Re: [Orgmode] org-babel: Meta-LaTeX-Python-Environment

[Eric Schulte]

"Thomas S. Dye" <address@hidden> writes:

> On Oct 27, 2009, at 12:55 PM, Eric Schulte wrote:

>> Although I still don't fully understand the need to embed latex
>> *inside*
>> of source-code blocks, perhaps the attached org-babel-latex.el file
>> [1]
>> will represent a simpler solution for embedding the results of
>> source-code blocks in latex source-code blocks.  It makes use of
>> the :var org-babel header argument as shown in the attached example
>> file
>> [2].  To reproduce first load org-babel-latex.el and then evaluate the
>> latex block (note the results are already in the file from my test
>> evaluation).
>>
>> Hope this helps -- Eric
>>
>> Footnotes:
>> [1]  <org-babel-latex.el>
>> [2]  <latex.org>
>
> Thanks for this, Eric.  It looks neat.  I was happy with all the
> little .tex files, but agree with Torsten that this path is
> potentially cleaner.
>

Please let me know if you do find this useful or have any suggestions.
If it proves useful I will add it to the org-mode repository.

>
> In response to the implicit question in your comment, perhaps there
> isn't a need to embed LaTeX inside source blocks and the uses to which
> I put them could be accomplished in org-mode without them.  My
> programming skills are pretty crude and I'm aware that I'm a long way
> from understanding org-mode and its vast potential.  With that caveat,
> here is my $0.02.
>

I'm also very far from taking full advantage of Org-mode export

>
> First, practical reasons:
>
> 1) I'm comfortable writing LaTeX and am particular about the results;
> it is hard for me to map the inverse transformation through the org- 
> mode LaTeX exporter to express in org the particular LaTeX result I'm
> after.
>
> 2) Someone on the list (Carsten?) mentioned a couple of days ago that
> it wasn't reasonable to expect the org LaTeX exporter to capture the
> full complexity of LaTeX (I'm paraphrasing, but I think that was the
> gist); I ran up against an example of this (or so I think) when trying
> to configure export to beamer code, where beamer's use of columns
> tripped me up.
>

I fully understand your point.  I guess that given my personal paucity
of latex knowledge and abilities the same need has never occurred to
me.  In my case the Org-mode exported generally knows more about latex
than I do.

>
> Second, conceptual reasons:
>
> 1) I consider writing LaTeX to be programming (here I mean no
> disrespect to real programmers) and appreciate being able to do
> literate LaTeX programming; the LaTeX source blocks let me write my
> beamer presentation a slide or two at a time, just as I want them,
> along with an adjacent source block for my print document, just as i
> want it, that covers the same conceptual space, while I use the
> surrounding org entries to document why I am doing things a particular
> way, etc.
>

I see, you are using the org-mode file "a level above" the direct
export.  Maybe another option here would be to tag headlines based on
which export target they are included within, and then base your exports
on the headline tags (using #+EXPORT_INCLUDE_TAGS:), although I agree
this also seems like an appropriate place to use the tangle
functionality.

>
> 2) I think this workflow, with an org-mode meta-document that
> encapsulates the print document and presentation materials, along with
> the SQL, R, and Python code used to create the datasets and analyze
> them, takes org-babel a step closer to realizing its potential as a
> tool for reproducible research.  Here, I am thinking of an org
> document that captures the ways in which a piece of research is one
> logical path among many possibilities, implemented and expressed in
> one particular way (or two, if you want to distinguish print from
> presentation) among many possibilities.
>
> The LaTeX source blocks in org-babel give me an easy and natural way
> to accomplish these things.  In the short time I've used them, they've
> yielded results that impress me.  I'm confident they hold much more
> potential than I've been able to tap.
>

I didn't mean to imply that because I didn't understand the need for
direct inclusion of latex code there *wasn't* a need for direct
inclusion of latex code :) Thanks for the explanation.

>
> It is a real pleasure leveraging your good work.
>

It is a pleasure to be able to participate in such a nice open-source
community. -- Eric

>
> Tom