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Getting started with LaTeX –
 frequently encountered
           issues

       Ronja Addams-Moring
  Kie-98.1601 English Oral Skills Test
          10. February 2009
Disclaimer
• The facts about LaTeX you can verify
• The experiences, interpretations and
  opinions, however, are mine
• There certainly are similarities with some
  other persons' views but that is not their
  responsibility
• Feel free to copy, distribute, criticize,
  ignore or form derivative opinions as you
  see fit 
last update: 10th Feb 2009    Ronja Addams-Moring   2
Presentation outline
•   First: some unlearning may be needed
•   Task analysis: What we researchers do
•   Requirements: What we need
•   Historical overview
•   To LaTeX or not to LaTeX?
•   Typical issues when one begins
•   After this presentation: LaTeX demo

last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   3
Unlearn first?
•       Documents are created and maintained
        with quite varying software
           –       vi, emacs, pico, jEdit, OO Writer...
           –       notepad, WordPad, MS Word...
           –       Adobe Acrobat, FrameMaker...
           –       TikiWiki, MediaWiki, Joomla!, Mambo...
•       LaTeX has its own philosophy and logic
•       Do not expect “just another X” - you will
        frustrate yourself and make mistakes
last update: 10th Feb 2009      Ronja Addams-Moring   4
Task analysis 1(2)
•      A simplified ”circle of life” of scientific-
       scholarly knowledge
     1) Researcher A publishes a new result
     2) Based on A’s result, other researchers
        create more new knowledge
     3) Researcher A uses other researchers’
        results as input for more research
     4) The process repeats: Body of Knowledge
        grows larger and better with each ”round”
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   5
Task analysis 2(2)
•       Necessary precondition for publishing:
        presenting research results
        accurately in scientific/scholarly works
           –       Readable, precise language
           –       Exact and fault-free citing
           –       Unambiguous symbols
           –       Effective-to-read typescript and layout
           –       Clear layout for tables and figures
•       Writing/drawing/editing tools needed
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   6
Requirements for tools
• Some essential necessities
           –       Re-use of references in new works
           –       Correct word divisions (in any language)
           –       Correct cross-referencing in the article
           –       No orphan lines or other layout
                   “uglinesses”
           –       etc




last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   7
Historical overview 1(3)
• Before ca. 1975 only proprietary printing
  systems, typesetting far from author
     – Problem: typesetting introduced mistakes
     – Solution: author corrected proof prints manually
     – New problem: corrections entered incorrectly ->
       more mistakes!
• 1977 Donald Knuth (comp.sci.) had enough
• 1982 TeX: formulae, symbols - free software
• 1984 LaTeX (document structure) by Leslie
  Lamport (CS, math), 1986 The Book
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   8
Historical overview 2(3)
• The TeX innovation: device independence
     – This was news back then...
• Some limitations
   – WYSIWYM, not WYSIWYG
   – need to learn the markup
• Some advantages
   – free software: Windows (MiKTeX), Unix/Linux
     (TeX-live) and MacOS X
   – keeps document neat through changes
   – no-hassle references, footnotes etc.
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   9
Historical overview 3(3)
• Today de facto standard for (most) IEEE
  and ACM journals and conferences
• Stable, bug-free, genuinely multi-lingual
• Future: depends on MiKTeX - ?
• Personal experience & opinion:
           –       since 1983 have heard of one friend-of-
                   a-friend who had a bug-like problem
                   with LaTeX (around 1988-1992)
           –       anything longer than 8-12 pages ->
                   LaTeX
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   10
To LaTeX or not to LaTeX?
•      How large a work? 15+ pages -> LaTeX
       motivated
•      Need to structure work / use many files
       -> LaTeX motivated
•      If e.g. mathematical or Greek alphabet
       symbols needed -> LaTeX motivated
•      If journal / conference only has LaTeX
       templates: use them, don't argue
•      More brains, less money -> using free
       software makes sense
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   11
Typical beginner's issues 1(4)
•        What are all these files?!?
•        You must edit
             –      one .tex (the actual article text)
             –      one .bib (your bibliography = literature)
•        You may create and/or edit
             –      .eps (figure files: pictures, graphs...)
             –      other input files
•        You must not edit
             –      .sty (text layout style) and related
             –      .bst (bibliography style) and related
    last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   12
Typical beginner's issues 2(4)
•       Don't panic about the many details -
        you only need to learn what you use
•       LaTeX resembles HTML or wiki markup:
        tags inside text
•       Extra whitespace in .tex or .bib will not
        show in end result -> use as you please
•       The “magic” characters - must “quote”
        in .tex or .bib :  { } $ ^ _ % ~ # &
           –       don't use in file names of input files!

last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring     13
Typical beginner's issues 3(4)
•       Only the cited works from .bib listed by
        default -> when in doubt, make entry
•       Where to put cite{AuthYEAR} in .tex?
•       cite or citet or citep?
•       How do I get (also in demo)
           –       bolded text (italics not so readable)
           –       lists (numbered / bulleted)
           –       tables, pictures
           –       chapter, section and subsection headers
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   14
Typical beginner's issues 4(4)
•       BibTeX entry types = ? (Article,
        InProceedings, Proceedings...)
•       How do I get that nice-looking PDF?
•       Why “acm” not “ACM” in the PDF's
        reference list? -> add {} around
•       Other questions?
•       Learn to use (on-line) manuals!
•       Google: LaTeX OR BibTeX tutorial OR
        beginner OR guide -> 7.5 M hits!
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   15
A few useful guides
•         Oetiker: The Not So Short Introduction
          to LaTeX 2 (PDF - do save a copy!)
•         http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~dwilkins/LaTe
          XPrimer/
•         http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX
•         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BibTeX
•         http://www.hep.manchester.ac.uk/u/jenn
          y/jcwdocs/latex/bibtexbasics.html
•         http://www.economics.utoronto.ca/osbo
          rne/latex/BIBTEX.HTM
    last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   16
Thank you
• Questions?
•
• My contact info
     –   http://www.iki.fi/~ronja/
     –   http://www.linkedin.com/in/addamsmoring
     –   ronja [AT] iki [DOT] fi
     –   skype: ronja-am



last update: 10th Feb 2009    Ronja Addams-Moring   17
Use and share these slides,
             please!
• This work (= these slides) is licensed under the
    Creative Commons license Attribution Non-
    Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
• The license terms are available via:
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-
    sa/3.0/deed.en
• Attribution info: Ronja Addams-Moring: quot;Getting
    started with LaTeX – frequently encountered
    issuesquot;. Presentation 10th February 2009 at
    Helsinki University of Technology (TKK),
    Espoo, Finland, EU.
last update: 10th Feb 2009   Ronja Addams-Moring   18

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AddamsMoring 2009 Getting started with LaTeX in PDF

  • 1. Getting started with LaTeX – frequently encountered issues Ronja Addams-Moring Kie-98.1601 English Oral Skills Test 10. February 2009
  • 2. Disclaimer • The facts about LaTeX you can verify • The experiences, interpretations and opinions, however, are mine • There certainly are similarities with some other persons' views but that is not their responsibility • Feel free to copy, distribute, criticize, ignore or form derivative opinions as you see fit  last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 2
  • 3. Presentation outline • First: some unlearning may be needed • Task analysis: What we researchers do • Requirements: What we need • Historical overview • To LaTeX or not to LaTeX? • Typical issues when one begins • After this presentation: LaTeX demo last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 3
  • 4. Unlearn first? • Documents are created and maintained with quite varying software – vi, emacs, pico, jEdit, OO Writer... – notepad, WordPad, MS Word... – Adobe Acrobat, FrameMaker... – TikiWiki, MediaWiki, Joomla!, Mambo... • LaTeX has its own philosophy and logic • Do not expect “just another X” - you will frustrate yourself and make mistakes last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 4
  • 5. Task analysis 1(2) • A simplified ”circle of life” of scientific- scholarly knowledge 1) Researcher A publishes a new result 2) Based on A’s result, other researchers create more new knowledge 3) Researcher A uses other researchers’ results as input for more research 4) The process repeats: Body of Knowledge grows larger and better with each ”round” last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 5
  • 6. Task analysis 2(2) • Necessary precondition for publishing: presenting research results accurately in scientific/scholarly works – Readable, precise language – Exact and fault-free citing – Unambiguous symbols – Effective-to-read typescript and layout – Clear layout for tables and figures • Writing/drawing/editing tools needed last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 6
  • 7. Requirements for tools • Some essential necessities – Re-use of references in new works – Correct word divisions (in any language) – Correct cross-referencing in the article – No orphan lines or other layout “uglinesses” – etc last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 7
  • 8. Historical overview 1(3) • Before ca. 1975 only proprietary printing systems, typesetting far from author – Problem: typesetting introduced mistakes – Solution: author corrected proof prints manually – New problem: corrections entered incorrectly -> more mistakes! • 1977 Donald Knuth (comp.sci.) had enough • 1982 TeX: formulae, symbols - free software • 1984 LaTeX (document structure) by Leslie Lamport (CS, math), 1986 The Book last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 8
  • 9. Historical overview 2(3) • The TeX innovation: device independence – This was news back then... • Some limitations – WYSIWYM, not WYSIWYG – need to learn the markup • Some advantages – free software: Windows (MiKTeX), Unix/Linux (TeX-live) and MacOS X – keeps document neat through changes – no-hassle references, footnotes etc. last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 9
  • 10. Historical overview 3(3) • Today de facto standard for (most) IEEE and ACM journals and conferences • Stable, bug-free, genuinely multi-lingual • Future: depends on MiKTeX - ? • Personal experience & opinion: – since 1983 have heard of one friend-of- a-friend who had a bug-like problem with LaTeX (around 1988-1992) – anything longer than 8-12 pages -> LaTeX last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 10
  • 11. To LaTeX or not to LaTeX? • How large a work? 15+ pages -> LaTeX motivated • Need to structure work / use many files -> LaTeX motivated • If e.g. mathematical or Greek alphabet symbols needed -> LaTeX motivated • If journal / conference only has LaTeX templates: use them, don't argue • More brains, less money -> using free software makes sense last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 11
  • 12. Typical beginner's issues 1(4) • What are all these files?!? • You must edit – one .tex (the actual article text) – one .bib (your bibliography = literature) • You may create and/or edit – .eps (figure files: pictures, graphs...) – other input files • You must not edit – .sty (text layout style) and related – .bst (bibliography style) and related last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 12
  • 13. Typical beginner's issues 2(4) • Don't panic about the many details - you only need to learn what you use • LaTeX resembles HTML or wiki markup: tags inside text • Extra whitespace in .tex or .bib will not show in end result -> use as you please • The “magic” characters - must “quote” in .tex or .bib : { } $ ^ _ % ~ # & – don't use in file names of input files! last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 13
  • 14. Typical beginner's issues 3(4) • Only the cited works from .bib listed by default -> when in doubt, make entry • Where to put cite{AuthYEAR} in .tex? • cite or citet or citep? • How do I get (also in demo) – bolded text (italics not so readable) – lists (numbered / bulleted) – tables, pictures – chapter, section and subsection headers last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 14
  • 15. Typical beginner's issues 4(4) • BibTeX entry types = ? (Article, InProceedings, Proceedings...) • How do I get that nice-looking PDF? • Why “acm” not “ACM” in the PDF's reference list? -> add {} around • Other questions? • Learn to use (on-line) manuals! • Google: LaTeX OR BibTeX tutorial OR beginner OR guide -> 7.5 M hits! last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 15
  • 16. A few useful guides • Oetiker: The Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX 2 (PDF - do save a copy!) • http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~dwilkins/LaTe XPrimer/ • http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BibTeX • http://www.hep.manchester.ac.uk/u/jenn y/jcwdocs/latex/bibtexbasics.html • http://www.economics.utoronto.ca/osbo rne/latex/BIBTEX.HTM last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 16
  • 17. Thank you • Questions? • • My contact info – http://www.iki.fi/~ronja/ – http://www.linkedin.com/in/addamsmoring – ronja [AT] iki [DOT] fi – skype: ronja-am last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 17
  • 18. Use and share these slides, please! • This work (= these slides) is licensed under the Creative Commons license Attribution Non- Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 Unported • The license terms are available via: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- sa/3.0/deed.en • Attribution info: Ronja Addams-Moring: quot;Getting started with LaTeX – frequently encountered issuesquot;. Presentation 10th February 2009 at Helsinki University of Technology (TKK), Espoo, Finland, EU. last update: 10th Feb 2009 Ronja Addams-Moring 18