The (La)TeX system is easylly installed in linux distributions, using their own package managers. But some setup for their friends are recomended.
Here, present ssetup for common used editor and viewer, and several applications that help the LaTeX users.The almost ones is on repository of almost linux distributions (the development site will not offer binary package for your distro). Thus see on repositories of your distro before try the file on developer site. The almost aplications presented here is cross platform and will be used from windows too.Is recomended to configure editor/viewer in way to activate editor/viewer integration (forward/inverse search).
If you country use punctuated characters and interact with windows users, is nice to configure encodding on editor to mach with encodings used by Windows of your country. For example, portuguese is ISO-8869-1 (latin1 for LaTeX). The TeXMaker/TeXmakerX will edit using more recomended UTF-8 (utf8x on LaTeX) on Windows too, but almost Windows user does not like to made any adjustments on ther environments. The best choice is to use TeX commands for all punctuated characters that is independent of encoding used by editor.
Table of Contents
- LaTeX Editors
- Graphics Editor
- Graphhics Editors Specialized for LaTeX
- Scientific Graphics
- Geogebra
- gnuplot
- Maxima
- GNU R
- Octave and other clone of MatLab
- SciDAVis and Microcal Origin like ones.
- Others
- Converters
- Others
LaTeX Editor
For beginers, the kile and TeXmaker is most recomended choice as editor, and okular is best choice for viewer.These editor and viewer is normally easy to install using package manager. Thus explain only the required setup process.
In way to use syncTeX features, need to install recent version of Okular (think that 2half latter of year 2009 or latter).
LyX
site: http://www.lyx.org/LyX is the WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) style LaTeX editorthat use LaTeX to process documents, in similar way to Scientific Work Place (comercial) for windows, TeXMacs (freeware) for Linux (run on windows using cygwin) and edoc (freeware - cross platform). edoc seems good editor, but it doen not have apropriate support for equations. TeXmacs is not light weight, but is usefull to produce scientific report due to CAS (Computer Algebvra Sistem) integration like MathCAD (comercial) for windows. The Scientific Work Place (comercial) has similar support, but the LyX skip almost of these features and becames most light weight and effcient ones to edit document (comparation include comercial ones).
These kind of applications are not the "front end". The user does not necessary to know LaTex comand. The text will edited as text editor and the mathematical equations, indec entry, cross reference, etc will created using menu and tools bar. But due to LaTeX command support on LyX and TeXMacs, permit to input LaTeX sequence of command inside formula that are interpreted and converted automatically to corresponding equations. Thus, is not necessary to use mouse, increasing significantly the typeset speed (who does not know LaTeX, will thing that use of mouse is easy form, but direct typping of LaTeX command is much faster than use of mouse -- seems that the sequence of command on Scientific Work Place to produce equations are not same of the LaTeX ones. It is problematic for users). Due to these, the document editing on document with mathematical formula on LyX and TeXMacs are too fast as source code editing. To support more advanced user, the LyX permit to insert LaTeX command block directly into document. Thus will use user defined command, or command that are not suported by LyX user interface, or that the user does not know how to perform on LyX.
The interface of LyX is similar to the comercial editor Scientific Work Place for Windows, but LyX is lightweight and integrate very well with LaTeX. Due to friendly interface, will produce hight quality document without or with small bit of LaTeX knowledge. Learnning more laTeX commands, increase typeset speed. In general, the medium knowledge on LaTeX will typeset more fast than basic knowledge ones. Thus, is recomended to study LaTeX in way to increase document typeseting. The most significant diference is typeset of formula that keyboard is much faster than mouse click. The LaTeX source code exported by LyX is very celan. It was good LaTeX file import features too.
When some eror occur on compile time (if insert mistake command manually, will occur error when visualize/update DVI, PS or PDF), the error are marked using one icone on corresponding positin and the navegation tools will search these errors. When clicked on these icon, the LaTeX error are showed.
The Windows version of installer download/install all required tools, except the PS and PDF viewer. Is recomended to install PS/PDF viewer before LyX. Note that Adobe Reader lock opened file, LyX can not update PDF file. To solve this problem, use sumatra PDF. For the install on system without network connection, the "bundle" version of installer contain all accessories except the MikTeX. Note that the MikTeX that LyX install is Basic set. I think that almost ones want to use complete set. Of the case, install MikYeX before LyX to skip MikTeX install no LyX installer.
The very complete user manual and guide are on the help and is recomended to read.
When the setup of accesories like viewer, TeX, etc, is changed, the "tools->reconfigure" perform automatic setup (need to run for each user. If desire to applied for all user, reinstall LyX).
the spell checker: The "word list" will selected to be downloaded/installed during intall process. The spell checker is started by F7 or by menu "tools->spellchecker". The check start on the cursor position. If occur error saying that can not read the word for langage xxx", instead of check start, the corresponding one are not installed.
To add more "dictionary" (word list) that are not installed during LyX install, run the installer again and on "Reinstall", uncheck the "reinstall lyx 1.6.2-1 program files" and on the dictionary, specify your desired ones to be installed.
For brazilian, note that the portuguese word list has not the new grammar rule at now (April of 2009). In contrast of TeXMaker and TeXnicCenter, LyX does not accept spell check dictionary from Open Office ones. Thus, need to wait for someboy compile new one for aspell (used by LyX).
some notes on mathematical formula: The Lyx and TexMacs insert pair {} uutomatically when are typping commands. Thus, x^12 are converted correctly as x^{12}, but x^2_i are converted as x^{2_{i}}. When require that isx^2_i, need to type x^2
The mathematic inline stype is created by
If press
some notes on use of CAS (Computer Algebra System): The LyX will call Octave, Maxima, Mathematica (comercial), or some Maple (comercial) commands to perform calculation of formula, if corresponding ones are installed. To this, type matematical formula and cursor positioned at end of this, enter on "Edit->Math->use Computer Algebra System" and select the desired system to use. The LyX call selected system and on success, put the result as formula. Note that the octave is used for numerical calculus and maxima for symbolic calculus (such as symbolic inttegration). In way to work, the formula need to typed using correct laTeX commands, inclusing function name. When the formula is changed, need to recalculate.
Remark 1: The defualt mode for document is "use AMS package automatically" (LaTeX format file is compiled to load AMS package automatically). Are recomended to select "use AMS package", because almos LaTeX does not load AMS package automatically. is is valid when import laTeX document with AMS package. enter on the option "Document->settings" and on "math package", uncheck the "use AMS package automatically" and check the "use AMS package".
The user with knowledge of LaTeX will put several \usepackage command and definitions on the preamble of documents.
Remark 2: The compiler and viewer option will be adjusted by "tools->preferences". On the [file handling], the "converters" list the convertesr (and compilers) and "file formats" list the viewers. these setup will changed is desired.
Remark 3: In way to edito japanese document on LyX using pTeX, is necessary to install the additional support file for babel, dsitributed by http://wiki.lyx.org/Windows/Japanese (does not use huphenation in japanese, but LyX insist in use to compile). Unpack the file japanese.zip and put the file japanese.ins and japanese.dtx on the subfolder "/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/japanese".
Now, go to above folder, and call platex to compile japanese.ins
/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/japanese$ sudo platex japanese.ins
It generates the file japanese.ldf for babel packages. Other files will erased now.
Execute the texhash to update filen name list
#sudo texhash
If not super user, will keep japanese.ldf file on same foldera as lyx files.
Kile
Kile is most popular laTeX editor for person that does not use emacs (emacs is prefered for power users).Initially is based on TeXmaker, but works only on linux.
To configure kile, enter on menu
Settings->Configure Kile
Fonts
[Editor]
Fonts & Colors
[font] select desired font and size
Encodings
If use accents or like and desire to have compatibility with windows user, recomend to configue encodings as your desired windows ones. The TeXMaker will works in several encodings on windows, but it is not true for almost editor on windows.
[Editor]
Open/Save
Encoding:
[v] automatic spell checking enabled by default
forward/inverse search on DVI/PDF
[tools]
build
latex
select: modern
Note: The default is to support only the source specials on DVI. In way to support syncTeX on PDF converted from DVI (using dvipdfm ou dvips+ps2pdf), add "-synctex=1" on options that it becames
-synctex=1 -src-specials -interaction=nonstopmode '%source'
pdflatex
select: modern
Setup Okular
settings->configure okular
[editor]
editor: kile
On currente version of okular (2010), use
On kdvi and xdvi (perphaps, some version of okular too), use
TeXMaker/TeXMakerX
site: http://www.xm1math.net/texmaker/site: http://texmakerx.sourceforge.net/.
The TeXMakerX is enhaced version of TeXMaker and will configured using same parameter. Only difference is the program name texmakerx instead of texmaker that need attention when setup okular or like.
.
To setup TeXMaker, enter on menu
Options->Configure TeXMaker
Fonts, Encodings, and spell checking
If use accents or like and desire to have compatibility with windows user, recomend to configue encodings as your desired windows ones. The TeXMaker will works in several encodings on windows, but it is not true for almost editor on windows.
[Editor]
Editor font family:
Editor font size: {your desired size like 12>
Editor font encoddings:
Same examples of encodings:
ISO-8859-1
Portuguese version of windows use it.
On preamble of LaTeX document, put
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
Unicode (UTF-8)
linux use it as default. If using LaTeX on windows, need to specify in preamble
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
spelling dictionary:
[v] inline (keep checked)
Obs.: To install new dictionary, get openoffice one from suggested link
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Dictionaries
and put into /usr/share/texmaker
(or your own, if not super user)
source specials and syncTeX (forward/inverse search on DVI/PDF)
[commands]
LaTeX: latex --synctex=1 --src -interaction=nonstopmode """%.tex"""
PDFLaTeX: pdflatex --synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode """%.tex"""
Note: synctex optiions create auxiliar file need for sync between PDF viewer and editor. The --src option is to create special version of DVI to sync DVI viewer and editor. The synctex=1 on latex is necessary to sync viewer/editor for PDF converted from DVI (dvipdfm ou dvips+ps2pdf). When use "-synctex=1" (or "--synctex=1"), apply gzip compression on info file geneated by synctex in way to reduce their size. If use "-synctex=-1" (or "--synctex=-1") with "-1" instead of "1", no compression performed.
TeXMaker case:
DVI viewer: okular --unique "file:%.dvi#src:@ %.tex"
PDF viewer (x) Embeeded viewer ( )External Viewer: okular --unique "file:%.pdf#src:@ %.tex"
TeXMakerX case:
DVI viewer: okular --unique "file:%.dvi#src:@ ?c:m.tex"
PDF viewer: okular --unique "file:%.pdf#src:@ ?c:m.tex"
Note that embeeded PDF viewer of TeXMaker 2.1 support syncTeX (for inverse search, cic wit right button on PDF). The embeeded PDF viewer is fast than oklar. Thus, recomended to keep embeeded viewer as default and external viewer as opional. Since embeeded viewer does not have print and like, wil call external viewer clicking on right upper coerner "external viewer" on embeeded pdf viewer.
If prefer xdvi than okular, set
DVI viewer (TeXMaker case): xdvi -editor "texmaker %f -line" %.dvi -sourceposition @:%.tex
DVI viewer (TeXMaker case): xdvi -editor "texmakerx %f -line" %.dvi -sourceposition @:%.tex
Obs.: Only difference between TeXMaker and TeXMakerX is program names.
Note: for Okular, no way to setup for file name path that contains spaces (""" used for compilation does not works due to okular).
Setup Okular
Currrent version of okular (2010)
Settings->Configure Okular
[editor]
editor: custon text editor
command: texmaker -line %l
Obs.: If for TeXmakerX, put
command: texmakerx -line %l
In the case of kdvi (perphaps, some version of okular too), need %f on parameter. Remembr that kdvi does not works for pdf.
[editor]
editor: custon text editor
command: texmaker %f -line %l
Obs.: If for TeXmakerX, put
command: texmakerx %f -line %l
On currente version of okular (2010), use
On kdvi and xdvi (perphaps, some version of okular too), use
For more documents for TeXMaker and TeXMakerX, see
http://www.xm1math.net/texmaker/doc.html
and
http://texmakerx.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/texmakerx/trunk/utilities/usermanual_en.html?content-type=text%2Fhtml
TeXWorks (no stable edition yet)
site:It is in development stage (April, 2010) and mising error line finding and symbol panel, but almost other important feature are implemented and works fine.
Other editors
The emacs is classical editor for TeX, but there exists several other editors such as winefish and gemmi. Some programmer editor like geany, gedit, etc has plugins for LaTeX too. Each of these require apropriate setup to increase functionality.Graphics Editor
InkScape (recomended)
site of textext:
In way to insert LaTeX formula in the picture, istall the
The formula inserted directly inside picture does not act same as psfrag one.
Dia
is the diagram editor as Microsoft Visio (comercial). The diagram use several piece and special path and if use editor apropriate for this, will make it in fast way. In the case of illustrations, use the inkscape.
XFig
Classical diagram editor for linux that will insert LaTeX formula inside diagram that is processed by psfrag on LaTeX (tin this case, need to convert dvi to ps, in way to finalize process). Note that it is different that textext on inkscape that process formula using LaTeX and insert the result as part of picture.
GIMP
The image editor as Adobe Photoshop (comercial) or Corel Photo Paint (comercial). The "GIMP Help" is like manual, but distributed separated due to theri size.
Graphics Editor Specialized for LaTeX
The graphics editor specializad for LaTeX will save picture as LaTeX with some graphics package, instead of eps/pdf. It keep perfect coerence between picture and text bodyLaTeX Draw
site: http://latexdraw.sourceforge.net/This editor is specialized in pstricks. The editor has support to read pictures in pstrick format edited manually or generated by other applications. Will edit using nice graphics interface and keep coerence between picture and text body. Note that the pstrick package are developed to generate dvi/ps and when want to compile directly to PDF using pdflatex, need to use addtional package pstool (not pstools). The classical way to generate PDF in this case is the use of LaTeX=>dvips=>ps2pdf.
jpgfDraw
site: http://theoval.cmp.uea.ac.uk/~nlct/jpgfdraw/jpgf Draw export the picture using pgf (package used by beamer), but save in their own format and seems that does not have import features. The pgf package has advantage that will compiled both on latex and pdflatex (due to this features, beamer normally compiled by pdflatex will compiled by LaTeX if not use PDF specific effect).
The jpgfDraw present additional features for flowfram used for panel, journal, folder, etc. The flowfram package is one of most simpler to perform this kind of work, but the creation of apropriate layout is not so. The jpgfDraw permit to generate flowfram layout in easy way
Scientific Graphics
Geogebra
The geogebra is popular applications for dynamic geometry, with several additional features. Will export to WEB and as eps/pdf.pstrick too. The text on exported eps are drawn as curve and will not use psfrag. If desire to change text/fórmula, export as pstrick (LaTeX package).
gnuplot
This is the popular data plotting tools, with support to plot using mathematical expression too. Will save the resulting graphics in several format, inclusing vector ones. The gnuplot is an interpreter and need some knowledge of some basic command to generate hight quality graphics.
Maxima
Maxima is popular CAS (Computer Algebra System) as Maple 9comercial) and Mathematica (comercial). it implements MacSyma language, but becames with friendly GUi called WxMaxima that permit to perform several task without knowledge of language, inclusing graphics plot. it is usefull to generate 2D and 3D graphic of functions, but does not have support to plot implecit curve and surfaces yet.
GNU R
GNU R is popular application for statistic that implements the language R very similar to the language S.
Octave and others MatLab's clone
If understand some of MatLab language, the gnu octsave: http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/
scilab: http://www.scilab.org/
freemat: http://freemat.sourceforge.net/
QtOctave and xoctave: http://qtoctave.wordpress.com/ and http://xoctave.sourceforge.net/.
SciDAVis and Microcal Origin like ones
RLPlot: http://rlplot.sourceforge.net/
The SciDAVis is dana analysis and visualization tools that produce nice graphics and will export in several formats, inclusing vector format EPS.
The RLPlot is more simpler, but will add some text and polylines on the resulting plot. For clone of Microcal Origin users, the
Others
k3DSurf (linux/win): Plot the parametric and implicit surface from mathematical expression, by friendly interface. Fractint (dos/linux/win): One of most powerfull fractal plotting tools. The recent stable version is based on DOS and GUI is not so friendly, but the test version contain the Windows version.
Some Converters
Image Magick
site: http://www.imagemagick.org/The ImageMafick is the command line image converter that is used by several applications, inclusing LyX.
Example of use:
convert img.jpg eps2:img.eps
create compressed eps. If eps2 is not specified, it generate big eps file because use postscript level 1 that does not allow compression.
sam2p
Convert bitmap image to eps ou pdf. By apropriate option, generate small files. It is the unique aprications known at moment that can produce compressed file on postscript of level 1 (author implemented uncompress routine in postscript).
Example
sam2p -c:jpeg figura.jpg figura.eps
convert jpeg to eps, keepping jpeg compressed.
jpeg2ps
The classical jpeg to eps converter using postscript of level 2/3, generation small file. Recomend to use imagemagick or sam2p instead.
TeX4ht
The HTML produced by Tex4ht is more near to original one than the produced by LaTeX2HTML. The TeX4ht can not split documents in part, usefull for large document. The LaTeX2HTML split document in parts and produce navegation between it automatically, but it will disabled if desired. In other words, the HTML produced by LaTeX2HTML is more suitable for internet publishing and it made prefered tools for profissionals. By other hand, the TeX4ht will convert to Open Office formats too and is included in MikTeX and W32TeX.The command htlatex.bat convert formula to image and htmlatex.bat use MathML for it. The oolatex.bat convert for Open Office document format.
Remark 1: To use JPEG or PNG instead of GIF on the formula, specify on parameter.
htlatex foo "html,png"
generate HTML code from foo.tex using PNG image to formula. The seccond parameter enclosed by double quote is passed on TeX as option for tex4ht.sty package option. The other bat file workas as same form. For more option for tex4ht.sty, see the TeX4ht's manual.
Remark 2: Specifing the use of MathML, does not guaranteee that all formula is not converted to image because some ones will not have MathML equivalent.
Remark 3: The GUI for windows is found on http://www.mayer.dial.pipex.com/tex.htm.
Remark 4: Teh accent inside tabular (\a{'}, \a{~}, etc) does not recognized. In this case, use direct accentuated character.
RTF2LaTeX2e
Site: http://sourceforge.net/projects/rtf2latex2e/(copy is on CTAN: http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/support/rtf2latex2e/).
RTF2LaTeX2e is cross platform RTF (Rich Text Format) to LaTeX. converter with equation support (MS Equations). Note that MS Word will export to RTF.In the case of Open Office, use the writer2latex plugin to export as LaTeX.
To install RTF2LaTeX2e, download the file and unpack into desired folder such as c:\Program Files\rtf2latex2e
To convert MS Document, on MS Word, save as RTF by "file-.save as". If file is "test.rtf" and is on the "c:\temp" then open the command line (DOS prompt) and change to c:\temp
c:\document and settings\[user]>cd\temp
and run the rtf2latex2e
C:\temp>"c:\program files\rtf2latex2e\rtf2latex2e.exe" test.rtf
to create test.tex file.
Note that almost image are managed correctly, but some special ones such as Microsoft Draw will by ignored.
The default is to ignore color, but will changed, editing the setup file "r2l-pref" in the "c:\Program Files\rtf2latex\pref". The "ignoreColor=trure" and "ignorecolor=false" disable/enable color keeping on conversion.
LaTeX2RTF
(copy on CTAN: http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/support/latex2rtf/)
LaTeX2RTF is cross platform free LaTeX to RTF (Rich Text Format) converter with equation support. The RTF will opened by MS Word. The equation is converted to "EQ field" (not is the Equation Object) recognized by MS Equations. For Open Office, use the ooolatex included in TeX4ht, distributed with MikTeX or W32TeX. Note that the convertor support formula, tables, figures, etc, but not all LaTeX command has equivalent ones on MS Word.
To install, unpack the downloaded file to apropriate folder. Supose that if is placed into the folder
c:\Program Files\l2r
The executable name is latex2tr.exe, but the use of bat file is most easyller.
Edit the l2r.bat and change the line
C:\l2r\latex2rt -P C:\l2r\cfg %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
to
"C:\Program Files\l2r\latex2rt.exe" -P "C:\Program Files\l2r\cfg" %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
Now, edit the file l2rsem.bat and change the line
C:\l2r\latex2rt -S -P C:\l2r\cfg %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
to
"C:\Program Files\l2r\latex2rt.exe" -S -P "C:\Program Files\l2r\cfg" %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
The l2r.bat is used to convert as american standard (fields separated by colon) and l2rsem.bat (that use option -S to call latex2rt) is used to produce German standard (field separated by semi colon). In the case of portuguese, is conform to German ones. Note that the field separator is very important to the MS Word recognize equations. Need to match with your MS Office setup ones.
In way to image converter work, or to permit some equation converted to BMP image, need to install and setup the GhostView/GhostScript and ImageMagick and adjust their PATH on l2rprep.bat.
To use, compile document using LaTeX, BibTeX, etc normally to generate aux file and solbe cross references. After this, execute the desired bat file (followed by tex file name without extension) from command line prompt. If desire to use image, run the l2rprep.bat before l2r.bat or l2rsem.bat.
WP2LaTeX
Site: http://sourceforge.net/projects/wp2latex/Word Perfect to LaTeX with table and equation support.
Writer2LaTeX
site: http://writer2latex.sourceforge.net/Convert the Open Office/Star Office to LaTeX/XHTML+MathLM. Will used as plugin to export directly from Open Writer. Depending of instalation of Open Office, it becames installed..
Calc2LaTeX
site: http://calc2latex.sourceforge.net/macro for Open Calc (of Open Office) to generate LaTeX table from spreadsheet .
Other tools
jabref (recomended)
if using the BibTeX, this GUI is recomended to edit the file ".bib". Several LaTeX does not use BibTeX due to work on BiBTeX file edition that use intax different of LaTeX ones. But, with jabref, it is very easy.
jpdftweak
This tools is essential for adjustment of finalized PDF documents. It permit to split and join PDF files, reorder pages, resize, n-up, etc. If need to finalize publication material such as book, journal, etc that manage PDF in general, instead of source code, the jPDFTweak is very usefull.
To produce poster in easy way, create document using 1/4 (1/2 of scale in each dimension) using 12pt. After PDF is produced, use jpefTweal to enlarge in real size . Due to scale factor of 2x, the font size became 24pt, recomended to poster. In this way, will produce poster without special package or tricks.
pdfshuffler
To manage finished PDF files. By friendly GUI, will concatenate PDF files, delete page, reorder page, rotate page and crop page. It is not power as jPDFTWeak, but is nice for more simple task.xournal and jaurnal
xournal is eletronic notebook, but will write over PDF and export to PDF again. This features is usefull for teacher to made correction of student's work. If use tablet, will made it so fast as correction over printed ones.
