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This is a short worked example on how to write and build a [LaTeX] document. ''Note that this is not a primer on the language!'' You should get hold of the [Not so short Introduction to Latex|http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/lshort/english/lshort.pdf] for a more complete introduction.

!! Writing your <tt>.tex</tt> file

Because this is just a trivial example on how to use [LaTeX], not on how to actually write [LaTeX] documents, my example <tt>.tex</tt> file won't contain a lot. [LaTeX] can do plenty more than I'm demonstrating below -- make sure you read the better references mentioned above.

Edit a file called <tt>example.tex</tt>, and put the following text in it:

    <verbatim>
    \documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
    \pagenumbering{roman}


    \title{Latex Example}
    \author{Daniel Lawson}
    \date{\today}

    \begin{document}


    \maketitle

    \begin{abstract}

    \end{abstract}

    \tableofcontents

    \newpage

    \section{Introduction}

    This is a quick introduction to using Latex.

    \subsection{Example}

    Here is a subsection.

    \section{Conclusion}

    In conclusion, this example doesn't show a lot. Go read the Not So Short Introduction to \LaTeX for more information.

    \end{document}
    </verbatim>

!! Building it

Seeing as we're not doing anything complicated with [LaTeX], we only need to parse the file once. If you were doing more complicated things, such as including a bibliography, you'd need to run a few more programs. See LatexMakefiles on more tips for that.

Run <tt>latex example.tex</tt> in the directory you saved your <tt>example.tex</tt> in earlier.

<verbatim>
$ latex example.tex
This is TeX, Version 3.14159 (Web2C 7.3.7)
(./example.tex
LaTeX2e <2001/06/01>
Babel <v3.7h> and hyphenation patterns for american, french, german, ngerman, n
ohyphenation, loaded.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/base/report.cls
Document Class: report 2001/04/21 v1.4e Standard LaTeX document class
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/base/size12.clo))
No file example.aux.
[1] [1]
No file example.toc.
[1] [2] (./example.aux) )
Output written on example.dvi (4 pages, 1180 bytes).
Transcript written on example.log.
</verbatim>

This completed successfully, outputting some extra files created by [LaTeX] on the way -- the <tt>.aux</tt> and <tt>.toc</tt> files are used for internal references. The <tt>.dvi</tt> file is the first output file.

You can view this with a program called xdvi:

<verbatim>
xdvi example.dvi
</verbatim>

!! Making it useful

DVI is a __D__e__v__ice __I__ndependent format, which in theory makes it really useful. However, it tends to be harder to view in Certain OperatingSystem~s. Instead, you should convert your <tt>.dvi</tt> to a PostScript or [PDF] file:

<verbatim>
$ dvips example.dvi -o example.ps
This is dvips(k) 5.86e Copyright 2001 Radical Eye Software (www.radicaleye.com)
' TeX output 2004.12.16:1220' -> example.ps
$ dvipdf example.dvi example.pdf
$ ls *ps *pdf
example.pdf  example.ps
<texc.pro>. [1] [1] [1] [2]
</verbatim>

You can now view these with a PostScript or [PDF] viewer, such as GhostView or AcrobatReader.

----

!!! Dates and times

The ~LaTeX command <code>\today</code> prints the date that the document is processed in a format determined by your language settings. There is a time record, but this gives the number of minutes since midnight and this isn't particularly useful in itself.

!! Solutions

There are a number of ways to include the current time in your document. In order of potential usefulness they are:

! Using the <code>datetime</code> package

The [datetime|http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/datetime/] package provides commands for not only easily reformatting the date but for printing the time in several formats.

! Inserting your own time calculation code in the document

The most satisfying approach for a coder. Programming in ~TeX is an interesting challenge. The following code (included in a ~LaTeX file preamble) can be used to print the time in 24-hour format:

<pre>
\newcount\c@HOUR
\newcount\c@FINALHOUR
\newcount\c@MINUTE
\newcount\c@HOURSINMINUTES
\newcount\@INTVAL

\newcommand{\twodigit}~[1]{\@INTVAL=#1\relax\ifnum\@INTVAL<10 0\fi\the\@INTVAL}

\c@FINALHOUR=\time\divide\c@FINALHOUR by 60\relax
\c@HOUR=\time\divide\c@HOUR by 60\relax
\c@HOURSINMINUTES=\c@HOUR\multiply\c@HOURSINMINUTES by 60\relax
\c@MINUTE=\time\advance\c@MINUTE by -\c@HOURSINMINUTES\relax
\def\THEHOUR{\the\c@FINALHOUR}
\def\THEMINUTES{\the\c@MINUTE}

% time in HH:MM (24 hour clock)
\newcommand\rightnow{\twodigit{\THEHOUR}:\twodigit{\THEMINUTES}}
</pre>

Anywhere in the document <code>\rightnow</code> may be used to print the time the document was assembled (or more correctly, the time on the system clock when the document assembly began).

! Modifying the source <code>.tex</code> file when processing the file.

Calling an editor like <code>awk</code> or <code>sed</code> to pre-process the source file is potentially popular with command-line geeks, but is rather clunky and has the feeling of a kludge about it. Not recommended.
One page links to LatexExample:
LaTeX
Last edited on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 10:46:25 pm by JimCheetham
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