[texhax] clash between a class file & the abbrevs package

[Vladimir Lomov]

Hello,

** jtzzaa11-texhax at yahoo.com [2011-09-21 01:51:16 -0700]:

> Hi All,

> I've been provided with a class (ijac.cls) file which seems to clash with the "abbrevs" package. I need to use the latter due to some macros already defined.

> A MWE is:
[Minimal Not Working Example: MNWE], sorry, couldn't resist :)

> \documentclass{ijac}

> \usepackage{abbrevs}

> \begin{document}

> blah

> \end{document}


> which produces the error:
> Runaway argument?
> {\normalsize }\fi \@tempa \small \@tempa \footnotesize \@tempa \large \ETC.
> ! Paragraph ended before \@tempb was complete.
> <to be read again> 
>                    \par 

> I've uploaded the class file to pastebin: http://pastebin.ca/2081775
This one is only neccessary

> and the abbrevs.sty package: http://pastebin.ca/2081776
because abbrevs.sty is already in TeX Live (I realized that lately while
invesigating the problem).

> I would appreciate if the tex gurus here could have a look and advice how to fix this clash.
first, it is not a problem with `abbrevs.sty' but with `abbrevs.cfg', but
if to be more accurate it is problem with class file and `relsize'
pacakge.

To process file without such error you should create simple `abbrevs.cfg' file
in current directory (directory where document is located), like below

<file name="abbrevs.cfg">
%%% Dumb
\endinput
</file>

I checked compilation on my system.


Details: the problem underlies in `abrrevs.cfg'. That file uses `relsize'
package and redefines \DateMarkSize using the `relsize' command. Seems
that machinery used by `relsize' package can't work with font sizing
commands defined by the class.

IMHO, that problem can be reported to class authors but I don't think
they could fix the issue quickly, on the other hand, `relsize' package
could find solution for they code to deal with such cases.


---
WBR, Vladimir Lomov

-- 
life, n.:
	A whim of several billion cells to be you for a while.