LaTeX

LaTeX with Windows

LaTeX is organized such that you will need a LaTeX compiler, a program that you can edit and compile documents from (LaTeX editor), and a reference manager (if you cite documents a lot). Unlike WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors like Microsoft Word, LaTeX is written in a manner that is somewhat similar to html script, but it gives you more control in terms of your final document. Moreover, things like changing formatting/margins, adding references, adding sections/subsections or figures/tables, updating reference/figure/table numbers, hyphenating words, etc. are taken care of automatically to produce a professional quality pdf or eps document. Did I mention it's open source? You can very easily go and download it right now to get started! In the case of Windows operating systems, here are the steps that you need to take to get up and running with LaTeX.

Installing a LaTeX compiler

I like MiKTeX! Here is how to install:

1. Go to the MiKTeX website, MiKTeX.org.
2. Click on the Download tab to take you to the Download MiKTeX page.
3. Click on the Download Basic MiKTeX Installer (approximately 160 Mb) and Save It. Go grab a cup of coffee or your favorite soft drink, if you have an Internet connection like mine, this may take a while.
4. Done downloading? Click on the MiKTeX package. Accept the Copying Conditions. Select the applicable users. Install it in whatever folder you want. I typically click on "Yes" for install missing packages on the fly. Last, click on the Start button to start installation.
5. All done! The MiKTeX compiler is installed. Now for the LaTeX editor.

Installing a LaTeX Editor

There are a number of very good LaTeX editors. The MiKTeX package comes with a program called TeXworks, which is a very nice editor for creating nice pdf documents (doesn't work for postscript documents, i.e., reading in eps graphics). The TeXworks program allows you to view the LaTeX script on one half of your screen, to compile the document, and to view the resulting pdf on the other half of the screen simultaneously. If you are just starting out, TeXnicCenter is also very nice. What TeXnicCenter has that TeXworks doesn't are tabs with the various math characters and symbols that you can simply click on. This allows you to select the Greek symbol for phi, the operation for superscripts and subscripts, or the left and right brackets, which when starting out, you may not know that these are \phi, ^ and _, \left[ and \right].

1. Go to the TeXnicCenter website, TeXnicCenter.org.
2. Click on Download tab to take you to the Download TeXnicCenter page.
3. Click on the 32 or 64 Bit stable release to download the current stable TeXnicCenter release.
4. Done downloading? Click on the TeXnicCenter package. Accept the License Agreement. Select the Folder for Installation. Select the components to include. Start installation!
5. Find the link to the executable and open TeXnicCenter. You still need to link it with the MiKTeX compiler for it to work.
6. The Configuration Wizard will open on your first time using this. Click "Yes" to configure TeXnicCenter for use with MiKTeX.
7. If it asks you to locate the directory with the MiKTeX executables, it is usually in the "MiKTeX main folder/miktex/bin" directory.
8. It is now ready to use! There is a help and contents button within TeXnicCenter or you can visit their website for further information on its use. Perhaps the most important part is that when compiling, the editor can use several modes: LaTeX to DVI, LaTeX to DVI to pdf, LaTeX to PS, LaTeX to DVI to PS, etc. These choices will affect whether the LaTeX document will be compiled with MiKTeX in an eps mode or in a pdfTeX mode.

Installing a Reference Manager

A reference manager can help you prepare your bibTeX file for use in your documents. This is the LaTeX equivalent to using EndNote to manage references (for WYSIWYG editors). The most prominent reference manager seems to be JabRef, which works quite nicely.

1. Go to the JabRef website at JabRef.sourceforge.net.
2. Click on Download Latest Stable Version.
3. Download Jabref-X.X.X-setup.exe.
4. Click on the executable. Accept the license agreement. Select the install folder. Select install to start.
5. Voila! JabRef is now installed and ready for use.

Alternatively, the JabRef also has a WebStart option to run JabRef without installing it through a Java interface. This can also allow you to use JabRef without having Administrative privileges.