Questions

1. How to include the LaTeX and BibTeX logos in your document
2. How do I cite an author's name (from a BibTeX entry) in my document without re-typing his/her name?
3. How do I ask Vim to convert the current window of syntax highlighted LaTeX into HTML suitable for displaying on my web pages?
4. How do I write 'smart' macros that give one output inside math mode and another in normal mode?
5. How do correct spacing around custom macros in math mode?
6. How do I handle long equations? Can I split them onto two lines?
7. How do I change the format of captions for figures? Can I change the word 'Figure'?
8. Can I create figures within figures (or sub-figures) labelled 'Figure 1(a)' etc?
9. How do I modify the LaTeX search path to include directories that contain my own .{cls,sty} files?

Answers

1. How to include the LaTeX and BibTeX logos in your document

   
   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     % This is where the logos are to be found
     \usepackage{doc}
     \begin{document}
   
     The LaTeX logo: \LaTeX
   
     The BibTeX logo: \BibTeX
   
     \end{document}
   
     

2. How do I cite an author's name (from a BibTeX entry) in my document without re-typing his/her name?

   I use the natbib package. This uses ordinary .bib input, but provides a variety of output macros:

   
     % This file is test.tex. test.bib also exists in this directory
   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     \usepackage{natbib}
   
     % There are two variations on how natbib can be used
     %
     % Have items enumerated in your bibliography
     % \usepackage[numbers]{natbib}
     %
     % Author year format (default)
     % \usepackage[authoryear]{natbib}
   
     \begin{document}
   
     \citeauthor{jolly04example} explains how to include bibliography material
     into using natbib. See \citep{jolly04example} for more examples.
   
     % The natbib package supplies three style files that replace the standard
     % abbrv.bst, plain.bst and unsrt.bst: abbrvnat.bst, plainnat.bst and unsrtnat.bst.
     % Each supports authoryear and numerical citations.
     % 
     \bibliographystyle{abbrvnat}
     \bibliography{test}
   
     \end{document}
   
     

   The complete list of \cite* macros can be found in the package readme file.

3. How do I ask Vim to convert the current window of syntax highlighted LaTeX into HTML suitable for displaying on my web pages?

   The command from within Vim is :TOhtml. See :help convert-to-HTML for example invocations.

   Not only can Vim output HTML suitable for older browsers, it can also generate CSS style code.

4. How do I write 'smart' macros that give one output inside math mode and another in normal mode?

   Use \ifmmode:

   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     % In the example below
     % \test nested inside an array (inside math mode)
     % would still give \ifmmode as true; our intuition
     % demands this.
     \def\test{\leavevmode\ifmmode math \else normal \fi}
   
     \begin{document}
   
     \test
     $\test$
   
     \end{document}
   
     

5. How do correct spacing around custom macros in math mode?

   Use \math* macros (see page 206 of the LaTeX companion):

   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     \begin{document}
   
     \begin{math}
       \begin{array}{l}
   
         a trial b \\
   
         % trial can be arbitrarily complex
         a \mathbin{trial} b
   
       \end{array}
     \end{math}
   
     \end{document}
   
     

6. How do I handle long equations? Can I split them onto two lines?

   Use the split environment provided by amsmath:

   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     %
     % amsmath provides split
     %
     \usepackage{amsmath}
   
     % macros to reproduce a long equation --- specific to my work
     \newcommand{\code}[1]{{\tt #1}{}}
     \newcommand{\ObjType}[4]{\ensuremath{ObjectType\{#1_{#3}:#2_{#4}\}_{1 \leq #3 \leq #4}}}
     \newcommand{\eif}{\mbox{\bf~~if~~}}
     \newcommand{\eand}{\mbox{\bf~~and~~}}
     \newcommand{\SubType}[2]{\ensuremath{#1~\mbox{\code{<:}}~#2}}
   
     \begin{document}
   
     \begin{equation}
       \begin{split}
         \SubType{\ObjType{m}{S}{j}{m}}{\ObjType{m}{T}{i}{n}} \\ % split here
             \eif n \leq m \eand \mbox{for each~} i \leq n, \SubType{S_i}{T_i}
       \end{split}
     \end{equation}
   
   
     \end{document}
   
     

7. How do I change the format of captions for figures? Can I change the word 'Figure'?

   Use ccaption:

   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     % ccpation provides this capability
     \usepackage{ccaption}
   
     % Change the format of a figure caption
     % For more options see the package documentation
     \captionnamefont{\bfseries}
     \captiontitlefont{\small\sffamily}
     \captiondelim{ --- }
     \hangcaption
     \renewcommand{\figurename}{Fig.}
   
     \begin{document}
   
     \begin{figure}
       Test
     \caption{This is a test}
     \end{figure}
   
     \end{document}
   
     

   For more details, see the ccaption package. Follow the installation instructions at the bottom of the page.

8. Can I create figures within figures (or sub-figures) labelled 'Figure 1(a)' etc?

   Use subfigure:

   
     \documentclass{article}
   
     % subfigure provides this functionality
     \usepackage{subfigure}
   
     \begin{document}
   
     \begin{figure}
       \subfigure[Caption for first subfigure]
       {
         \label{FirstSubFigure}\fbox{Contents of first subfigure}
       }
       \subfigure[Caption for second subfigure]
       {
         \label{SecondSubFigure}\fbox{Contents of second subfigure}
       }
     \caption{Caption for the overall figure}
     \label{OverallFigure}
     \end{figure}
   
     Reference the overall figure: \ref{OverallFigure}.
   
     Reference the first subfigure: \ref{FirstSubFigure}.
   
     Reference the second subfigure: \ref{SecondSubFigure}.
   
     \end{document}
   
     

   For more details, see the subfigure package. Download all the listed files and type make to extract the package and related material.

9. How do I modify the LaTeX search path to include directories that contain my own .{cls,sty} files?

   Under Linux/UNIX, set the TEXINPUTS environment variable. TEXINPUTS is the search path for resource files including graphics, packages and document classes.

   
     # ** IMPORTANT **
     #
     # The trailing colon indicates the standard search
     # path should be appended to the user specified
     # TEXINPUT variable
   
     # Paths are ':' separated
     export TEXINPUTS=".:~/path/to/add:"
     export TEXINPUTS=".:~/path/to/add:/second/path/to/add:"
   
     # Trailing '/' for directories is optional
     export TEXINPUTS=".:~/path/to/add/:"
   
     # double trailing slash indicates this directory is
     # to be search recursively
     export TEXINPUTS=".:~/path/to/add//:"
   
     

   Note: the commands shown are for setting environment variables within the Bash shell. Use setenv (check invocation in man pages) for the Tcsh shell.

Author: Paul A Jolly [p@ul@myitcv.org.uk] (replace '@' in the obvious way) [GPG Public Key] (contact details)
Last modified: 2004/05/31 10:13