TeX and LaTeX Resources

The Department of Mathematics has a special interest in promoting the use of TeX and LaTeX for writing pretty much anything —papers, theses, homework, even posters!

We have a Tips & Tricks document that gives you some hints about the trickier aspects of using TeX and LaTeX.

HMC Classes

The department has a number of locally developed LaTeX classes for use in formatting documents.

These classes include:

• HMC Thesis Class
• HMC Clinic Report Class
• HMC Poster Class
• HMC Math Department Homework Class

Bibliography Styles

• hmcmath.bst — Example
• hmcmathannote.bst — Example
• hmcmathlabeledannote.bst
• hmcmathunlabeledannote.bst — Example

LaTeX Packages

The department has developed the following package for internal use.

• cmtty.sty
  • The cmtty package specifies Computer Modern Typewriter as the “typewriter style” font. It is useful when using font packages that set the default monospace font to use Courier.

Using the Package

Simply add the line \usepackage{cmtty} to the preamble of your document.

Online Resources

• TUG‘s Getting Started with TeX, LaTeX, and Friends.
  • Links to lots of resources for getting started learning and using Tex, LaTeX, and, well, Friends!
• TUG’s TeX and LaTeX Documentation.
• Formatting Information: A Beginner’s Guide to LaTeX, by Peter Flynn, Silmaril Associates
  • A good, detailed, introductory guide covering the use of TeX and LaTeX on Macs, Windows, and Unix/Linux systems. Available in HTMLandPDF.
• CTAN—the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network
  • CTAN maintains a comprehensive archive of TeX and LaTeX packages, formats, fonts, document classes, documentation, and other materials, including complete TeX systems.
• The TEX FAQ
  • Answers many frequently asked questions about TeX and LaTeX. A good first place to check if you’re having problems.
• Detexify LaTeX Handwritten Symbol Recognition
  • Cool site that lets you sketch a symbol using your mouse, then suggests LaTeX symbols that are close to what you’ve drawn. Often a good way to figure out what command to use for a particular symbol.
• Comprehensive LaTeX Symbol List
  • A document showing a huge array of symbols, the commands that produce them, and information about the packages that provide those commands. (Available on many TeX systems assymbols-a4.pdforsymbols-letter.pdf. Try runningtexdoc symbolsfor a viewable version ortexdoc symbols-letterfor a printable version.)
• comp.text.tex
  • comp.text.texis the official Usenet newsgroup for discussing TeX and LaTeX questions. Chances are that any problems you’re having, someone else has already had, asked about onctt, and gotten an answer. You cansearch the newsgroupwithGoogle.
• Google
  • Google is probably your best bet for finding information outsidecomp.text.tex, as well.
• TUG, the TeX Users Group
  • TUG is the main international TeX User Group. TUG runs annual conferences, maintains and distributes theTeX LiveCD-ROM, and supports the work of theLaTeX Project Team.
• The PracTeX Journal
  • The PracTeX Journalis an online journal on TeX and LaTeX issues that welcomes contributions from readers. A typical issue will have articles ranging from answering basic questions to in-depth discussions about how some complex problem was solved.
• Using Imported Graphics in LaTeX and pdfLaTeX (PDF)
  • Keith Reckdahl explains how to include graphics using the standard TeX->DVI->PostScript and the newer PDFTeX->PDF approaches to TeX compilation. He also talks about the different graphics formats available and their advantages and disadvantages, explains how to include multiple images in a single figure, and comments on some of the software applications available for generating and manipulating images.
• Donald E. Knuth’s Home Page
  • Knuth is the author of TeX, and a renowned computer scientist. He’s mostly offline, but does maintain a webpage with some information about his work, past, present, and future.