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