Typical TEX interfaces

TEX was designed to run on a multitude of computers. It is therefore the case that the documentation for TEX and its ``friends'' LATEX, , etc. is not computer specific. Only command syntax is described—i.e., the content of your source file—but few details of how to get from there to a printout are given. Those details are left to site-specific documents.

The average user loses little in using TEX on, say, a PC rather than on a bigger machine. Indeed, compilation times on the new PCs begin to rival those on a Sun Sparc Station 2 (no slouch). Running on top of DOS can cause memory problems when very large documents are being prepared. That aside, the quality of the document is not affected because of the careful design of TEX—whether you work on a a machine with massive floating point precision or a modest XT the .dvi files produced on compilation will be identical; and when those files are submitted to printer equivalent printer drivers (say for an HP LaserJet III attached to a Sun in one case and a PC in the other) the output will be identical because the font information they draw on is identical.

By the nature of TEX most time is spent editing the source document (before submitting it for compilation). No special interface is necessary here, you just use your favourite text editor (perhaps customising it to enhance TEXnical typing. Thus TEX user interfaces are usually small and simple, often even missing. One frequently uses TEX at command line level, just running the editor, compiler etc. as you need them. Sometimes a TEXshell program is present, which runs these for you when you choose various menu options.

Whatever the interface, there are just a few basic steps to preparing a document:

  1. Choose a document style to base your document on (e.g., letter, article).
  2. Glance through the material you have to type, and decide what definitions might be made to save you a lot of time. Also, decide on the overall structure of the prospective document (e.g., will the largest sectional unit be a chapter or a part?). If you are going to compose as you type, then pause a moment to think ahead and plan the structure of your document. The importance of this step cannot be overstressed, for it makes clear in your mind what you want from TEX.
  3. Prepare your input file, specifying only the content and the logical structure (parts, sections, theorems,...) thereof and forgetting about formatting details.
  4. Submit your input, or source, file to the TEX compiler for compilation of a .dvi file.
  5. If the compiler finds anything in your source file strongly objectionable, say incorrect command syntax, then return to editing.
  6. Run a previewer to preview your compiled document on the screen. Resolution is only limited by your screen, and can be very good indeed on some modern monitors.
  7. Go back to editing your document until glaring errors have been taken care of.
  8. Make a printout of your compiled document, and check for those errors that you failed to notice on the screen.
Performing these steps may be effected through typing at the system prompt (barebones technique) or through choosing menu options in a TEXshell program. The latter will probably provide some conveniences to make your life easier.

If you think this sounds like a lot of work, it is time that you consult with the TEX spirit! Sure your first couple of tries may be hesitant, but before long you'll find that you can take less time to prepare a document on TEX than on any other package.