{"id":1928,"date":"2016-11-17T21:47:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-17T20:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/?p=1928"},"modified":"2016-11-17T15:48:40","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T14:48:40","slug":"checkered-background-in-latex-documents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2016\/11\/17\/checkered-background-in-latex-documents\/","title":{"rendered":"Checkered background in LaTeX documents"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a> Making a checkered background for a page – TeX – LaTeX Stack Exchange<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I am writing a math work, and I’d like to create a background which looks like a math notebook. Any idea how to do it ?<\/p>\n

I found this solution, but I don’t know how to put it in a mini-page …omissis<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here’s one possible solution using the background<\/code> package:<\/p>\n

<span class="kwd">\\documentclass<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">article<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\usepackage<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">background<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\usepackage<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">lipsum<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\newlength\\mylen<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\setlength\\mylen<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\dimexpr\\paperwidth<\/span><span class="pln">\/40<\/span><span class="kwd">\\relax<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\SetBgScale<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">1<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\SetBgAngle<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">0<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\SetBgColor<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">blue!30<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\SetBgContents<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\tikz<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\draw<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">step<\/span><span class="pun">=<\/span><span class="kwd">\\mylen<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span> <span class="pun">(<\/span><span class="pln">-.5<\/span><span class="kwd">\\paperwidth<\/span><span class="pln">,-.5<\/span><span class="kwd">\\paperheight<\/span><span class="pun">)<\/span><span class="pln"> grid <\/span><span class="pun">(<\/span><span class="pln">.5<\/span><span class="kwd">\\paperwidth<\/span><span class="pln">,.5<\/span><span class="kwd">\\paperheight<\/span><span class="pun">)<\/span><span class="pln">;<\/span><span class="pun">}}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">document<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\lipsum<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">1-20<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">document<\/span><span class="pun">}\n\n\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre>\n
And here’s an adaptation for TikZ of the code found here, for the case of minipage<\/code>s; the main environment is gridmp<\/code> with an optional argument (the color for the rules) and a mandatory argument (the width of the minipage<\/code>):<\/p>\n
<span class="kwd">\\documentclass<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">article<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\usepackage<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">tikz<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\usepackage<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">lipsum<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\newcommand\\MyGrid<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">3<\/span><span class="pun">]{<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n  <span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">tikzpicture<\/span><span class="pun">}[<\/span><span class="pln">remember picture,overlay<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span>\n    <span class="kwd">\\draw<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">step<\/span><span class="pun">=<\/span><span class="lit">3mm<\/span><span class="pln">,color<\/span><span class="pun">=<\/span><span class="pln">#1<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span> <span class="pun">(<\/span><span class="pln">0,0<\/span><span class="pun">)<\/span><span class="pln"> grid <\/span><span class="pun">(<\/span><span class="pln">#3,#2<\/span><span class="pun">)<\/span><span class="pln">;\n    <\/span><span class="kwd">\\draw<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">color<\/span><span class="pun">=<\/span><span class="pln">#1<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span> <span class="pun">(<\/span><span class="pln">0,#2<\/span><span class="pun">)<\/span><span class="pln"> --  <\/span><span class="pun">(<\/span><span class="pln">#3,#2<\/span><span class="pun">)<\/span><span class="pln">;\n  <\/span><span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">tikzpicture<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n<span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\newlength\\MaxHt<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\newsavebox\\mybox<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\newenvironment<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}[<\/span><span class="pln">2<\/span><span class="pun">][<\/span><span class="pln">lightgray<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span>\n  <span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\def\\mycolor<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">#1<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n    <span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">lrbox<\/span><span class="pun">}{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\mybox<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n      <span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">minipage<\/span><span class="pun">}{<\/span><span class="pln">#2<\/span><span class="pun">}}<\/span>\n  <span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">minipage<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n   <span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">lrbox<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n   <span class="kwd">\\setlength\\MaxHt<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\dp\\mybox<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span><span class="kwd">\\addtolength\\MaxHt<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">1.1<\/span><span class="kwd">\\ht\\mybox<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n   <span class="kwd">\\noindent<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n   <span class="kwd">\\raisebox<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">-<\/span><span class="kwd">\\dp\\mybox<\/span><span class="pun">}{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\MyGrid<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\mycolor<\/span><span class="pun">}{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\MaxHt<\/span><span class="pun">}{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\wd\\mybox<\/span><span class="pun">}}<\/span><span class="com">%<\/span>\n   <span class="kwd">\\usebox<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\mybox<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n   <span class="kwd">\\vspace<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="lit">0.5cm<\/span><span class="pun">}}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">document<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\linewidth<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\lipsum<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">2<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}[<\/span><span class="pln">blue!30<\/span><span class="pun">]{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\linewidth<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\lipsum<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">2<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\begin<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}[<\/span><span class="pln">green!30<\/span><span class="pun">]{<\/span><span class="kwd">\\linewidth<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\lipsum<\/span><span class="pun">[<\/span><span class="pln">2<\/span><span class="pun">]<\/span>\n<span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">gridmp<\/span><span class="pun">}<\/span>\n\n<span class="kwd">\\end<\/span><span class="pun">{<\/span><span class="pln">document<\/span><span class="pun">}\n\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre>\n
<\/pre>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Making a checkered background for a page – TeX – LaTeX Stack Exchange<\/p>\n
Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":4,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[72,132],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-documentations","category-tex"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6daft-v6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1931,"url":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2016\/11\/18\/like-a-lined-notebook\/","url_meta":{"origin":1928,"position":0},"title":"Like a lined notebook?","author":"Paolo Redaelli","date":"2016-11-18","format":false,"excerpt":"Well, I\u00a0really want to make my next LaTeX notes looking like this! From\u00a0templates - How to use Latex to print a document to look like a lined notebook? - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange Well, actually I want it with a squared, checkered background, like paper sheets used in booklets","rel":"","context":"In "Tex"","block_context":{"text":"Tex","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/category\/tex\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1913,"url":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2017\/05\/15\/cute-child-friendly-document-in-latex-tex-latex-stack-exchange\/","url_meta":{"origin":1928,"position":1},"title":"Cute (child-friendly) document in LaTeX – TeX – LaTeX Stack Exchange","author":"Paolo Redaelli","date":"2017-05-15","format":false,"excerpt":"Cute (child-friendly) document in LaTeX - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange","rel":"","context":"In "Tex"","block_context":{"text":"Tex","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/category\/tex\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1892,"url":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2016\/11\/14\/tikz-library-for-structural-analysis\/","url_meta":{"origin":1928,"position":2},"title":"TikZ Library for Structural Analysis","author":"Paolo Redaelli","date":"2016-11-14","format":false,"excerpt":"TikZ Library for Structural Analysis Forum and resources for TeX, LaTeX, LyX and editors. Help for writing thesis, books, formatting text and fixing errors with support for TeX Live, MacTeX, MiKTeX. I know it may exist. Now I'm an happy engineer.... :)","rel":"","context":"In "Documentations"","block_context":{"text":"Documentations","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/category\/documentations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2458,"url":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2017\/05\/15\/authoring-rpg-books-in-latex\/","url_meta":{"origin":1928,"position":3},"title":"Authoring RPG books in LaTeX","author":"Paolo Redaelli","date":"2017-05-15","format":false,"excerpt":"publishing - Authoring RPG books in LaTeX: what packages to use? - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange I am intending on authoring a role playing game (RPG) and was wondering which LaTeX packages I should use. Fits exactly my needs. Authoring RPG books in LaTeX: what packages to use? up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Role Play Games"","block_context":{"text":"Role Play Games","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/category\/games\/role-play-games\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7709,"url":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2020\/10\/24\/various-tikz\/","url_meta":{"origin":1928,"position":4},"title":"Various Tikz","author":"Paolo Redaelli","date":"2020-10-24","format":false,"excerpt":"Latex and Tikz allows to programmatically create beautiful documents, presentantions and graphics. Their documentation is clear but so extensive that one search the net for quick hacks, most often ending on Stack Exchange. Here's some of the hints I found useful https:\/\/tex.stackexchange.com\/questions\/217953\/tikz-objects-drawinghttps:\/\/tex.stackexchange.com\/questions\/415548\/quotes-with-tikzhttps:\/\/tex.stackexchange.com\/questions\/63560\/how-to-use-x-coordinate-of-a-point-and-y-coordinate-of-other-point#63562","rel":"","context":"In "Tex"","block_context":{"text":"Tex","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/category\/tex\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14454,"url":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/2025\/12\/11\/bind-rpg-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1928,"position":5},"title":"BIND RPG","author":"Paolo Redaelli","date":"2025-12-11","format":false,"excerpt":"BIND RPG BIND is an open-source, grunge-fantasy RPG, designed for printing . And it's made in LaTex! I do love the tables and the decorations!","rel":"","context":"In "Role Play Games"","block_context":{"text":"Role Play Games","link":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/category\/games\/role-play-games\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1928"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1928\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monodes.com\/predaelli\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}