label shifting behavior in tikz vs tikz-cd

Question

I have a tikz picture that has labels, and the labels are in the correct place. However when I put the {tikzpicture} inside a {tikzcd} environment, the position of the labels shifts noticeably up, and they are no longer in the position I want. It would be easy enough to solve this by not using the {tikzcd} environment, but I want this picture to be part of a larger commuting diagram. So my question is,

How do I force the labels to stay in the same place when I place a {tikzpicture} inside a {tikzcd}?

I've included a stripped-down version of my code below.

\documentclass[11pt]{amsart}
\usepackage{fouriernc} % Fourier fonts instead of Computer Modern
\usepackage{PageSetup}      % general setup
\usepackage{tikz, tikz-cd}

% art style for graphs
\newcommand*{\bigradius}{2.7em} % radius of a circle-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\biggerradius}{6.0em} % radius of a really big circle-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\dist}{4em} % separation between nodes of a line-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\distshort}{3.25em} % separation between nodes of a line-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\labeloffset}{1em} % spacing between the edges and their labels
\newcommand*{\vertexlabeloffset}{1.5em} % spacing between the vertices and their labels
\newcommand*{\littleradius}{.4em} % radius of the vertices
\newcommand*{\straightpathwidth}{.17em} % width of a straight path (needs to be slightly thicker than a curved path)
\newcommand*{\curvedpathwidth}{.14em}

\begin{document}

    Correct:

    \begin{tikzpicture}
    % the BIG circle
    \draw[black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (0,0) circle (\biggerradius);
    % vertices
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 90:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (120:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (150:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (180:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (210:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (240:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (270:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (300:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (330:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (  0:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 30:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 60:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    % labels
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 90:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_1$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 75:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_1$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 45:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_1$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 30:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_2$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 15:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_2$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (345:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_2$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (330:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_3$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (315:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_3$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (285:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_3$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (270:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_4$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (255:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_4$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (225:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_4$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (210:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_5$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (195:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_5$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (165:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_5$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (150:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_6$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (135:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_6$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (105:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_6$};
    \end{tikzpicture}

    Incorrect:

    \begin{tikzcd}
        \begin{tikzpicture}
        % the BIG circle
        \draw[black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (0,0) circle (\biggerradius);
        % vertices
        \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 90:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (120:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (150:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (180:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (210:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (240:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (270:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (300:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (330:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (  0:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 30:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 60:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
        % labels
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 90:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_1$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 75:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_1$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 45:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_1$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 30:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_2$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 15:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_2$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (345:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_2$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (330:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_3$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (315:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_3$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (285:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_3$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (270:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_4$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (255:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_4$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (225:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_4$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (210:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_5$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (195:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_5$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (165:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_5$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (150:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_6$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (135:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_6$};
        \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (105:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_6$};
        \end{tikzpicture}
    \end{tikzcd}



\end{document}

It gives this result:

Welcome to TeX.SX! Nesting a tikzpicture in another one is highly unrecommended. — egreg, Nov 25 '18 at 10:29
Thanks for the pointer! I seem to be getting the same problem with the subfigure environment as well. Is there a good environment for positioning several pictures with arrows between them, or captions below, that doesn't come highly unrecommended? — Cary, Nov 25 '18 at 10:34
Yes, subfigure is also deprecated, but the strange behavior is explained by nesting tikzpictures, as @egreg pointed out. If you put the ikzpicture into as \savebox, the issues will disappear. — , Nov 25 '18 at 10:37

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 25 '18 at 17:55

Welcome to TeX.SE! As pointed out by @egreg, and as is explained in more detail in this thread, you should try to avoid nesting tikzpictures.

I am assuming now that you want to make the tikzpicture part of a commutative diagram. Then, as suggested here, you may want to put the tikzpicture into a \savebox, such that is safe from the pgf keys of the ambient tikzpicture.

\documentclass[11pt]{amsart}
% \usepackage{fouriernc} % Fourier fonts instead of Computer Modern
% \usepackage{PageSetup}      % general setup
\usepackage{tikz, tikz-cd}

% art style for graphs
\newcommand*{\bigradius}{2.7em} % radius of a circle-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\biggerradius}{6.0em} % radius of a really big circle-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\dist}{4em} % separation between nodes of a line-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\distshort}{3.25em} % separation between nodes of a line-shaped graph
\newcommand*{\labeloffset}{1em} % spacing between the edges and their labels
\newcommand*{\vertexlabeloffset}{1.5em} % spacing between the vertices and their labels
\newcommand*{\littleradius}{.4em} % radius of the vertices
\newcommand*{\straightpathwidth}{.17em} % width of a straight path (needs to be slightly thicker than a curved path)
\newcommand*{\curvedpathwidth}{.14em}

\newsavebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics
\begin{document}

    Correct:

\savebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics{\begin{tikzpicture}
    % the BIG circle
    \draw[black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (0,0) circle (\biggerradius);
    % vertices
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 90:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (120:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (150:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (180:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (210:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (240:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (270:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (300:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (330:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] (  0:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=black, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 30:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    \filldraw[fill=white, draw=black, line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 60:\biggerradius) circle (\littleradius);
    % labels
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 90:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_1$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 75:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_1$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 45:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_1$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 30:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_2$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] ( 15:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_2$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (345:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_2$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (330:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_3$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (315:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_3$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (285:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_3$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (270:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_4$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (255:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_4$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (225:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_4$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (210:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_5$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (195:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_5$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (165:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_5$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (150:\biggerradius - \vertexlabeloffset) node {$P_6$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (135:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_6$};
    \draw[line width=\curvedpathwidth] (105:\biggerradius + \vertexlabeloffset) node {$B_6$};
    \end{tikzpicture}}
\usebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics 

    Now correct:

    \begin{tikzcd}
        \vcenter{\hbox{\usebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics}}    \arrow[r] 
        \arrow[d]
            & \vcenter{\hbox{\usebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics}} \arrow[d]
        \\
        \vcenter{\hbox{\usebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics}}    \arrow[r] 
            & \vcenter{\hbox{\usebox\IshouldNeveNestTikzPics}}
    \end{tikzcd}
\end{document}

This was exactly what I needed. The \vcenter and \hbox wrappers seem essential for the arrows to end up in the correct place, I'm not sure why but I'm very happy that the code actually works. Thank you! — Cary, Nov 26 '18 at 08:48

label shifting behavior in tikz vs tikz-cd

1 Answers1