Quarto Custom Format Issue

[jlgraves-ubc]

Description

Hi all,

I'm trying to create a custom format, called exam, which automates a bunch of the annoying stuff I have to do when creating exams using Quarto. However, I can't see to get it to work.

For a minimal example, I have then exam latex package installed, and have a document which looks like this:

---
title: Sand Counties
date: 2023-07-03
version: 0.1
filters:
  - latex-environment
format:
    pdf: 
      documentclass: exam
      classoption:
      - addpoints
      - 12pt
commands: [question, part]
environments: [parts, questions]
toc: false

---
::: {.questions}

\question[5] Which words did you not recognize?  Write down a list and give a short definition of each.

:::

This works fine. It compiles to PDF appropriate and everything works.

But when I try to turn it into a format, as follows:

---
title: Example Exam or Assignment
format:
  exam-pdf: default
author: Jonathan Graves
date: last-modified
---

:::{.questions}

\question[5]  What is the capital of Spain?

:::

with the extension YML file:

title: exam
author: Jonathan Graves
version: 1.0.0
quarto-required: ">=1.4.0"
contributes:
  formats:
    pdf:
      toc: false
      documentclass: exam
      classoption:
      - addpoints
      - 12pt
      include-in-header: header.tex
      filters:
      - latex-environment
      commands: [question, part]
      environments: [parts, questions, solution]

It does not create a document of class exam - instead defaulting back to the standard format (scarticle). I cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong here, since this seems very straightforward.

I check the embedded install of the latex-environment filter and it seems fine, so I'm at a loss.

[cderv]

Do you have the extension available online in a github repo so we can install get access to it ?
See https://quarto.org/docs/extensions/distributing.html

Also I see you are trying to use another extension latex-environment. Did you embed it correctly ? https://quarto.org/docs/extensions/formats.html#extension-embedding

About the configuration, I don't know exactly from the extension file how they should be set... I wonder if we allow only setting in the main doc 🤔 Talking about this part

      commands: [question, part]
      environments: [parts, questions, solution]

Being able to have access to your extension will help us help you

[jlgraves-ubc]

Here's the file:

latex-exam.zip

[cderv]

I can't reproduce. I see this when I run quarto render from the folder you shared

> quarto render .\template.qmd
pandoc 
 to: latex
 output-file: template.tex
 standalone: true
 pdf-engine: xelatex
 variables:
   graphics: true
   tables: true
 default-image-extension: pdf
 toc: false

metadata
 block-headings: true
 documentclass: exam
 classoption:
   - addpoints
   - 12pt
 commands:
   - question
   - part
 environments:
   - parts
   - questions
   - solution
 title: Example Exam or Assignment
 author: Jonathan Graves
 date: last-modified

We see documentclass: exam and it will install exam in latex

finding package for exam.cls
> 1 package to install
> installing exam (1 of 1)

I get other error after though

! LaTeX Error: Something's wrong--perhaps a missing \item.

See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
 ...                                              
                                                  
l.171 \end{parts}
                  

[jlgraves-ubc]

What if you do quarto render template.qmd?

This is what I was doing and it failed. This is relevant since not all uses of this format would include a project renderable with quarto render

[cderv]

I redownloaded, unzipped, and ran. It works for exam class

Full log

> quarto render template.qmd
pandoc 
  to: latex
  output-file: template.tex
  standalone: true
  pdf-engine: xelatex
  variables:
    graphics: true
    tables: true
  default-image-extension: pdf
  toc: false
  
metadata
  block-headings: true
  documentclass: exam
  classoption:
    - addpoints
    - 12pt
  commands:
    - question
    - part
  environments:
    - parts
    - questions
    - solution
  title: Example Exam or Assignment
  author: Jonathan Graves
  date: last-modified


Rendering PDF
running xelatex - 1
  This is XeTeX, Version 3.141592653-2.6-0.999995 (TeX Live 2023) (preloaded format=xelatex)
   restricted \write18 enabled.
  entering extended mode

updating tlmgr

updating existing packages
ERROR: 
compilation failed- error
LaTeX Error: Something's wrong--perhaps a missing \item.

See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
 ...

l.171 \end{parts}


see template.log for more information.
ERROR: Error
    at renderFiles (file:///C:/Users/chris/Documents/DEV_R/quarto-cli/src/command/render/render-files.ts:346:23)
    at eventLoopTick (ext:core/01_core.js:183:11)
    at async render (file:///C:/Users/chris/Documents/DEV_R/quarto-cli/src/command/render/render-shared.ts:99:18)
    at async Command.fn (file:///C:/Users/chris/Documents/DEV_R/quarto-cli/src/command/render/cmd.ts:248:26)
    at async Command.execute (file:///C:/Users/chris/Documents/DEV_R/quarto-cli/src/vendor/deno.land/x/[email protected]/command/command.ts:1790:7)
    at async quarto (file:///C:/Users/chris/Documents/DEV_R/quarto-cli/src/quarto.ts:155:3)
    at async file:///C:/Users/chris/Documents/DEV_R/quarto-cli/src/quarto.ts:186:5

[jlgraves-ubc]

You are right - it does seem to be working. The error is strange though: quarto parses the /part command in the environment not as a latex command but as text. If I use: []{.part options="5"} instead it works.

Thanks though.

[cderv]

This is a pandoc thing - it seems \part is not seen raw LaTex by Pandoc

> quarto pandoc --to latex
\question Answer the following parts.                                     

\part[5]  What is the capital of Canada?

\part another test
^Z
\question Answer the following parts.

\textbackslash part{[}5{]} What is the capital of Canada?

\textbackslash part another test

It means you need to mark it as raw LaTeX using

`\part[5]`{=latex} 

Or indeed use the latex-environment extensions that support a Span markdown syntax for it. As you defined in YAML

commands: [question, part]

it will work with span syntax

[momenezes]

What confused me was the "Or" in the phrase:

"Or indeed use the latex-environment extensions that support a Span markdown syntax for it. As you defined in YAML".

I thought that this would be enough. But OK, I'll try the suggested form

`\part[5]`{=latex} `

Thanks for your help.

[cderv]

If you want to use the latex-environment extension, syntax will be []{.part options="5"} once you configured the extension through YAML