I want the long lines to be indented when it overflows to the next line. The package parselines does serve the purpose nicely.
...
- 1,311
1
vote
0
answers
31
views
typesetting equations based on external text file gone wrong [duplicate]
This example reads n lines and prints them out as addition problems.
$ cat equations.txt
8
1 2 3
4 5 9
6 7 13
18 7 25
34 66 100
94 21 115
0 31 31
27 18 45
84 51 135
64 9 73
$ cat equations.tex
\...
- 11
4
votes
3
answers
358
views
Is there a way to add optional and/or named argument to command
I'm writing a handbook for my students and I want to create a command which should draw a task definition, its type and possible features, like source and link to the solution on YouTube.
In my plan ...
0
votes
0
answers
64
views
When to use \NewDocumentCommand vs. \newcommand [duplicate]
I'm a layperson who is wondering about the difference between \NewDocumentCommand and \newcommand. I don't know when to choose one or the other.
I'm asking because The Not So Short Introduction to ...
- 397
0
votes
1
answer
54
views
Stepslist: "Step k of n"
I am trying to come up with a new enumerated list environment "stepslist" such that the items are marked with "Step k of n", where n is the total number of items in one stepslist ...
- 284
1
vote
1
answer
36
views
Making straight quotes in TeX appear as straight quotes in document [duplicate]
So I'm writing a book, and I've used straight quotes (") in my latex files throughout the entire project. Now whenever I compile my document in Overleaf, these, to no ones surprise, come out as ...
5
votes
4
answers
174
views
Trouble with nested macros containing ifnum
I have problems with macros containing ifnum. After using the command \noexpand one macro works fine, nesting two of them does not compile but causes the error message
Extra \fi. \fi
as in the ...
- 147
9
votes
1
answer
341
views
Why can the name of a `MathOperator` have a number?
This does not compile, which is what I'd expect:
\documentclass{amsart}
\newcommand{\G2}{G_2}
%\DeclareMathOperator{\G2}{G_2}
\begin{document}
\(\G2\)
\end{document}
produces
! LaTeX Error: Missing \...
- 1,394
1
vote
1
answer
63
views
Verbatim inside tabular, inside a macro
I would like to achieve a macro which makes a 2x2 table to show example inputs and outputs of a program (test cases). Something like this:
---------------------------
|input | example input |
|-----...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
69
views
Exercise 5.7 in TeX - define control sequences with grouping
I want to solve Exercise 5.7 in the TeXBook by Donald E. Knuth.
Define control sequences **\beginthe**<block name> and **\endthe**<block name>
that provide a “named” block structure.
In ...
- 1
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Why do curly braces break this loop?
I was trying to solve 'Exercise 20.20' from the TeX Book which asks to create a macro \punishment capable of repeating a given sentence n times using the Plain TeX format. My first attempt was the ...
- 183
1
vote
1
answer
16
views
Errors setting up a custom equation environment using \tcbhighmath
Currently, I'm writing a Macros package to store my custom environments and macros for my homework sheets. I'm trying to create a custom environment which I can define within my package (a .sty file), ...
- 21
4
votes
2
answers
220
views
Can I nest the \newcommand command with itself?
Currently, I want to define a command that makes it easy for me to write the usual notation for a set in set theory. Using the \newcommand command, I was able to define the following:
\documentclass{...
- 143
2
votes
1
answer
143
views
Undefining/redefining already defined commands within expl3
I am not sure about the forum protocol regarding when to ask a new question and when to lump it in with an existing one, so I apologize if this is unorthodox. The question stems from ! Missing \...
- 93
0
votes
1
answer
65
views
Convert key-value argument into \str_case comparison
This was the underlying motivation for a previous question of mine. However, after several hours of failure, I decide to ask this problem directly.
The goal
In order to support the four declensions ...
- 7,808
6
votes
4
answers
222
views
Use two comma lists to build a test function using \str_case:nn
Suppose given two comma lists of the same length:
\clist_set:Nn \l__mymodule_keys_clist { key1, key2, key3 }
\clist_set:Nn \l__mymodule_acts_clist { act1, act2, act3 }
How can one convert them into a ...
- 7,808
4
votes
3
answers
318
views
Problem facing when I define a new operator
Working with LaTeX, I want to define a new operator, specifically a projection operator. I am able to define the operator, but it is not working how I want.
This is how I define the operator:
\...
- 75