I use KOMA-Script for most everything, including correspondence. This is painless when I am using A4 paper, but when I try to use US letter, the problems start.
With the scrartcl class, \KOMAoptions{paper=letter} does the trick.
With the scrlttr2 class:
If the default class option file is used (DIN.lco, I believe), then \KOMAOptions{paper=letter} has no effect. The document compiles with this warning:
Class scrlttr2 Warning: Letter option file `DIN.lco'
(scrlttr2) needs paper size `a4'.
(scrlttr2) Current paper size is not `a4'!
(scrlttr2) You should add `paper=a4' at the
(scrlttr2) option list of \documentclass!
(scrlttr2) Maybe you know what you are doing,
(scrlttr2) so I do not change this myself.
and the output is A4.
If I use UScommercial9.lco without paper=letter, it compiles with this warning:
Class scrlttr2 Warning: Letter option file `UScommercial9.lco'
(scrlttr2) needs paper size `letter'.
(scrlttr2) Current paper size is not `letter'!
(scrlttr2) You should add `paper=letter' at the
(scrlttr2) option list of \documentclass!
(scrlttr2) Maybe you know what you are doing,
(scrlttr2) so I do not change this myself.
If I use the UScommercial9.lco, as in this MWE:
\documentclass[UScommercial9]{scrlttr2}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\listfiles
\KOMAoptions{paper=letter,fromphone=true,fromfax=false}
\begin{document}
\setkomavar{fromname}{Stephen Bosch}
\setkomavar{fromaddress}{10 Lemon Lane \\ Sour Orchards BC V0E 0B0}
\setkomavar{fromphone}{+1 250 377 4141}
\begin{letter}{Tremulor Nocharme \\ Compliance Officer \\ Special TPS Police
\\ Fram Jammer Building \\ 320, 220 -- 4 Street \\ Treacleton AB T0M 0M0}
\setkomavar{subject}{Late TPS reports 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012}
\opening{Dear Mr. Nocharme,}
Attached please find the TPS reports you requested. Please accept my apologies for the delay.\\
\closing{Sincerely,}
\end{letter}
\end{document}
I no longer receive the warning, but the output is still A4.
In addition, when I try to simplify my MWE further by removing the
\usepackage[english]{babel}
line, I get a series of very strange errors:
! Undefined control sequence.
\select@language ... \@empty }\languageshorthands
{none}\babel@beginsave \cs...
l.8 \begin{document}
The control sequence at the end of the top line
of your error message was never \def'ed. If you have
misspelled it (e.g., `\hobx'), type `I' and the correct
spelling (e.g., `I\hbox'). Otherwise just continue,
and I'll forget about whatever was undefined.
! Undefined control sequence.
\select@language ...me \relax \babel@savevariable
\lefthyphenmin \babel@save...
l.8 \begin{document}
The control sequence at the end of the top line
of your error message was never \def'ed. If you have
misspelled it (e.g., `\hobx'), type `I' and the correct
spelling (e.g., `I\hbox'). Otherwise just continue,
and I'll forget about whatever was undefined.
! Undefined control sequence.
\select@language ...hyphenmin \babel@savevariable
\righthyphenmin \expandaft...
l.8 \begin{document}
The control sequence at the end of the top line
of your error message was never \def'ed. If you have
misspelled it (e.g., `\hobx'), type `I' and the correct
spelling (e.g., `I\hbox'). Otherwise just continue,
and I'll forget about whatever was undefined.
Class scrlttr2 Info: used language is `english'.
(scrlttr2) Supported languages are `english', `UKenglish',
(scrlttr2) `british', `american', `USenglish',
(scrlttr2) `german', `ngerman', `austrian', `naustrian',
(scrlttr2) `dutch', `italian', `spanish',
(scrlttr2) `croatian', `finnish', `norsk' on input line 8.
Note: I get this error even though I have deleted all the output files (including aux)! To my knowledge, KOMA-Script and DIN.lco do not require babel, and yet the error messages suggest that there are babel leftovers somewhere. If so, I know not where, because I have deleted everything that I can see prior to compiling. I have read this post and this post already.
The files used (from \listfiles) are:
*File List*
scrlttr2.cls 2012/07/29 v3.11b KOMA-Script document class (letter)
scrkbase.sty 2012/07/29 v3.11b KOMA-Script package (KOMA-Script-dependent ba
sics and keyval usage)
scrbase.sty 2012/07/29 v3.11b KOMA-Script package (KOMA-Script-independent
basics and keyval usage)
keyval.sty 1999/03/16 v1.13 key=value parser (DPC)
scrlfile.sty 2012/06/15 v3.12 KOMA-Script package (loading files)
scrsize12pt.clo 2012/07/29 v3.11b KOMA-Script font size class option (12pt)
typearea.sty 2012/07/29 v3.11b KOMA-Script package (type area)
DIN.lco 2012/07/29 v3.11b KOMA-Script letter-class-option
UScommercial9.lco
***********
In case it is relevant, I am using XeTeX when compiling.
Best Answer
Please try the following MWE (I have changed your MWE a little bit). It should do what you want:
The trick is that your
texdistribution has a standard paper size of A4. With the command\usepackage[pass]{geometry}you advice LaTeX to use the given paper size of the MWE. With pdfLaTeX and XeTeX it works.Update: I didn't know KOMA-Script option
pagesize(thanks @Josef) which also forces LaTeX to write a pdf file with the given paper size, here letter. So you can change my MWE to (only first changed lines):Update 2: Since KOMA-Script 3.17 option
pagesizeis default. So you don't need to set it explicitly or to loadgeometry(Comment of @Schweinebacke).