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Title

Introduction to LyX
or
How to Use These Doc Files! Author

by John Weiss and the LyX Team Section

Navigating the Documentation Standard

Welcome to LyX! Standard

To make it easier to answer your questions and describe all of the features of LyX, the documentation has been split up into several different files. Each one has its own purpose, as described below. Before you go plowing into any of those files, however, you should read this one thoroughly first, since it contains a lot of useful information and commentary that can save you some time. Standard _space_top bigskip center WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!! Standard _space_bottom bigskip center Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! Standard

Although LyX now has a version number of 1.0 [or greater], some of the documentat ion may be incomplete or even a version out of date. Like the rest of LyX, the manuals are the work of a group of volunteers who have _inset Quotes eld inset

Real Jobs, _inset Quotes erd inset

families, dishes to clean, kitty litter to dispose of, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. We do our best to keep the manuals in tip-top shape, but we might not always succeed. [If you want to help remedy that situation, be sure to read section _separator

_inset LatexCommand

inset

in addition to the rest of this document.] Standard

Also, please do us a favor—if anything in these manuals confuses you, is unclear, or wrong, don't hesitate to let us know! You can reach the current document maintainers by mailing to typewriter lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org default . Section

The Format of the Manuals Standard

Some of you may have printed out the manual[s]. Others may be reading it online, within LyX as a file. For those reading online, there are some differences from the printed version. First, the title is simply at the top of the document, not formatted on a separate page as in some of the printed versions. Nor are any of the footnotes or the Table of Contents visible. There is a popup for viewing the Table of Contents. To open it, select sans Table _separator of _separator Contents default from the sans Edit default menu. To open a footnote, which looks like this, _float footnote Standard

Hi! Standard

To close me, click on the grey box on the left, the one with the word _inset Quotes eld inset

foot _inset Quotes erd inset

in it. float click on it with the left mouse button. Standard

In the printed manuals, all cross-references appear as the actual numbers for a chapter, section, subsection, and so on. Online, however, all cross-references appear as a grey box like the following:

_inset LatexCommand

inset

. [The printed manuals show a number instead.] If you click on that box with the left mouse button, LyX will take you to that section. Typing sans C-< default will take you back to your earlier location. [What does _inset Quotes eld inset

sans C-< default

_inset Quotes erd inset

mean? See below.] Standard

Now that we've cleared up some of the differences between the printed and online versions of this file, we can start looking at the format of this document. You'll occasionally notice things in different fonts: Itemize

on Emphasized Style default is used for general emphasis, generic arguments, book titles, names of sections of other manuals, and notes from the authors. Itemize

typewriter Typewriter default is used for program and file names, LaTeX code, and LyX code and functions. Itemize

sans Sans Serif default is used for menu, button, or popup names, and the names of keyboard keys. Itemize

on Noun Style default is used for people's names. Standard

For keys and keybindings, you'll probably get referred to the on Key Bindings default section of the _inset Quotes eld inset

on Reference Manual default

_inset Quotes erd inset

[the file typewriter Reference.lyx default ]. When we do need to reference keys, we'll use the following prefixing convention : Itemize

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans C- default

_inset Quotes erd inset

indicates the sans Control- default key. Itemize

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans S- default

_inset Quotes erd inset

indicates the sans Shift- default key. Itemize

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans M- default

_inset Quotes erd inset

indicates the sans Meta- default key, which on some keyboards will be the sans Alt- default key. Itemize

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans F1 default

_inset Quotes erd inset

...

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans F12 default

_inset Quotes erd inset

are the function keys. Itemize

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Esc default

_inset Quotes erd inset

is the escape key. Itemize

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Left default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Right default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Up default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Down default

_inset Quotes erd inset

: self-explanatory. Itemize

sans

_inset Quotes eld inset

Insert default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Delete default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans Home default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans End default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans PageUp default

_inset Quotes erd inset

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans PageDown default

_inset Quotes erd inset

: these are the 6 keys that appear above the cursor keys on many PC keyboards.

_inset Quotes eld inset

sans PageUp default

_inset Quotes erd inset

and _inset Quotes eld inset

sans PageDown default

_inset Quotes erd inset

are called _inset Quotes eld inset

sans Prior default

_inset Quotes erd inset

and _inset Quotes eld inset

sans Next default

_inset Quotes erd inset

on some keyboards. Itemize

sans Return default and sans Enter default both refer to the same key. Some keyboards label the sans Return default key as _inset Quotes eld inset

Return, _inset Quotes erd inset

others as _inset Quotes eld inset

Enter, _inset Quotes erd inset

still others have two keys. LyX treats all of them as the same key, so we'll use sans Return default and sans Enter default interchangeably. Standard

You'll also see something like _inset Quotes eld inset

[See the on

_inset Quotes els inset

Reference Manual default

_inset Quotes ers inset

] _inset Quotes erd inset

from time to time. We've listed the possible default keybindings for a function in its entry in the _inset Quotes eld inset

on Reference Manual default , _inset Quotes erd inset

so check there, too. Section

The Manuals Standard

The following list describes the contents of each of the files in the documentat ion: Description

on Introduction _separator

default

This file. Description

on Tutorial _separator

default

If you are new to LyX, and never used LaTeX before, you should start here. If you think LaTeX is the stuff they make condoms out of, then you definitely need to read the on Tutorial default . Note that after you read the on Tutorial default , you'll probably still think LaTeX is some stretchy substance — but you

on will default know how to use LyX. _deeper Standard

If you on have default used LaTeX before, you should still read the on Tutorial default , starting with the section on _inset Quotes eld inset

LyX for LaTeX users. _inset Quotes erd inset

[Skimming the rest of the document wouldn't hurt, either.] Standard

If, at any time, you find yourself feeling a bit clueless with respect to LyX, try perusing the on Tutorial default before diving into any of the other manuals. It's a good springboard. deeper Description

on User's _separator Guide _separator

default

The primary documentation. We'll cover on most default of the basic operation and available features of LyX here. The main manual assumes that you've read the on Tutorial default . _float footnote Standard

... or that you have a passing knowledge of LaTeX. float Description

on Extended _separator Features _separator

default Extension of the on User's Guide default . Documents additional layouts and special-purpose editing features, including some of the tricks of the LaTeX masters. Description

on Customization _separator

default

A description of advanced LyX features, including how to customize the overall behavior of LyX. This includes such things as keybindings, internationalization, and configuration files. Don't even think of going in here until you read the on Tutorial default . Description

on Reference _separator Manual _separator

default

This contains an exhaustive, detailed description of the features of LyX, but without the helpful usage hints and descriptions found in the on User's Guide default , the on Tutorial default , or other manuals. Description

on Known _separator bugs _separator

default

This file contains a list of known bugs in LyX, and also information on what you should do if you find a bug in LyX.

Description

on LaTeX _separator configuration _separator

default

LyX investigates your system upon installation. This file contains info on what LyX learned about your installation. Check it to see if you're missing something you might like to have. Standard

These files will reference one another as necessary. For example, the on User's Guide default contains on some default information on installation and customization, but refers the reader to the on Customization Manual default for more information. Standard

We'll state again an important point: Standard _space_top 0.51cm _space_bottom 0.51cm center If you are new to LyX, read the on Tutorial default . Now.

Standard

Otherwise, you could needlessly frustrate yourself. LyX does all that you need a word processor to do, but using a different approach. Section

_inset LatexCommand

inset

Contributing to the Documentation Project Subsection

Reporting Errors in the Manuals Standard

That's easy enough to do. You could post a message to either the Developer's Mailing List or the User's Mailing List. The Documentation Team, however, would prefer you to send a message to

typewriter lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org default . If the fixes are minor, someone will do them. If they're major, we suggest you join the mailing list and talk with us for a while before doing anything. Standard _space_top 1.06cm _space_bottom 1.06cm center

on Never make changes to any of the manuals without prior consent of the Documentat ion Team! Standard

Any such random changes won't make it into the documentation, anyways, since the Documentation Team maintains the master copies via the CVS tree. Subsection

Joining the Documentation Team. Standard

The LyX Documentation Project, like anything else in the LyX project, can always use assistance! If you're interested in contributing to the Documentatio n Project, you need to do the following assignment on first default : Enumerate

Get the latest LyX source code. Untar it. _float footnote Standard

The more adventurous can grab the latest source anonymously from the LyX CVS repository. float You will find a directory inside the main tree called typewriter development default . Inside that directory is a file called typewriter DocStyle.lyx default . Read it; it's the style sheet for the documentation. Enumerate

Take a break for a day or two, then go read typewriter DocStyle.lyx default again. Enumerate

Next, read the on User's Guide default and the on Tutorial default .

_deeper Standard

The point of this exercise is to give you ideas. The on Tutorial default and on User's Guide default will always be the most up-to-date of all of the documentation. You should be able to glean some insights into how we want the manuals to read and to look. deeper Enumerate

Read typewriter DocStyle.lyx default again. Enumerate

Lastly, contact the team at: _deeper Standard

typewriter lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org Standard

We want to make sure that you understand the style sheet on before default you start writing. Otherwise, we'll make you rewrite your submissions. deeper Standard

on Don't default even think about starting to write anything until we chat via email. You can review any current activity with the documents on the Documentation Team web page [once we get it up] or through the mailing list archives at typewriter www.lyx.org default . _end