Graphics, Figures & Tables ⇒ Alter Table Caption Prefix

[luis]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to change the caption prefix of a table, e.g. like this.

Code: Select all

\begin{table}
\caption{A caption}
\end{table}

This results in something like this.

Table I: A caption

And I'd like to change it to this.

Listing I: A caption

I tried using the \tablename command, but it has no effect:

Code: Select all

\begin{table}
\def\tablename{Listing I}
\caption{A caption}
\end{table}

I also have tried it with \renewcommand*, but it doesn't have any effect.

Code: Select all

\renewcommand*{\tablename}{Listing}
\begin{table}
\caption{A caption}
\end{table}

How could this be made? Thank you,

Luís

[localghost]

There are some smarter alternatives (in order of priority).

• Use a package like listings or minted to typeset listings. These packages provide a float environment with the corresponding prefix.
• Use a package like floatrow or newfloat (from the caption bundle) to create a new float environment with the corresponding prefix.

Thorsten

[luis]

Hi Thorsten,

Neither listings (which I already tried) nor minted seem to apply in this case. I tried newfloat, but unfortunately the document doesn't compile if add the package command. As for floatrow its manual has over 100 pages and so far I haven't found an example where the float element prefix is changed.

Thanks for answering in any case.

Luís

[sommerfee]

I tried newfloat, but unfortunatelly the document doesn't compile if add the package command.

What do you mean by "doesn't compile"? Do you get an error message? If yes, which one? (What document class do you use?)

[localghost]

[…] Neither listings (which I already tried) nor minted seem to apply in this case. […]

Why? Give a minimal example where these packages fail.

[…] I tried newfloat, but unfortunately the document doesn't compile if add the package command. […]

Same questions as sommerfee already asked.

[…] As for floatrow its manual has over 100 pages and so far I haven't found an example where the float element prefix is changed. […]

So you should read Section 4 of its manual (which can be found in the ToC).

[luis]

Hi localghot and sommerfee, thank you for replying. My comments go below.

Why? Give a minimal example where these packages fail.

I don't know where they fail, but I couldn't find examples where these packages are used to substitute a table caption prefix.

What do you mean by "doesn't compile"? Do you get an error message? If yes, which one? (What document class do you use?)

I get this error:

LaTeXError: File `newfloat.sty' not found.

So you should read Section 4 of its manual (which can be found in the ToC).

Section 4 of the manual I have focus on new float types, not on captions. With this particular package I tried this set up:

Code: Select all

\captionsetup[table]{name=Listing}

But it has not effect on the caption prefix.

Any other hints are welcome. Thank you,

Luís

[sommerfee]

I get this error:

LaTeXError: File `newfloat.sty' not found.

Then you simply do not have the newfloat package installed. Updating your TeX system (or at least the caption package bundle) should help.

As an alternative you could give the floatrow or the float package a try.

I tried this set up:

Code: Select all

\captionsetup[table]{name=Listing}

But it has not effect on the caption prefix.

Please give us a minimal example.

[localghost]

[…] I don't know where they fail, but I couldn't find examples where these packages are used to substitute a table caption prefix. […]

Of course they don't alter table captions. They offer new environments that are labeled as listings. At the moment I can't comprehend why you insist on altering the table caption prefix. Obviously you need something that you can label as listing. So it would be much smarter to create a new floating object or use a package that allows you to typeset listings. The corresponding tools have been mentioned. Perhaps you can elaborate what you want to put into the {table} environment and then label as a listing. Then it would be much easier to suggest a possible solution.

[…] Section 4 of the manual I have focus on new float types, not on captions. […]

The package allows to create a new float that you can label according to your needs. And Section 4 describes how to get one that is labeled e.g. as listing.

[luis]

Hello everyone, thank you for the replies.

First on this comment:

At the moment I can't comprehend why you insist on altering the table caption prefix. Obviously you need something that you can label as listing. So it would be much smarter to create a new floating object or use a package that allows you to typeset listings.

And I don't understand why you insist on me doing something different from what I initially presented. Again, the use case is very simple: I have a {tabular} environment inside a {table} and I need to change its caption prefix from "Table" to "Listing". I do not want to change the contents of the floating environment, I just want to change the caption.

Regarding the newfloat package I have no idea why is it missing, I regularly run the updates on this system.

On defining a new floating environment, while I am able to change the prefix with floatrow, the caption is wrongly placed and seems to miss some of the presets of the {table} environment. Again, I'd say this way is not what I need, here's a minimum example:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[10pt,a4paper]{article}
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}

\usepackage{floatrow}

\DeclareNewFloatType{mylist}%
	{name=Listing}

\begin{document}

\begin{mylist}
\caption{The caption}
   \begin{center}
	\begin{tabular}{| r | r |}
	\hline
	This is & a table. \\
	\hline
    \end{tabular}
   \end{center}
\end{mylist}

\end{document}

Reading the floatrow manual the only example that seems to exactly fit the use case I'm presenting is using \captionsetup. Unfortunately this produces no effect, here's the example:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[10pt,a4paper]{article}
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}

\usepackage{floatrow}

\begin{document}

\captionsetup[table]{name=Listing}

\begin{table}
\caption{The caption}
   \begin{center}
	\begin{tabular}{| r | r |}
	\hline
	This is & a table. \\
	\hline
    \end{tabular}
   \end{center}
\end{table}

\end{document}

If someone can tell me why \captionsetup isn't working that would be great. Otherwise, using a new floating environment, if it is possible, things must be a bit more refined than what is shown in the manual.

Thanks once more,
Luís

[sommerfee]

And I don't understand why you insist on me doing something different from what I initially presented.

Because what localghost suggests is the "natural" way. The floating environments {figure}, {table}, ..., have distinct names, counters, and lists, so if someone needs "listing"s, the choice of creating a new (floating) environment is self-evident while the choice of abusing an existing one is not.

Again, the use case is very simple: I have a {tabular} environment inside a {table} and I need to change its caption prefix from "Table" to "Listing". I do not want to change the contents of the floating environment, I just want to change the caption.

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{caption}
\begin{document}
\begin{table}
\captionsetup{name=Listing}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{cc}
A & B\\
C & D\\
\end{tabular}
\caption{A listing}
\end{table}
\end{document}

This approach may have some unwanted side-effects, but this is what you want, so this is what you get.

Regarding the newfloat package I have no idea why is it missing, I regularly run the updates on this system.

The newfloat package was introduced November 2011, so no, your TeX system is not up-to-date.

On defining a new floating environment, while I am able to change the prefix with floatrow, the caption is wrongly placed

What caption placement do you want? Using the floatrow package you can adjust the placement by options of \DeclareNewFloatType.

and seems to miss some of the presets of the {table} environment.

What presets are you missing?