LaTeX newcommand with verbatim or listings : problem with `#` (hash key)

3.5k Views Asked by vvffl At 29 May 2025 at 16:34

I'm trying to define a macro with \newcommand using verbatim or listings environment. It seems that the hash key in #1 (standing for the argument) is escaped, due to verbatim and listings.

I'm new to macros, so I tried something simple : it works with \begin{center} ... \end{center}.

\documentclass[a4paper,oneside,11pt]{report}
\newcommand{\script}[1]{
  \begin{center}
    #1
  \end{center}
}
\begin{document}
  \script{blabla}
  blibli
\end{document}

When I replace center with verbatim, I get this error :

File ended while scanning use of @xverbatim.

or lstlisting :

Text dropped after begin of listing

I didn't find anything on stackoverflow nor https://tex.stackexchange.com : what would you advise to use those environments in macros (\newcommand or maybe \newenvironment) ?

Thanks in advance

Original Q&A

There are 2 best solutions below

Werner On 18 January 2019 at 17:54 BEST ANSWER

Verbatim content is tricky. You have to ask yourself what the intent is. If it's printing code, then king of the hill would be listings. I'd suggest that and define your own environment for large chunks of code-specific output.

Here's an example:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{listings}

\lstnewenvironment{code}[1][]
  {\lstset{#1}}% Add/update settings locally
  {}

\lstset{% Global options
  frame = single,
  basicstyle = \ttfamily\small,
  language = PHP
}

\begin{document}

My first PHP ``Hello World'' page:

\begin{code}
<html>
 <head>
  <title>PHP Test</title>
 </head>
 <body>
 <?php echo '<p>Hello World</p>'; ?> 
 </body>
</html>
\end{code}

When you write \lstinline!<title>PHP Test</test>!, it sets the \textit{title} of the page.

\end{document}

vvffl On 18 January 2019 at 13:38

Found a workaround for verbatim with \verb command, and using tilde as delimiter (if I want to use tilde inside the script I have to use \textasciitilde):

\documentclass{article}

\newcommand{\scr}[1]{
    \begin{minipage}{0.9\textwidth} 
        \fbox{
            \parbox{\textwidth}{            
                \verb~#1~               % <-- HERE
            }
        }
    \end{minipage}  
}   

\begin{document}        
    \scr{Some script code here... 

    here a tilde : \textasciitilde
    }
\end{document}

But nothing for listings...

EDIT : I've just noticed that this workaround doesn't keep the "automatic" character escaping, so it's not what I was looking for. I'd like to be able to paste code without escaping special chars.

LaTeX newcommand with verbatim or listings : problem with `#` (hash key)

There are 2 best solutions below

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