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I am trying to conditionally-print a List of Figures and List of Tables only when the relevant elements exist. (I started by modifying the solution to this question: Add list of figures/tables only when content)

The following code works for the List of Figures (the first three/last three lines exist because I am modifying an existing thesis class and attempting to make minimal changes; my contribution is the middle two):

\newif\if@figures
\@figurestrue
\def\listoffigures{
  \newbox\tmpboxA\newbox\tmpboxB%
  \setbox\tmpboxA\vbox{\makeatletter\@input{\jobname.lof}}\setbox\tmpboxB\vbox{Figure 1}%
  \ifdim\ht\tmpboxA<\ht\tmpboxB\@figuresfalse\fi
  \if@figures\chapter*{List of Figures\markboth
  {LIST OF FIGURES}{LIST OF FIGURES}}\@starttoc{lof}\fi
}

However, doing the same for the List of Tables does not work:

\newif\if@tables
\@tablestrue
\def\listoftables{
  \newbox\tmpboxA\newbox\tmpboxB%
  \setbox\tmpboxA\vbox{\makeatletter\@input{\jobname.lot}}\setbox\tmpboxB\vbox{Table 1}%
  \ifdim\ht\tmpboxA<\ht\tmpboxB\@tablesfalse\fi
  \if@tables\chapter*{List of Tables\markboth
  {LIST OF TABLES}{LIST OF TABLES}}\@starttoc{lot}\fi
}

I can see that this is because \jobname.lof is empty, while \jobname.lot contains six \addvspace{10pt} (one for each chapter). Is there a way around this/a better way to handle this?

Edit: after cleaning out the directory, the problem seems to be that the \@starttoc command is responsible for generating the files \jobname.lof and \jobname.lot. So testing the size of the list can't work until \@starttoc is called?

Community
  • 1
kyle
  • 449
  • There is certainly a simpler way how to check that there's no table. Anyways: if .lof and .lot differ in the number of lines \addvspace{...} they contain, the class is corrupted since the files should be exactly the same in this manner; it's the top sectioning command (\chapter or \section) that inserts the space there (in both of them by default). Could you add a full MWE? – yo' Mar 12 '15 at 16:29
  • @yo' I'm having trouble figuring out a MWE because the .cls file involved is large, and I'm making only minor edits to it. – kyle Mar 12 '15 at 18:50

1 Answers1

6

I suggest to use the second answer in the linked question and use the totalcount package:

\documentclass[]{article}
\RequirePackage[figure,table]{totalcount}

\begin{document}
\iftotaltables
   \listoftables
\fi

\iftotalfigures
   \listoffigures
\fi

\begin{figure}
blal
\caption{a figure}
\end{figure}
\end{document}
Ulrike Fischer
  • 327,261
  • Well you could try, it is a complete minimal example. (The answer is: it needs three compilations, after the first the boolean for figure is true). – Ulrike Fischer Mar 12 '15 at 17:03
  • Works like a charm, thank you. Although, would it be possible to do this in "raw" TeX/LaTeX, without the package import? It seems like it shouldn't be that hard... famous last words when LaTeX is concerned. – kyle Mar 12 '15 at 18:55
  • Sure copy the code of the package in your class. But imho it is against the spirit of latex not to use (good and useful) packages. – Ulrike Fischer Mar 12 '15 at 19:04
  • Ha! I'm not against using packages, I was just hoping to make a decent, sharable edit that wouldn't rely on outside sources if a handful of lines could avoid it. (as is, I'm only writing one thesis, so omitting the List of Figures/Tables is as simple as not including it) – kyle Mar 12 '15 at 19:13