First steps exporting to tex

First steps exporting to tex

[Ypo]

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Good morning

After reading your interesting advices, I've decided to start my path 
through LaTeX. I have been some hours trying to start, with little 
result, but I hope that once established a *workflow* the results will 
come and the new invested time will be directed just to get better and 
better results.

My doubts:

    a. As first step for my workflow, it seems convenient to use a
    "template" with the LaTeX preambles. So maybe the many existing
    LaTeX templates can be used quickly with orgmode. I found several
    options and opinions. Which one is the best way?


     1.   #+SETUPFILE: template.setup -> doesn't seem the ideal way,
        because the template.setup file must be modified adding
        #+latex_class to each of the lines.
     2.   template.tex -> this could be added to the SETUPFILE:
        #+LATEX_HEADER: \input{template.tex}. But it seems to have no
        effect on the PDF output. BTW, I can't use emacs HOME path (~/)
        in the input header, like \input{~//export//template.tex}. This
        is my template.tex file content:
        \usepackage{fancyhdr}
        \thispagestyle{fancy}
        \lhead{\includegraphics[width=4cm]{jpg.jpg}}
        \rhead{Student Name: Name\\
        Student ID: 1234\\
        Course: IDB 601 (Fall 2020)}
     3. Another friend told me that .sty templates were the best way.
     4. I see some people that create customized LaTeX classes and add
        the desired class to the orgmode buffer.
     5. Also we can see this intricate transformation of a LaTeX
        template into orgmode. How to Migrate LaTeX Template into
        org-mode
        <https://github.com/Literate-DevOps/literate-programming-tutorials/blob/master/how-to/00-convert-latex-template-into-org-mode-template/how-to-migrate-latex-template-into-org-mode.org#how-to-migrate-latex-template-into-org-mode>
     6. ...


    b. I think that in a good integration, every character shown on
    orgmode should be exported into the PDF output. For example "CENTRE
    LINE SYMBOL": ℄
         How can this integration be done?

    I have more doubts, but I will keep reading and trying to solve them

    Best regards



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Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Martin Steffen]

>>>>> "Ypo" == Ypo  <ypuntot@gmail.com> writes:

    Ypo> Good morning

    Ypo> After reading your interesting advices, I've decided to start
    Ypo> my path through LaTeX. I have been some hours trying to start,
    Ypo> with little result, but I hope that once established a
    Ypo> *workflow* the results will come and the new invested time will
    Ypo> be directed just to get better and better results.

    Ypo> My doubts:

    Ypo>  a. As first step for my workflow, it seems convenient to use a
    Ypo> "template" with the LaTeX preambles. So maybe the many existing







    Ypo> LaTeX templates can be used quickly with orgmode. I found
    Ypo> several options and opinions. Which one is the best way?

I say my advice as a "LaTeX-first" person (i.e., I was familiar with
LaTeX before org was around. When I discovered org, which I found
useful in many ways, so I tried to familiarize myself also to find out
how I could make it useful in tandem with latex.

So, for me, stuff that works well in LaTeX, I did not port for myself to
org, things where org helps me to make better use of latex, I tried to
figure out.

For you, being familiar with org, but not (yet) with latex, you may
follow different patterns.

For the "preamble" of a latex document, the general setup that comes
_before_ \begin{document} and before any output is generated, I use
native latex using  instructions like

#+latex_header: \input{switches}
#+latex_header: \input{preamble}
#+latex_header: \input{style/style-common}
#+latex_header: \input{macros}

I often separate the preamble from macros. preamble.tex is (for me) the
file which contains loading of packages and classes (usepackage  etc,
and corresponding adapations or settings for that package). macros.tex is
things I define using \newcommand (or \def or \newenvironment or
similar)


As far controlling input is concerned, I also rely on latex-specific
setting (outside org, also outside emacs), things like environment
settings like $TEXINPUT, a path-specification, where one can control
where LaTeX finds (additional) stylefiles, outside of the standard
``load-path''.

Thus, I often try to avoid to use hardcoded things, like

>>> \input{~//export//template.tex}

I would use \input{template} (".tex" is not needed) and I make sure, the
templatex.tex file is included in the $TEXINPUTS-path. Typically, the
current directory "./"  should be included by default (and stuff from
the latex-installation is also routinely found)

BTW: also when working with pics (with includegraphs), there is a
variable (inside latex) that controls where to find figures. So, what I
typically would to is things like

\usepackage{graphicx}
\graphicspath{{./figures/}}   

That specifies that the pics for \includegrapic are found in a direcory
figures, and then I would use

\includegraphics[width=4cm]{jpgfigure}

not jpgfigure.jpg; \includegraphics can figure it out, if it's a PDF or
a jpg; it would also chose ps, if you don't use pdflatex, but latex (I
still prefer the xdvi-viewer as faster and more fluent to navigate, I
never like any PDF viewer when doing latex, only at the end, I generate
the PDF).


One can of course ``inline'' all that inside org (like doing a
\newcommand inside ``org'', it's just I prefer to keep all the stuff in
one (or more) latex files; for those parts I rely on latex (since org
does not bring much additional value to the table for the premable
stuff, at least for me)

Martin









    Ypo> 1 #+SETUPFILE: template.setup -> doesn't seem the ideal way,
    Ypo> because the template.setup file must be modified adding
    Ypo> #+latex_class to each of the lines.  2 template.tex -> this
    Ypo> could be added to the SETUPFILE: #+LATEX_HEADER:
    Ypo> \input{template.tex}. But it seems to have no effect on the PDF
    Ypo> output. BTW, I can't use emacs HOME path (~/) in the input
    Ypo> header, like \input{~//export//template.tex}. This is my
    Ypo> template.tex file content: \usepackage{fancyhdr}
    Ypo> \thispagestyle{fancy}
    Ypo> \lhead{\includegraphics[width=4cm]{jpg.jpg}} \rhead{Student
    Ypo> Name: Name\\ Student ID: 1234\\ Course: IDB 601 (Fall 2020)} 3
    Ypo> Another friend told me that .sty templates were the best way.
    Ypo> 4 I see some people that create customized LaTeX classes and
    Ypo> add the desired class to the orgmode buffer.  5 Also we can see
    Ypo> this intricate transformation of a LaTeX template into
    Ypo> orgmode. How to Migrate LaTeX Template into org-mode 6 ...

    Ypo>  b. I think that in a good integration, every character shown
    Ypo> on orgmode should be exported into the PDF output. For example
    Ypo> "CENTRE LINE SYMBOL": ℄ How can this integration be done?

    Ypo>  I have more doubts, but I will keep reading and trying to
    Ypo> solve them

    Ypo>  Best regards

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Dr. Arne Babenhauserheide]

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Hi Ypo,

Ypo <ypuntot@gmail.com> writes:

> After reading your interesting advices, I've decided to start my path
> through LaTeX. I have been some hours trying to start, with little 
> result, but I hope that once established a *workflow* the results will
> come and the new invested time will be directed just to get better and 
> better results.
>
> My doubts:
>
>    a. As first step for my workflow, it seems convenient to use a
>    "template" with the LaTeX preambles. So maybe the many existing
>    LaTeX templates can be used quickly with orgmode. I found several
>    options and opinions. Which one is the best way?
>
>
>     1.   #+SETUPFILE: template.setup -> doesn't seem the ideal way,
>        because the template.setup file must be modified adding
>        #+latex_class to each of the lines.
>     2.   template.tex -> this could be added to the SETUPFILE:
>        #+LATEX_HEADER: \input{template.tex}. But it seems to have no

I use
#+LATEX_HEADER: \input{ews30setup} % pointing to ews30setup.tex

in the org-file, I export, not a setupfile.

Alternatively you can use #+INCLUDE: template.org
to grab more than just the org-setup.

For an example, see
https://hg.sr.ht/~arnebab/draketo/browse/software/wisp.org?rev=31bb4a1fb49c#L1

#+INCLUDE: ../org-templates/level-1.org

This pulls the actual content of the file:
https://hg.sr.ht/~arnebab/draketo/browse/org-templates/level-1.org?rev=31bb4a1fb49c

There is also a setupfile at the bottom:
https://hg.sr.ht/~arnebab/draketo/browse/software/wisp.org?rev=31bb4a1fb49c#L1632

#+setupfile: ../org-templates/level-1-software.org

This only pulls the changed org-mode settings:
https://hg.sr.ht/~arnebab/draketo/browse/org-templates/level-1-software.org?rev=31bb4a1fb49c

#+HTML_HEAD_EXTRA: <style type="text/css">.tab-software {background-color: #fffbf8 !important; opacity: 1.0; box-shadow: 0px -5px 7px -2px gray;}</style>
#+HTML_LINK_UP: ../software.html

>     3. Another friend told me that .sty templates were the best way.

I don’t yet have sufficient hold of that. To date I’m using the
memoir-class to get the styling I need — where I use styling (that’s not
the draketo site, but the ews document).

>     5. Also we can see this intricate transformation of a LaTeX
>        template into orgmode. How to Migrate LaTeX Template into
>        org-mode
>        <https://github.com/Literate-DevOps/literate-programming-tutorials/blob/master/how-to/00-convert-latex-template-into-org-mode-template/how-to-migrate-latex-template-into-org-mode.org#how-to-migrate-latex-template-into-org-mode>
>     6. ...
>
>
>    b. I think that in a good integration, every character shown on
>    orgmode should be exported into the PDF output. For example "CENTRE
>    LINE SYMBOL": ℄
>         How can this integration be done?

Have a look at \DeclareUnicodeCharacter:
https://www.draketo.de/light/english/emacs/char-not-setup-latex

#+latex_header: \usepackage{uniinput}

See

https://git.neo-layout.org/neo/neo-layout/src/commit/705fac448a0d0562e4e1bc16bf0b6cadbe235771/latex/Standard-LaTeX/uniinput.ins
https://git.neo-layout.org/neo/neo-layout/src/commit/705fac448a0d0562e4e1bc16bf0b6cadbe235771/latex/Standard-LaTeX/uniinput.dtx

Best wishes,
Arne
-- 
Unpolitisch sein
heißt politisch sein
ohne es zu merken

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Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Juan Manuel Macías]

Hi Ypo,

I think that, as a starting point, the concepts that belong to Org and
those that belong to LaTeX should be separated.

Ypo writes:

> [...]
> 2  template.tex -> this could be added to the SETUPFILE:
>   #+LATEX_HEADER: \input{template.tex}. But it seems to have no effect
>   on the PDF output. BTW, I can't use emacs HOME path (~/) in the
>   input header, like \input{~//export//template.tex}.

The keyword #+LaTeX_Header pass literal LaTeX commands in a single line
to thepreamble. The LaTeX \input{...} command should follow the path of
the file you want include, but I see that you are indicating the path
with a double //. The correct way is \input{~/export/template.tex}

> 3 Another friend told me that .sty templates were the best way.

A *.sty file is what is known in LaTeX jargon as a "package", and it
would come to be the equivalent of what is a *.el file in Emacs,
/mutatis mutandis/. In a sty file you can put whatever you want, but a
different syntax must be used and these files are subject to a series of
good practices. Therefore, a sty file is more indicated to introduce
'heavy' code that you want reuse in other documents (defined commands
and macros, etc.). In short, what comes to be a package ;-) At the user
level, and unless you want to write your own package (see:
https://www.overleaf.com/learn/latex/Writing_your_own_package), it is
almost never necessary.

> 4 I see some people that create customized LaTeX classes and add the
>   desired class to the orgmode buffer.

Great care must be taken here. One thing is a LaTeX class, which is
something laborious and complex to write, and another thing what Org
understands for a LaTeX class :-) Classen and the class concept are a
essential component for LaTeX, as a class is the first thing you must
declare in a preamble with the command \documentclass{}. There are the
standard classes (article, book and others) and other ones, more
specialized. A class changes globally the behavior of the document and
all LaTeX commands as \section, \subsection and many more, and add its
own commands.

A 'LaTeX class' for Org is a light translation of the above. It is
actually "what type of LaTeX document you want to get".

You can easily define your own LaTeX 'classes' for Org documents. For
example: I have an 'empty class', to be able to add the entire preamble,
without Org charging me anything before the \begin{document}

(add-to-list 'org-latex-classes
      '("empty"
         "[NO-DEFAULT-PACKAGES]
         [PACKAGES]
         [EXTRA]"
         ("\\section{%s}" . "\\section*{%s}")
         ("\\subsection{%s}" . "\\subsection*{%s}")
         ("\\subsubsection{%s}" . "\\subsubsection*{%s}")
         ("\\paragraph{%s}" . "\\paragraph*{%s}")
         ("\\subparagraph{%s}" . "\\subparagraph*{%s}")))

And I have in my ~/.emacs:

(setq org-latex-default-class "empty")
(setq org-latex-default-packages-alist nil)
(setq org-latex-packages-alist nil)
(setq org-latex-hyperref-template nil)

My advice, as has already been commented here, is that you get familiar
with LaTeX for a while, and then see how you can fit LaTeX in your Org
workflow, if that's more productive for you.

Best regards,

Juan Manuel

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Tim Cross]

Ypo <ypuntot@gmail.com> writes:

> Good morning
>
> After reading your interesting advices, I've decided to start my path through LaTeX. I have been some hours trying to start, with little result, but I
> hope that once established a *workflow* the results will come and the new invested time will be directed just to get better and better results.
>
> My doubts:
>
>  a. As first step for my workflow, it seems convenient to use a "template" with the LaTeX preambles. So maybe the many existing LaTeX
>  templates can be used quickly with orgmode. I found several options and opinions. Which one is the best way?
>
> 1  #+SETUPFILE: template.setup -> doesn't seem the ideal way, because the template.setup file must be modified adding #+latex_class to each of
>  the lines.
> 2  template.tex -> this could be added to the SETUPFILE: #+LATEX_HEADER: \input{template.tex}. But it seems to have no effect on the PDF
>  output. BTW, I can't use emacs HOME path (~/) in the input header, like \input{~//export//template.tex}. This is my template.tex file content: 
>  \usepackage{fancyhdr}
>  \thispagestyle{fancy}
>  \lhead{\includegraphics[width=4cm]{jpg.jpg}}
>  \rhead{Student Name: Name\\
>  Student ID: 1234\\
>  Course: IDB 601 (Fall 2020)}
> 3 Another friend told me that .sty templates were the best way.
> 4 I see some people that create customized LaTeX classes and add the desired class to the orgmode buffer.
> 5 Also we can see this intricate transformation of a LaTeX template into orgmode. How to Migrate LaTeX Template into org-mode
> 6 ...
>
>  b. I think that in a good integration, every character shown on orgmode should be exported into the PDF output. For example "CENTRE LINE
>  SYMBOL": ℄ 
>      How can this integration be done?
>
>  I have more doubts, but I will keep reading and trying to solve them
>
>  Best regards

Why do you think you need any of this for your 'first steps'. Start by
just writing your org file and exporting it to latex or pdf. Then, once
you have your first document, see what you think needs changing and come
back and ask advice on what you need to do to make the changes you want.
In your first document, don't use any latex commands, header options or
anything else - just write your document using standard org mode. 

Org already sets up a reasonable starting default. Once you know what
the default is, then we can discuss what you may need to change. For
many documents, you may not need to change much at all and you may not
need any templates - for example, you will likely want to change the
margin sizes (this is a common request) or you may want to see what some
of the other 'standard' latex document classes are like. All of this can
be achieved with just minor configuration of org mode.

The org export to latex only needs to be as complicated as you need it
to be. Org has variables which can be used to add/remove things from the
preamble and once you have those configured, you don't have to put
anything in the org file itself. Start simple and add as you find a need
rather than try to start with something complex which might not be
necessary.

-- 
Tim Cross

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Diego Zamboni]

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>
>
> The org export to latex only needs to be as complicated as you need it
> to be. Org has variables which can be used to add/remove things from the
> preamble and once you have those configured, you don't have to put
> anything in the org file itself. Start simple and add as you find a need
> rather than try to start with something complex which might not be
> necessary.
>

I fully agree with Tim here - don't make things more complicated than
necessary! Start with standard Org and the standard export, see how it
works and adjust from there. At the far end you can end up with a custom
exporter based on ox-latex, but which gives special meanings to certain
elements - this is what I ended up with for my CV in ox-awesomecv (
https://gitlab.com/zzamboni/org-cv/-/tree/awesomecv), but this was after a
lot of experimentation and playing with the default Org exporters.
Ultimately it depends on what type of document you are producing, so there
can be no single all-encompassing solution.

But really, start simple. Org and LaTeX are both complex enough as they are.

--Diego

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Re: First steps exporting to tex

[William Denton]

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On 3 April 2021, Diego Zamboni wrote:

> I fully agree with Tim here - don't make things more complicated than
> necessary! Start with standard Org and the standard export, see how it
> works and adjust from there.

It's amazing what the combination of Org and LaTeX can do without any extra 
customization.  Now, it takes a good deal of skill to get them installed and 
know how to use them.  You can't just point a Google Drive user to a link and 
say, "Install this, it's easy."

But once you have them, you can make a simple Org document with a TITLE, a NAME, 
a couple of headings, a few subheadings, some paragraphs—all just plain 
text, nothing fancy—and then you export it to PDF and it looks like a published 
book or journal article!  When I first started doing that it amazed me.  I 
suppose I'm used to it now, but it is wonderful.

Bill
--
William Denton :: Toronto, Canada   ---   Listening to Art: https://listeningtoart.org/
https://www.miskatonic.org/         ---   GHG.EARTH: https://ghg.earth/
Caveat lector.                      ---   STAPLR: https://staplr.org/

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Juan Manuel Macías]

William Denton writes:

> [...] and it looks like a published book or journal article!

Something similar I thought, in my student days, when at the early '90 I
saw a document printed in word perfect, just because it had a book
typeface (Times Roman), footnotes and many more fancy stuff. It looked
/almost/ like a book.

With LaTeX something similar happens for the user who is not trained in
professional typesetting. TeX as a typographic engine makes an excellent
work at the 'physical' level, but as we say in Spain, the trees do
not let us see the forest. A LaTeX document produced from standard way
will need (likely) a lot of fine tuning, and a solid typographic culture
acquired by those who check it out.

On the other hand, I think that if an Org user is going to export often
to LaTeX, he should know LaTeX reasonably well. I do not say that he
become a LaTeXpert, but at least the user should have clear which
concepts are from Org and which concepts are from LaTeX. The LaTeX
packages you may need as you want to do more complex things, and how to
use those packages. Etc. On the Org side there are many and excellent
resources to control the export process. But in any translation process
you have to know the source language (Org) and what can be expressed in
the final language (LaTeX) and how. And the the same happens if the
output is HTML, Epub or whatever. I think Org is an excellent tool, full
of possibilities (maybe a lot of them don't explored yet) and wonderful
things, but it is not magic, although its logo is an unicorn ;-)

Best regards,

Juan Manuel 

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Jean Louis]

* Juan Manuel Macías <maciaschain@posteo.net> [2021-04-03 20:51]:
> William Denton writes:
> 
> > [...] and it looks like a published book or journal article!
> 
> Something similar I thought, in my student days, when at the early '90 I
> saw a document printed in word perfect, just because it had a book
> typeface (Times Roman), footnotes and many more fancy stuff. It looked
> /almost/ like a book.
> 
> With LaTeX something similar happens for the user who is not trained in
> professional typesetting. TeX as a typographic engine makes an excellent
> work at the 'physical' level, but as we say in Spain, the trees do
> not let us see the forest. A LaTeX document produced from standard way
> will need (likely) a lot of fine tuning, and a solid typographic culture
> acquired by those who check it out.

TeX and LaTeX must be prime chose who need professional typesetting.
Org mode offers limited insight into powers of LaTeX. 

Org offers quick document creation by using LaTeX and LaTeX may be
used to extend Org. It cannot satisfy all people by default. Each
person may need customization. 

Do you have a specific remark on what would be major wrong with the
default LaTeX export from your viewpoint?

For me, I like larger letters and more space on paper. I find it
narrow and not enough legible. But that is not typographically
technical comment.

> On the other hand, I think that if an Org user is going to export often
> to LaTeX, he should know LaTeX reasonably well.

Opposite may be said as well. Exporting to LaTeX may be just a side
effect in order to create a PDF file. Org user may not need nothing
about LaTeX. Even if exporting is often, Org user need not know
nothing about LaTeX. Other converter like `pandoc' also offer
conversion to LaTeX and user need not know nothing about it. That is
the beauty. It does not help the professional though, as professional
must know all the specific details.

> I do not say that he
> become a LaTeXpert, but at least the user should have clear which
> concepts are from Org and which concepts are from LaTeX. The LaTeX
> packages you may need as you want to do more complex things, and how to
> use those packages. Etc. On the Org side there are many and excellent
> resources to control the export process. But in any translation process
> you have to know the source language (Org) and what can be expressed in
> the final language (LaTeX) and how.

What you describe relates to advanced LaTeX users who need good
quality or who have special needs. Average Org user who knows that Org
can export to LaTeX will rather use it as side effect in order to get
PDF file. 

>  And the the same happens if the
> output is HTML, Epub or whatever. I think Org is an excellent tool, full
> of possibilities (maybe a lot of them don't explored yet) and wonderful
> things, but it is not magic, although its logo is an unicorn ;-)

It is not magic. Yet integration provided by developers brought it to
point that simple Org file, text file, can be quickly converted into
nice PDF documents. It does not matter if files are edited remotely on
mobile devices by using any kind of editor, once file is processed by
Emacs and exported it becomes universally accepted.

-- 
Jean

Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
https://www.fsf.org/campaigns

Sign an open letter in support of Richard M. Stallman
https://rms-support-letter.github.io/

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Juan Manuel Macías]

Hi Jean Louis,

Jean Louis writes:

> Do you have a specific remark on what would be major wrong with the
> default LaTeX export from your viewpoint?
>
> For me, I like larger letters and more space on paper. I find it
> narrow and not enough legible. But that is not typographically
> technical comment.

It would be too long to comment here... The flaws of a typical LaTeX
ouput could be divided into formal defects and orthotypographic defects.
It's not LaTeX's fault (actually TeX and LaTeX represent the greatest
advance in typography since Gutenberg); the problem is that a book needs
a lot of fixes before reaching the printing press. And everything also
depends on each type of book and each book in particular: typography is
the science of exceptions. Luckily, TeX offers a lot of resources and
packages for fine tuning, and LuaTeX even more. I invite you to read the
documentation of these two packages: impnattypo
(https://www.ctan.org/pkg/impnattypo) and lua-typo
(https://www.ctan.org/pkg/lua-typo) where a part of these issues is
discussed.

Anyway, I am not saying that all average users should become experts in
typesetting. I just wanted emphasize that LaTeX is /just/ the tool (like
linotypes and monotypes were in his time) but LaTeX does not do
everything, although his standard output is of very good
quality compared to other systems. But that is so because TeX works very
well, it justifies very well the paragraphs, etc.

> [...]
> Org user may not need nothing about LaTeX. Even if exporting is often,
> Org user need not know nothing about LaTeX. Other converter like
> `pandoc' also offer conversion to LaTeX and user need not know nothing
> about it.

An average Org user does not need to know almost anything about LaTeX if
what he wants is just to produce /simple/ PDF documents. I agree. But
when he wants to do more complex things, he will need to know how to do
them in LaTeX and how to do them also from Org (in case he wants to
continue working in Org: even I work in Org when I do professional
typesetting, because for me Org is, among other things, the /almost/
perfect interface for LaTeX). If Org users get covered eyes with LaTeX
and LaTeX processes, then they will end up filling the Org forums with
questions that should rather be asked in the LaTeX forums (I am not
saying that it should not be asked here, but if no one knows anything
about LaTeX, no one could give answers to problems that are related to
LaTeX and not to Org). Let's imagine this hypothetical case:

User X enters the Org forum Z and asks: "How can I export to PDF with a
two colums layout?"

The correct answer is on the LaTeX side: "you have to use the multicol
package (and read the package documentation, if fine-tuning is
required)",

Once the LaTeX oracle has given its answer, the Org oracle will declare
that a multicols environment can be created in Org with a special block:

#+begin_src org
  ,#+ATTR_LaTeX: :options {2}
  ,#+begin_multicols
  .............
  ,#+end_multicols
#+end_src

Best regards,

Juan Manuel 

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Ypo]

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 >>>>>>> El 03/04/2021 a las 18:00, emacs-orgmode-request@gnu.org escribió:

> Message: 34
> Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2021 00:31:24 +1100
> To:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: First steps exporting to tex
> Message-ID:<871rbr7ag1.fsf@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
>
> Why do you think you need any of this for your 'first steps'. Start by
> just writing your org file and exporting it to LaTeX or pdf. Then, once
> you have your first document, see what you think needs changing and come
> back and ask advice on what you need to do to make the changes you want.
> In your first document, don't use any LaTeX commands, header options or
> anything else - just write your document using standard org mode.
>
> Org already sets up a reasonable starting default. Once you know what
> the default is, then we can discuss what you may need to change. For
> many documents, you may not need to change much at all and you may not
> need any templates - for example, you will likely want to change the
> margin sizes (this is a common request) or you may want to see what some
> of the other 'standard' LaTeX document classes are like. All of this can
> be achieved with just minor configuration of org mode.
>
> The org export to LaTeX only needs to be as complicated as you need it
> to be. Org has variables which can be used to add/remove things from the
> preamble and once you have those configured, you don't have to put
> anything in the org file itself. Start simple and add as you find a need
> rather than try to start with something complex which might not be
> necessary.
>
> -- Tim Cross

Hi Tim

I have been exporting from orgmode to PDF time ago, but very basic PDFs, 
playing with some basic options of orgmode. When I tried to produce a 
meeting minute with a logo in the heading, I decided that I should learn 
better a way of exporting, because the minute meeting was a first 
challenge, but many more would come. For example, for that task I 
started with this code, which I think it goes far beyond what the "LaTeX 
Defaults" can offer (I must yet "play around" a lot with it):

#+BEGIN_SRC

#+options: toc:nil
#+options: num:1
#+options: d:nil
#+export_file_name: BORRAR
#+options: broken-links:mark

#+LaTeX_header_extra: \usepackage{fancyhdr}

#+begin_export LaTeX
\thispagestyle{fancy}
\lhead{\includegraphics[width=4cm]{//192.168.1.2/f/LOGO-IMAGEN 
CORPORATIVA/IMAGEN CORPORATIVA 2018/DEFINITIVO ANAGRAMAS/SELLO1_grueso.png}}
\rhead{Student Name: John Doe\\
Student ID: 1234\\
Course: IDB 601 (Fall 2020)}
#+end_export
#+END_SRC

The buffer I exported my meeting notes from has much more information 
which is not related with meetings nor with the logo. So I foresaw 3 
things:

 1. A fast cluttering of the buffers with LaTeX headings would happen,
    as I will learn more about LaTeX and I will want to add more and
    more packages.
 2. A need for flexibility to be able to export different kinds of
    documents from the same buffer, ideally achieved just by changing a
    line (or few lines) in the buffer. Although, from my example, it
    seems that ~#+begin_export...~ contents can't be added in that way.
 3. A great potential if it were possible to use already existing, and
    well curated, LaTeX templates frictionless through orgmode.

I find quite useful to analyse the default generated TeX file though.

Best regards


 >>>>>>> El 03/04/2021 a las 12:15, Martin Steffen escribió:

Good morning, Martin

> For the "preamble" of a latex document, the general setup that comes
> _before_ \begin{document} and before any output is generated, I use
> native latex using  instructions like
>
> #+BEGIN_SRC
> #+latex_header: \input{switches}
> #+latex_header: \input{preamble}
> #+latex_header: \input{style/style-common}
> #+latex_header: \input{macros}
> #+END_SRC

Thanks for your input. I'll keep with that.

> As far controlling input is concerned, I also rely on latex-specific
> setting (outside org, also outside emacs), things like environment
> settings like $TEXINPUT, a path-specification, where one can control
> where LaTeX finds (additional) stylefiles, outside of the standard
> ``load-path''.
>
> Thus, I often try to avoid to use hardcoded things, like
>
> >>> \input{~//export//template.tex}
>
> I would use \input{template} (".tex" is not needed) and I make sure, the
> templatex.tex file is included in the $TEXINPUTS-path. Typically, the
> current directory "./"  should be included by default (and stuff from
> the latex-installation is also routinely found)
Thanks. But I can read in this post:

https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/93712/definition-of-the-texinputs-variable

that ~$TEXINPUT~ could give some problems with LuaLaTeX, could it be? It 
seems important, since LuaLaTeX is the safe recommendation of our 
mailing list pal Juan Manuel Macías [maciaschain@...].


 >>>>>>> El 03/04/2021 a las 12:43, Dr. Arne Babenhauserheide escribió:

A pleasure, Arne.

> Alternatively you can use #+INCLUDE: template.org
> to grab more than just the org-setup.
And there you show me a different way: ~#+INCLUDE,~ "competing" with 
~\input{}~. What would be the difference?


> Have a look at \DeclareUnicodeCharacter:
> https://www.draketo.de/light/english/emacs/char-not-setup-latex
Does that mean that some symbols must be declared one by one in order to 
be exported using LaTeX?


 >>>>>>> El 03/04/2021 a las 14:10, Juan Manuel Macías escribió:

Hi, Juan Manuel :-)

> The correct way is \input{~/export/template.tex}
I've already tried that. But it doesn't seem to understand the HOME 
directory ~~/~. At least at Windows.


> A *.sty file is what is known in LaTeX jargon as a "package", and it
> would come to be the equivalent of what is a *.el file in Emacs,
> /mutatis mutandis/. In a sty file you can put whatever you want, but a
> different syntax must be used and these files are subject to a series of
> good practices. Therefore, a sty file is more indicated to introduce
> 'heavy' code that you want reuse in other documents (defined commands
> and macros, etc.). In short, what comes to be a package ;-) At the user
> level, and unless you want to write your own package (see:
> https://www.overleaf.com/learn/latex/Writing_your_own_package), it is
> almost never necessary.
So I will keep myself far away from .sty by now.

> Great care must be taken here. One thing is a LaTeX class, which is
> something laborious and complex to write, and another thing what Org
> understands for a LaTeX class :-) Classen and the class concept are a
> essential component for LaTeX, as a class is the first thing you must
> declare in a preamble with the command \documentclass{}. There are the
> standard classes (article, book and others) and other ones, more
> specialized. A class changes globally the behavior of the document and
> all LaTeX commands as \section, \subsection and many more, and add its
> own commands.
>
> A 'LaTeX class' for Org is a light translation of the above. It is
> actually "what type of LaTeX document you want to get".
>
> You can easily define your own LaTeX 'classes' for Org documents. For
> example: I have an 'empty class', to be able to add the entire preamble,
> without Org charging me anything before the \begin{document}
> (add-to-list 'org-latex-classes
>       '("empty"
>          "[NO-DEFAULT-PACKAGES]
>          [PACKAGES]
>          [EXTRA]"
>          ("\\section{%s}" . "\\section*{%s}")
>          ("\\subsection{%s}" . "\\subsection*{%s}")
>          ("\\subsubsection{%s}" . "\\subsubsection*{%s}")
>          ("\\paragraph{%s}" . "\\paragraph*{%s}")
>          ("\\subparagraph{%s}" . "\\subparagraph*{%s}")))
>
> And I have in my ~/.emacs:
>
> (setq org-latex-default-class "empty")
> (setq org-latex-default-packages-alist nil)
> (setq org-latex-packages-alist nil)
> (setq org-latex-hyperref-template nil)
Thanks for your class. I suppose that "nulls" the orgmode LaTeX export 
defaults, so you can control it completely.


Thank you all


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Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Juan Manuel Macías]

Ypo writes:
> I've already tried that. But it doesn't seem to understand the HOME
> directory ~~/~. At least at Windows.

I haven't touched Windows for a thousand years :-), but maybe this thread
can help you:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13584118/how-to-write-a-path-with-latex

best regards,

Juan Manuel 

Re: First steps exporting to tex

[Tim Cross]

> Hi Tim

> I have been exporting from orgmode to PDF time ago, but very basic PDFs, playing with some basic options of orgmode. When I tried to produce a
> meeting minute with a logo in the heading, I decided that I should learn better a way of exporting, because the minute meeting was a first
> challenge, but many more would come. For example, for that task I started with this code, which I think it goes far beyond what the "LaTeX
> Defaults" can offer (I must yet "play around" a lot with it):

> #+BEGIN_SRC

> #+options: toc:nil
> #+options: num:1
> #+options: d:nil
> #+export_file_name: BORRAR
> #+options: broken-links:mark

> #+LaTeX_header_extra: \usepackage{fancyhdr}

> #+begin_export LaTeX
> \thispagestyle{fancy}
> \lhead{\includegraphics[width=4cm]{//192.168.1.2/f/LOGO-IMAGEN CORPORATIVA/IMAGEN CORPORATIVA 2018/DEFINITIVO
> ANAGRAMAS/SELLO1_grueso.png}}
> \rhead{Student Name: John Doe\\
> Student ID: 1234\\
> Course: IDB 601 (Fall 2020)}
> #+end_export
> #+END_SRC

> The buffer I exported my meeting notes from has much more information which is not related with meetings nor with the logo. So I foresaw 3 things:

> 1 A fast cluttering of the buffers with LaTeX headings would happen, as I will learn more about LaTeX and I will want to add more and more
>  packages. 
> 2 A need for flexibility to be able to export different kinds of documents from the same buffer, ideally achieved just by changing a line (or few lines)
>  in the buffer. Although, from my example, it seems that ~#+begin_export...~ contents can't be added in that way.
> 3 A great potential if it were possible to use already existing, and well curated, LaTeX templates frictionless through orgmode.

> I find quite useful to analyse the default generated TeX file though.

> Best regards

OK, now I understand your objectives a bit more there are a couple of
things I would recommend.

Org is already fully setup to provide a clean and consistent way to do
much of what you are currently achieving with export latex blocks and
which can avoid much of the clutter in your org files. The way you are
customizing the latex etc is OK for 'one off' type hacks, but isn't the
best solution for crating a standard format. 

Have a look at the documentation for org-latex-classes. In this
variable, you can define your own 'pseudo' classes, which you can then
use in your org file with a simple #+LATEX_CLASS: line. This will take
care of all the preamble stuff, plus more (it uses other org variables,
such as ones for listing default 'usepackage' lines and other preamble
lines, so read the documentation carefully).

So, you could add a 'meeting' class to that variable and when you need
to do an org file for meetings, just add #+LATEX_CLASS; meeting at the
top of your org file and your ready to go.

This is what I did for my 'work' class, which produces documents
that included my employers logo, branding colours, fonts, font sizes,
heading formats etc. Now when I need to produce a work document, I just
add the #+LATEX_CLASS: header and then just write a normal org file. I
actually had a number of these custom 'class' definitions. 

Really nice thing is that if I find something needs to be tweaked or
changed, I just have to fix the org-latex-classes and related
definitions and know that if I re-export any of my org files that use
them, they will all get the fix (no need to edit each individual org
file to apply the fix).


-- 
Tim Cross