> Dear Lyxers
> I am using Lyx 1.6.7, Book Class, on openSUSE 11.1. I want to convert
> the standard two-column Index behavior to achieve balanced columns on
> the last Index page.( that is, from a single column down the left-hand
> side of the page with an empty column the right-hand side, to two
> columns of equal length reaching approxmimately half-way down the page).
>
> I have searched and found the following advice and code.
> Load the multicol package.
>
> \usepackage{multicol}
>
> Enter code in ERT just before the Index label
>
> %change the index environment to achieve balanced columns on last page
> \let\orgtheindex\theindex
> \let\orgendtheindex\endtheindex
> \def\theindex{%
> \def\twocolumn{\begin{multicols}{2}}%
> \def\onecolumn{}%
> \clearpage
> \orgtheindex
> }
> \def\endtheindex{%
> \end{multicols}%
> \orgendtheindex
> }
>
> This code is pasted from the Internet but not for the Lyx Book Class;
> although the code appears in several places in almost indentical form.
> It does not throw up an error, not does it have any effect on the Index;
> but it does mess up the following page by moving a float picture. So
> there is some interaction, but not that desired. There is one small
> additional effect -- the word Index in normal font appears at the end of
> the Index.
>
> Would anyone explain how this approach can be made to work?
>
> Thanks for your expertise.
>
> Kind Regards,
>
> -- Clive Libotte, IEng. MInstMC.
>
> The code works for me in the standard book environment. However for book it
> might be a good idea to change the \clearpage to \cleardoublepage to be
> certain that it does not change the floats.
>
> Why it does not work for you is difficult to know? I would suggest that you
> make a copy of your book and remove all the hand painting and special stuff
> and see if you can get the index to work. If it works start adding back the
> hand painting and specials to it stops working :)
>
> Ingar
>
Hi Ingar,
Thanks for your help. I came across the same code on the Internet but
with an extra final line which is {\relax}. The explanation of this code
was not altogether clear, so I inserted it to find out -- then
everything worked perfectly. The consequences of my ignorance may become
apparent when the book is printed -- I'll wait and see.
> Hi Clive,
>
> I am going to suggest (again) the package idxlayout. I am worried
> about weird interaction between packages as much as you, but I found
> out a good package is often safer that adding several lines of latex
> code in the preamble (as you found out). Here is what I use for the
> index in my latest book project, the options are self-explanatory:
>
> \usepackage[indentunit=15 pt,%
> itemlayout=relhang,%
> justific=RaggedRight,%
> columnsep=27 pt,
> unbalanced=false, %%%% this line produces the balanced columns
> initsep=13pt plus 5pt minus 3pt]{idxlayout}
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Stefano
Hi Stefano.
Thanks for you help and concern,
Well I'm in full agreement here, I have now used two packages that came
with Lyx 1.6.7 so I'm comfortable using them. They are tocloft and
multicol, strangely, I have idxlayout in my notes as the next package to
try if multicol did not work. So, for the time being I shall trust
multicol, as I have finished my layout of the book internals.
Thanks again.
Kind Regards,
--
Clive Libotte, IEng. MInstMC.
