\newcounter (LaTeX2e unofficial reference manual (November 2018))

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### 12.5 `\newcounter`: Allocating a counter

Synopsis, one of:

    \newcounter{countername}
    \newcounter{countername}[supercounter]

Globally defines a new counter named countername and initialize it to zero (see Counters).

The name countername must consist of letters only. It does not begin with a backslash. This name must not already be in use by another counter.

When you use the optional argument `[supercounter]` then the counter countername will be reset to zero whenever supercounter is incremented. For example, ordinarily `subsection` is numbered within `section` so that any time you increment section, either with `\stepcounter` (see \stepcounter) or `\refstepcounter` (see \refstepcounter), then LaTeX will reset subsection to zero.

This example

    \newcounter{asuper}  \setcounter{asuper}{1}
    \newcounter{asub}[asuper] \setcounter{asub}{3}   % Note `asuper'
    The value of asuper is \arabic{asuper} and of asub is \arabic{asub}.
    \stepcounter{asuper}
    Now asuper is \arabic{asuper} while asub is \arabic{asub}.

produces ‘`The value of asuper is 1 and that of asub is 3`’ and ‘`Now asuper is 2 while asub is 0`’.

If the counter already exists, for instance by entering `asuper` twice, then you get something like ‘`LaTeX Error: Command \c@asuper already defined. Or name \end... illegal, see p.192 of the manual.`’.

If you use the optional argument then the super counter must already exist. Entering `\newcounter{jh}[lh]` when `lh` is not a defined counter will get you ‘`LaTeX Error: No counter 'lh' defined.`’

Unofficial LaTeX2e reference manual