General ⇒ Beyond frustrated!

[monstrosity]

Hey guys,

I am just about ready to submit my thesis but I have run into some formatting issues. I have tried Googling for solutions and reading tutorials/manuals, but I am still stick. I am starting to lose my mind!!

I have four issues which should be really, really simple yet are proving to be incredibly stubborn.

For reference, I am using TeXnicCenter with the following packages:

\documentclass[12pt]{report}
\usepackage[pdftex]{graphicx}
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{multirow}

If at all possible, because I have written the thesis and am close to being done, I would prefer not to change any of the packages I am currently using!

The problems are:

1) I can not, for the life of me, figure out how to start text 4.5 inches from the top of a page. I have tried the following:

Code: Select all

\begin{center}
\singlespacing
\vspace{4.5in}
Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for\\
the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering\\
in the Graduate School of\\
Stony Brook University\\
State University of New York\\
2009\\

\vskip .5 in

September 7, 2009\\

\vskip 1 in

a, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University\\
\vskip 0.15 in

b, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University\\
\vskip 0.15 in 

c, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University\\
\vskip 0.15 in 

\normalsize

\end{center}

Which does not work. The first \vpsace{4.5in} is ignored. I have also tried:

Code: Select all

%\vskip 4.5 in
%\topskip 4.5 in

to no avail. I have tried tricking it by using \bigspace, etc. No luck. I am sure that I have some ordering of the commands incorrect, but I am not experienced enough with LaTeX to figure it out.

2) This next problem is pretty embarrassing and should be fairly easy. I am trying to start the page numbering in my document on the third physical page. I want to number this page with the roman numeral "i". I do:

Code: Select all

\begin{center}
\setcounter{page}{1}
\pagenumbering{roman}
... text ...
\end{center}

Which, for some reason, does not work. It keeps labeling the page as "ii".

3) I am trying to add my List of Figures to my Table of Contents. I am able to add it, yet it does not include the correct page number! I do:

Code: Select all

\tableofcontents
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{List of Figures}
\listoffigures

The LoF is on page iii. This above code puts the page number for LoF in the ToC at page ii. If I put the \addcontentsline after \listoffigures, it puts the LoF at page v. This one has me laughing out loud in frustration because I just cannot see a way to win it.

4) Finally, I am trying to make my ABSTRACT heading the same as my LoF and ToC. I use the \abstract command so it automatically generates the abstract for me. Same thing for the LoF and the ToC. all headers are automatically generated. How can I make the abstract match the other headers?


I know I have asked a lot of questions here, but I am hoping that someone with a good amount of experience with LaTeX is able to just knock these issues out very quickly. They seem like they should be elementary problems to someone with experience in the language.

Thank you so much in advance!

[meho_r]

1) I can not, for the life of me, figure out how to start text 4.5 inches from the top of a page. I have tried the following:

Code: Select all

\begin{center}
\singlespacing
\vspace{4.5in}
Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for\\
the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering\\
in the Graduate School of\\
Stony Brook University\\
State University of New York\\
2009\\

\vskip .5 in

September 7, 2009\\

\vskip 1 in

a, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University\\
\vskip 0.15 in

b, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University\\
\vskip 0.15 in 

c, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University\\
\vskip 0.15 in 

\normalsize

\end{center}

Which does not work. The first \vpsace{4.5in} is ignored. I have also tried:

Code: Select all

%\vskip 4.5 in
%\topskip 4.5 in

to no avail. I have tried tricking it by using \bigspace, etc. No luck. I am sure that I have some ordering of the commands incorrect, but I am not experienced enough with LaTeX to figure it out.

Try with this:

Code: Select all

\vspace*{4.5in}

The star makes sure that this space is applied in any circumstances.

2) This next problem is pretty embarrassing and should be fairly easy. I am trying to start the page numbering in my document on the third physical page. I want to number this page with the roman numeral "i". I do:

Code: Select all

\begin{center}
\setcounter{page}{1}
\pagenumbering{roman}
... text ...
\end{center}

Which, for some reason, does not work. It keeps labeling the page as "ii".

Just reverse the commands and put the \pagenumbering first:

Code: Select all

\pagenumbering{roman}
\setcounter{page}{1}

3) I am trying to add my List of Figures to my Table of Contents. I am able to add it, yet it does not include the correct page number! I do:

Code: Select all

\tableofcontents
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{List of Figures}
\listoffigures

The LoF is on page iii. This above code puts the page number for LoF in the ToC at page ii. If I put the \addcontentsline after \listoffigures, it puts the LoF at page v. This one has me laughing out loud in frustration because I just cannot see a way to win it.[/code]

Try with tocbibind package.

4) Finally, I am trying to make my ABSTRACT heading the same as my LoF and ToC. I use the \abstract command so it automatically generates the abstract for me. Same thing for the LoF and the ToC. all headers are automatically generated. How can I make the abstract match the other headers?

This is a little bit strange request, but you can always customize abstract something like this:

Code: Select all

\renewcommand{\abstractname}{\Large\flushleft ABSTRACT}

You may add other formatting commands like \bfseries etc. Experiment with them to find an optimal solution.

[monstrosity]

Thank you for your reply!

The \vspace*{} command worked!

I'm still having issues with the page numbering and the table of contents, though.

I actually got \setcounter command to work, but afterward, the numbering does not continue.

The page I wanted to start at roman numeral "i" I used the command:

Code: Select all

\setcounter{page}{0}

Which worked. However, the page after, which is the Abstract, does not have a page number. The page after the Abstract, which is the Table of Contents, starts at "i" again!

I tried manually setting the subsequent pages with

Code: Select all

\setcounter{page}{1}
\setcounter{page}{2}
etc...

But that "hack" did not work. Is there a way to make the numbering continue?

Thanks again!

Edit -- Ok, update. I now have the page number "i" in the right place. The page numbering then SKIPS the subsequent page, which is the Abstract, and labels the Table of Contents page "ii". This is slightly better, but I don't understand why the Abstract is being skipped.

Right now it goes:

Faculty Page - i
Abstract - No number
Table of Contents(a) - ii
Table of Contents(b) - iii
etc..

What I want is:

Faculty Page - i
Abstract - ii
Table of Contents(a) - iii
Table of Contents(b) - iv

[meho_r]

The abstract isn't skipped, only number isn't displayed on its first page since report class applies "empty" pagestyle to the first page of abstract and resets page number too (as well as page number after abstract). I never worked with report class, and seeing all this I can say I'm glad I didn't For your future work, I'd strongly recommend you consider using more advanced document classes like memoir or koma-script for reports, books etc. since they can be easily customized to meet your needs (EDIT: which does not mean basic classes aren't; it means that some things are easier to achieve with custom classes by new LaTeX users). Apart from being highly customizable, both have great documentation too.

[monstrosity]

Yeah, next time I'll try using one of those.

I actually got it to work. I finally did realize exactly what you said - that the Abstract environment uses an empty pagestyle. I tried editing it or making it a plain pagestyle, but that did not work.

What made it work was using \chapter*{Abstract}. This actually took care of two of the problems I had above: making the Abstract heading similar to the ToC/LoF and adding a page number.

I will certainly be using one of the more customizable pagestyles next time I start a document. Oh well, live and learn, I guess.

Thanks again for the replies!

[gmedina]

Hi meho_r,

I do not want to start a flame, but I strongly disagree with some of your comments:

...I never worked with report class, and seeing all this I can say I'm glad I didn't ...

Seeing all what? Please notice that I do not have anything against other document classes (in fact, I've used them and recommend them too), but in my humble opinion, the basic document classes (article, book, report) are as flexible as you desire.

...since they can be easily customized to meet your needs...

Again, the standard document classes can also be customized.

[meho_r]

Of course you're right. Basic classes are customizable and often the best way to do things. But to achieve things in LaTeX, you often have two ways (it certainly depends of knowledge, sure): a hard one and an easier one. You may make a test with people who are pretty new in LaTeX, explain them how to customize sectioning commands, headers, footers and all other things for which new users ask often on this forum in basic styles, and how to do the same in, e.g., koma-script. Compare the coding one have to do in both cases and you'll see that it's much easier with latter. In some cases where an option to the class is enough, you'll have to write couple of lines (or dozens) of code in basic class. After all, people created customized classes because of that: to boost efficiency and productivity. Sure, for an experienced LaTeX user like you, gmedina, much of this does not apply, but for the rest of us who have less knowledge of LaTeX these classes are invaluable. And some people even use plain TeX!