[Univ of Cambridge] [Dept of Engineering]

Text Processing using LaTeX

TeX is a powerful text processing language and is the required format for some periodicals now. TeX has many macros to which you can eventually add your own. LaTeX is a macro package which sits on top of TeX and provides all the structuring facilities to help with writing large documents. Automated chapter and section macros are provided, together with cross referencing and bibliography macros. LaTeX tends to take over the style decisions, but all the benefits of plain TeX are still present when it comes to doing maths. The Why LaTeX? page discusses LaTeX's strengths/weaknesses.

Later in this document there's an example of some of the simple features of LaTeX, but first, here's a chance to jump to lists of the main introductions, packages, as well as information on bibliographies, graphics, maths, writing guides and sources of information. You can do a keyword search of the LaTeX-related documents on this server and try some exercises. Local users can read about recent updates

Introductions

Packages

There are numerous "add-ons" for LaTeX. Some (like caption, enumerate, fancyhdr, footmisc (for footnotes) and verbatim) slightly enhance existing features, others provide extensive new functionality - More information on installed packages is in teTeX's documentation guide. Local additions are listed online. The TeX and LaTeX Catalogue describes packages available elsewhere. See the Configuring LaTeX document if you intend to install many packages.

Bibliographies, Graphics and Maths

Front/Back matter

Graphics

Maths

Guides to writing various types of documents

CUED users can access the current university identifiers (crests) in /usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf.local/university_identifiers. These should only be used in their original sizes.

Other sources of information

General

Platform-dependent info

Fonts and Characters

Typesetting

Miscellaneous

Updates new

Example

A good way to get started with LaTeX is to look at a simple example. A short document is reproduced below. Engineering Department users can find a file with a similar structure in /export/Examples/LaTeX/demo0.tex. Further examples (a letter, a CV, etc) are in the same directory. 

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}

\section{Simple Text}          % THIS COMMAND MAKES A SECTION TITLE.

Words are separated by one or more spaces.  Paragraphs are separated by
one or more blank lines.  The output is not affected by adding extra
spaces or extra blank lines to the input file.

Double quotes are typed like this: ``quoted text''.
Single quotes are typed like this: `single-quoted text'.

Long dashes are typed as three dash characters---like this.

Italic text is typed like this: \textit{this is italic text}.
Bold   text is typed like this: \textbf{this is  bold  text}.

\subsection{A Warning or Two}        % THIS COMMAND MAKES A SUBSECTION TITLE.

If you get too much space after a mid-sentence period---abbreviations
like etc.\ are the common culprits)---then type a backslash followed by
a space after the period, as in this sentence.

Remember, don't type the 10 special characters (such as dollar sign and
backslash) except as directed!  The following seven are printed by
typing a backslash in front of them:  \$  \&  \#  \%  \_  \{  and  \}.  
The manual tells how to make other symbols.

\end{document}                    % THE INPUT FILE ENDS WITH THIS COMMAND.
Once you have created a LaTeX source file it must be processed by LaTeX before it can be printed out. Either drop the `.tex' file on the LaTeX icon and click on the Process button, or use the command

latex myfile.tex

which will produce a number of files including myfile.log, myfile.aux and myfile.dvi. If you are using various sorts of cross referencing then you may have to run LaTeX more than once. If you want an automated bibliography you will also have to run bibtex.

When this procedure is complete you will have a file myfile.dvi to print out. This is a device independent representation of your document which can be displayed on an X-windows screen using the xdvi program (which CUED users can run using the View button). Engineering Department people can then print using the plotview or dvilp program.

Books

The first 3 titles are rather out of date - CUED people can borrow them from the DPO machine room. The CUED LaTeX maintainer is Tim Love
[xfig] [Help]
Revised September 2003
tpl@eng.cam.ac.uk