Problem with symbol list

Question

I'm using TeX Live. I have a book style file and I want to have a symbol list before the table of contents. There is a good code in this site for the symbol list that written by Heiko Oberdiek in List of Symbols? (the example file). But this have a problem. This list doesn't appear in the first of file. How can I print the list in the first of the file?

Welcome to TeX.SX! Of course, it is always a good idea to use code, written by me. ;-) What do you mean with "first of file"? Can you make an example? — Heiko Oberdiek, Aug 08 '15 at 06:27
Thank you Dear Oberdicek, I mean that, I define a new symbol in chapter 1 or chapter 2, etc., I want to create list before chapter 1, in the other words, first, I want to run \printsymblist and then I want to use \newmathsymb{}{}, such as table of content. — m h Akrami, Aug 08 '15 at 07:31
If \printsymblist is used before any symbol has been added with \newmathsymbol then it's indeed an empty list. The labels are there, but nothing is printed, apart from the header — , Aug 08 '15 at 08:04
The reason is, that \printsymblist wants to show \symb@list but this is empty at the beginning of the document. — , Aug 08 '15 at 08:10

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:35

If the symbols are used before they are defined, then the definitions must go into the .aux file. In comparison to my answer for question "List of Symbols?", I have now split \new@symb in two parts. \new@symb writes the definition in the .aux file and sets the \label. It also defines the symbol, if it was not yet read from the .aux file.

\newcommand*{\new@symb}[3]{%
  \@bsphack
  \if@filesw
    \protected@write\@auxout{}{%
      \string\new@aux@symb{#1}{%
        \detokenize\expandafter{\unexpanded{#2}}%
      }{%
        \detokenize\expandafter{\unexpanded{#3}}%
      }%
    }%
  \fi
  \label{symb:#1}%
  \@ifundefined{symb:#1}{%
    \expandafter\gdef\csname symb:#1\endcsname{#2}%
  }{}%
  \@esphack
}

The macro \new@aux@symb in the .aux file defines the symbol and puts it to the symbol list:

\newcommand*{\new@aux@symb}[3]{%
  \g@addto@macro{\symb@list}{\symb@do{#1}{#2}{#3}}%
  \expandafter\gdef\csname symb:#1\endcsname{#2}%
  \begingroup
    \settowidth{\dimen@}{#2}%
    \ifdim\dimen@>\symb@maxwidth
      \global\symb@maxwidth=\dimen@
    \fi
  \endgroup
}

A default definition for \new@aux@symb is provided in the .aux file via package auxhook for the case, the .aux file is used without proper definition of \new@aux@symb:

\usepackage{auxhook}
\AddLineBeginAux{%
  \string\providecommand\string\new@aux@symb[3]{}%
}

Full example file:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\usepackage[
  hmargin=25mm,
]{geometry}
\usepackage{supertabular}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{textcomp}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{auxhook}
\AddLineBeginAux{%
  \string\providecommand\string\new@aux@symb[3]{}%
}
\newcommand*{\symb@list}{}
\newlength{\symb@maxwidth}
\newlength{\symb@meaning}
\newcommand*{\new@aux@symb}[3]{%
  \g@addto@macro{\symb@list}{\symb@do{#1}{#2}{#3}}%
  \expandafter\gdef\csname symb:#1\endcsname{#2}%
  \begingroup
    \settowidth{\dimen@}{#2}%
    \ifdim\dimen@>\symb@maxwidth
      \global\symb@maxwidth=\dimen@
    \fi
  \endgroup
}
\newcommand*{\new@symb}[3]{%
  \@bsphack
  \if@filesw
    \protected@write\@auxout{}{%
      \string\new@aux@symb{#1}{%
        \detokenize\expandafter{\unexpanded{#2}}%
      }{%
        \detokenize\expandafter{\unexpanded{#3}}%
      }%
    }%
  \fi
  \label{symb:#1}%
  \@ifundefined{symb:#1}{%
    \expandafter\gdef\csname symb:#1\endcsname{#2}%
  }{}%
  \@esphack
}
\newcommand*{\newmathsymb}[3]{%
  \new@symb{#1}{\ensuremath{#2}}{#3}%
}
\newcommand*{\newtextsymb}{%
  \@dblarg\symb@newtext
}
\def\symb@newtext[#1]#2#3{%
  \new@symb{#1}{#2}{#3}%
}
\newcommand*{\symb}[1]{%
  \@ifundefined{symb:#1}{%
    \@latex@error{Symbol `#1' is undefined}\@ehc
  }{%
    \csname symb:#1\endcsname
  }%
}
% List of symbols
\newcommand*{\symb@head}[1]{\textbf{\large#1}}
\newcommand*{\printsymblist}{%
  \twocolumn[%
    \section*{%
      \centering
      List of Symbols, Abbreviations, and Notation%
    }%
  ]%  
  \thispagestyle{empty}% optional
  \renewcommand*{\arraystretch}{1.1}%
  \settowidth{\dimen@}{\symb@head{Symbol}}%
  \ifdim\dimen@>\symb@maxwidth
    \global\symb@maxwidth\dimen@
  \fi
  \setlength{\symb@meaning}{\linewidth}%
  \addtolength{\symb@meaning}{-\symb@maxwidth}%
  \settowidth{\dimen@}{\symb@head{Page}}%
  \addtolength{\symb@meaning}{-\dimen@}% 
  \addtolength{\symb@meaning}{-4\tabcolsep}%
  \tablehead{%
    \symb@head{Symbol} & \symb@head{Meaning} & \symb@head{Page}\\[.5ex]%
  }%
  \begin{supertabular}{@{}p{\symb@maxwidth}p{\symb@meaning}c@{}}%
    \symb@list
  \end{supertabular}%
  \clearpage
  \onecolumn
}
\newcommand*{\symb@do}[3]{%
  #2&%
  \sbox0{%
    \renewcommand*{\arraystretch}{1}%
    \begin{tabular}[t]{@{}p{\symb@meaning}@{}}%
      \raggedright
      #3%
    \end{tabular}%
  }%
  \sbox2{%
    \renewcommand*{\arraystretch}{1}%
    \begin{tabular}[b]{@{}b{\symb@meaning}@{}}%
      \raggedright
      #3%
    \end{tabular}%
  }%
  \usebox0 %
  \xdef\symb@raise{\the\dimexpr\ht0-\ht2}%
  &\raisebox{\symb@raise}{\pageref{symb:#1}}\tabularnewline
}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\printsymblist

\setcounter{page}{40}
\newmathsymb{ABline}{\overleftrightarrow{AB}}{line $AB$}
Text with \symb{ABline} in text mode.
\begin{equation}
  \symb{ABline} = \symb{ABline}
\end{equation}
\newpage
\newmathsymb{ABsegment}{\overline{AB}}{line segment $AB$}
Text with \symb{ABsegment}.
\newmathsymb{AB}{AB}{the length of \symb{ABsegment}}
\newmathsymb{ABray}{\overrightarrow{AB}}{ray $AB$}  
\newpage
\newmathsymb{angleABC}{\angle ABC}{angle $ABC$}
Text with \symb{angleABC}.

\newcommand*{\test}[1]{%
  \newpage
  \setcounter{page}{#1}%
  Dummy text.%
}
\test{42}\newtextsymb{degree}{\textdegree}{degree}
\test{88}\newmathsymb{approx}{\approx}{approximately equal to}
\test{108}\newmathsymb{pi}{\pi}{pi}
\test{186}\newmathsymb{if p then q}{p \Rightarrow q}{if $p$, then $q$}
\test{189}\newmathsymb{p iff q}{p \Leftrightarrow q}{$p$ if and only if $q$}
\test{198}\newtextsymb{HL}{Hypotenuse-Leg Congruence Theorem}
\test{198}\newtextsymb[CP]{C.P.}{\textbf{C}orresponding \textbf{P}arts
  of Congruent Triangles Are Congruent}
\test{199}\newtextsymb{ASA}{Angle-Side-Angle Congruence Postulate}
\test{298}\newmathsymb{a:b}{a\colon b}{ratio $\frac{a}{b}$}
\test{309}\newtextsymb{AAA}{Angle-Angle-Angle Similarity Postulate}
\test{309}\newtextsymb{AA}{Angle-Angle Similarity Theorem}
\test{310}\newtextsymb{SAS}{Side-Angle-Side Similarity Theorem}{310}
\test{311}\newtextsymb{LL}{Leg-Leg Similarity Theorem}
\test{541}\newmathsymb{>}{>}{is greater than}
\test{541}\newmathsymb{<}{<}{is less than}   
\test{541}\newmathsymb{<=}{\neq}{is less than or equal to}
\test{541}\newmathsymb{>=}{\geq}{is greater than or equal to}
\test{562}\newmathsymb{dT}{d_T}{taxicab distance}{562}
\test{562}\newmathsymb{dE}{d_E}{Euclidian distance}{562}

\end{document}

Refinement: Adding warnings

The previous version does not warn, when a symbol has changed, for example. This is fixed by using LaTeX's internal label interface via macro \@newl@bel, which makes the global definition (now with prefix \SYMB@ instead of the former \symb:) and which is redefined at the end of the document by LaTeX to check the symbol definitions for changes, when the .aux file is reread.

Refined example:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\usepackage[
  hmargin=25mm,
]{geometry}
\usepackage{supertabular}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{textcomp}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{auxhook}
\AddLineBeginAux{%
  \string\providecommand\string\new@aux@symb[3]{}%
}
\newcommand*{\symb@list}{}
\newlength{\symb@maxwidth}
\newlength{\symb@meaning}
\newcommand*{\new@aux@symb}[3]{%
  \g@addto@macro{\symb@list}{\symb@do{#1}{#2}{#3}}%
  \@newl@bel{SYMB}{#1}{#2}%
  \begingroup
    \settowidth{\dimen@}{#2}%
    \ifdim\dimen@>\symb@maxwidth
      \global\symb@maxwidth=\dimen@
    \fi
  \endgroup
}
\newcommand*{\new@symb}[3]{%
  \@bsphack
  \if@filesw
    \protected@write\@auxout{}{%
      \string\new@aux@symb{#1}{%
        \detokenize\expandafter{\unexpanded{#2}}%
      }{%
        \detokenize\expandafter{\unexpanded{#3}}%
      }%
    }%
  \fi
  \label{symb:#1}%
%  \@ifundefined{SYMB@#1}{%
%    \expandafter\gdef\csname SYMB@#1\endcsname{#2}%
%  }{}%
  \@esphack
}
\newcommand*{\newmathsymb}[3]{%
  \new@symb{#1}{\ensuremath{#2}}{#3}%
}
\newcommand*{\newtextsymb}{%
  \@dblarg\symb@newtext
}
\def\symb@newtext[#1]#2#3{%
  \new@symb{#1}{#2}{#3}%
}
\newcommand*{\symb}[1]{%
  \@ifundefined{SYMB@#1}{%
    \@latex@warning{Symbol `#1' is undefined}%
    \nfss@text{\textbf{??}}%
  }{%
    \csname SYMB@#1\endcsname
  }%
}
% List of symbols
\newcommand*{\symb@head}[1]{\textbf{\large#1}}
\newcommand*{\printsymblist}{%
  \twocolumn[%
    \section*{%
      \centering
      List of Symbols, Abbreviations, and Notation%
    }%
  ]%  
  \thispagestyle{empty}% optional
  \renewcommand*{\arraystretch}{1.1}%
  \settowidth{\dimen@}{\symb@head{Symbol}}%
  \ifdim\dimen@>\symb@maxwidth
    \global\symb@maxwidth\dimen@
  \fi
  \setlength{\symb@meaning}{\linewidth}%
  \addtolength{\symb@meaning}{-\symb@maxwidth}%
  \settowidth{\dimen@}{\symb@head{Page}}%
  \addtolength{\symb@meaning}{-\dimen@}% 
  \addtolength{\symb@meaning}{-4\tabcolsep}%
  \tablehead{%
    \symb@head{Symbol} & \symb@head{Meaning} & \symb@head{Page}\\[.5ex]%
  }%
  \begin{supertabular}{@{}p{\symb@maxwidth}p{\symb@meaning}c@{}}%
    \symb@list
  \end{supertabular}%
  \clearpage
  \onecolumn
}
\newcommand*{\symb@do}[3]{%
  #2&%
  \sbox0{%
    \renewcommand*{\arraystretch}{1}%
    \begin{tabular}[t]{@{}p{\symb@meaning}@{}}%
      \raggedright
      #3%
    \end{tabular}%
  }%
  \sbox2{%
    \renewcommand*{\arraystretch}{1}%
    \begin{tabular}[b]{@{}b{\symb@meaning}@{}}%
      \raggedright
      #3%
    \end{tabular}%
  }%
  \usebox0 %
  \xdef\symb@raise{\the\dimexpr\ht0-\ht2}%
  &\raisebox{\symb@raise}{\pageref{symb:#1}}\tabularnewline
}
\makeatother


\begin{document}
\printsymblist

\setcounter{page}{40}
\newmathsymb{ABline}{\overleftrightarrow{AB}}{line $AB$}
Text with \symb{ABline} in text mode.
\begin{equation}
  \symb{ABline} = \symb{ABline}
\end{equation}
\newpage
\newmathsymb{ABsegment}{\overline{AB}}{line segment $AB$}
Text with \symb{ABsegment}.
\newmathsymb{AB}{AB}{the length of \symb{ABsegment}}
\newmathsymb{ABray}{\overrightarrow{AB}}{ray $AB$}  
\newpage
\newmathsymb{angleABC}{\angle ABC}{angle $ABC$}
Text with \symb{angleABC}.

\newcommand*{\test}[1]{%
  \newpage
  \setcounter{page}{#1}%
  Dummy text.%
}
\test{42}\newtextsymb{degree}{\textdegree}{degree}
\test{88}\newmathsymb{approx}{\approx}{approximately equal to}
\test{108}\newmathsymb{pi}{\pi}{pi}
\test{186}\newmathsymb{if p then q}{p \Rightarrow q}{if $p$, then $q$}
\test{189}\newmathsymb{p iff q}{p \Leftrightarrow q}{$p$ if and only if $q$}
\test{198}\newtextsymb{HL}{Hypotenuse-Leg Congruence Theorem}
\test{198}\newtextsymb[CP]{C.P.}{\textbf{C}orresponding \textbf{P}arts
  of Congruent Triangles Are Congruent}
\test{199}\newtextsymb{ASA}{Angle-Side-Angle Congruence Postulate}
\test{298}\newmathsymb{a:b}{a\colon b}{ratio $\frac{a}{b}$}
\test{309}\newtextsymb{AAA}{Angle-Angle-Angle Similarity Postulate}
\test{309}\newtextsymb{AA}{Angle-Angle Similarity Theorem}
\test{310}\newtextsymb{SAS}{Side-Angle-Side Similarity Theorem}{310}
\test{311}\newtextsymb{LL}{Leg-Leg Similarity Theorem}
\test{541}\newmathsymb{>}{>}{is greater than}
\test{541}\newmathsymb{<}{<}{is less than}   
\test{541}\newmathsymb{<=}{\neq}{is less than or equal to}
\test{541}\newmathsymb{>=}{\geq}{is greater than or equal to}
\test{562}\newmathsymb{dT}{d_T}{taxicab distance}{562}
\test{562}\newmathsymb{dE}{d_E}{Euclidian distance}{562}

\end{document}

Problem with symbol list

1 Answers1

Refinement: Adding warnings

Linked