Tikz vs. babel: Problem with quotation marks and pgfmathsetlengthmacro

Question

I saw some tricks here Problem with babel and tikz using \draw

but it seems I can't use them.
If I say in my MWE
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\usepackage[autostyle=true,german=quotes]{csquotes}

and later
\def\Symbol{X}
\pgfmathsetlengthmacro\symbolwidth{0.5*width("\Symbol")},
he gives me

! Package PGF Math Error: Unknown function `X' (in '0.5*width("X")').

What have I to do?

% I need
% arara: lualatex 
% if this is an important info.
\documentclass{article}
% needed:  ======
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\usepackage[autostyle=true,german=quotes]{csquotes}
% needed:  ======
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{babel}
\def\Symbol{X}
\begin{document}
\section{Quotation Marks}
\enquote{test}
\glqq test 2\grqq
\section{TikZ}
% needed:  ======
\pgfmathsetlengthmacro\symbolwidth{0.5width("\Symbol")}
\pgfmathsetlengthmacro\symbolheight{0.5height("\Symbol")}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x=\symbolwidth, y=\symbolheight]
\node[draw]{\Symbol};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Usage of \Symbol is irrelevant and also csquotes. Apparently the syntax is broken even if the babel library is used. — egreg, Jun 12 '20 at 17:11

egreg · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-12T17:33:38.657

3

The babel library enters the scene only inside a tikzpicture (thanks to Ulrike Fischer for pointing it out).

The problem is independent of \Symbol (also the simple X triggers the error) and of csquotes.

Workaround: use \string".

\documentclass{article}
% needed:  ======
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\usepackage[autostyle=true,german=quotes]{csquotes}
% needed:  ======
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{babel}
\def\Symbol{X}
\begin{document}
\section{Quotation Marks}
%\enquote{test}
\glqq test 2\grqq
\section{TikZ}
% needed:  ======
\pgfmathsetlengthmacro\symbolwidth{0.5width(\string"\Symbol\string")}
\pgfmathsetlengthmacro\symbolheight{0.5height(\string"\Symbol\string")}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x=\symbolwidth, y=\symbolheight]
\node[draw] at (0,0) {\Symbol};
\node[draw] at (4,0) {\Symbol};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

edited Jun 12 '20 at 17:33

answered Jun 12 '20 at 17:17

egreg

1,121,712

1

the babel library changes " inside tikzpicture (and there the pgf command would work). – Ulrike Fischer Jun 12 '20 at 17:30
1

@UlrikeFischer Yes, that's the reason, but apparently the OP wants to use it before the tikzpicture. – egreg Jun 12 '20 at 17:32
1

yes, but in this case you have to do what you always have to do if the active chars interferes: Use \shorthandoff (or string as you suggested) – Ulrike Fischer Jun 12 '20 at 17:45

Tikz vs. babel: Problem with quotation marks and pgfmathsetlengthmacro

1 Answers1