[texhax] Curious bug in breakcites

[Michael Barr]

Interesting, but it is still a bug and easy to fix at that.

On Thu, 1 Mar 2007, Philip G. Ratcliffe wrote:

>> If you compile the file:
>>
>> \documentclass{article}
>> \usepackage{breakcites}
>> \newcommand{\etal}{\emph{et al.}}
>> \begin{document}
>> \cite{ABC}
>> \begin{thebibliography}{99}
>> \bibitem[A \etal\ (2000)]{ABC}
>> \end{thebibliography}
>> \end{document}
>>
>> the output has an extra comma after the citation.  So far, I
>> have found
>> two ways to fix it:  take the period out of the definition of
>> \etal and
>> add it to the bibitem itself; or alter the definition of \@citex by
>> replacing the last line of \@citex
>>         {\csname b@\@citeb\endcsname}}}{#1}}
>> with
>>         {{\csname b@\@citeb\endcsname}}}}{#1}}
>> (i.e. add another level of grouping).
>> [snip]
>
> I suspect that it has to do with the \leavemode command in the definition of
> \emph.
> Here are some more ways around the problem:
>
> 1. \newcommand{\etal}{\emph{et al}.}
> 2. \newcommand{\etal}{\mbox{\emph{et al.}}}
> 3. \newcommand{\etal}{{\it et al.}}
>
> Cheers,  Phil
>

-- 
Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little
security will deserve neither and lose both.

            Benjamin Franklin