Creating a Problem Environment

Question

I'm trying to learn how to make new environments, namely I want to make a "problem environment" for examples of problems, and the algorithms that solve them. Optimally I would like it to use a typewriter-like font, and have some kind of shaded box around the problem kind of like the following from Algorithms by Vazirani: enter image description here

I don't really know how to approach this problem, currently I'm just looking into the \newenvironment command, so any input would be greatly appreciated. Optimally I'm looking for an environment that has a space for the spec, the algorithm, and the runtime analysis.

\documentclass{11pt}{article}
\begin{document}
\newenvironment{problem}[1][ ]{
\begin{tcolorbox}
\newcommand\given[1]{\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{Given}: ##1\\ \\}
\newcommand{\goal}[1]{\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{Goal}: ##1\\ \\}
\newcommand\discussion[1]{\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{Discussion}: ##1\\ \\}
\newcommand\algorithm[1]{\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{Algorithm}: ##1\\ \\}
\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{Problem}: #1 \\
 }{\end{tcolorbox}\par}
\begin{problem}
\given{}
\goal{}
\discussion{}
\algorithm{}
\end{problem}
\end{document}

For the general question, see my answer on this topic. The only way to learn it is to play around and post a much more specific question when you get stuck. That is, you need an MWE. — cfr, Jan 21 '15 at 04:15
I'll work on getting one up. Do you know where to look for coloring, or anything? — , Jan 21 '15 at 04:16
However, if what you really want is a solution to the specific problem, there are plenty of ready-made solutions available. Just search the site. Or look at the related questions on the right. Again, your question needs to be more specific: what have you tried? That is, you need an MWE. — cfr, Jan 21 '15 at 04:16
There are a whole bunch of questions on this e.g. try searching for tcolorbox. (I'd suggest searching CTAN but you can't right now - it isn't working.) — cfr, Jan 21 '15 at 04:17
Adding something I worked on- suggestions on ways to make it look better? — , Jan 21 '15 at 07:04

Thomas F. Sturm · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-21T08:25:30.503

Your question is quite broad and therefore it is not easy to answer.

But I took your MWE and changed it in a way you may want to have it. I kept the code as near to your MWE as possible. Especially, many font settings are superfluous, but I kept them.

I would not add a \newcommand inside an environment if there is no specific reason for it (e.g. dependency of environment parameters). So, I moved these commands outside.
The options for a tcolorbox are given by a key-value list. I made some settings which look like in the picture you provided.

The code is:

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage[many]{tcolorbox}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\newcommand\given[1]{\par\noindent\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{\sffamily Given}: #1\par\bigskip}
\newcommand{\goal}[1]{\par\noindent\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{\sffamily Goal}: #1\par\bigskip}
\newcommand\discussion[1]{\par\noindent\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{\sffamily Discussion}: #1\par\bigskip}
\newcommand\algorithm[1]{\par\noindent\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{\sffamily Algorithm}: #1\par\bigskip}

\newenvironment{problem}[1][]{%
\begin{tcolorbox}[enhanced jigsaw,
  breakable,
  sharp corners,
  beforeafter skip=10pt,
  size=fbox,
  boxrule=0pt,
  frame hidden,
  colback=black!10
  ]
  \fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont\textbf{\sffamily Problem}: #1 \par\bigskip
 }{\end{tcolorbox}\par}

\begin{document}
  \lipsum[5]

  \begin{problem}[My Problem]
  \given{\lipsum[1]}
  \goal{\lipsum[2]}
  \discussion{\lipsum[3]}
  \algorithm{\lipsum[4]}
  \end{problem}

  \lipsum[6]
\end{document}

enter image description here

As a second step, I modified this example a little bit more to help your for your own modifications:

I removed superfluous font settings.
\newenvironment is replaced by \newtcolorbox which is shorter and provided some exta goodies if needed.
Some colors are added.
The problem title line is put into a title with own coloring.

The code is:

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage[many]{tcolorbox}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\newcommand\given[1]{\par\noindent\textbf{\sffamily Given}: #1\par\bigskip}
\newcommand{\goal}[1]{\par\noindent\textbf{\sffamily Goal}: #1\par\bigskip}
\newcommand\discussion[1]{\par\noindent\textbf{\sffamily Discussion}: #1\par\bigskip}
\newcommand\algorithm[1]{\par\noindent\textbf{\sffamily Algorithm}: #1\par\bigskip}

\newtcolorbox{problem}[1][]{enhanced jigsaw,
  breakable,
  sharp corners,
  beforeafter skip=10pt,
  size=fbox,
  boxrule=0pt,
  frame hidden,
  colback=blue!10,
  fontupper=\fontfamily{cmtt}\selectfont,
  fonttitle=\sffamily,
  colbacktitle=blue!50!black,
  title={\textbf{\sffamily Problem}: #1},
  top=3pt
}

\begin{document}
  \lipsum[5]

  \begin{problem}[My Problem]
  \given{\lipsum[1]}
  \goal{\lipsum[2]}
  \discussion{\lipsum[3]}
  \algorithm{\lipsum[4]}
  \end{problem}

  \lipsum[6]
\end{document}

enter image description here

@Anthony I guess your installation is outdated. You should update the tcolorbox package to a recent version. — Thomas F. Sturm, Jan 21 '15 at 08:12
@Anthony The log file will tell you the version number. There should be something like Package: tcolorbox 2015/01/14 version 3.40 text color boxes — Thomas F. Sturm, Jan 21 '15 at 08:13

Creating a Problem Environment

1 Answers1