% -*-latex-*- % Document name: /u/sy/beebe/tex/errata/j-hahn-errata.ltx % Creator: Nelson H. F. Beebe [beebe@magna.math.utah.edu] % Creation Date: Tue Oct 15 17:31:55 1991 %%% ==================================================================== %%% @LaTeX-file{ %%% author = "Nelson H. F. Beebe", %%% version = "1.00", %%% date = "18 October 1991", %%% filename = "j-hahn-errata.ltx", %%% address = "Center for Scientific Computing %%% Department of Mathematics %%% South Physics Building %%% University of Utah %%% Salt Lake City, UT 84112 %%% USA %%% Tel: (801) 581-5254 %%% FAX: (801) 581-4148", %%% checksum = "50400 791 3328 26031", %%% email = "beebe@magna.math.utah.edu (Internet)", %%% codetable = "ISO/ASCII", %%% keywords = "", %%% supported = "yes", %%% docstring = "This document contains comments and errata %%% for the book ``\Latex{} for Everyone.'' %%% %%% The checksum field above contains a CRC-16 %%% checksum as the first value, followed by the %%% equivalent of the standard UNIX wc (word %%% count) utility output of lines, words, and %%% characters. This is produced by Robert %%% Solovay's checksum utility.", %%% } %%% ==================================================================== \documentstyle[texnames,twocolumn,erratum]{article} \pagestyle{myheadings} \markright{{\rm Comments and Errata for {\em \LaTeX{} for Everyone} [18-Oct-1991]}} \title{Comments and Errata for {\em \LaTeX{} for Everyone}} \author{ Nelson H. F. Beebe\\ Center for Scientific Computing\\ Department of Mathematics\\ South Physics Building\\ University of Utah\\ Salt Lake City, UT 84112\\ USA\\ Tel: (801) 581-5254\\ FAX: (801) 581-4148\\ Email: {\tt beebe@math.utah.edu} } \date{Last update: [18-Oct-1991]\\ Version 1.00} \begin{document} % The first page needs a bit of extra interparagraph % stretchability to avoid an underfull vbox occasioned by % the use of the verbatim environment in the first column. % Increase the glue to 2pt from 1pt. \parskip 0pt plus 2pt \maketitle This document contains remarks and corrections to the book \begin{verbatim} @String{pub-PTI = "Personal {\TeX} Inc."} @String{pub-PTI:adr = "12 Madrona Street, Mill Valley, CA 94941, USA"} @Book{Hahn:LE91, author = "Jane Hahn", title = "{\LaTeX{}} for Everyone", publisher = pub-PTI, year = "1991", address = pub-PTI:adr, OPTISBN = "not yet available", pages = "352", price = "US\$19.95", } \end{verbatim} Generally, I liked the book, and will use it in courses I teach. I wish that the final manuscript had been proofread by several \LaTeX{} experts, since they could have eliminated most of the 60+ errata noted below. I was greatly disappointed to find no mention at all of the \TeX{} Users Group. As the 1991--92 President of that organization, I must admit to a bias; nevertheless, I would like to see future editions include at least the coverage of Appendix J of the \TeX{}book. I would also like to see an more extensive bibliography. The contents of the file {\tt \verb|~|ftp\slash pub\slash tex\slash bib\slash texbook1.\penalty0 bib} available on the machine {\tt math.\penalty0 utah.\penalty0 edu} for anonymous ftp, or obtainable via an e-mail request {\tt send texbook1.bib from tex\slash bib} to {\tt tuglib@\penalty0 math.\penalty0 utah.\penalty0 edu} provides what I believe is complete coverage of all published books about \TeX{}, plus several others on typography. The text and bibliography should also include some coverage of the important issues of typographic style and design. The books by Jan V.~White in the above-cited bibliography, plus Strunk and White's {\em The Elements of Style}, the {\em Chicago Manual of Style}, and others cited on p.~207 of the {\em \LaTeX{} User's Guide and Reference Manual} are good starting points. In the following errata summary, positive line number references count from the top of the page, and negative ones from the bottom of the page. Page headers are not counted in determining line counts, but section headings and other displayed material are. \begin{errata} \erritem{p. vi, l. -4} \erratum{ Writing as Much s Possible }{ Writing as Much as Possible } \erritem{p. 5, l. -8} It would be better to write {\em screen\/} or {\em display\/} instead of {\em computer terminal}. The former is more widely applicable. In many environments, terminals have gone the way of the card punch, having been replaced by networked personal computers and workstations. \erritem{p. 6, l. 6} {\em it requires that you give it ``\verb|.tex|'' for an extension} This is untrue. Other extensions are perfectly permissible, and in fact, many of us recommend using unique file extensions that differentiate between various \TeX{} macro packages: \verb|.ltx| for \LaTeX{} files, \verb|.stx| for \SLiTeX{}, \verb|.atx| for \AMSTEX{}, and so on. The confusion on the part of the author probably arises from the case where {\em no\/} file extension is provided; in such a case, \TeX{} implementations will provide a {\em default\/} extension of \verb|.tex|. \erritem{p. 12, l. -1} \erratum{ square braces }{ square brackets } \erritem{p. 13, l. 1} {\em Arguments should be contiguous; i.e.\ there should not be spaces, \verb||s or other characters between them.} This is not entirely correct. Whitespace {\em is\/} permitted in some circumstances, although I think \LaTeX{} is somewhat inconsistent. For example, it accepts \begin{verbatim} \documentstyle[twocolumn, cite, doublespace,12pt]{article% } \end{verbatim} but rejects \begin{verbatim} \documentstyle[twocolumn, cite, doublespace, 12pt]{article% } \end{verbatim} There is a definite problem with \verb|\cite|, where spaces are {\em not\/} permitted in the citation lists. As a rule, one should try to fit things on one line, and if that is not possible, to use end-of-line comments to gobble following space. \LaTeX{} happily accepts \begin{verbatim} \documentstyle[% twocolumn,% cite,% doublespace,% 12pt% ]{ article% } \end{verbatim} and some people prefer this style because it makes the options easier to see, and easier to temporarily suppress some of them just by inserting a leading percent on their line. I trust that the \LaTeX{} 3.0 project will remedy these idiosyncrasies. \erritem{p. 13, l. -9\ldots{}-1} I view the recommendation of using \verb*|\LaTeX\ | instead of \verb|\LaTeX{}| as {\em bad\/} practice, for the following reasons: \begin{itemize} \item If you terminate macro names with \verb*|\ | instead of with \verb|{}|, you have to remember to do that only where a space would really be permitted; in particular, you don't want the \verb*|\ | before punctuation. You can use \verb|{}| consistently in both cases. \item If the \verb*|\ | appears at the end of a line, and trailing spaces are subsequently stripped, you now have a new macro equivalent to \verb|\^^M|, which might have a different meaning. Although both {\tt plain.tex} and {\tt lplain.tex} make the two macros equivalent, that might not always be the case. You should never count on end-of-line blanks being preserved; some e-mail systems, and some editors, may delete them. Text filling and justification as commonly used in Emacs can also remove them. \item In composite words, like \verb|\TeX{}book|, the braces keep the parts together for text fill operations, word counting, spell checking and so forth, while the form \verb*|\TeX book| will not. \end{itemize} The form \verb|{\TeX}| has the almost same advantages over \verb*|\TeX\ | as \verb|\TeX{}| does, but has one drawback: if you need to \verb|\protect| it, then you must do so inside the braces. Use of a final empty brace pair therefore seems the best choice. \erritem{p. 26, l. -5} \erratum{ Anything between the ``\%'' and the end of the input line in your file is ignored completely by \LaTeX{}. }{ Anything between the ``\%'' and the end of the input line in your file, {\em plus all leading whitespace on the next line}, is ignored completely by \LaTeX{}. } The point is a subtle one that every book on \TeX{} I've found so far fails to make adequately clear. When \TeX{} sees an end-of-line, it switches to vertical mode, and leading space is ignored in vertical mode. The reason the distinction is important is that indentation can therefore be used to make macros much more readable than they otherwise are, and numerous examples exist of unreadable macros that were jammed together to avoid generation of spurious whitespace in the output because their author did not understand this point. Although it is beyond the scope of this book, an even better approach for macro files is to change category codes to make whitespace be ignored; see {\em \TeX{} for the Impatient}, p.~281. \erritem{p. 29, s. 2.13} This section should also discuss the \verb+\verb*|...|+ command and the \verb|verbatim*| environment, which produce visible spaces. There are circumstances where it is important to show the reader where spaces are. \erritem{p. 32, l. -7} \erratum{ square braces }{ square brackets } See also erratum {\em [p. 12, l. -1]}. \erritem{p. 37, l. 15} \erratum{ DOS prompt. }{ computer's prompt. } There is nothing whatever about \LaTeX{} that restricts it to the IBM PC, and there is no need in this book to even mention that system. All architecture-specific references should be expunged. \erritem{p. 41, s. 3.4} References to {\em Times Roman} are incorrect. While that may have been the author's intention when the manuscript was being written, the fonts used are in fact {\em Computer Modern}, which is a descendant of {\em Monotype Modern 8A}. While Times Roman is a well-known font, it is not usable with \TeX{} except with additional style files, device driver support, and output device support. All \TeX{} installations can handle Computer Modern fonts. \erritem{p. 41, l. -1} The example {\tt \verb|\bf| powerful \verb|\rm| feeling} is very bad practice, and should {\em never\/} be shown in an introductory book. You have to read ahead to p.~44 to learn how to do this correctly. Groups should {\em always\/} be used for font changes, so that the text inside them can remain ignorant of the surrounding font. When you proceed as shown in the book, you are making an unwarranted assumption about the prevailing font in the text. \erritem{p. 54, l. 16} \erratum{ {\tt (\bs chapter\{Here I Go!\})} }{ {\tt \bs chapter\{Here I Go!\}} } \erritem{p. 55, l. 17} The text should note that \LaTeX{} always warns you if cross-references are possibly incorrect. \erritem{p. 61, l. -1} {\em input files must have the extension \verb|.tex|}. This is {\em incorrect}. See the discussion above about erratum {\em [p. 6, l. 6]}. \erritem{p. 71, l. -8} \erratum{ illegal. }{ {\em illegal}. } This point is definitely worth emphasizing; it is a common source of error. \erritem{p. 72, l. 10} {\em (Don't enter the line in parentheses.)} The usage here is confusing (see the remarks at erratum {\em [p. 54, l. 16]\/}). I would suggest rewording it to say something like {\em Put the \verb|\label| command in your first displayed equation of the previous exercise immediately before the \verb|\end{equation}|}: \begin{verbatim} \label{eq:first} \end{equation} \end{verbatim} \erritem{p. 78, l. -11} \erratum{ One followed by anything other than a space produces this symbol. }{ A query followed by a grave accent produces the symbol {\tt ?`}, a Spanish leading query. A query followed by any other character produces itself and that character. } \erritem{p. 79, l. -8} \erratum{ {\tt (\bs begin\{document\})} }{ {\tt \bs begin\{document\}} } Eliminate the confusing parentheses here; see the remark above at errata {\em [p. 54, l. 16]} and {\em [p. 72, l. 10]}. \erritem{p. 87, l. -5} \erratum{ DOS prompt. }{ computer's prompt. } See erratum {\em [p. 37, l. 15]\/} above. \erritem{p.115, l. 12} I found the use of \verb|\&| in this example confusing, because the reader is left wondering whether \verb|\&| is a magical command for the \verb|\multicolumn| command. I think it would be better to use \verb|and| instead, or to make a remark in the text that \verb|\&| is used to get a literal ampersand into the text. \erritem{p. 118, l. 1\ldots{}4} Rather than recommend the use of wide \verb|p|-columns to avoid excessive hyphenation, and large gaps between words, I think it would be better to introduce the \verb|\raggedright| declaration at this point. That control sequence is not otherwise treated elsewhere in the book, and this is a good application of it. \erritem{p. 125, l. -3} \erratum{ the information under {\bf PAGES} is really }{ the information under {\bf Pages} is really } \erritem{p. 136, l. 5} \erratum{ again an notice }{ again and notice } \erritem{p. 137, l. -7\ldots{}-1} It would be better in this example to have used a \verb|\begin{table}[p]| environment; \verb|\clearpage| is almost always a bad thing, because subsequent changes in the text can require that it be moved to reoptimize the page breaking. \erritem{p. 139, l. 8} \erratum{ thinks a page too full. }{ thinks a page is too full. } \erritem{p. 140, l. 14} \erratum{ DOS prompt. }{ computer's prompt. } See errata {\em [p. 37, l. 15]\/} and {\em [p. 87, l. -5]\/} above. \erritem{p. 164} The description of all of these parameters would be greatly helped by a figure such as that given in D. Buerger's {\em \LaTeX{} for Engineers and Scientists}, pp.~74--75, which were produced from the {\tt layout.\-tex} file written by Nelson H. F. Beebe, and available in many \TeX{} archives. The file is in the public domain, and may be freely used and adapted by authors; a credit will be appreciated. \erritem{p. 169, l. -10} \erratum{ after the text refers }{ after the text that refers } {\em \LaTeX{} places a floating object (or float) as soon as possible after the text refers to it---if not on the same page, on the following page.} I wish this were true, but it is {\em not}. Float placement is one of the weak areas of \LaTeX{} 2.09 which the \LaTeX{} 3.0 redesign is addressing. Floats often move to the end of the current section or chapter, which is highly unsatisfactory. Although \verb|\clearpage| will force them out, there is no analogous \verb|\clearfloats| to force them out {\em without\/} starting a new page. \erritem{p. 171, l. 14} \erratum{ preference is {\tt [bthp]}. }{ preference is {\tt [tbp]}. } See the {\em \LaTeX{} User's Guide and Reference Manual}, p.~176. \erritem{p. 176, l. 4} \erratum{ DOS prompt. }{ computer's prompt. } See errata {\em [p. 37, l. 15]}, {\em [p. 87, l. -5]}, {\em [p. 140, l. 14]}, and {\em [p. 176, l. 4]\/} above. \erritem{p. 189, l. 4} \erratum{ {\tt \bs begin-} }{ {\tt \bs begin\{document\}} } Use of the hyphen here is confusing. \erritem{p. 189, l. -1} \erratum{ {\tt \bs begin} }{ {\tt \bs begin\{document\}} } Omission of the \verb|{document}| is confusing. \erritem{p. 190, l. 14} \erratum{ {\tt \bs begin} }{ {\tt \bs begin\{document\}} } Omission of the \verb|{document}| is confusing. \erritem{p. 191, l. -1} \erratum{ DOS prompt. }{ computer's prompt. } See errata {\em [p. 37, l. 15]}, {\em [p. 87, l. -5]}, {\em [p. 140, l. 14]\/} and {\em [p. 176, l. 4]\/} above. \erritem{p. 192, s. 192} The text should describe \verb|makeindex|. Indexes are much too complex to do by hand except in trivial cases, and support software is essential. \erritem{p. 197, l. -12} \erratum{ DOS prompt. }{ computer's prompt. } See errata {\em [p. 37, l. 15]}, {\em [p. 87, l. -5]}, {\em [p. 140, l. 14]}, {\em [p. 176, l. 4]}, and {\em [p. 191, l. -1]\/} above. \erritem{p. 198, l. 1} This section should discuss \BibTeX{}! Bibliographies are much too complex to consider doing by hand except in trivial cases. \BibTeX{} is easy to use, and can generate bibliographies in a variety of formats. \erritem{p. 201, l. -7, -1} \erratum{ etcetera }{ etc. {\em or\/} et cetera } It is very unusual to use the full phrase; if you do, remember that it is {\em two} Latin words meaning {\em and other things}. \erritem{p. 204, l. 7\ldots{}8} The use of \verb*|\ | here should be replaced by an empty brace pair, \verb|{}|. See the discussion above under erratum {\em [p. 13, l. -9\ldots{}-1]}. \erritem{p. 205, l. 5\ldots{}9} Use of abbreviations like this is a {\em bad\/} idea and should not be introduced in a textbook. A decent text editor can help you get these long sequences without a lot of pain, and without having to introduce abbreviations into the document that make it hard for others to read! I know that the {\em \LaTeX{} User's Guide and Reference Manual\/} does this too on p.~55; it is a bad idea there as well! \erritem{p. 209, l. 4} The line {\em and the command\ldots{}} is missing a \verb|\noindent| in the input manuscript file. \erritem{p. 209, l. 11} \erratum{ the file {\tt latex.\-tex} }{ the files {\tt latex.\-tex} et al } There are many other files that are relevant here, including {\tt lplain.tex}, {\tt lfonts.tex}, and all of the {\tt *.doc} and {\tt *.sty} files. \erritem{p. 211, l. -11} \erratum{ et cetera }{ etc. } See also erratum {\em [p. 201, l. -7, -1]\/}; the text is inconsistent in this usage, and there may well be others that I did not spot; a computer search of the input files should resolve the problem. \erritem{p. 224, l. -13} \erratum{ the default of 12 points is used. }{ the default of 10 points is used. } \erritem{p. 225} This table would be {\em much\/} easier to use if it were sorted alphabetically by parameter name. \erritem{p. 226} This table would be {\em much\/} easier to use if it were sorted alphabetically by parameter name. \erritem{pp. 227--238} This section would be {\em much\/} easier to use if it were sorted alphabetically by parameter name within each subsection. \erritem{p. 230, l. 4} {\em \verb|\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{2}| would create double spacing.} This is not strictly true, although it would be nice if it were the case. Correct double spacing takes more effort; see the {\tt doublespace.\-sty} file included in many \TeX{} distributions. \erritem{p. 230, l. -8} \erratum{ {\tt \bs setcounter\{secnumdepth\}\{3\}} Subsections and above }{ {\tt \bs setcounter\{secnumdepth\}\{3\}} Subsubsections and above } \erritem{p. 250, l. -8} \erratum{ line slopes to chose from. }{ line slopes to choose from. } \erritem{p. 263, l. 11} \erratum{ Writing as Much s Possible }{ Writing as Much as Possible } \erritem{p. 266, l. 5} \erratum{ pound sign }{ {\em sharp sign} or {\em hash mark} } For many people in the English-speaking world, a pound sign is \pounds. Use either of the suggested phrases for an international audience. \erritem{p. 270, l. -3} \erratum{ DOS {\tt print} }{ {\tt print} } Expunge references to DOS\@. See errata {\em [p. 37, l. 15]}, {\em [p. 87, l. -5]}, {\em [p. 140, l. 14]}, {\em [p. 176, l. 4]}, {\em [p. 191, l. -1]\/} and {\em [p. 197, l. -12]} above. \erritem{p. 285, l. 10} \erratum{ print a page 30. }{ print page 30. } \erritem{p. 300, l. 14} The line {\em and the result\ldots{}} is missing a \verb|\noindent| in the input manuscript file. \erritem{p. 301, l. -10, -8} \verb|\quad| is not defined in the text. \erritem{p. 307, l. 1} The runner header is too long, and overlaps the page number. \erritem{p. 308, l. -14, -11} Correct double spacing takes more effort; see the {\tt doublespace.\-sty} file included in many \TeX{} distributions. See also erratum {\em [p. 230, l. 4]}. \erritem{p. 309, l. -5} \verb|\raggedright| is not defined in the text, but should be. See erratum {\em [p. 118, l. 1\ldots{}4]}. \erritem{p. 310, l. 1, 6} \erratum{ {\tt \bs hsize} }{ {\tt \bs linewidth} } \verb|\hsize| should not be discussed in a \LaTeX{} book. The correct value is \verb|\linewidth|, which tracks the current indentation and column; \verb|\textwidth| refers to the full page width, and thus in most cases is {\em not\/} what you want to use. \erritem{p. 311, l. -9} \erratum{ like a rule with a 0-inch height }{ like a rule with a 0-pt height, or an empty box, {\tt \bs mbox\{\}} } \LaTeX{} is international; regional units like inches should be avoided. Only the USA, alone of all the countries in the world, still uses them. An empty box is usually more obvious for the purposes discussed here. \erritem{p. 313, l. -5, p. 314, l. 5} These are bad examples of making a captioned table; a page break could appear between the heading and the following tabular environment. The best way to do this is to use the \verb|table| environment, which prevents such surprises. \erritem{p. 319, l. -8} \erratum{ et cetera }{ etc. } See also errata {\em [p. 201, l. -7, -1]\/} and {\em [p. 211, l. -11]}. \erritem{p. 345, l. -12} \erratum{ Times Roman }{ Computer Modern } See also erratum {\em [p. 41, s. 3.4]}. \end{errata} \end{document} % This is for GNU Emacs: % Local Variables: % fill-column: 60 % End: