Text Formatting ⇒ makeidx

[Laurentius]

I'm considering trying makeidx, but from a quick look at the documentation, it doesn't seem to allow for specification of the beginning and end of the indexed material. For instance, if it begins on p. 6 and ends of p. 7, the index should read 6 sq. or 6 f. Is this possible?

[Johannes_B]

Yes, i think it is the standard.

Never had to work with indexes myself, so cannot be more specific without an example.

[cgnieder]

This is possible but not the default:

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{imakeidx}% takes care of the call to the makeindex program; also
                     % provides a number of useful options for customization
\makeindex
\begin{document}

foo\index{foo}\newpage
foo\index{foo}

\printindex

\end{document}

without option

index.png (2.81 KiB) Viewed 5088 times

However, the makeindex program knows options for customization. The ones you're looking for here are suffix_2p and suffix_3p. Those need to be set in an index style file (ending ist) and makeindex needs to be called

Code: Select all

makeindex -s name-of-style-file.ist

Here is an example:

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{imakeidx}% takes care of the call to the makeindex program; also
                     % provides a number of useful options for customization

\usepackage{filecontents}
\begin{filecontents}{\jobname.ist}
suffix_2p "\\,f."
suffix_3p "\\,ff."
\end{filecontents}

\makeindex[options={-s \jobname.ist}]


\begin{document}

foo\index{foo}\newpage
foo\index{foo}

\printindex

\end{document}

with option

index.png (2.65 KiB) Viewed 5088 times

I suggest you try to read the manual of the makeindex program for more information on customization.

Regards

[Laurentius]

Thank you. As I suspected this requires one to know beforehand where the pagebreaks are going to be. Besides, there is a difference between 7, 8 and 7 sq.; the former indicates two separate metions, the latter one continuous. Similarly with larger ranges, e.g. 7--9 ≠ 7, 8, 9.

[cgnieder]

Thank you. As I suspected this requires one to know beforehand where the pagebreaks are going to be.

Why would that be? All pages where an item is indexed is recorded and makeindex formats the pagelist afterwards according to the specifications in the style file.

Besides, there is a difference between 7, 8 and 7 sq.; the former indicates two separate metions, the latter one continuous. Similarly with larger ranges, e.g. 7--9 ≠ 7, 8, 9.

I don't think so but anyway… However, a page number is not mentioned more than once. So as how do you actually (from a reader's perspective as well as from makeindex's perspective) distinguish between the two cases?

If an item occurs on page seven and eight and you haven't used suffix_2p then both pages are mentioned separately and if you have set it then this value is used. The same goes for suffix_3p.

If you actually want to indicate a range you usually input

Code: Select all

\index{foo|(}
...
\index{foo|)}

but if you have set suffix_3p then that value is used.

Maybe xindy can distinguish between those two cases (I don't know as I've never used it) but makeindex can't.

Regards

[Laurentius]

Thanks again. I don't know what the traditional practice is, but the distinction is made in The Oxford Guide to Style.