3.42.1 Top new questions this week

3.42.1.1 Recommended means of testing packages while writing them

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/401883/recommended-means-of-testing-packages-while-writing-them

What is the recommended way of writing a package in the .dtx format? Do package authors usually just write the .dtx first, or use some kind of tool to create a .dtx from the .sty files? I know both  ...
 

- asked by Robbie (17 votes), answered by TeXnician (11 votes)

3.42.1.2 Why is Biber 2.8 so much slower than Biber 2.7?

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/401818/why-is-biber-2-8-so-much-slower-than-biber-2-7

I have a document with ~200 references. Some of the author fields are rather large. With Biber 2.7 a biber run took about 5-10 sec. With Biber 2.8 this takes now ~3 min. 
Are their new features or  ...
 

- asked by luki (12 votes), answered by luki (2 votes)

3.42.1.3 New version of biber+biblatex problem with pagetotal string

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/402697/new-version-of-biberbiblatex-problem-with-pagetotal-string

after biblatex was updated to 3.8 and biber to 2.8 I have problem with pagetotal string translation to polish in bibliography. MWE (compiled with xelatex): 
\documentclass{article} 
...
 

- asked by andc (11 votes), answered by moewe (11 votes)

3.42.1.4 smash subscript in sum

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/402303/smash-subscript-in-sum

I found a solution (3rd \sqrt), but am curious as to why  the \smash{}  in {\sum_{\smash{ij}} (2nd \sqrt) is ignored. 
Notes: 
Related Question: Adjust vertical size of \sqrt contating terms with  ...
 

- asked by Peter Grill (10 votes), answered by egreg (14 votes)

3.42.1.5 Macro definition not working when using LuaLaTeX and polyglossia (with `\setmainlanguage german `)

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/402400/macro-definition-not-working-when-using-lualatex-and-polyglossia-with-setmain

I'm compiling the following MWE with LuaLaTeX in an updated TexLive 2017 installation on Ubuntu: 
% !TeX program=lualatex 
\documentclass[a4paper,12pt,twoside=semi,openright]{scrbook} 
...
 

- asked by Christoph90 (9 votes), answered by Schweinebacke (5 votes)

3.42.1.6 Why doesn't biblatex work with BibTeX?

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/402016/why-doesnt-biblatex-work-with-bibtex

In this question, people mention that biblatex requires biber to work. However, if biblatex has the option backend=biber, doesn't that mean that using biber is optional rather than mandatory?
 

- asked by user118967 (9 votes), answered by Mico (17 votes)

3.42.1.7 What's the default unit of length for lines draw with 3D coordinates in TikZ?

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/402687/whats-the-default-unit-of-length-for-lines-draw-with-3d-coordinates-in-tikz

LaTeX code: 
\documentclass{article} 
\usepackage{tikz} 
\begin{document} 
\begin{tikzpicture} 
\draw (0, 0) -- (1, 0) node [midway,below] {2D (1)}; 
\draw (0, -1) -- (1cm, -1) node [midway,below] {2D (1  ...
 

- asked by Lone Learner (7 votes), answered by TorbjA~,rn T. (9 votes)