General ⇒ PicTex y babel

[mateovasco]

Hi!

I've had problems using PicTex and Babel packages together... PicTex runs ok without babel, but with it, the error messages comes and the picture doesn't show... what's happening???

Thanks!

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi mateovasco,

welcome to the board!
Which error messages do you get? Without knowing any of the error messages it's hard to help.

Stefan

[mateovasco]

Some author says that it's posible that the using of babel en pictex proce the error: ! No room for a new \dimen

But my list of errors is the following:

! Use of \!getlengths doesn't match its definition.
l.13 \setcoordinatesystem units <
1cm,1cm>
If you say, e.g., `\def\a1{...}', then you must always
put `1' after `\a', since control sequence names are
made up of letters only. The macro here has not been
followed by the required stuff, so I'm ignoring it.

! Use of \arrow doesn't match its definition.
\flecha ->\arrow <
6pt> [0.2, 0.6]
l.16 \flecha
from 0 -0.6 to 0 -1.2
If you say, e.g., `\def\a1{...}', then you must always
put `1' after `\a', since control sequence names are
made up of letters only. The macro here has not been
followed by the required stuff, so I'm ignoring it.


If I don't use Babel package, always works perfect.

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi mateovasco,

could you please post example code that produces this error? I would test it on my system.

Stefan

[mateovasco]

Hi Stefan... thanks for you answer...

The code without babel that works perfect:

\documentclass{article}
\DeclareFixedFont{\fiverm}{OT1}{cmr}{m}{n}{5pt}
\input{prepictex}
\input{pictex}
\input{postpictex}
\begin{document}
\newcommand{\flecha}{\arrow <6pt> [0.2, 0.6]}
Solucion:
\[\beginpicture
\setcoordinatesystem units <1cm,1cm>
\setplotarea x from 0 to 5, y from 0 to 0.1
\axis bottom ticks withvalues 0 1 2 3 $\cdots$ 18 / quantity 6 /
\flecha from 0 -0.6 to 0 -1.2
\putrectangle corners at 0 -0.6 and 4 -1.2
\put {\stack {$A=?$}} at 2 -0.9
\endpicture\]
\end{document}


And the code with babel package that shows a lot of errors:



\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[spanish]{babel}
\DeclareFixedFont{\fiverm}{OT1}{cmr}{m}{n}{5pt}
\input{prepictex}
\input{pictex}
\input{postpictex}
\begin{document}
\newcommand{\flecha}{\arrow <6pt> [0.2, 0.6]}
Solución:
\[\beginpicture
\setcoordinatesystem units <1cm,1cm>
\setplotarea x from 0 to 5, y from 0 to 0.1
\axis bottom ticks withvalues 0 1 2 3 $\cdots$ 18 / quantity 6 /
\flecha from 0 -0.6 to 0 -1.2
\putrectangle corners at 0 -0.6 and 4 -1.2
\put {\stack {$A=?$}} at 2 -0.9
\endpicture\]
\end{document}

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi,

the last code shows that the spanish style of babel is used, its extra definitions are causing the problem. If you don't need the shorthands for quoting the problem would be solved by

Code: Select all

\deactivatequoting

in the preamble or at least before defining \flecha and starting that picture.

Stefan

[mateovasco]

I'm going to try you advice...

I contacted a person via e-mail and he told that babel changes some characters.

The problem became solved using \shorthandoff{<>} and \shorthandon{<>} before and after each PicTex graphic.

Thank you so much

[Stefan Kottwitz]

The problem became solved using \shorthandoff{<>} and \shorthandon{<>} before and after each PicTex graphic.

Yes, that would solve it too. \deactivatequoting calls \shorthandoff{<>}. Here's some code from spanish.ldf for explanation:

Code: Select all

  \def\deactivatequoting{%
   \shorthandoff{<>}%
   \let\es@quoting\deactivatequoting}
  \def\activatequoting{%
   \shorthandon{<>}%
   \let\es@quoting\activatequoting}%

Therefore you could use both solutions.

Stefan

[Juanjo]

In the actual version of spanish, there is a package option to directly deactivate < and >:

Code: Select all

\usepackage[spanish,es-noquoting]{babel}

I would also suggest to any Spanish-speaking user of TeX to join the es-tex list, which, like this community, is quite active and helpful.

[98Lifshits-Landau]

The problem became solved using \shorthandoff{<>} and \shorthandon{<>} before and after each PicTex graphic.

Thanks very much. These simples commands solutionated my problem with PicTeX and babel. In another opportunity i will use other solutions posted.