[Tex/LaTex] Macro for Declaring Variables in Class Files

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I'm designing a new LaTeX class, and trying to write a convenient helper command for declaring new 'variables' for use in the class.

Specifically, say I want to use a variable called \foo. I'd like an author to be able to write \foo{bar}, and then be able to use \@foo in the class file (which would itself expand to bar. This can be accomplished with the following code:

\let\@foo\relax
\def\foo#1{\def\@foo{#1}}

and the author can define it with \foo{bar}. I want to create a helper command that allows the variable declaration to be done with a command like \DeclareAuthorVariable, which I would use in the LaTeX class file to declare variables. For example, I would like to be able to write \DeclareAuthorVariable{foo} in the class file instead of the ugly two line mess above. I've tried a number of different approaches, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to do this, since the commands that I'm trying to replace themselves involve arguments. I'm wondering if anyone knows how to do this or if it isn't possible? Thanks!

(Also, apologies, I'm very new to LaTeX class design!)

Best Answer

I'd add also some functions. You can declare a variable to be mandatory or optional; for instance title might be mandatory, while subtitle only optional. I propose the syntax

\DeclareAuthorVariable*{title}   % mandatory
\DeclareAuthorVariable{subtitle} % optional

Here is the code. Change the ting prefix to what suits you best.

% Do the branching between * and normal version
\newcommand{\DeclareAuthorVariable}{%
  \@ifstar{\ting@DeclareAuthorVariable{\ting@mandatory@var}}
          {\ting@DeclareAuthorVariable{\ting@optional@var}}%
}

% The main command; the internal version of \foo is \ting@foo
% The macro \ting@foo is initialized to give an error or an info
% message when used, so if the user doesn't provide a value for a
% mandatory variable, we'll catch the issue
\newcommand{\ting@DeclareAuthorVariable}[2]{%
  \@namedef{ting@#2}{#1{#2}}%
  \@namedef{#2}##1{\@namedef{ting@#2}{##1}}%
}
% The error and info messages
\newcommand{\ting@mandatory@var}[1]{%
  \ClassError{ting}
    {Missing value for mandatory variable
     \expandafter\string\csname#1\endcsname}
    {You have to provide a value with
     \expandafter\string\csname#1\endcsname{...}}%
}
\newcommand{\ting@optional@var}[1]{%
  \ClassInfo{ting}
    {Missing value for optional variable
     \expandafter\string\csname#1\endcsname}%
}

%%% Define two variables
\DeclareAuthorVariable*{title}
\DeclareAuthorVariable{subtitle}

If you need to branch according to a variable having been given a value or not, you can modify \ting@DeclareAuthorVariable:

\newcommand{\ting@DeclareAuthorVariable}[2]{%
  \@namedef{ting@#2}{#1{#2}}%
  \@namedef{#2}##1{\@namedef{ting@#2}{##1}\@namedef{ting@#2@defined}{}}%
}

and add

\newcommand{\@ifauthorvariable}[3]{\@ifundefined{ting@#1@defined}{#3}{#2}}

so that you can say something like

\@ifauthorvariable{subtitle}
  {\vspace{3ex}\textsc{\ting@subtitle}\par\vspace{3ex}}
  {\vspace{1ex}---\par\vspace{1ex}}

(Here I assume that the title page will be set under \centering; the subtitle or, if missing, a dash would be printed.)

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