Cannot put new counter inset in list preamble
Jürgen Spitzmüller
spitz at lyx.org
Sat May 8 16:27:47 UTC 2021
Am Samstag, dem 08.05.2021 um 12:07 -0400 schrieb Scott Kostyshak:
> I'm fine with whatever you prefer. But just to make sure, I expand on
> the suggested alternative workflow. Consider the following pseudo LyX
> code:
>
> [set counter of enumi to 2]
>
> [begin enumerate]
> [item] User intends for this item to be 3.
>
> Currently, the above does not work as desired because when we set the
> counter of enumi outside of an enumerate, that does not have any effect
> (I guess because the counter in LaTeX is reset at the beginning of each
> enumerate environment?).
Yes. It corresponds to
\setcounter{enumi}{2}
\begin{enumerate}
\item See this is still 1!
\end{enumerate}
I think it is good that LyX follows LaTeX here.
> But the only intent from the user, from what I understand, would be for
> the above LyX pseudo code to export the following LaTeX pseudo code:
>
> [begin enumerate]
> [set counter of enumi to 2]
> [item] User intends for this item to be 3.
I don't think so. Counter is always local to the list environment.
Outside, the counter could be stepped for other purposes, such as
(constructed example)
\setcounter{enumi}{2}
Hello \theenumii
\begin{enumerate}
\item I expect this to be 1!
\end{enumerate}
> From a user point of view, at least one who does not know anything
> about LaTeX (I'm a good proxy for such a user), it's not intuitive
> that we have to set the counter in the List Preamble. The distinction
> between setting counters for Theorems, for example, and setting
> counters for enum items, although clear to LaTeX experts, is too
> subtle for it to be obvious to many LaTeX beginners. I believe (I
> would have to double-check with others, perhaps on lyx-users) the
> alternative workflow suggested above is more intuitive. However, I
> understand that from a LaTeX perspective it is not intuitive since it
> does not make sense to set the counter before the environment even
> begins.
Well it should be clear that some counters are reset in some cases
while others are not, and that counters need to be set within this
scope.
If you take theorems, and use "by sections", would you expect a counter
inset positioned just _before_ a section heading to step the theorems
in the section that follows?
If we follow your proposal, we'd need to to that as "non-TeXies might
expect it". And what about "by chapter" theorems?
Deviating here from what LaTeX does soon leads us into situations that
are tricky.
> As a separate alternative approach, I wonder if users would prefer to
> simply right-click on the "1" in the enum and select "change counter"
> and enter "3" in the dialog.
This is basically a replacement for the current counter inset approach.
This is definitely more intuitive, but more complex to implement (as
the same would need to be done for all other counters we have
(headings, footnotes etc.).
Jürgen
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