tabbing
or
list
environments — it’s not difficult, but it may
prove boring. So it’s worth trying the following packages, all
designed specifically for typesetting pseudocode.
The algorithms bundle (which contains packages
algorithm and algorithmic, both of which are
needed for ordinary use) has a simple interface and produces fairly
nice output. It provides primitives for statements, which can contain
arbitrary LaTeX commands, comments, and a set of iterative and
conditional constructs. These primitives can easily be redefined to
produce different text in the output. However, there is no support
for adding new primitives. Typesetting the pseudocode itself is
performed in algorithmic; the algorithms package
uses the facilities of the float package to number
algorithms sequentially, enable algorithms to float like figures or
tables, and support including a List of Algorithms in a document’s
front matter.
Packages in the algorithmicx bundle are similar both in
concept and output form to algorithmic but additionally
provide support for adding new keywords and altering the formatting.
It provides the algpseudocode package which is (almost) a
drop-in replacement for algorithmic. Another package in the
bundle, algpascal, uses Pascal-like keywords, indents
differently from algpseudocode, and puts command arguments
in maths mode instead of text mode. There is no floating environment
but algorithmicx, like algorithmic, is compatible
with the algorithm package.
The alg package, like algorithms, offers a
floating algorithm environment with all of the ensuing niceties.
alg, however, can caption its floats in a variety of
(natural) languages. In addition, alg unlike
algorithms, makes it easy to add new constructs.
The newalg package has a somewhat similar interface to
algorithms, but its output is designed to mimic the rather
pleasant typesetting used in the book “Introduction to Algorithms”
by Corman, Leiserson, Rivest and Stein. Unfortunately,
newalg does not support a floating environment or any
customisation of the output.
“Bona fide” use of the style of “Introduction to
Algorithms” may be achieved with Cormen’s own clrscode:
this is the package as used in the second edition of the book.
Similarly, the style of
“Combinatorial Algorithms: Generation, Enumeration and Search”
is supported by the pseudocode package, written by the
authors of the book. It has the common ‘Pascal-like’ style, and has
some interesting constructs for what one thinks of as Pascal blocks.
The algorithm2e is of very long standing, and is widely used
and recommended. It loads the float package to provide the
option of floating algorithm descriptions, but you can always use the
“H
” option of float to have the algorithm appear
“where you write it”.
The usage of the program package is a little different from
that of the other packages. It typesets programs in maths mode
instead of text mode; and linebreaks are significant.
program lacks a floating environment but does number
algorithms like alg and algorithms. Customisation
and extension are not supported. Documentation of the
program package (such as it is) appears in a file
program.msg in the distribution.
None of the above are perfect. The factors that should influence your
choice of package include the output style you prefer, how much you
need to extend or modify the set of keywords, and whether you require
algorithms to float like figures and tables.
This question on the Web: http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=algorithms