[Tex/LaTex] Increasing paragraph indentation in KOMA script

indentationkoma-scriptparagraphsparskipspacing

The default parindent in KOMA scrartcl is too small for me. I remember reading somewhere that just changing \parindent directly is not wise, since it also affects other things (like itemize etc). And I think I read that using something like the parskip package is better. Now, the parskip package documentation says that the KOMA script classes provide similar functionality. But I can't see where in the KOMA guide it discusses changing the indentation.

Does KOMA script offer a better way of doing this, or should I just modify parindent directly?

Best Answer

The main reason why "playing with \parskip is a bad idea" is that this length also affects list environments. Quoting from Mittelbach (1989), With LateX into the Nineties, section 3.1 "Implementation desasters":

The generic list environment is one of the central modules of the LaTeX implementation. It is used internally by most standard environments provided by LaTeX; even environments such as center are handled as a special kind of list [...]

An actual conceptual bug was the decision to add the value of \parskip to all vertical spacing parameters, even when it is used in places where no paragraph ends. This means that changing this parameter influences the layout in unexpected places, which in turn means that other parameters must be adjusted unnecessarily to compensate for this undesired side effect.

The last sentence describes what the parskip package, the options of the same name of the KOMA-script classes and the \abnormalparskip macro of the memoir class do: Besides setting \parskip to a positive value (and, with the exception of memoir, setting \parindent to zero), they adjust the spacing before and after lists.

Why does KOMA-scripthave so many options for parskip? You may choose between a vertical space equal to \baselineskip (full) or 0.5\baselineskip (half). You may also choose the minimum amount of whitespace to be left at the end of the last line of a paragraph (up to 0.33\linewidth); such whitespace increases the perceptibility of the start of a new paragraph.

Regarding \parindent: As Ulrike has explained, changing this length is not a problem.

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Most useful additions in KOMA-Script

Unlike memoir, the KOMA-Script-classes do not add the functionality of dozens of packages to the LaTeX core - but the KOMA-additions are useful and extremely easy to handle. Roughly in order of the documentation:

Customizable type area with default values that also (contrary to the standard classes) work well for letter- and A4-paper,
Support for arbitrarily chosen font sizes (e.g. 10.5pt),
Ability to change font size mid-document,
Customization of the font attributes of many document elements,
Enhanced \maketitle features (e.g. \subtitle),
\addpart, \addchap, and \addsec commands producing unnumbered parts, chapters, and sections that are nevertheless included in the table of contents,
Options to include the bibliography, the index etc. in the table of contents,
parskip option that is more powerful than the package of the same name,
Configurable footnotes (including some features of the footmisc package),
Option open=left to always start chapters on left pages,
Consistent formatting of every "listofsomething" (e.g. "chapter gaps" in the "List of Listings"),
Lots of little things.

[Tex/LaTex] Changing \closing indents in koma-script scrlttr2 class

You vertical skip between the paragraphs can be done by the option parskip. So load the class with:

\documentclass[a4paper,parskip=full,]{scrlttr2}

The adjustment of \closing depends on the definition of \raggedsignature which is set to \centering so you can change it as follows:

\renewcommand*{\raggedsignature}{\raggedright}

Based on this modification the following example results:

\documentclass[a4paper,parskip=full,]{scrlttr2}
\usepackage[urw-garamond]{mathdesign}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

\usepackage{fontspec}
%\setmainfont{GaramondNo8}
%\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}

\usepackage[english]{babel}
\nonfrenchspacing

\setkomavar{fromname}{Ole Nordmann}
\setkomavar{fromaddress}{Storebakken 15 \\ 5500 Haugesund}
\setkomavar{fromphone}{+47 5222 8183}
\makeatletter


\renewcommand*{\raggedsignature}{\raggedright}

\makeatother
\begin{document}

\begin{letter}{Christine Lagarde \\ Director \\ International Monetary Fund
\\ 700 19th Street, N.W. \\ Washington, D.C. 20431 \\ United States of America}

\KOMAoptions{fromphone=true,fromfax=false}
\setkomavar{subject}{Request for a loan}
\setkomavar{customer}{4455992}
\opening{Dear Ms. Lagarde,}

Attached please find my application for a home loan. Since the financial crisis, my family and I have been living in a tent. We're hopeful that in this fifth year, you'll see fit to grant us the credit we need to start our new life.

In 2009, my income for the year was almost zero.

In 2010, my mortgage was foreclosed on, the house seized by the bank, rented to Korean drug lords, turned into a marijuana grow operation, raided by police, then razed and the leftover wood thrown into a chipper. As a result, the rental income in 2010 for the basement suite was limited and went mostly to cover court costs.

I trust nonetheless that my prior years as a reliable debtor will give you sufficient confidence to accept this loan risk.

\closing{Sincerely}
\encl{loan application, gift certificate for chocolate}

\end{letter}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Most useful additions in KOMA-Script

[Tex/LaTex] Changing \closing indents in koma-script scrlttr2 class

Related Question