1

It is known that the package scrhack should be loaded as late as possible to avoid some errors. See here for such a problem.

However, when writing a document class or a package, I would like to require packages (without necessarily requiring conflicting packages).

An example illustrates my problem:

% MyTheme.cls
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}[1996/12/01]
\newcommand{\classname}{MastersDoctoralThesis}
\ProvidesClass{\classname}[2020/08/24 v1.7 LaTeXTemplates.com]
\providecommand{\baseclass}{book}
\LoadClass{\baseclass}
\RequirePackage{scrhack}

% main.tex
\documentclass{MyTheme}
\usepackage{listings}
\usepackage[outputdir=build]{minted}

\begin{document}
Test
\end{document}

This will create the following error:

scrhack Error: extension `lol' already in use.

The problem is solved if I remove \RequirePackage{scrhack} in MyTheme.cls, or if I add \RequirePackage{minted} before \RequirePackage{scrhack}. However, I prefer to keep the dependency on scrhack explicit, and don't want to create unnecessary dependencies.

...but how? Is it possible to somehow request a package with \RequirePackage, but delay loading it?

normanius
  • 403

1 Answers1

1

I figured out that using \AtBeginDocument{\usepackage{packagename}} delays the loading of required packages. Some comments pointed out even more appropriate hooks.

The following document class also requires the scrhack package, but does not cause the problem stated in the OP.

% MyTheme.cls
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}[1996/12/01]
\newcommand{\classname}{MastersDoctoralThesis}
\ProvidesClass{\classname}[2020/08/24 v1.7 LaTeXTemplates.com]
\providecommand{\baseclass}{book}
\LoadClass{\baseclass}

% Deferred loading of package scrhack
% Alternative 1:
\AddToHook{begindocument/before}{\usepackage{scrhack}}


% Alternative 2: Uses package etoolbox
\usepackage{etoolbox}
\AtEndPreamble{\usepackage{biblatex}}


% Alternative 3: Load package at begin{document}, which might be 
% too late for some packages (as has been noted by Ulrike Fischer)
\AtBeginDocument{\usepackage{scrhack}}
normanius
  • 403