Latex

[Garg]

I brought my Pandora to a conference as my only computer, only to discover that PanDebian (for OpenOffice) won't install and there aren't any Latex packages for Angstrom. Throwing some slides together was looking bleak, but then I found an online compiler, so it looks like I'll be fine.


After I get back home, I'd like to get Latex running. But, before I get started with that, I thought I'd check if anyone else had tried, and if they ran into any problems. I have no idea what I'm doing here, just planning on following FAQs, so pretty much anyone has more experience in this dept than I.

 

[vadsamoht]

I asked about this a fair while ago (back when GP32x were the only boards), and several people said they'd look into it when they got their machines, IIRC. I haven't brought it up again because I don't want to be a pain to those people (who may still not have their units), even though Latex was the primary reason for buying the Pandora alongside N64 Emulation.


In short, I don't think anyone else has tried yet.

 

[darfgarf]

i just grabbed the source from the svn, and i'm incredibly confused, is the source itself in latex? as it seems to be nothing but a giant blob of .tex files

 

[vadsamoht]

i just grabbed the source from the svn, and i'm incredibly confused, is the source itself in latex? as it seems to be nothing but a giant blob of .tex files

Are you using this svn?

http://www.latex-project.org/svnroot/latex2e-public/

I've no idea what it is programmed in, but it shouldn't just be .tex files

 

[darfgarf]

Are you using this svn?

http://www.latex-project.org/svnroot/latex2e-public/

I've no idea what it is programmed in, but it shouldn't just be .tex files

yep, i'll look properly later sometime, probably managed to bork svn

 

[dreamer]

I am all for LaTeX on the Pandora!


Maybe I can help in TwoMonths when I get mine :rolleyes:

 

[darfgarf]

okay i knew latex was complicated, but this is just silly, so latex is just a set of macros and programming interfaces to extend tex, in order to do anything you need something like pdftex, then combine it with the latex macros to make something like pdflatex, that can then convert your latex .tex files into pdfs or dvis...that's just nuts

 

[Caine]

okay i knew latex was complicated, but this is just silly, so latex is just a set of macros and programming interfaces to extend tex, in order to do anything you need something like pdftex, then combine it with the latex macros to make something like pdflatex, that can then convert your latex .tex files into pdfs or dvis...that's just nuts

Why? Sounds like proper reuse of existing building blocks to me.

 

[vadsamoht]

I knew that Latex was an extension of Tex, but I didn't think they'd make it that complicated. Although I suppose the modularity has some benefits.

 

[Garg]

On the bright side, if we do get it to work, we can't really make it any more complicated.


For the record, I have no experience in Latex at all, but am learning in a hurry in order to come up with a presentation this week (beamer is thankfully pretty simple). I've been meaning to learn for awhle, though, so I'm glad I have the need to spur me.


I noticed gedit has syntax highlighting for latex (awesome). I wonder if in the long run it would make sense to add extensions to a text editor to make some Latex tasks easier. Like browse to insert picture, relative links to external images, visually organize presentations or documentation as hierarchical nodes, etc. These things may alraedy exist, since I'm unfamiliar.


Glad to see more interested people!

 

[vadsamoht]

^ Considering that Latex needs to be run from the Command Line/Terminal in order to generate your .djvu or .pdf, it will almost certainly need to be packaged with an editor that has that support anyway.

 

[Caine]

I wonder if in the long run it would make sense to add extensions to a text editor to make some Latex tasks easier. Like browse to insert picture, relative links to external images, visually organize presentations or documentation as hierarchical nodes, etc. These things may alraedy exist, since I'm unfamiliar.

There are plenty of LaTeX aware editors out there, e.g. lyx, LED, WinEdt, AUCTeX and so one. My personal preference is Emacs, but it's not for everyone.


The \include command allows you to add other LaTeX files into your project and has support for relative paths (e.g. for images), but it will start a new page whenever you use it (good for chapter boundaries). Aside from that, it's not so hard to roll out your own relative path commands.

\newcommand{\relpath}[1]{pics/#1}


\begin{document}


%% includes figure: pics/Example1

\begin{figure}[htb]

  \includegraphics[angle=270,width=\textwidth]{\relpath{Example1}}

  \caption{An example figure}

  \label{fig::FirstExample}

\end{figure}


%% change relative path.

\renewcommand{\relpath}[1]{pictures/#1}


%% includes figure: pictures/Example2

\begin{figure}[htb]

  \includegraphics[angle=90]{\relpath{Example2}}

  \caption{Another example figure}

  \label{fig::SecondExample}

\end{figure}


\end{document}

You would normally combine this command with \input{some_other_file} which includes the content of another LaTeX file into your document but unlike \include it doesn't do any relative paths and doesn't start a new page. E.g.

\renewcommand{\relpath}[1]{path_to_foo/#1}

\input{path_to_foo}

The downside is that you have to explicitly include all the \relpath stuff. I suppose you could also renew \includegraphics to do this, but that makes your document harder to read for others.

 

[skeezix]

LaTeX is macros for TeX/Metafont/etc; TeX is the system, LaTeX is just 'convenience layer' that someone built a million years ago


This stuff is getting long in the tooth (Knuth built it what, 20 or 30 years back); its still very good, produced very good quality output etc and so on, but its a little nasty to build sometimes


jeff

 

[vadsamoht]

I believe that some of that is supposed to be fixed with LaTex 3, however I doubt that will be anywhere near completion within the lifespan of the Pandora.


EDIT: I can see LaTeX 3 becoming the srs bsns version of Duke Nukem Forever.

 

[Caine]

EDIT: I can see LaTeX 3 becoming the srs bsns version of Duke Nukem Forever.

Don't forget about the GNU Hurd.

 

[skeezix]

hey, Hurd actually is downloadable and runnable; I had a build running on my machine like 10 years ago (that destroyed my non-hurt partitions, but still); Plan 9 and Hurd work! (well, I think such experimental OSes probably serve to drive features into the BSDs and Linux half the time, but thats a good thing; the process compartmentalization on Hurd rules, though)


jeff

 

[sebt3]

hey, Hurd actually is downloadable and runnable; I had a build running on my machine like 10 years ago (that destroyed my non-hurt partitions, but still); Plan 9 and Hurd work! (well, I think such experimental OSes probably serve to drive features into the BSDs and Linux half the time, but thats a good thing; the process compartmentalization on Hurd rules, though)

Sure, hurd run and well. last time I checked it still did not have a sound system (let alone a DRI infra)

 

[skeezix]

One could argue Linux doesn't have a sound system But in Hurd, you can run it, run a browser, ro email, everything else. It more or less works, last I checked.


Anyway enough hijack


jeff

 

[Caine]

Indeed.


I haven't set up a build environment yet, so I haven't tried myself. What are the problems with compiling a LaTeX distribution such as e.g. teTeX? I thought it was in debian ARM as well, so I'm expecting it to be portable.


[edit]Hmmm. Development seems to have moved to TeX Live these days.[/edit]

 

[hmc]

Hi guys,


bringing this thread up again, because I am now also looking for ways to bring TeX/LaTeX onto the Pandora.


Did anyone succeed yet?


If not, what do you think of the following idea:


Install a complete TeX/LaTeX system in PanDebian from installable packages and then move all involved files over into the Angstrom system...? Just a crazy idea, maybe unrealistic, but at least the binaries should work. I don't know about the efforts to make the whole ystem work again in a (maybe) different directory layout and different library environment...


Opinions?


Thanks,


Daniel