LaTeX

pHoeNIgS · 09-17-2003, 10:54 AM

hello,
im a newbie user to latex, and my problem is:
how can i disable the thing (i have to discribe this, because i dont know the english word) that at every new paragraph a tab is inserted in the first line of this new paragraph.

thanks

(can u give me the english wort for this "thing", too please, thx)

kev82 · 09-17-2003, 11:10 AM

the word is indent, and to disable it put the macro \noindent at the start of the paragraph.

speter · 09-17-2003, 11:28 AM

You can also redefine \parindent, although you should then adjust \parskip as well. Alternately, you can use a package like this from CTAN.

Steve

pHoeNIgS · 09-17-2003, 11:40 AM

and howto redefine
\parindent
and
\parskip?

in the article.cls ?

and what do i have to do there?

(i think putting \noindent at every paragraph is too much work, but thanks)

speter · 09-17-2003, 11:51 AM

Don't edit article.cls! Make all your changes either in the document preamble (before \begin{document}) or in a separate file and load it with \usepackage{filename}.

For this, I would suggest just putting these lines in your preamble:

\setlength{\parindent}{0pc}
\setlength{\parskip}{1pc plus .1pc}

Change the lengths to whatever you want (pc is pica, which is what I think in; just remember to put some unit of measurement with 0).

Steve

pHoeNIgS · 09-17-2003, 11:58 AM

thanks, this works fine

but, just for interest...why not changing the article.cls

speter · 09-17-2003, 12:09 PM

The main reason is for interoperability. If you hack your class file, and you want to send your article to me to be published, you'd have to send me your class file (which is somewhat large), or I'd have to hack mine to match yours. That of course would change all my other documents.

On the other hand, if you put your changes into the preamble or a new style file (for changes you need often), then you then you don't need to send me as much, and if I send you a file to TeX, it will look the way I intend.

Steve