====== Latex under windows ======

This text aims to give people interested in getting started with latex a starting point and recommendations for programs and extensions.

====== Programs for windows ======
  * **miktex**: very good latex implementation. It is recommended to use the 'basic installation', which loads necessary packages from the internet.
    * Download: http://www.miktex.org/Setup.aspx
    * Important: use Programs-Miktex-MikTex Options and install the following packages and add-ons:
      * Documentation-Latex2e Reference. Gives you context sensitive help in Winedt using CTRL-F1
  * **winedt**, works very well with miktex. It is shareware, but well worth the price. Some features that set it apart from other editors:
    * Understands the structure of latex documents and shows a tree of all connectec documents. This also works if you use macros to include files, after you have configure the proper macros for file inclusion. 
    * Very good spell checking support
    * Can be set up to work as a portable app.
    * Homepage: http://www.winedt.com/
 
  * Recommended extension for **winedt**
    * **German spelling**, even for the new swiss-german spelling.
      * Download http://tug.ctan.org/tex-archive/systems/win32/winedt/dict/de_ch.zip
      * Installation guide: http://www.winedt.org/Dict/
    * There are some useful plugins for inserting tables and graphics. http://www.winedt.org/
  * Open source alternatives
    * Texniccenter: http://www.texniccenter.org/
    * kyle under linux is very good, if it only had support for custom include macros!

====== Document templates ======
The initial learning curve for LaTeX can be steep. Particularly if you want to force LaTeX to format text exactly to you liking, you can loose a lot of time. 
Once you have useful template, you can concentrate on the content. As a starting point, here is my masterfile. The idea is to copy and customize this, and include your content as separate files. Another approach is a custom document class. However i don't use this any more, because you have to install the class file every time you change machines. I like self-contained document directories better. 
      * Conventional masterfile, which includes the rest of the text [[:blogfiles:latex_masterfile]]
      * Custom document class: [[:blogfiles:latex_class]]

====== Books ======
  * Goossens, Mittelbach: Latex companion. Pearson Studium.



{{tag>latex windows}}

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