vbox errors: finding the line numbers

[Ian Fantom]

I'm getting blue vbox errors pf type 'bad box', but no line numbers are
specified in the log messages.

By commenting out various blocks of code I've identified on bit that
gives rise to:

"Underfull \vbox (badness 6396) has occurred while \output is active
[]", The compilation of the pdf looked fine, though.

This arises in a list of '\begin{description}' .... '\end{description}'.

The offending code is:

"\item[2015-05-27]{Queen's Speech at the opening of
Parliament.\textsuperscript{{[}14{]}}}"

but the error disappeared when I took out the \textsuperscript as in:

"\item[2015-05-27]{Queen's Speech at the opening of
Parliament.}
% \textsuperscript{{[}14{]}}}   "

But strangely, when I reverted to:

"\item[2015-05-27]{Queen's Speech at the opening of
Parliament.\textsuperscript{{[}14{]}}}
"

the error wasn't reproduced in the log file.

I've had a browse around for an explanation, but haven't so far come up
with any success.

Thanks.

Ian Fantom

[Peter Flynn]

On 02/06/2023 12:37, Ian Fantom wrote:
> "Underfull \vbox (badness 6396) has occurred while \output is active

This means the underfull \vbox occurred while a page was being made, at
which stage it's too late to know what line was involved (TeX's
page-making is *asynchronous* with the typesetting).

> []", The compilation of the pdf looked fine, though.

6396 isn't too bad, which is probably why it looks OK. Max is 10,000.

> This arises in a list of '\begin{description}' .... '\end{description}'.
>
> The offending code is:
>
> "\item[2015-05-27]{Queen's Speech at the opening of
> Parliament.\textsuperscript{{[}14{]}}}"

1. Why have you put the text in curly braces? Normally you just type

\item[2015-05-27] Queen's Speech at the opening of

Parliament.\textsuperscript{[14]}

2. You don't need all those braces in the \textsuperscript AFAICS.

3. Is the \textsuperscript standing in for an unimplemented
bibliographic reference? Or does it have some other function?

> but the error disappeared when I took out the \textsuperscript as in:

Get rid of all the excess braces and see what happens.

Peter

[Ian Fantom]

On 02/06/2023 20:29, Peter Flynn wrote:
> On 02/06/2023 12:37, Ian Fantom wrote:
>> "Underfull \vbox (badness 6396) has occurred while \output is active
>
> This means the underfull \vbox occurred while a page was being made,
> at which stage it's too late to know what line was involved (TeX's
> page-making is *asynchronous* with the typesetting).
>
>> []", The compilation of the pdf looked fine, though.
>
> 6396 isn't too bad, which is probably why it looks OK. Max is 10,000.

OK. The only way I can see of locating the source of the problem is by
commenting out blocks of code.

>
>> This arises in a list of '\begin{description}' .... '\end{description}'.
>>
>> The offending code is:
>>
>> "\item[2015-05-27]{Queen's Speech at the opening of
>> Parliament.\textsuperscript{{[}14{]}}}"
>
> 1. Why have you put the text in curly braces? Normally you just type
>
> \item[2015-05-27] Queen's Speech at the opening of
> Parliament.\textsuperscript{[14]}

Ah, I didn't know that. I'll try it.

>
> 2. You don't need all those braces in the \textsuperscript AFAICS.
>
> 3. Is the \textsuperscript standing in for an unimplemented
> bibliographic reference? Or does it have some other function?

It refers to a reference in the references list converted from
LibreOffice Writer, so as far as the text is concerned it's merely a
number in square brackets set in superscript.

>
>> but the error disappeared when I took out the \textsuperscript as in:
>
> Get rid of all the excess braces and see what happens.

Thanks. Shall do.

Ian