Graphics, Figures & Tables ⇒ includepdf as a figure

[jibberalan]

If possible, I would like to have included pdf pages which behave as a figure. I have a pdf file with multiple plots (attached) and I would like to add them in different ways to my document- for example combine the first 4 and then the last two. So far I have been able to get the pdf inserted, keep my page numbers, and add it to my list of figures, however the last needed piece is a caption. It doesn't work inside a float, so it seems that the one thing I could do is add some caption size text below it, but this is not the most elegant solution. It does not need to behave as a float though this would be nice.

Her is the MWE:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt,twoside]{article}
\usepackage{pdfpages}
\begin{document}
Dummy Text here
\includepdf[pages = {1-4}, nup=2x2, addtolist = {\thepage, figure, 4 great figures, fig:greatFigs}, pagecommand = {}]{testFigs.pdf}
More Dummy Text
\end{document}

Thanks in advance for any help.

[frabjous]

Why not simply use the \includegraphics command from the graphicx package? It supports PDFs (at least when compiling with pdflatex). (pdfpages is in fact built on top of graphicx!)

[gmedina]

I agree with frabjous's suggestion; the natural thing to do would be to use \includegraphics directly. However, (if for some reason) the original intent persists (to include the graphics using pdfpages and then to add a general caption), you could use the background package:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt,twoside]{article}
\usepackage{pdfpages}
\usepackage[some]{background}

\SetBgOpacity{1}
\SetBgColor{black}
\SetBgScale{1}
\SetBgAngle{0}
\SetBgPosition{current page.north}
\SetBgVshift{-100}
\SetBgContents{\figurename\ \thefigure: four included figures}

\begin{document}
\listoffigures

Dummy Text here
\clearpage
\BgThispage
\includepdf[pages = {1-4}, nup=2x2, addtolist = {\thepage, figure, 4 great figures, fig:greatFigs}, pagecommand = {}]{testFigs.pdf}
More Dummy Text

\clearpage
\SetBgContents{\figurename\ \thefigure: another four included figures}
\BgThispage
\includepdf[pages = {1-4}, nup=2x2, addtolist = {\thepage, figure, another 4 great figures, fig:greatFigs2}, pagecommand = {}]{testFigs.pdf}
More Dummy Text

\end{document}

[jibberalan]

Thanks for the help gmedina. Unless I'm missing something, the \includegraphics command does not allow you to select multiple pages out of the other pdf or arrange them with the nup command- both of which I would like to take advantage of.

Also, thanks for your suggestion of using the background package. It seems like it will do what I need, though I do get an error stating that some is an unknown option for the background package. Guess I'll try and resolve this now...

[gmedina]

...though I do get an error stating that some is an unknown option for the background package. Guess I'll try and resolve this now...

That's strange. Do you get this error with the example code I posted before or when using the package in your actual document? Could you please post some minimal, and complete code allowing us to reproduce the error mentioned?

[jibberalan]

I get the error using the example that you posted. I have not yet been able to fix it either. I also get undefined control sequence error for \SetBGOpacity and the other commands before \begin{document}. If it makes a differences I'm using Texmaker on Windows.

[gmedina]

Perhaps your LaTeX system is outdated? Which distribution (TeX Live, MiKTeX) and which version do you use?

Try this simple test document:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt,twoside]{article}
\usepackage{background}

\begin{document}

Test

\end{document}

the outcome should be a one page document with the text "Test" and a red watermark with the message "Draft" displayed diagonally. Report any errors that you get when compiling the above code.

[jibberalan]

I was using MikTeX 2.7, so I updated to 2.8 and I still cannot run the original example. I was able to run the simple example, though the red watermark did not appear.

[gmedina]

The code has to be compiled twice. Are you compiling with the LaTeX=>PDF profile?

As a side note: I don't use MiKTeX anymore, but the most recent version is 2.9 (I would suggest the complete MiKTeX sysem):

http://miktex.org/2.9/setup

[jibberalan]

Yes, I am compiling it with LaTeX=>PDF, and I tried 2.9, still no dice.