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I am interested in using the verse environment for a song book. There are many double columns ({multicols}{2}) and it is A5 paper, so in order to maximise the use of horizontal space on the page, I do not want the indentation on either side of the verse environment. Is it best to use the verse package?

ahorn
  • 673
  • If you want to adjust the indent only for some but not all verses, here is an approach that could be adapted: http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/281348/indent-block-within-verse-environment/281357#281357 – Steven B. Segletes Jul 13 '16 at 16:13

1 Answers1

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The definition of verse in article is, in full

\newenvironment{verse}
               {\let\\\@centercr
                \list{}{\itemsep      \z@
                        \itemindent   -1.5em%
                        \listparindent\itemindent
                        \rightmargin  \leftmargin
                        \advance\leftmargin 1.5em}%
                \item\relax}
               {\endlist}

so you could use

\makeatletter
\renewenvironment{verse}
               {\let\\\@centercr
                \list{}{\itemsep      \z@
                        \itemindent   -1.5em%
                        \listparindent\itemindent
                        \rightmargin  \leftmargin
                        \advance\leftmargin 1.5em}%
                \item\relax}
               {\endlist}
\makeatother

and change the two instances of 1.5em to whatever you want.

David Carlisle
  • 757,742
  • Thanks. Now I want to change the inter-paragraph spacing. I'm guessing it's to do with \itemsep. What does \z@ do? – ahorn Jul 13 '16 at 16:18
  • @ahorn: See What does \z@ do? – Werner Jul 13 '16 at 16:29
  • @ahorn If you refer to spacing between stanzas within a verse environment and are using the reledmac package, then this question can help: http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/302770/how-can-i-set-a-skip-between-stanzas – Steven B. Segletes Jul 13 '16 at 16:35
  • I decided to use the verse package. Where did you find the definition of verse? I want to look up the definition of other environments. I think quote is defined in TeX, because I cannot find it in source2e.pdf. – ahorn Jul 14 '16 at 07:05
  • @ahorn as I said, in article.cls quote is in the same place and even simpler \newenvironment{quote} {\list{}{\rightmargin\leftmargin}\item\relax} {\endlist} – David Carlisle Jul 14 '16 at 09:01
  • Whenever I try to use your \renewenvironment{verse} code, I get an error when I call verse with the optional verse parameter as in:

    \begin{verse}[\versewidth]

    Any thoughts?

     – RosesBouquet Jan 02 '22 at 08:12
  • @RosesBouquet the verse enviornment in article class and this answer have no optional argument – David Carlisle Jan 02 '22 at 10:13