How to compile pseudocode into pdf without margins?

Question

I want to compile a pseudocode for an algorithm into a separate pdf and then include it into my main document as a figure. However, the compiled pseudocode gets compiled into a pdf with margins and I have not been able to crop it (other than manually) to fit into a tighter box. I used pdfcrop to try to get rid of the white space, but it only removes white space at the top, left, and right, but not the bottom. I would like to be able to compile it so that it has no margins and not to have to do it manually every time I change a comma in the pseudocode.
Here is an example:

\documentclass[10pt]{article}
\usepackage{algorithm}
\usepackage{algorithmic}
\begin{document}
  \begin{algorithm}[h!]
    \begin{algorithmic}
    \caption{Precomputing densities}
    \label{alg:densities}
      \FOR{$i = 1 \to n$}
        \STATE $\mathrm{sums}[i][i] \gets 0$
      \ENDFOR
    \end{algorithmic}
  \end{algorithm}
\end{document}

Any advice?

Tried using preview: produces an "Undefined control sequence." on the line with \begin{algorithm}. — lynxoid, Nov 03 '11 at 15:49
Your trimming via pdfcrop probably includes the page number. Use \pagestyle{empty} for such stand-alone instances. — Werner, Nov 03 '11 at 15:53
That's it - removing the page number allows pdfcrop to crop it properly! Thanks a lot! — lynxoid, Nov 03 '11 at 15:57
My hunch was to instead use the document class standalone but when I try it I get "LaTeX Error: Not in outer par mode." — N.N., Nov 03 '11 at 16:00
yes - I tried that too and apparently standalone does not approve of algorithm environment inside the doc — lynxoid, Nov 03 '11 at 16:04
I think it's due to the algorithm environment being a float, see http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/33566/how-to-compile-pseudocode-into-pdf-without-margins — N.N., Nov 03 '11 at 16:06
Yup. If you take it out of the algorithm environment you can compile it. You lose the caption though. — qubyte, Nov 18 '11 at 02:56
@N.N.: Your link takes me back to this question. Which question are you referring to? — qubyte, Nov 18 '11 at 02:57

score 13 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 03 '11 at 16:07

13

Have you tried this with

\pagestyle{emtpy}

just below \begin{document}? This may get rid of something in the footer that pdfcrop is having trouble with.

edited Nov 03 '11 at 16:07

cmhughes

100,947

answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:50

qubyte

17,299

It worked - removed the page number and pdfcrop cropped it alright. Thanks! – lynxoid Nov 03 '11 at 15:57
That was my first ever post! You're very welcome. Glad I could help. – qubyte Nov 03 '11 at 16:03

How to compile pseudocode into pdf without margins?

1 Answers1