LaTeX Help and Tutorials
For a sample document to be typeset using LaTex click here.
- Introduction : Terminology
- Installation of LaTeX package
- For the general audience
- For Vidya Academy Students
- Learn basics of LaTeX
- Learn more about LaTeX
- For Vidya Academy MCA Students : Typesetting Seminar Report
- Download template files
- Create copy of template.tex
- Start filling template
- Final touches
- When finished
- For Vidya Academy B Tech Students : Typesetting Reports
- Download template files
- Create copy of template.tex
- Start filling template
- Final touches
- When finished
- For Vidya Academy M Tech students
- People
Introduction : Terminlogy
- Word Processor
By a word processor we generally mean a WYSIWYG ("What You See Is What You Get") system where the formatting takes place while we enter the text; no further processing is done prior to sending our work to a printer. Miccrosoft Office Word is an example of a word processor.
- Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text material by means of types. Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner. Typesetting is the retrieval of the stored letters and the arranging them according to a language's orthography for visual display. Over the centuries printers have developed several typesetting conventions to improve the quality of the printed pages and to enhance the readability and visual appeal of each and every page of a printed document.
- Markup Language
A markup language is a system for annotating a text in such a way that the annotation is distinguishable from the text. The idea and terminology evolved from the "marking up" of manuscripts with, for example, the revision instructions by editors. HTML, which stands for HyperText Markup Language, is the predominant markup language for web pages. A markup language is a set of markup tags, and HTML uses markup tags to describe web pages.
- TEX
TEX is a computer programme created by Donad E Knuth of Stanford University in late seventies for typesetting documents. TEX is a free software.
- LATEX
LATEX is a markup language used for typesetting documents. LATEX is based on TEX. LATEX is the standard document preparation system in academia. It's mainly used by scientists and mathematicians, and is the accepted submission format for most journals in these .fields. The primary strength of LaTeX is its typesetting quality. It .effectively enforces a consistent and professional layout and typographical convention for our documents.
- LATEX implementations
There are several implementations of the LATEX package. TEXLive is a distribution provided by TEX User Groups. This supports Unix systems, MacOSX, and 32-bit Windows. MiKTEX is an independent distribution for Windows with a flexible package manager.
- TEX Editors
There are several editors and front-ends for using LATEX. TEXworks is one such front-end. A few others are WinEdt, WinShell, TeXnicCenter, and LyX.
Installation of LaTeX package
For the general audience
- A LaTeX package can be easily installed in your personal computer system. LaTeX packages are freely available for download in the internet.
- A package popular among Windows users is MiKTeX. For instructions regarding downloading and installing the package, see the web-page of MiKTeX here.
- If there is any difficulty in getting the package, you may contact the Laboratory Instructor of the Department of Computer Applications of Vidya Academy of Science & Technology.
- While installing the MiKTeX package with default settings in your computer, the TeX editor TeXworks wouldd also be installed in your system. The TeXworks icon would then be visible in the desktop.
For Vidya Academy Students
- The MiKTeX 2.8 package has been installed in all the computer systems in the Computer Laboratory of the Department. Students can make use of this facility.
- If any student wants to install the package in his/her personal computer or laptop, he/she may contact the Laboratory Instructor of the Department for help.
- In the following discussions it will be assumed that a computer system with MiKTeX is available to the reader.
Learn basics of LaTeX
- You must read the book The First Lessons in TeX by V N Krishnachandran. This describes the first few steps in learning LaTeX. Don't be frightened. It is not even a book! It is a slim volume of about 50 pages with very minimal text and plenty of pictures. The book is divided into very short chapters. (The longest one has only five pages!) Each chapter is devoted a specific concept related to LaTeX.The concept is briefly explained and illustrated with examples.
- Do not read the whole book in one sitting.
- It is not enough that you read the book. You must practice what you have been told to do in the book. While reading the book, simultaneously, you must practice and see the output. Open the book and the TeXworks window together. Read the book and follow the instructions their in.
- On Chapter 1 : To begin with, if you have read this far, and has understood what we are talking about, then you need not read Chapter 1.
- On Chapter 2 : You must definitely read Chapter 2. It tells you how to tinker with TeXworks. You can finish it in ten minutes.
- On Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 : These chapters describe the two most important first steps. Learn them thoroughly. Then you can claim that you have learnt LaTeX (of course, a very preposterous claim!).
- With this knowledge you can start typesetting documents in LaTeX. That is all folks!
- Read remaining chapters at your leisure.
- You will naturally have doubts.You may notice that the output is not as expected. In such cases refer to the literature. Even TeXperts do that! So why not us ordinary mortals?
- Now click the link below to open the book:
The First Lessons in TeX by V N Krishnachandran
Enjoy TeXing!!
Learn more about LaTeX
If you feel like knowing a little more about LaTeX, you may consult the following books which can be accessed by clicking on the links below, or, turn to the Bibliography and References in The First Lessons in TeX.
Guide to LaTeX by Helmut Kopka and Patrick W Daly
(659 pages)
The LaTeX Companion
Second Edition
(1119 pages)
The LaTeX Companion (2nd Edition) by Frank Mittelbach and Michel Goossens is one of the most authoritative and exhaustive treatment of the LaTeX package.
For Vidya Academy MCA Students : Typesetting Seminar Report
All Vidya Academy MCA students will be required to submit their Seminar Reports of 506 2K (P) Seminar paper typeset using LaTeX format. For this, the students are expected to go through a two-stage process.
- Stage 1 : Learn the basics of LaTeX. This has already been explained.
- Stage 2 : Prepare the report using the template specially designed for this purpose.
Download template files
- If you have followed the instructions given so far, you would have created a folder, say MyFolder, for storing all TeX-related files.
- The template for preparing the Seminar Report consists of several files. All these files are collected in a folder SeminarReportTemplate and a zipped version of the folder is available for download.
- Download the folder SeminarReportTemplate to the folder MyFolder from the link below:
SeminarReportTemplate
- Unzip the contents of SeminarReportTemplate to MyFolder. Ensure that the following files have been downloaded
- template.tex
- preamble.tex
- coverpage.tex
- titlepage.tex
- frontmatter.tex
- certificate.tex
- acknowledgement.tex
- lastpage.tex
- VidyaLogo.JPG
Create copy of template.tex
- Create a copy of template.tex and rename it according to the following scheme:
VExxMCAxxxFFFFFF.tex
where VExxMCAxxx denotes your University Examination Register Number and FFFFFF your first name or a short form of it (spaces are not allowed in the name of the file). Also, there is no restriction on the number of characters in the file name.
Start filling template
- Now open TeXworks window and open the file VExxMCAxxxFFFFFF.tex.
- Start filling the template with data relating to your Seminar Report.
- You may save the file frequently, compile it and see the output to ensure that you have not committed any errors in typing the commands.
- You should not make any changes in any of the other files in the folder except the file acknowledgement.tex. This file contains a standard formal acknowledgment to your Seminar Guide and the Head of Department. If you favour a stronger statement of acknowledgment, you may edit this file and save it. You may also include acknowledgments to others. (Why not thank God for giving you a chance to study in Vidya Academy of Science & Technology?) Then you have to recompile VExxMCAxxxFFFFFF.tex once again.
Final touches
- Your report must have a Bibliography. (Refer First Lesons in LaTeX)
- If there are any tables in your report, your Report must have a List of Tables at the beginning. (Refer First Lesons in LaTeX)
When finished
- Print the Report. For printing the Report, you have to open the PDF version of the Report in the Acroread programme.
- For guidance on the colour of cover page of the hard copy of the Report consult your seminar guide.
- Submit three hard copies of the Report in the Department. Two copies will be retained in the Department Library. One copy will be returned to you.
- You must collect the two copies from your Seminar Guide.
- Email the PDF vesrion of the Report to VidyaAcademyMCA2008Admissions@gmail.com
For Vidya Academy B Tech Students:
Typesetting Seminar/Project Report
All Vidya Academy B Tech students may utilise the resources available in this page to typeset their Seminar and Project Reports. To do his effectively they must go through a two-stage process:
- Stage 1 : Learn the basics of LaTeX. This has already been explained.
- Stage 2 : Prepare the report using the template specially designed for this purpose.
Download template files
- If you have followed the instructions given so far, you would have created a folder, say MyFolder, for storing all TeX-related files.
- The template for preparing the Report consists of several files. All these files are collected in a folder BTechReportTemplates and a zipped version of the folder is available for download.
- Download the file BTechReportTemplates to the folder MyFolder from the link below:
(Version 3. Uploaded on 14 September 2012)
- Unzip the contents of BTechReportTemplates to MyFolder. Ensure that the following files have been downloaded
- template.tex
- preamble.tex
- titlepage.tex
- frontmatter.tex
- certificate.tex
- acknowledgement.tex
- lastpage.tex
- VidyaLogo.JPG
- TeXLion.JPG
Create copy of template.tex
- Create a copy of template.tex and rename it according to the following scheme:
VExxABCxxxFFFFFF.tex
where VExxABCxxx denotes the University Examination Register Number and FFFFFF the first name or a short form of it (spaces are not allowed in the name of the file). Also, there is no restriction on the number of characters in the file name.
Start filling template
- Now open TeXworks window and open the file VExxABCxxxFFFFFF.tex.
- Start filling the template with data relating to the Report.
- You may save the file frequently, compile it and see the output to ensure that you have not committed any errors in typing the commands.
- You should not make any changes in any of the other files in the folder except the file acknowledgement.tex. This file contains a standard formal acknowledgment to your Guide/SUpervisor and the Head of Department. If you favour a stronger statement of acknowledgment, you may edit this file and save it. You may also include acknowledgments to others. (Why not thank God for giving you a chance to study in Vidya Academy of Science & Technology?) Then you have to recompile VExxABCxxxFFFFFF.tex once again.
Final touches
- Your report must have a Bibliography. (Refer First Lesons in LaTeX)
- If there are any tables in your report, your Report must have a List of Tables at the beginning. (Refer First Lesons in LaTeX)
When finished
- Print the Report. For printing the Report, you have to open the PDF version of the Report in the Acroread programme.
- For guidance on the colour of cover page of the hard copy of the Report consult your seminar guide/supervisor.
- Submit three hard copies of the Report in the Department. Two copies will be retained in the Department Library. One copy will be returned to you.
- You must collect your copy from your Guide/Supervisor.
For Vidya Academy M Tech students
A paper to be submitted to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), or to a conference approved or supported by IEEE, has to be prepared in the format specified by IEEE. This is a very rigorously and precisely defined format. LaTeX can be used to typeset documents in this format. A LaTeX class file called IEEEtran.cls contains all the specifications in the format approved by IEEE. To typeset a document in IEEE format, this class file is to loaded using the \documentclass command as \documentclas{IEEEtran}. IEEEtran can produce conference, journal and technical note (correspondence) papers with a suitable choice of class options.
The following paper article describes how to use the IEEEtran class with LATEX to produce high quality typeset papers that are suitable for submission to the IEEE.
Preparation of bibliographies is an essential component of writing a technical document. Properly organised and presented bibliographies help readers easily navigate through the background material. IEEE has also formulated standards for the preparation of bibliographies. Such bibliographies can be easily constructed using the tools available in LaTeX.
THE IEEEtran.bst BIBTEX style file described in the following document can be used with BIBTEX to produce LATEX bibliographies of high quality that are suitable for use in IEEE publications. Other potential applications include thesis and academic work, especially when such work is in the area of electrical and/or computer engineering.
Typesetting mathematics is one of the strong points of the LaTeX package. Whenever in need of typesetting mathematics, the reader may refer to the following documents:
People
Donad E Knuth (born 1938)
Creator of TeX
Leslie Lamport (born 1947)
Creator of LaTeX