Is it possible to make Latex restart the figure counter whenever a section is used?

Question

I know i can use \setcounter{figure}{0} to achieve want i want but this would mean i have to add this command after every section. I was wondering if its possible to write a command such that every time i use \section{}, it automatically sets the figure numbering to 0.

Like: If \section{} used, then \setcounter{figure}{0}

I would like the figures to show up as Figure 1-1 so the chngctr package doesnt work.

Welcome to TeX.SE. Please clarify how the figure numbers should be displayed: (a) as 1, 2, 3, etc each time a new section begins, or as n.1, n.2, n.3, etc, where the previx number n is the number of the associated section. — Mico, Sep 22 '21 at 15:32

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 22 '21 at 15:43

3

LaTeX has the command \counterwithin for this:

\documentclass{article}
\counterwithin{figure}{section}
\begin{document}
\section{First}
\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\fbox{FIRST}
\caption{First}
\end{figure}
\section{Second}
\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\fbox{SECOND}
\caption{Second}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

answered Sep 22 '21 at 15:43

Ulrike Fischer

327,261

is there a way to change the "." to "-" in the counterwithin? – Austin Benny Sep 22 '21 at 15:45
you can always redefine \thefigure, that is quite independant. E.g. \renewcommand\thefigure{\thesection--\arabic{figure}} – Ulrike Fischer Sep 22 '21 at 15:50

Steven B. Segletes · Answer 2 · 2021-09-22T15:50:32.073

0

I save a copy of \section and then redefine it so that resets the figure counter immediately prior to calling on the saved copy of \section.

To change the style of the typeset figure number, renew the definition of \thefigure, done here as \renewcommand\thefigure{\thesection--\arabic{figure}}, so that the first figure of each new section will have the number <section number>--1. (also works with appendices).

\documentclass{article}
\let\svsection\section
\def\section{\setcounter{figure}{0}\svsection}
\renewcommand\thefigure{\thesection--\arabic{figure}}
\begin{document}
\section{First}
\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\fbox{FIRST}
\caption{First}
\end{figure}
\section{Second}
\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\fbox{SECOND}
\caption{Second}
\end{figure}
\begin{appendix}
\section{Appendix}
\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\fbox{APPENDIX}
\caption{Appendix}
\end{figure}
\end{appendix}
\end{document}

edited Sep 22 '21 at 15:50

answered Sep 22 '21 at 15:31

Steven B. Segletes

237,551

Thanks! THis is almost perfect but it doesnt work with Appendices where the Section is not a number but a letter – Austin Benny Sep 22 '21 at 15:46
@AustinBenny Without a sample code from you, it may depend. Perhaps this as an alternative may work: \renewcommand\thefigure{\thesection--\arabic{figure}}. If not, let me know. – Steven B. Segletes Sep 22 '21 at 15:47
1

that works! thanks – Austin Benny Sep 22 '21 at 15:50
@AustinBenny Please see my edit. – Steven B. Segletes Sep 22 '21 at 15:50
latex counters have a built in mechanism to reset all subordinate counters – David Carlisle Sep 22 '21 at 15:51
well LaTeX can reset counters, you know that from sections in chapter or subsections in sections. So patching is really not needed. – Ulrike Fischer Sep 22 '21 at 15:52
@DavidCarlisle I think I am missing your point. – Steven B. Segletes Sep 22 '21 at 15:54
you should not redefine \section, just specify that whenever section counter is incremented that figure resets just the same way that subsection resets. – David Carlisle Sep 22 '21 at 15:56
@DavidCarlisle Well, since I "redefine" it without the use of arguments, I sort of don't consider it as redefining it. But more to your point, I'm not sure I know how to automatically reset figure by way of \stepcounter{section}. Though perhaps you refer to Mico's answer. – Steven B. Segletes Sep 22 '21 at 15:58
@UlrikeFischer I acknowledge the correctness of your answer, in preference to this one...but that's not how I did it. – Steven B. Segletes Sep 22 '21 at 16:02
Yes I meant Mico's answer for old timers (like me:-) or Ulrike's answer for the youngsters (like Ulrike...) – David Carlisle Sep 22 '21 at 16:06

Is it possible to make Latex restart the figure counter whenever a section is used?

2 Answers2