L^aT_eX

This page is under construction. There is a lot of information on L^aT_eX and since it's not unique to any one class, I'm putting the L^aT_eX information on a single page rather than incorporating it into the class web page.

To use L^aT_eX, you have two options:

1. Use a cloud-based service such as Overleaf. The free-level account should be sufficient for anything that you would use it for as an undergrad.
2. Install it locally on your computer, which consists of at least two things:
   1. The base system.
   2. An editor (unless you're one of those people who insist on doing everything via command line...).
   3. Optional: For Windows users, there are a few other programs you may need to install. They aren't required, but there are some situations in which you will need them:
      1. Ghostscript
      2. If you're using T_eXworks and want to use eps images, then you'll need Perl installed in order to configure latexmk to compile files containing eps images (described below). There are several different Perl "flavors" for Windows, I'm currently using Strawberry Perl.
      3. GSview

A Basic Installation

Install MiKT_eX. Go to the site, click Download, then the default option should be the file for basic-miktex (about 200 Mb). Be sure to change the paper size to letter and set the "install packages on the fly" option to either "Yes" or "Ask me first."

The first time you call a package that isn't on your computer it will be downloaded and installed so there will be a longer-than-usual compile time and MiKTeX may open to ask if you want to install the package, but once a package is on your computer there will no longer be a delay. MiKTeX will only install on package per compile attempt, so if there are multiple packages that need to be installed then you may get compiler errors and have to re-run the compiler several times until all of the necessary packages are installed.

Once you have MiKT_eX installed you will want to install an editor (this will act as a front-end to the compiler so you don't have to compile with the command line). The editor I and the department generally recommend that students install, and the one I will use during any L^aT_eX training sessions, is TeXstudio. It has nice syntax matching and other beginning-user-friendly touches such as a 'handwriting to L^aT_eX-code' feature that is quite nice.

Other Options for the Base System

For an all-in-one L^aT_eX installation on Windows you can use proT_eXt, which installs a full copy of MiKT_eX as its foundation and an editor (currently TexStudio) so you have a working system right away. This requires about 2GB of hard drive space, so be aware of that before you install.

T_eX Live also gives you a working installation, complete with an editor. This requires about 1.5-5.5 GB of hard drive space depending on the options you select, so be aware of that before you install.

If you use a Mac, then MacT_eX is the way to go - it installs the foundation as well as a very nice editor.

For Linux users, the base system is T_eX Live. In Ubuntu you can use apt-get or the package manager to install "texlive-full" from the universal repository (if space is an issue, you can install the bare-bones "texlive" package instead). I haven't used other flavors of Linux, but I would assume the process is similar (and if you're using Linux then you probably know more about installing software than I).

Options for Editors

Most modern editors come with a built-in pdf viewer and the ability to sync between the source code and the compiled PDF so you can easily move between one and the other.

• The editor I and the department generally recommend that students install, and the one I will use during any L^aT_eX training sessions, is TeXstudio (previously called TeXMakerX). It has nice syntax matching and other features such as a 'handwriting to L^aT_eX-code' feature that is quite nice.
• T_eXShop is an amazing editor for Mac OS X users with a minimalist style that just generally works well. If one uses L^aT_eX a lot, it's almost worth buying a Mac just to be able to use this program.
• TeXMaker is a good editor for all major platforms (Linux, Windows, and OS X), and is the editor on which TeXstudio is based. It has nicer font options than LEd below, but I don't like the default color coding (too busy) and adjusting the colors is time consuming and annoying.
• T_eXworks is deliberately modeled on T_eXShop and has been my go-to editor for Windows (it's cross-platform, too). The default fonts are fairly nice, the color coding is tastefully done (and can easily be turned completely off), and it can sync the code with the compiled output in the built-in pdf viewer. The only thing I find annoying about this program is the lack of a predefined compilation option that allows one to compile a document that contains EPS images. Here's what I had to change to get those types of documents to compile: Go to Edit→ Preferences→ Typesetting. Under "Processing Tools" select LaTeXmk, click "Edit...", then make the arguments look like this (note: you must have Perl installed in order for anything using LaTeXmk to work.):
  

  

  More information on these settings can be found in the LaTeXmk documentation.
  
  Here are a couple of other configurations that might work if the above don't (taken from the T_eX StackExchange):

  
  

• LEd (L^aT_eX Editor) is another decent editor for Windows users. The fonts aren't the best, but the color coding and auto completion features are very nice. Unfortunately, development seems to have stopped, so I'd suggest using one of the other options above.
• Here are a few other editors I've tried and didn't like (at least not enough to keep using them):
  • WinEdt
  • WinShell
  • T_EXnicCenter

L^aT_eX Workshops and Other Instructional Videos

This series of videos on YouTube by Michelle Krummel gives a good overview and is a bit shorter and better edited than the department workshop videos below.

The math department sometimes offers L^aT_eX workshops during the fall semester and goes over it in class during senior seminar. Below are videos from some past sessions.

L^aT_eX Links

There are many resources available to help you with T_eX/L^aT_eX, here are a few to get you started. If you come across another page that you find particularly helpful, let me know and I may post it.

• CTAN (Comprehensive T_eX Archive Network). "[T]he authoritative collection of materials related to the TeX typesetting system." Descriptions and documentation for all available T_eX packages. You can also check to make sure the packages you're using aren't obsolete (and find the appropriate replacement package if they are).
• L^aT_eX Wikibook. A good general reference (with lots of examples).
• The Comprehensive L^aT_eX Symbols List. As it's name implies, this is most comprehensive list of all symbols available at the time of it's last update. Each symbol is shown along with it's command and any required package.
• The (Not So) Short Guide to L^aT_eX2ε. A good beginning reference, and the PDF is linked so you can quickly jump to the topic you need.
• A Gentle Introduction to T_eX. Another good beginning reference.
• A Short Course on L^aT_eX. An excerpt from the book "More Math Into L^aT_eX".
• There are many, many free L^aT_eX tutorials available. CTAN's introduction page lists several.
• Donald E. Knuth's home page. Knuth is the creator of T_eX. For more information than you might ever want to know about T_eX, see his Computers & Typesetting, Volume A: The T_eXbook.
• TUG (T_eX Users Groups). This is the official site for all things T_eX.
• L^aT_eX Project site.
• http://www.macrotex.net/texbooks/. This site has reviews of various resources (some may be outdated).

Sample Files

Once you've used L^aT_eX for a while, you'll accumulate a pretty good library of previous work that you can draw from when starting a document or looking for a command. However, at the beginning it's good to have someone else's source code to which you can refer. Below is the source code (plus any images needed) and complied pdf for various documents I've made in the past:

• Sample template for Math 422 homework: *.tex, *.pdf.
• Math 422 syllabus: *.tex, *.pdf.
• A calculus III test (shows how to put figures in a table): *.tex. You'll also need these image files in the same directory in order for the file to compile: fig1.eps, fig2.eps, fig3.eps, fig4.eps.
  Note: The type of figures you use in your file dictates how it can be compiled. If you have only jpeg, pdf, png, or gif images, you can compile as a pdf directly (using your editor's pdflatex command). If you have Encapsulated PostScript (eps) images, then you have to compile using latex first and then convert to a pdf. Typically, vector graphics (such as pdf or eps) will look and print better than raster/bitmap graphics (such as jpeg, png, or gif).
• A pre-calculus review sheet I made for my calculus I class: *.tex, *.pdf. There are a lot of images, so I just put them together in a single zip file: precalc_review_images.zip.
• Sample Beamer presentation: *.tex, *.pdf, *.pdf with original figures. This was created by one of the math grad students at NCSU several years ago. All code related to graphics and multimedia has been commented out in order to make it compile.
• Sample Beamer presentation 2: http://www.math.utah.edu/~smith/Beamer. Shows more of the tranparency, styling, and animation options.
• Sample Beamer presentation 3: http://web.mit.edu/rsi/www/pdfs/beamer-tutorial.pdf.
• Sample Beamer presentation 4: *.tex, *.pdf. This is a version of the short "Pick-a-Number" presentation I did for my MA403 class at NCSU.
• Note: If you make an error when created a Beamer presentation and try to compile it, you may have trouble re-compiling even after you've corrected the code. If this happens, try deleting all of the auxiliary files (some editors have a shortcut to do this for you) and then re-compile.
• Document Layout/Structure Example: *.tex, *.pdf. Example of some of the different environments available for organizing a document.