General ⇒ Reducing space between gloss items in gb4e's xlist and exe

[latexnoob2022]

I am trying to reduce the `itemsep', `parskip' and `parsep' spacing within each instance of the `exe' and `xlist' environment.

So far, the only thing that has worked as been this (in-line code below):

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{gb4e}
  \noautomath
\begin{document}
    \begin{exe}
        \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}
        \setlength{\parskip}{-3pt}
        \setlength{\parsep}{-1pt}
      \ex Is apt
        \begin{xlist}
            \setlength{\itemsep}{-1pt}
            \setlength{\parskip}{-1pt}
            \setlength{\parsep}{-1pt}
          \ex e
          \ex c
        \end{xlist}
    \end{exe}
\end{document}

I was wondering if there is a way to use ` \renewenvironment{xlist}' to set this for the entire document? the Following returned an error (MWE for the preamble):

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{gb4e}
  \noautomath
    \renewenvironment{xlist}{ 
        \setlength{\itemsep}{-2pt}
        \setlength{\parskip}{-2pt}
        \setlength{\parsep}{-2pt}
  	}
    \renewenvironment{exe}{ 
        \setlength{\itemsep}{-2pt}
        \setlength{\parskip}{-2pt}
        \setlength{\parsep}{-2pt}
	}
\begin{document}
    \begin{exe}
        \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}
        \setlength{\parskip}{-3pt}
        \setlength{\parsep}{-1pt}
      \ex Is apt
        \begin{xlist}
            \setlength{\itemsep}{-1pt}
            \setlength{\parskip}{-1pt}
            \setlength{\parsep}{-1pt}
          \ex e
          \ex c
        \end{xlist}
    \end{exe}
\end{document}

I am trying to understand if this is interfering with how `gb43' sets up the list environments, or a problem with my syntax?

I would really appreciate any help on this!

[MjK]

You cannot use \renewcommand this way. You cannot use it to change only some parameters. You always have to do a complete environment definition. And you always have to redefine the begin and the end part not only the begin part.

Moreover, to redefine exe you should redefine (or patch → xpatch) the internal command \@exe. You can find the original code in file gb4e.sty of your TeX distribution.

Similar for xlist. Here you have to redefine/patch \@xlist and maybe also \@subex, because the last one changes \parsep.

Maybe you can also ask the package maintainer to implement an interface similar to enumitem to make the package more configurable.

[latexnoob2022]

You cannot use \renewcommand this way. You cannot use it to change only some parameters. You always have to do a complete environment definition. And you always have to redefine the begin and the end part not only the begin part.

Moreover, to redefine exe you should redefine (or patch → xpatch) the internal command \@exe. You can find the original code in file gb4e.sty of your TeX distribution.

Similar for xlist. Here you have to redefine/patch \@xlist and maybe also \@subex, because the last one changes \parsep.

Maybe you can also ask the package maintainer to implement an interface similar to enumitem to make the package more configurable.

Thank you for your response. I'll try making changes to the .sty file.

[MjK]

Thank you for your response. I'll try making changes to the .sty file.

You should never change the files of a package from someone else, i.e., not the files of any TeX distribution. Doing so often results in a mess of unmaintainable TeX installations and at least in non-portable documents to which you cannot get any support at least not without breaking licenses. If the license allows to do so, either make a copy, rename the files and then change the renamed files. Or alternatively—and this is often the better choice—copy the relevant code to your document preamble and change it there. But what ever you'd do: Don't forget to add sufficient comments to know, where the code comes from, what you've changed and why you've done so.

[latexnoob2022]

That was my plan- it didn't make sense to change the original file and mess up my distribution. thank you!

[latexnoob2022]

You cannot use \renewcommand this way. You cannot use it to change only some parameters. You always have to do a complete environment definition. And you always have to redefine the begin and the end part not only the begin part.

Moreover, to redefine exe you should redefine (or patch → xpatch) the internal command \@exe. You can find the original code in file gb4e.sty of your TeX distribution.

Similar for xlist. Here you have to redefine/patch \@xlist and maybe also \@subex, because the last one changes \parsep.

Maybe you can also ask the package maintainer to implement an interface similar to enumitem to make the package more configurable.

I have been working on this problem and have an alternative approach- can these changes to \@exe be made to my LaTeX document, rather than the .sty file? This way I don't harm the distribution, but get my results.

Alternatively, is there a method/macro to make my document replace all instances of \begin{exe} and \begin{xlist} with:

\begin{exe}
\setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}
\setlength{\parskip}{-3pt}
\setlength{\parsep}{-1pt}

and
\begin{xlist}
\setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}
\setlength{\parskip}{-3pt}
\setlength{\parsep}{-1pt}


Your help is greatly appreciated!