Can't write \nicefrac fractions

[Miguel Diago]

Binary package hint: lyx

\nicefrac fractions don't work in Lyx 1.5.6 running on Ubuntu 8.10. Although they are represented in the writing window, LyX can't export the document to PDF.

The error message that appears is: "Latex Error: 'nicefrac.sty' not found."

You can reproduce this simply by opening the attached file and exporting it to PDF.

[Dara Adib (daradib)]

Do you have the package texlive-latex-extra installed, which should provide the file /usr/share/texmf-texlive/tex/latex/units/nicefrac.sty exist on your computer? Please install it if you haven't and try reproducing the error.

texlive-latex-extra is currently suggested by LyX.

It should probably be recommended instead, as recommended packages are installed by default in Ubuntu 8.10, but are not required dependencies.

According to the Debian Policy Manual:

Recommends

    This declares a strong, but not absolute, dependency.

    The Recommends field should list packages that would be found together with this one in all but unusual installations.

Suggests

    This is used to declare that one package may be more useful with one or more others. Using this field tells the packaging system and the user that the listed packages are related to this one and can perhaps enhance its usefulness, but that installing this one without them is perfectly reasonable.

[Miguel Diago (mdm)]

Thanks, it's working now, but as you said texlive-latex-extra should be really recommended instead of suggested. Do I have to open a new bug for this and let this one be closed?

[Dara Adib (daradib)]

A bug has already been filed as bug 271994. The corresponding bug filed in Debian gives important reasons why texlive-latex-extra should not be recommended at this time (namely that texlive-latex-extra in turn recommends a 76 MB -doc package): http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=499629