How can I convert a LyX letter into PDF without bibliography errors?

Question

I create a new document in LyX, and use the menu Document > Settings to change the document class to Letter (Standard Class). I type a few words, then attempt to render it into PDF, using the menu item Document > View [PDF (pdflatex)]. However, this fails, with the following error:

LaTeX Error: Environment thebibliography undefined.

 \renewenvironment{thebibliography}
                                         [1]{%
Try typing  <return>  to proceed.
If that doesn't work, type  X <return>  to quit.

I have no intention of using citations in this letter. How can I render a LyX letter as PDF? (I have very little knowledge of raw LaTeX, and I'd prefer "within LyX" fixes if possible, or at least simple raw-text changes.)

I'm using LyX 2.2.2, and (from the log), pdfTeX, Version 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.17 (TeX Live 2016/Arch Linux) (preloaded format=pdflatex 2016.11.14) 17 NOV 2016 22:37. The full text of my failing document is below.

#LyX 2.2 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
\lyxformat 508
\begin_document
\begin_header
\save_transient_properties true
\origin unavailable
\textclass letter
\use_default_options true
\maintain_unincluded_children false
\language british
\language_package default
\inputencoding auto
\fontencoding global
\font_roman "lmodern" "default"
\font_sans "lmss" "default"
\font_typewriter "lmtt" "default"
\font_math "auto" "auto"
\font_default_family default
\use_non_tex_fonts false
\font_sc false
\font_osf false
\font_sf_scale 100 100
\font_tt_scale 100 100
\graphics default
\default_output_format default
\output_sync 0
\bibtex_command default
\index_command default
\paperfontsize default
\spacing single
\use_hyperref false
\papersize default
\use_geometry true
\use_package amsmath 1
\use_package amssymb 1
\use_package cancel 1
\use_package esint 1
\use_package mathdots 1
\use_package mathtools 1
\use_package mhchem 1
\use_package stackrel 1
\use_package stmaryrd 1
\use_package undertilde 1
\cite_engine natbib
\cite_engine_type authoryear
\biblio_style plainnat
\use_bibtopic false
\use_indices false
\paperorientation portrait
\suppress_date false
\justification true
\use_refstyle 0
\index Index
\shortcut idx
\color #008000
\end_index
\leftmargin 2.5cm
\topmargin 2.5cm
\rightmargin 2.5cm
\bottommargin 2.5cm
\secnumdepth 3
\tocdepth 3
\paragraph_separation indent
\paragraph_indentation default
\quotes_language english
\papercolumns 1
\papersides 1
\paperpagestyle default
\tracking_changes false
\output_changes false
\html_math_output 0
\html_css_as_file 0
\html_be_strict false
\end_header

\begin_body

\begin_layout Standard
Foo bar.
\end_layout

\end_body
\end_document

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:34

You have Natbib defined as bibliography. To fix this go to Document->Settings->Bibliography and select `Default (numerical).

This is because Lyx generates \usepackage[authoryear]{natbib} when the option Natbib is selected. The letter documentclass does not have a bibliography environment defined.

If you need bibliography in your letter, you can copy the environment from the arcicle class as was suggested here.

How can I convert a LyX letter into PDF without bibliography errors?

1 Answers1