[Tex/LaTex] Random Page Numbers

page-numberingrandom numbers

I need some help with a crazy idea. For a book I want the page numbers to be a random permutation. As an example, if the book would have 5 pages, I want something like (4,1,2,5,3). Optimally, the table of contents and references would work. I don't know enough about TeX to do it myself. I am already happy about some directions in how to proceed.

I use the book LaTeX class and XeLatex.

Thank you!

Best Answer

This uses the specified permutation within range, if you have more pages than that it reverts to normal, so you can always modify the definition at the end once you know how many pages you have

\documentclass{book}

\renewcommand\thepage{%
\ifcase\value{page}%
0\or
4\or
1\or
2\or
5\or
6\or
3\else
\arabic{page}%
\fi}

\begin{document}

\tableofcontents

\chapter{Intro}
\section{Zzzz}aaaa
\section{Zzzzz}aaaa \clearpage bbbb
\section{Zzzzz}aaaa


\chapter{Something}
\section{Zzzz zzz}aaaa
\section{Zzzzzz zzz}aaaa \clearpage bbbb
\section{Zzzzzzz zzz}aaaa


\end{document}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Suppress introductory page numbers

The warnings are probably caused by hyperref, because you're not generating the page numbers that the package needs for setting anchors. It's probably better to redefine the page style for frontmatter to empty:

\documentclass{memoir}
\usepackage{hyperref,kantlipsum,etoolbox}

\makeatletter
\aliaspagestyle{title}{empty} % suppress the page number after \maketitle
\let\origps@chapter\ps@chapter
\preto\frontmatter{\let\ps@chapter\ps@empty\pagestyle{empty}}
\preto\mainmatter{%
  \cleardoublepage
  \let\ps@chapter\origps@chapter\pagestyle{headings}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

\frontmatter
\title{My Book}
\author{Me}
\maketitle

\tableofcontents*

\chapter{Intro}
\kant

\mainmatter

\chapter{First}
\kant
\end{document}

Change headings into mystyle if you want to use this one in the main matter.

Personally I find it a bad idea to suppress page numbers: every page should have a printed number, in order to help the reader in consulting the document. Only some special pages may be an exception (dedication or colophon, for example, but not an introduction). But this depends on the document, of course; if the frontmatter consists only of a title page and a one page table of contents the page numbers are probably not necessary. If the frontmatter has table of contents, list of figures and other material such as a preface, the pages should be numbered, in my opinion.

[Tex/LaTex] Roman Page Numbering for TOC in Article

This would be automatic in book class

\frontmatter
\tableofcontents
\mainmatter
...

In other classes you could just borrow the definitions from book.cls

\makeatletter

\newif\if@mainmatter \@mainmattertrue

\newcommand\frontmatter{%
    \cleardoublepage
  \@mainmatterfalse
  \pagenumbering{roman}}
\newcommand\mainmatter{%
    \cleardoublepage
  \@mainmattertrue
  \pagenumbering{arabic}}
\makeatother

as may be seen from the above definitions, essentially all you need if you don't want to define commands is \pagenumbering{roman} at the start and \pagenumbering{arabic} at the point that you want to switch.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Suppress introductory page numbers

[Tex/LaTex] Roman Page Numbering for TOC in Article

Related Question