Note! Before proceeding, try first trashing the .aux file and recompile. If this didn't help, check whether your LaTeX distribution is compatible with the package. If your system should be compatible, then proceed to the questions.

Compilation errors

LaTeX Error: File 'nnnn.sty' not found.

Your LaTeX distribution does not have package 'nnnn.sty' installed. The aaltoseries class uses and takes advantage of the following packages

  • report (class),
  • ifthen,
  • aaltologo (not a standard package)
  • geometry,
  • caption
  • tocbibind,
  • ifpdf (in the article collection and dissertation modes),
  • pdfpages (in the article collection and dissertation modes), and
  • mfirstuc (in the dissertation mode).

In addition, the aaltoseries class takes advantage of the babel package if it is included by the user.

In order to get rid of this error, download the standard packages from CTAN and the aaltologo from the Aalto-LaTeX wiki. An easier way is to update (or ask your system administrator to update) your LaTeX distribution. However, these packages should be included in the recent distributions, so the first thing to do if you don't have these packages is to update your LaTeX distribution.

Package babel Error: You haven't specified a language option.

You have included the babel package but you haven't specified the language to be used. Make sure that you have a line

\usepackage[<language options>]{babel}in your document preamble and with at least one language option given to the babel package.

Package babel Error: You haven't loaded the option 'nnnn' yet.

You gave the babel package at least one language option, compiled your file, then changed the babel package option so that you have as the last option a language that you didn't give before the compilation, compiled again, and got this error message, right? This is nothing harmful, you just messed up the document language processing the babel package performs. Compile your document once again and you will not get this error message.

Undefined control sequence. 'commandname'

You have either a typo in the command name (see the error message for the incorrect form) or you are using a command that is not available in the publication mode you are currently using. In the first case check the command call while in the latter you need either to change the publication mode or to remove the command from your document.

Compilation warnings 

Package lcg Warning: Using an already existing counter rand on input line NN.

Ignore. This is due to reinitialization of the random number generator used by the aaltologo package (version < 1.2). 

Outcome troubleshooting 

I tried to use the \maketitle command to add the document information on the first page of the manuscript but it didn't do anything / it started a chapter! What's wrong in my code?

Nothing is wrong. The \maketitle command has been redefined to do nothing in most publication modes of the aaltoseries class. In the article collection and the individual article modes the \maketitle command starts a new "chapter". Consult the class documentation for further information. 

Why there isn't a way to typeset the information table with the supervisor/opponent/abstract appearing in the beginning of a dissertation (or any other publication) as there previously have been?

This information is typeset in the Aalto publication platform (See https://inside.aalto.fi/display/AboutAalto/Aalto+publication+series for further information (requires Aalto login).), therefore there is no need to do it in the manuscript.

I used the \draftabstract command to typeset the abstract but it is not printed! What't wrong?

The argument of the \draftabstract is printed only in the draft mode. You need to give a class option draft or draft* to the class to set the draft mode on. 

I modified <a feature> that is allowed to be modified. However, the change wasn't applied when I compiled the document. What's wrong?

Note that LaTeX writes many things, like the section headers for table of contents, into auxiliary files during the compilation which are then read in the next compilation. Many things that you are allowed to modify are like them, and since the changes in the auxiliary files are applied on the next read, the document needs to be compiled twice to make the changes to happen. Therefore, compile your document yet another time. 

I don't like this and that typographic choice the class makes. How can I change them to those I like?

Check Appendix D of the documentation first if the thing that you want change can be modified with an easy to use interface. If the thing is not on that list, you should either deal with the current choices or use another class.

Bugs, coding efficiency, etc.

I found a bug in the code!

Normal use of the class has been tested thoroughly and there shouldn't be any bugs. However, if you manage to find one, please contact the class maintainer(s) as soon as possible with a detailed description on the bug and the situation in which it was found out.

Your code is inefficient, you could have more efficient implementation of this and that feature.

Thank you for your comment. If you have more efficient realizations, please contact the class maintainer(s) who will take a look at them.