[XeTeX] Command \providelength already defined

[Herbert Schulz]

> On Feb 10, 2016, at 11:57 PM, Shakthi Kannan <shakthimaan at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I am trying to use the "dialogue" package with XeTeX, and I hit the
> following error:
> 
> === BEGIN ===
> 
> ...
> (/usr/share/texlive/texmf-dist/tex/latex/frankenstein/dialogue.sty
> (/usr/share/texlive/texmf-dist/tex/latex/frankenstein/blkcntrl.sty
> (/usr/share/texlive/texmf-dist/tex/latex/frankenstein/moredefs.sty
> 
> ! LaTeX Error: Command \providelength already defined.
>               Or name \end... illegal, see p.192 of the manual.
> 
> === END ===
> 
> I found that the "polyglossia" also has this definition. Is there a
> way I can overcome this? A sample input file is shown below:
> 
> === input.tex ===
> 
> \documentclass{book}
> 
> \usepackage{polyglossia}
> \usepackage{dialogue}
> 
> \begin{document}
> 
> \begin{dialogue}
>  \speak{Vladimir} Whare are all these from?
> 
>  \speak{Estragon} These people.
> 
>  \speak{Vladimir} A house! A house!
> 
>  \speak{Estragon} We’re surrounded! There’s no way out there. Well I
> can understand that. Wait till I see. Your only hope left is to
> disappear.
> \end{dialogue}
> 
> \end{document}
> 
> === END ===
> 
> Appreciate any help in this regard.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> SK

Howdy,

Load the polyglossia package after the dialogue package. Sometimes the order of loading makes a difference.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)