Page Zero

Fundamentals of (La)TeX

• LaTeX source files
• The edit, compile, view cycle
• GUIs
• Commandline LaTeX
• Warnings and Errors

TeX Source Files

Type in your LaTeX source: GUI or your favourite editor. . .

White space:

• single space same as many;
• blank line is new paragraph (except verbatim mode).

Macros and Curly Brackets (Braces)

• macros (commands) control format: \macro
• braces (curly brackets), control grouping: {\bf this will be bold} or \section{A Section Title}

Example Document

• input source — line-by-line. . .
  • log
• output: PDF (Postscript).

The Edit, Compile, View Cycle

Three Steps: edit, compile, view (run), just like a C or Fortran programme

All from GUI/menus (or command-line/Makefile):

1. Edit (La)TeX source file.
2. Compile — use pdflatex command to generate PDF
3. Preview using Acrobat Reader, Evince, xpdf. . .
4. Print in usual way.

Changes to source file?

• re-compile;
• reload/refresh in viewer — no need to start another viewer.

Command-line vs GUIs

Old School: favourite editor plus command-line tools

• cross-platform;
• flexible, powerful: make use of BASH and Makefiles. . .

A Choice of GUI IDEs exist for [La]TeX:

• mostly platform/OS-specific;
• good for those unfamiliar with the command-line.

More:

• Examples coming up. . .
• GUIs for LaTeX summary page.

Kile

KDE's Kile — a fancy GUI for Linux Users

More Kile Website Designed for KDE, but works on GNOME, etc.

TeXMaker

A cross-platform, free LaTeX GUI editor

More TeXMaker Website Linux, Mac OS-X and MS Windows

TeXnicCenter

Example Kile Session

Example Command-Line Session

Demos!

LaTeX:

• src (.tex), PDF;
  • log, DVI, Postscript;

Plain TeX — hardcore only:

• src (.tex), PDF;
  • log, DVI, Postscript;

Plain TeX with Postscript-related tricks — just for fun:

• src (.tex), Postscript — does not work with PDF;
  • log, dvi,

Compilation Errors: Types

Types of Errors

When you create a (La)TeX source file you will make mistakes:

Those that (La)TeX notices

(La)TeX will report an error and stop to await instruction, for example

LaTeX error. See LaTeX manual for explanation. Type H <return> for immediate help. ! Environment itemie undefined. \@latexerr ...for immediate help.}\errmessage {#1} \endgroup l.140 \begin{itemie} ?

Those that it doesn't

Your document won't look as you intended!

Compilation Errors: Messages

The Error Message

• The third line (beginning with a "!") is the error indicator (what the error is).
• Next two lines tell what (La)TeX was doing.
• Next, the error locator
  • Sometimes (La)TeX has passed the true error. . .

Your Options

• Type "X" or "x" and "return" to stop compilation.
• Hit "return" to allow the compiler to continue. . .
  • Isolated errors. . .
  • Error cascades. . .

Warning: Font generation

Its possible that you may see something like. . .

kpathsea: Running mktexpk --mfmode ljfour --bdpi 600 --mag 1+264/600 
     --dpi 864 cmti10
mktexpk: Running mf \mode:=ljfour; mag:=1+264/600; nonstopmode; input cmti10
This is METAFONT, Version 2.7182 (Web2C 7.3.1)

(/usr/share/texmf/fonts/source/public/cm/cmti10.mf
(/usr/share/texmf/fonts/source/public/cm/cmbase.mf)
(/usr/share/texmf/fonts/source/public/cm/textit.mf
(/usr/share/texmf/fonts/source/public/cm/itall.mf [97] [98] [99] [100] [101]
[102] [103] [104] [105] [106] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] [112] [113]
[114] [115] [116] [117] [118] [119] [120] [121] [122])

• This is TeX (really METAFONT) building fonts. . .
• Just ignore it. . .

Hands-On Sessions in this Course

Download files

• All required LaTeX source files downloaded;
  • right-click on the link and choose "Save link as. . ."

Use the command line and your favourite editor, or Kile

• vi, emacs. . . — gedit is a good bet, it's on the menu;
• Kile has a built-in.

Possible Alternative Options:

• Use your own laptop if you wish.

Using the Linux Command-Line

Ampersand

• used to background programs, e.g.,

      gedit &

• list backgrounded jobs with jobs;
• alternatively, if started without a &, then Ctrl-z then bg.

History

• use up and down arrows;
• or type history and choose !<command-num> (N.B. the "!")

Command Completion — TAB

• Hit the TAB key once or sometimes twice. . .

Hands-On

The aims of this hands-on session are for you to:

• compile and (pre-)view (La)TeX documents;
• make simple changes to a (La)TeX source-file (using a text editor), compile the resulting changed source and (pre-)view it;
• appreciate how well (La)TeX handles mathematics.