[Tex/LaTex] How to make index entries refer to section numbers and/or figure/table numbers, and replace comma with leaders

Question

One could use the package makeidx together with the program makeindex to generate index table in his/her LaTeX document, automatically. They are great tools, however, I'm not satisfied with the default outputting style.

The default style uses a comma as separative sign of index entry name and the page number(s), and what I need is something like the default table of contents — using leaders as separator and referring to the section numbers (but not page number).

I've searched and read lots of posts on Internet, and this post seems to be the answer to the question. However, I don't know how to migrate them into my document. For these reasons, could I ask for a step by step answer?

Answer 1

In order to use section numbers instead of page numbers it is necessary to redefine the way, the index entry is written to \jobname.idx. That is basically easy, if the package imakeidx is used.

In its manual, imakeidx the author writes, that \imki@wrindexentry should be redefined to apply for other styles. Looking into the package, there is a similar command used with \thepage as argument, so redefined it, using \thesection.

However, makeindex as external processor complains about the new format if \thesection writes its numbers as 1.1 etc., i.e. with dots. Using xindy solves this problem, by applying a new alphabet or location-class, this is done in sectionindex_xindy.xdy, as well as removing the , separator and inserting ----- instead.

Content of sectionindex_xindy.xdy

(markup-locclass-list :open " ----- " :sep "")

( define-location-class "numericsections"
                        ("arabic-numbers" :sep "." "arabic-numbers"))

( define-location-class "numericchapteralphasections"
                        ("arabic-numbers" :sep "." "ALPHA"))

---

\documentclass[paper=a4,12pt]{scrbook}

\usepackage{letltxmacro}
\usepackage[xindy]{imakeidx}

%\usepackage{hyperref}% Leads to linking to wrong positions%





\makeatletter
% Global redefinition of indexentry to section instead of page%
\renewcommand{\imki@wrindexentrysplit}[3]{%
 \expandafter\protected@write\csname#1@idxfile\endcsname{}%
    {\string\indexentry{#2}{\thesection}}%
}%


\LetLtxMacro{\LaTeXStandardFigure}{\figure}
\let\LaTeXStandardEndFigure\endfigure%

\renewenvironment{figure}[1][tpb]{%
%redefine the index write command to use figure number instead of section number
\renewcommand{\imki@wrindexentrysplit}[3]{%
\expandafter\protected@write\csname##1@idxfile\endcsname{}%
    {\string\indexentry{##2}{\thefigure}}
}%
\LaTeXStandardFigure[#1]%
}{%
\LaTeXStandardEndFigure%
}%

\LetLtxMacro{\LaTeXStandardTable}{\table}
\let\LaTeXStandardEndTable\endtable%



\renewenvironment{table}[1][tpb]{%
%redefine the index write command to use table number instead of section number
\renewcommand{\imki@wrindexentrysplit}[3]{%
\expandafter\protected@write\csname##1@idxfile\endcsname{}%
    {\string\indexentry{##2}{\thetable}}
}%
\LaTeXStandardTable[#1]%
}{%
\LaTeXStandardEndTable%
}%

\makeatother

\makeindex[options=-M sectionindex_xindy.xdy]

\renewcommand{\thefigure}{\arabic{chapter}.\arabic{figure}}%
\renewcommand{\thesection}{\arabic{chapter}.\Alph{section}}%
\renewcommand{\thetable}{\arabic{chapter}.\arabic{table}}%

\begin{document}
\listoffigures
\listoftables

\chapter{First}

\begin{figure}
\caption{A first figure with index entry, say Figure\index{Figure!First}}
\end{figure}


\section{First section of chapter~\arabic{chapter}}

Here is a table (well, the environment actually)

\begin{table}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{lll}
\hline
A & dummy & table \tabularnewline
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{A table with some index entry in it: \index{Table}{First}}
\end{table}
See also the keyword Index\index{Index}

\chapter{Two}

\section{First}
Index\index{Index} and its usage\index{usage}

\begin{figure}
\caption{A dummy figure with an index entry, say DummyFigure\index{Figure!DummyFigure}}

\end{figure}


\printindex


\end{document}

In order to make this work for figures/tables, I just redefined the command again within wrappers for figure and table environment. You have redefine \thefigure and \thetable explicitly, since it seems, that they introduce a trailing \relax command just before the figure/table number.

Please note, that this does not work correctly with hyperlinks so far,regarding the figure/table index entries.

Enabling --shell-escape is mandatory.