Cross-platform LaTeX document editing?

Question

What are the solutions for working on a LaTeX document for both Windows and Linux?

This is a large document, and I will work daily on both platforms, so compatibility is necessary if these are two different pieces of software.

Bonus points for a solution that includes a simple preview.

Answer 1

Try LyX - Document Processor , What You See What Means Editor for LaTeX.

Answer 2

Writing text is not much different than writing software. Similar control methods are applied when scaling.

• Modularity: divide the document into smaller pieces, for example. Separate .tex file for each chapter. I would also like to keep the preamble and other LaTeX setting separate from the main text. My chapter files themselves have body text with some markup, but do not define any new commands.

• Source Control: Store all source files in a version control tool, such as disruptive. Transfer files between systems using the tool.

• Builds: have a Makefile or similar to control the build process: it must be consistent and repeatable. Create and fix build problems as soon as possible. If you want a simple view, you can configure the Makefile rule to run, for example. PDF viewer after the target PDF has been compiled.

• Editing: Use what you are compatible with. This does not matter, although some good advice was given by other respondents.

• Communication: if more than one person works on the same material, no tool can replace interpersonal communication.

Answer 3

TeXworks is the new TeX cross-platform editor with built-in PDF preview that has source-output synchronization. Click in the source to go to the corresponding part in the output, and vice versa. This is not the most feature-rich design editor, but the simplicity / power of compromise is at my disposal.

Answer 4

I used Emacs and its AucTeX mode, which is great for editing as it contains a set of very simple shortcuts to insert many common commands and environments. There are also preview modes that graphically display math in the Emacs window, but I have not used them.

As with VIM, there is, of course, a learning curve.

Unlike Legoolas, I would recommend pdfTeX for direct PDF compilation, but maybe Windows / Linux does not have a PDF viewer that automatically reloads the file? I would be surprised if so (I use Skim on Mac). Check if your view supports synctex , as it is very convenient for switching from PDF to source and back, without the disadvantages of pdfsync.

To compile, my latexmk selection tool , which is included with TeXlive. It fully automates the build and can watch the .tex source for automatic recovery.

Answer 5

Eclipse with the TeXlipse plugin should solve the IDE problem. More important, however, are problems, such as using only fonts available or installed on both platforms.

For preview, I use Emacs with its Preview Latex in the AucTeX package.

Answer 6

For windows, you can use TeXnicCenter , which is one of the best IDEs for windows.

For Linux, you can simply use Kile (you can use kile with KDE on CygWin, but this is not an ideal solution).

No problem switching from one IDE to another (since you just save the .tex file and nothing more)

It also has several cross-platform IDEs, but I don’t know them:

• Texmaker
• TeXmakerX : a fork from TeXmaker

Answer 7

Since you probably won’t want to change the text editor from what you usually use, only for editing LaTeX documents (unless you use an editor that cannot do syntax highlighting for LaTeX, as well as everything that you code / write to it ), I would recommend the following simple set of tools:

• No matter what text editor is used for , while it can highlight LaTeX markup. If he can't, then find the best editor to use with everything you do!

• Install MikTeX or TeXLive and simply use the DVI viewer that comes with them by double-clicking the DVI file. This will automatically update when the dvi file is modified by editing the latex file and re-creating the output.

I use Emacs as my text editor, on both Linux and Windows. Setting up some scripts or makefiles to create a latex document when I press a key is pretty simple and goes with everything else that I use Emacs for beautifully.

Other cross-platform options (many of which have already been mentioned by others in this thread):

• Lyx
• TeXlispse for Eclipse

Answer 8

I used VIM in conjunction with the VIM-LaTeX plugin with great success. However, he does have a little learning curve.

Answer 9

Gummi is the best LaTeX editor. This is a free open source program written in python with a live view panel.

http://gummi.midnightcoding.org/

e4 http://gummi.midnightcoding.org/wp-content/uploads/20091012-1large(1).png

Answer 10

Get your work in some version control system, then when you switch from computer to computer, you just update it from the central server and just like you left it.

This does not matter for the IDE, since you only save the .tex file as described above. If you want to use the same editor, but for consistency use texmaker.

Answer 11

I use version control and just use MikTex / WinEDT for Windows and TexShop on Mac. If your document does not compile on both, you probably forget to synchronize two directories or use funky commands, I like performance checks, knowing that it "compiles" on two platforms.

Answer 12

I use some text editor and then I have a cron job that compiles hourly from my source control.

Answer 13

Tex files are just text. I would recommend using a version control system (you should still use it) to synchronize the source. Then you can use any (or different) editors for each system, for example. Kile for linux and winEdt for windows. Both have a nice view.

For a simple source control solution that works with minimal knowledge and problems, consider dropbox .

Answer 14

Repeating my own question after a few years, I thought I would add

https://www.writelatex.com/

not quite what I had in mind, but used it for recording together

Answer 15

Excellent multi-platform LaTeX IDE - Texmaker.

For Debian or Ubuntu, I simplified the guide: Install LaTeX on Ubuntu or Debian . This guide explains how to install LaTeX on Debian or Ubuntu and how to create your first PDF.