[Tugindia] Re: toc entry for preface

[M.Kalidoss]

> (V. Sasi Kumar)
> In the book class, I have unnumbered chapters like Preface. These do
> not appear in the toc. How can I get them also to appear in the toc?

In the book class, use \frontmatter, include your preface,
\tableofcontents, \listoffigures, \listoftables
and then have \mainmatter.
Automatically you will have toc entries (without resorting to
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Preface} declaration).
However such a declaration is necessary after \backmatter
and \chapter*{Bibliography}

> I understand that picins can be used to create
> boxed material with a rectangle, oval, shadowbox, dashed box, etc.

I think you are referring to shadowbox and psboxit packages
and not the picinpar package.

> Could somebody who has used these packages explain their
> advantages/disadvantages? is there any basis on which one 
> could select one rather than another?

Picinpar package may be used only when we are sure of the final
location (or position) of the figure (or the table).  It has a 
number of options. (I have not tried the picins.)

Wrapfig does the same and has the same limitation, but with lesser
number of options.  

Floatflt may be used without knowing the final position, but 
the options are less.
     
M. Kalidoss