[Tex/LaTex] Problem with \renewcommand

footnotesgraphicsmacros

I am trying to use \renewcommand to change the size of footnotes throughout the main text. I do this by changing \footenotesize to a different command, \scriptsize. Later on, I would like the command \footnotesize to return to its original use. But, using \renewcommand again to do this causes my .tex file to stop compiling, typically on the first \includegraphics command. Even without the \includegraphics command, the .tex file will not compile. I don't understand what's going on, but if I remove the second \renewcommand, the document compiles.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}   % Graphics package to include figures (need graphicx.sty)

\begin{document}

\renewcommand{\footnotesize}{\scriptsize}

Here is some text. And Here is some text with a footnote.\footnote{Here is the footnote text.}

\renewcommand{\footnotesize}{\footnotesize}

\begin{figure}
\caption{Probability of Leaving within One Year: 1999-2002}
        \begin{center}
   \includegraphics[width=4in]{combined-one-3060-vertical.eps}
   \end{center}
\label{fig:leave1-baseline}
{\footnotesize
Notes:  The top panel plots the average leave probability for one-year age bins for the 2002 sample, while the bottom panel separately plots these probabilities for the 2002 and 1999-2001 samples.
}
\end{figure}

\end{document}

Best Answer

Your code doesn't work because you are using the same command as new and as old command in

\renewcommand{\footnotesize}{\footnotesize}

The right way to do it, is to first save the meaning of \footnotesize

\let\oldfootnotesize\footnotesize

and when you want to restore its meaning, use

\renewcommand{\footnotesize}{\oldfootnotesize}

So, modifying your MWE to

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}   % Graphics package to include figures (need graphicx.sty)

\begin{document}

\let\oldfootnotesize\footnotesize
\renewcommand{\footnotesize}{\scriptsize}

Here is some text. And Here is some text with a footnote.\footnote{Here is the footnote text.}

\renewcommand{\footnotesize}{\oldfootnotesize}

\begin{figure}
\caption{Probability of Leaving within One Year: 1999-2002}
        \begin{center}
   \includegraphics[width=4in]{combined-one-3060-vertical.eps}
   \end{center}
\label{fig:leave1-baseline}
{\footnotesize
Notes:  The top panel plots the average leave probability for one-year age bins for the 2002 sample, while the bottom panel separately plots these probabilities for the 2002 and 1999-2001 samples.
}
\end{figure}

\end{document}

works.

Related Question