[SOLVED] setlength on various latex parameters

Faki · 09-28-2022, 06:44 PM

Have been changing the length of "\medskipamount" using "\newcommand"

Thus I have

Code:

\newcommand{\mdvl}[1]{\setlength\medskipamount{#1}}

Then for three paragraphs I do

Code:

To prove it by contradiction try and assume that the statement is false,
proceed from there and at some point you will arrive to a
contradiction.

\mdvl{2cm}
\medskip
To prove it by contradiction try and assume that the statement is false,
proceed from there and at some point you will arrive to a contradiction.

\mdvl{3cm}
\medskip
To prove it by contradiction try and assume that the statement is false,
proceed from there and at some point you will arrive to a contradiction.

Which produces a "2cm" vertical skip between "Paragraph 1" and "Paragraph 2", and a "3cm" vertical skip between "Paragraph 2" and "Paragraph 3". All this displays as expected.

Changing to

Code:

\newcommand{\mdvll}[1]{\setlength{\medskipamount}{#1}}

gives same results as using "\mdvl".

Then this gives a fail

Code:

\newcommand{\galex-mdvlll}[1]{\setlength{\medskipamount{#1}}}

Code:

! Missing number, treated as zero.
<to be read again> 
{
l.313 \medskip

So the last command is certainly wrong.

Thus, one can either use

Code:

\setlength\medskipamount{#1}

or

Code:

\setlength{\medskipamount}{#1}

Have gone through the "latex2e" code, and have seen the use of both ways. Is one preferred over the other? Which do people consider best for readability?

Most times I have seen

Code:

\setlength\medskipamount{#1}

rtmistler · 09-28-2022, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faki

Have seen changes to "\medskipamount" like this

Code:

\newcommand{\lex-mdv}[1]{\setlength{\medskipamount{#1}}}

But also noticed things like this

Code:

\newcommand{\lex-flmv}{\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}}

Is there a preferred way?

Can you please describe what these differences in syntax do to your test data?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faki

Have also been considering

Code:

\newcommand{\lex-mdv}[1]{\setlength{\medskipamount}{#1}}}

and

Code:

\newcommand{\lex-mdv}[1]{\setlength\medskipamount{#1}}

I have the same follow-up question, which is what do these different syntax do to your input data and what specific questions do you have about those differences?

Apologies, but it is difficult to formulate an answer when there's no input and output example data.

rtmistler · 09-28-2022, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faki

Have been changing the length of "\medskipamount" using "\newcommand"

Thus I have

Code:

\newcommand{\mdvl}[1]{\setlength\medskipamount{#1}}

Then for three paragraphs I do

Code:

To prove it by contradiction try and assume that the statement is false,
proceed from there and at some point you will arrive to a
contradiction.

\mdvl{2cm}
\medskip
To prove it by contradiction try and assume that the statement is false,
proceed from there and at some point you will arrive to a contradiction.

\mdvl{3cm}
\medskip
To prove it by contradiction try and assume that the statement is false,
proceed from there and at some point you will arrive to a contradiction.

Which produces a "2cm" vertical skip between "Paragraph 1" and "Paragraph 2", and a "3cm" vertical skip between "Paragraph 2" and "Paragraph 3". All this displays as expected.

Changing to

Code:

\newcommand{\mdvll}[1]{\setlength{\medskipamount}{#1}}

gives same results as using "\mdvl".

Then this gives a fail

Code:

\newcommand{\galex-mdvlll}[1]{\setlength{\medskipamount{#1}}}

Code:

! Missing number, treated as zero.
<to be read again> 
{
l.313 \medskip

So the last command is certainly wrong.

Thus, one can either use

Code:

\setlength\medskipamount{#1}

or

Code:

\setlength{\medskipamount}{#1}

Have gone through the "latex2e" code, and have seen the use of both ways. Is one preferred over the other? Which do people consider best for readability?

Most times I have seen

Code:

\setlength\medskipamount{#1}

The two legal syntax forms are equivalent except one term amplifies precedence where it doesn't affect the output. That is simply coding style and not a right or wrong question. Naming the matrix differently is nothing critical.

Faki · 09-29-2022, 08:14 AM

Why does enclosing a command in "{ }" errenous?

Code:

{\medskipamount{#1}}

rtmistler · 09-29-2022, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faki

Why does enclosing a command in "{ }" errenous?

Code:

{\medskipamount{#1}}

When adding brackets incorrectly regarding syntax rules, it results in a parse error.

For certain languages there are parse checkers which sometimes are more helpful than a default tool, however I have no idea here if ther are any tools beyond the default ones. Barring that you'd have to read the term specific syntax.

Or use trial and error. But when using trial and error it is unfair to question why exactly something didn't work.