[Tex/LaTex] Create a notation summary in latex

amsmathmath-modetables

Hi guys I'm writing a report with a lot of math symbols that I would like to collect in a single table at the beginning of the document, like some math books do. Is there a simple way to do that?

Morevoer, since there are some important equations, I would like to summarize them too.

So I was thinking a of creating the following:

Notation summary.
Equation summary.

For the point 2 I have been thinking something like the table of Fourier/inverse Fourier transform pair, but where one column has a very short description and the other has the equation.

How to do this as well?

(The picture below shows what kind of result i want to achieve)

Best Answer

Here's an example for the symbol notation table with glossaries, removing the page numbers by applying a user-defined glossary-style.

Say \glsaddall to provide all symbols at once!

\documentclass{book}                              
\usepackage[acronym,nomain]{glossaries}              % use glossaries-package


\setlength{\glsdescwidth}{15cm}

\newglossary[slg]{symbolslist}{syi}{syg}{Symbolslist} % create add. symbolslist

\makeglossaries                                   % activate glossaries-package


% ==== EXEMPLARY ENTRY FOR SYMBOLS LIST =========================================
    \newglossaryentry{symb:Pi}{name=\ensuremath{\pi},
        description={Geometrical value},
        type=symbolslist}

    \newglossaryentry{height}{name=\ensuremath{h},
        description={Height of tower},
        type=symbolslist}

    \newglossaryentry{energyconsump}{name=\ensuremath{P},
        description={Energy consumption},
        type=symbolslist}





\newglossarystyle{notationlong}{%
\setglossarystyle{long}% base this style on the list style
\renewenvironment{theglossary}{% Change the table type --> 3 columns
  \begin{longtable}{lp{0.6\glsdescwidth}}}%
  {\end{longtable}}%

\renewcommand*{\glossaryheader}{%  Change the table header
  \bfseries Sign & \bfseries Description \\
 \hline
  \endhead}
\renewcommand*{\glossentry}[2]{%  Change the displayed items
  \glstarget{##1}{\glossentryname{##1}} %
  & \glossentrydesc{##1}
  \tabularnewline
}

}

\usepackage{blindtext}


\begin{document}

\printglossary[type=symbolslist,style=notationlong]   % list of symbols


\blindtext


\glsaddall


\end{document}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Using BibTex as a general database for generating a table

Unless you know how to write in bibtex's stack-based language, I wouldn't recommend doing it that way. If you just want to use TeX tools without relying on external scripts, you can use datatool. Here's an example:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{datatool}

\begin{filecontents*}{test.csv}
Object,Edible,Color,Size
Apple,yes,green,small
Cat,no,brown,medium
Aardvark,no,grey,medium
\end{filecontents*}

\DTLloaddb{mydata}{test.csv}

% Define a command to access a field in `mydata' in the row identified by a
% given object:

% Syntax: \field{object}{column label} 
\newcommand{\field}[2]{%
  \dtlgetrowforvalue{mydata}{\dtlcolumnindex{mydata}{Object}}{#1}%
  \dtlgetentryfromcurrentrow{\thisvalue}{\dtlcolumnindex{mydata}{#2}}%
  \thisvalue
}

% Syntax: \boolfield{object}{column label}{true part}{false part}
\newcommand{\boolfield}[4]{%
  \dtlgetrowforvalue{mydata}{\dtlcolumnindex{mydata}{Object}}{#1}%
  \dtlgetentryfromcurrentrow{\thisvalue}{\dtlcolumnindex{mydata}{#2}}%
  \DTLifstringeq{\thisvalue}{yes}{#3}{#4}%
}

\begin{document}

List the data in a tabular environment:

\DTLdisplaydb{mydata}

Sort on `Object' column.
\DTLsort{Object}{mydata}

List sorted data in a tabular environment:

\DTLdisplaydb{mydata}

Access data: an apple is \field{Apple}{Size} and \field{Apple}{Color}.
It \boolfield{Apple}{Edible}{is}{isn't} edible.

Access data: a cat is \field{Cat}{Size} and \field{Apple}{Color}.
It \boolfield{Cat}{Edible}{is}{isn't} edible.

\end{document}

The above example produces:

Image of result

(I suggest putting \DTLdisplaydb inside a table or use \DTLdisplaylongdb if it's longer than a page.)

[Tex/LaTex] How to create a table of authorship

See the new version below, with some improvements/explanations

This is a first trial, but has some deficiencies.

Requires deletion of the .atl file if changes have been made
Does not provide for \subsection etc. so far.

Now, what's working?

I redefined the \section command to use additional [] argument holding the author name. If empty, the argument value is empty too. In this redefined \section command entries are written to an external file \jobname.atl (atl stands for authorship table list)

To prevent \tableofcontents writting into .atl too, I patched \tableofcontents to use the normal \section command.

The \firsthead should be replaced by \endhead...

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}

\usepackage[table]{xcolor}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{longtable}
\usepackage{xpatch}
\usepackage{blindtext}
\usepackage[colorinlistoftodos]{todonotes}
\usepackage[margin=0.5in]{geometry}


\usepackage{xparse}

\let\LaTeXStandardSection\section

\newwrite\authorfile

\AtBeginDocument{%
  \IfFileExists{\jobname.atl}{}{%
  \immediate\openout\authorfile=\jobname.atl%
  \immediate\write\authorfile{%
    \string\rowcolors{1}{white}{light-gray}%
    \string\begin{longtable}{rp{0.7\linewidth}l}%
      \string& & \unexpanded{\bfseries} Author \tabularnewline%
      \string\endfirsthead%
    \string\hline^^J%
    }%
  }%
}

\NewDocumentCommand{\listofauthorships}{}{%
  \IfFileExists{\jobname.atl}{%
    \LaTeXStandardSection*{TABLE OF AUTHORSHIP}
    \begin{center}
      \bfseries
    \input{\jobname.atl}
    \end{center}
  }{}%
}

\AtEndDocument{%
  \immediate\write\authorfile{%  Close the table
    \string\end{longtable}%
}% 
  \immediate\closeout\authorfile% Close the file
}%

\usepackage{titlesec}


\NewDocumentCommand{\WriteATLSectionLine}{smm}
{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{\thesection
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      \string \multicolumn{2}{l}{#2}  & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }{%
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      \thesection \string & #2 & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }%
}

\xpatchcmd{\tableofcontents}{\section*}{\LaTeXStandardSection*}{}{}

\RenewDocumentCommand{\section}{somO{}}{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{% Test for \section*
    \LaTeXStandardSection*{#3}%
    \WriteATLSectionLine*{#3}{#4}%
  }{%
    \IfValueTF{#2}{%
      \LaTeXStandardSection[#2]{#3}%
      \WriteATLSectionLine{#2}{#4}%
    }{%
      \LaTeXStandardSection{#3}%
      \WriteATLSectionLine{#3}{#4}%
    }%
  }%
}


\graphicspath{ {figures/} }

\setcounter{secnumdepth}{4}

\definecolor{light-gray}{gray}{0.8}

\titleformat{\paragraph}
{\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}{\theparagraph}{1em}{}
\titlespacing*{\paragraph}
{0pt}{3.25ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{1.5ex plus .2ex}

\title{My MWE}
\author{Robocop}

\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\maketitle
\pagebreak
\thispagestyle{empty}

\listofauthorships
\clearpage
\section*{Abstract}[All of us]
\section{First}[Gandalf]

\blindtext


\section{Second}[Groucho]

\blindtext
\section{Motivation}[Zeppo]

\blindtext

\section[Conclusions]{Conclusions -- finally}[Harpo]



\begin{center}
\rowcolors{1}{white}{light-gray}

\begin{longtable}{l r}
Table of Authorship \\ \hline
Section & Author \\ 
\hline
Introduction & Author \\ 
\hline
\hspace{1cm} Motivation & Author \\
\hline
\hspace{1cm} Background & Author \\
\hline
\end{longtable}
\end{center}

\end{document}

enter image description here

Improved version

Remove \jobname.atl after changes to the \section... names
Compile thrice (for correct content and correct width and settings for longtable content)

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}

\usepackage[table]{xcolor}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{longtable}
\usepackage{xpatch}
\usepackage{blindtext}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage[colorinlistoftodos]{todonotes}
\usepackage[margin=0.5in]{geometry}

\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage{xparse}


\newcolumntype{L}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{#1}}  % For quickly changing the column type if needed


\let\LaTeXStandardSection\section
\let\LaTeXStandardSubSection\subsection
\let\LaTeXStandardSubSubSection\subsubsection


\newwrite\authorfile%   File handle to write to

\newcommand{\AuthorHeaderName}{\Large Author} % Header name of the table (on the right of the table )

\newlength{\authorcellwidth}
\setlength{\authorcellwidth}{0.15\textwidth}  % Space for the author name

\newlength{\contentcellwidth}
\setlength{\contentcellwidth}{0.7\textwidth}  % Space for the section names in the table


\AtBeginDocument{%
  \IfFileExists{\jobname.atl}{}{%
  \immediate\openout\authorfile=\jobname.atl%
  \immediate\write\authorfile{%
    \string\rowcolors{1}{white}{light-gray}%
    \string\begin{longtable}{r@{}l@{}l@{}L{\contentcellwidth}L{\authorcellwidth}}%
      \string& & & & \unexpanded{\bfseries \AuthorHeaderName} \tabularnewline%
      \string\endhead%
    \string\hline^^J%
    }%
  }%
}

\newcommand{\listofauthorshipsname}{TABLE OF AUTHORSHIP}

% Command for getting the content of the .atl file
\NewDocumentCommand{\listofauthorships}{}{%
  \IfFileExists{\jobname.atl}{%
    \LaTeXStandardSection*{\listofauthorshipsname}%
    \begin{center}%
      \bfseries%
    \input{\jobname.atl}%
    \end{center}%
  }{}%
}

\AtEndDocument{%
  \immediate\write\authorfile{%  Close the table
    \string\end{longtable}%
}% 
  \immediate\closeout\authorfile% Close the file
}%



\NewDocumentCommand{\WriteATLSectionLine}{smm}
{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{\thesection
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      \string \multicolumn{4}{l@{}}{#2}  & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }{%
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      \string\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{\thesection} \string& \string\multicolumn{3}{l}{#2} & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }%
}


\NewDocumentCommand{\WriteATLSubSectionLine}{smm}
{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{\thesection
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      \string & \string \multicolumn{3}{l@{}}{#2}  & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }{%
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
        & \string\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{\thesubsection} \string& \string\multicolumn{2}{l}{#2} & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }%
}

\NewDocumentCommand{\WriteATLSubSubSectionLine}{smm}
{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{\thesection
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      \string & & \string \multicolumn{2}{l@{}}{#2}  & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }{%
    \immediate\write\authorfile{%
      & & \string\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{\thesubsubsection} \string& \string\multicolumn{1}{l}{#2} & #3\tabularnewline^^J%
      \string\hline%
    }%
  }%
}

%% 'Guaranteeing' the usage of traditional \section stuff, not the redefined ones!
\xpatchcmd{\tableofcontents}{\section*}{\LaTeXStandardSection*}{}{}
\xpatchcmd{\listoffigures}{\section*}{\LaTeXStandardSection*}{}{}
\xpatchcmd{\listoftables}{\section*}{\LaTeXStandardSection*}{}{}


\RenewDocumentCommand{\section}{somO{}}{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{% Test for \section*
    \LaTeXStandardSection*{#3}%
    \WriteATLSectionLine*{#3}{#4}%
  }{%
    \IfValueTF{#2}{%
      \LaTeXStandardSection[#2]{#3}%
      \WriteATLSectionLine{#2}{#4}%
    }{%
      \LaTeXStandardSection{#3}%
      \WriteATLSectionLine{#3}{#4}%
    }%
  }%
}


\RenewDocumentCommand{\subsection}{somO{}}{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{% Test for \section*
    \LaTeXStandardSubSection*{#3}%
    \WriteATLSubSectionLine*{#3}{#4}%
  }{%
    \IfValueTF{#2}{%
      \LaTeXStandardSubSection[#2]{#3}%
      \WriteATLSubSectionLine{#2}{#4}%
    }{%
      \LaTeXStandardSubSection{#3}%
      \WriteATLSubSectionLine{#3}{#4}%
    }%
  }%
}

\RenewDocumentCommand{\subsubsection}{somO{}}{%
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}{% Test for \section*
    \LaTeXStandardSubSubSection*{#3}%
    \WriteATLSubSubSectionLine*{#3}{#4}%
  }{%
    \IfValueTF{#2}{%
      \LaTeXStandardSubSubSection[#2]{#3}%
      \WriteATLSubSubSectionLine{#2}{#4}%
    }{%
      \LaTeXStandardSubSubSection{#3}%
      \WriteATLSubSubSectionLine{#3}{#4}%
    }%
  }%
}


% Other stuff by the OP

\graphicspath{ {figures/} }

\setcounter{secnumdepth}{4}

\definecolor{light-gray}{gray}{0.8}

\titleformat{\paragraph}
{\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}{\theparagraph}{1em}{}
\titlespacing*{\paragraph}
{0pt}{3.25ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{1.5ex plus .2ex}

\title{My MWE}
\author{Robocop}

\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\maketitle
\pagebreak
\thispagestyle{empty}

\listofauthorships
\clearpage
\section*{Abstract}[All of us]
\section{First}[Gummo]

\blindtext


\section{Second}[Groucho]
\subsection{First Subsection}[Chico]
\subsubsection{First SubSubsection}[Groucho]
\subsubsection*{Second SubSubsection}[The 6th Marx Brother]

\blindtext
\section{Motivation}[Zeppo]
\subsection*{Demotivation}[Gummo]

\blindtext

\section[Conclusions]{Conclusions -- finally}[Harpo]

\end{document}

enter image description here

Explanations:

\let\LaTeXStandardSection\section grabs the original definition of \section and stores it to \LaTeXStandardSection -- this way a redefinition by \RenewDocumentCommand{\section} can use the old behaviour of \section (which is needed here anyway) and add extra facilities to it. The same is true for \subsection and \subsubsection.
The command argument list of \section is now {somO{}}, meaning **s**starred ...**o**ptional ... **m**andatory ... **O**ptional, i.e. the starred version of\section`, then \section[toc-entry]{longer title} and later on the new optional argument for the author name, initially set to be empty (i.e. O{}).
\RenewDocumentCommand{\section}...checks if it's a starred section\section*, using\WriteATLSectionLine*{#3}{#4}with or\WriteATLSectionLine{#3}{#4}`, which takes care whether the section number should be displayed or not.
Code in \AtBeginDocument is executed before \begin{document}starts, so this can be used to open the output file for the entries. This is done via\immediate\openout\authorfile=\jobname.atl. In addition, some starter code for the beginning for the longtableis written to the file already, as well the end code stuff in\AtEndDocument`, in which the the file is closed.
\immediate\write\authorfile{% } is used to write stuff to the file, direct commands must be prepended with \string, whereas\thesection` must be expanded right there, otherwise it would use the last section value of the document, not the relevant one.

This is the content of the \jobname.atl

\rowcolors{1}{white}{light-gray}
\begin{longtable}{r@{}l@{}l@{}L{\contentcellwidth }L{\authorcellwidth }}
& & & & \bfseries \AuthorHeaderName  \tabularnewline 
\endhead
\hline

\multicolumn{4}{l@{}}{Abstract} & All of us\tabularnewline 
\hline
\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{1} & \multicolumn{3}{l}{First} & Gummo\tabularnewline 
\hline
\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{2} & \multicolumn{3}{l}{Second} & Groucho\tabularnewline 
\hline
& \multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{2.1} & \multicolumn{2}{l}{First Subsection} & Chico\tabularnewline 
\hline
& & \multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{2.1.1} & \multicolumn{1}{l}{First SubSubsection} & Groucho\tabularnewline 
\hline
& & \multicolumn{2}{l@{}}{Second SubSubsection} & The 6th Marx Brother\tabularnewline 
\hline
\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{3} & \multicolumn{3}{l}{Motivation} & Zeppo\tabularnewline 
\hline
& \multicolumn{3}{l@{}}{Demotivation} & Gummo\tabularnewline 
\hline
\multicolumn{1}{r@{}}{4} & \multicolumn{3}{l}{Conclusions} & Harpo\tabularnewline 
\hline
\end{longtable}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Using BibTex as a general database for generating a table

[Tex/LaTex] How to create a table of authorship

Improved version

Related Question