How can I get correct labelling of sub-figures with subfig and floatrow?

Question

I am using subfig and floatrow to manage sub-figures. Without floatrow, everything works OK, but I need floatrow to easily align the captions, as the subfig manual explains.

Adapting the example on page 37 of the manual and with some help from Gonzalo Medina, I've got this code:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx,subfig}
\usepackage[heightadjust=all,valign=c]{floatrow}
\usepackage{fr-subfig}

\begin{document}

  \thisfloatsetup{subfloatrowsep=none}
  \begin{figure}[!htbp]
    \captionsetup[subfigure]{justification=centering}
    \floatbox{figure}{%
      \caption{%
        Components of the system: Penguins (\ref{fig:a}), Jumpers (\ref{fig:b}), Thingies (\ref{fig:c}), Cabbages (\ref{fig:d}) and Nuclear Warheads (\ref{fig:e})%
      }\label{fig:x}%
    }{%
  \begin{subfloatrow}%
    \subfloat[Penguins were here and here and here]{%
      \label{fig:a}\includegraphics[height=.1\textheight]{example-image-a}}
    \qquad
    \subfloat[Penguin]{%
      \label{fig:b}\includegraphics[height=.15\textheight]{example-image-b}}
    \qquad
    \subfloat[Penguin]{%
      \label{fig:c}\includegraphics[height=.125\textheight]{example-image-a}}
  \end{subfloatrow}

  \begin{subfloatrow}
    \subfloat[Penguin]{%
      \label{fig:d}\includegraphics[height=.15\textheight]{example-image-b}}
    \qquad
    \subfloat[Penguins were here, there and everywhere!]{%
      \label{fig:e}\includegraphics[height=.2\textheight]{example-image-a}}
  \end{subfloatrow}}
\end{figure}
\ref{fig:x} \ref{fig:a} \ref{fig:c} \ref{fig:e}

\end{document}

But obviously something is wrong with the caption numbering. This should all be figure 1 yet it begins with 4 and then increments by 2 more. I've tried moving the labels to different places but, although LaTeX will tell me references have changed, I still get the same result. I've also tried removing the .aux file etc. But, again, I still get 4 for the figure and 6 for the sub-figures.

What is the correct way to do this?

Answer 1

This gives the correct output:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx,subfig}
\usepackage[heightadjust=all,valign=c]{floatrow}
\usepackage{fr-subfig}

\begin{document}

  \thisfloatsetup{subfloatrowsep=qquad}
  \begin{figure}[!htbp]
    \captionsetup[subfigure]{justification=centering}
      \ffigbox{%
  \begin{subfloatrow}[3]%
    \ffigbox[\FBwidth]{\caption{Penguins were here and here and here}\label{fig:a}}{%
      \includegraphics[height=.1\textheight]{example-image-a}}
    \ffigbox[\FBwidth]{\caption{Penguin}\label{fig:b}}{%
      \includegraphics[height=.15\textheight]{example-image-b}}
    \ffigbox[\FBwidth]{\caption{Penguin}\label{fig:c}}{%
      \includegraphics[height=.125\textheight]{example-image-a}}
  \end{subfloatrow}

  \begin{subfloatrow}
    \ffigbox[\FBwidth]{\caption{Penguin}\label{fig:d}}{%
      \includegraphics[height=.15\textheight]{example-image-b}}
    \ffigbox[\FBwidth]{\caption{Penguins were here, there and everywhere!}\label{fig:e}}{%
      \includegraphics[height=.2\textheight]{example-image-a}}
  \end{subfloatrow}%
      }{%
        \caption{Components of the system: Penguins (\ref{fig:a}), Jumpers (\ref{fig:b}), Thingies (\ref{fig:c}), Cabbages (\ref{fig:d}) and Nuclear Warheads (\ref{fig:e})\label{fig:x}}%
    }
\end{figure}
\ref{fig:x} \ref{fig:a} \ref{fig:c} \ref{fig:e}

\end{document}

The problem seems to be combining floatrow commands with subfig's \subfloat (I guess that using commands from both packages makes the counters step in a wrong way (when each package takes control, it steps the counters)); once everything is done using floatrow commands only, the problem disappears; notice that this will also make

  \thisfloatsetup{subfloatrowsep=qquad}

behave as expected, so no manual adjustments are needed now (I've added a remark about this also in this other question).