Re: [MiKTeX] MikTeX Help---Viewing *.tex files/General MikTex Questions

[Aditya D. T. <atr...@st...>]

Hi Rohan,

>Anyway, here are my questions:


>1.) How can I view *.tex files on the net, and why am >I not able to view=
=20
>them anyway?

You should be able to. They are plain text files. You might have to configu=
re your web browser to open them for you. If not you can save them on you=
r computer and use WinEdt (or notepad or any text editor.) to open them f=
or you.

>2.) How can I create PDF files from LaTeX/TeX files >(for me to view as we=
ll as other ppl aslo)

From the command line you can type=20

pdflatex myfile.tex

It will create the output as a pdf file in the same folder where myfile.tex=
 is saved.

From WinEdt, you simply click the pdflatex icon (third right from the LaTeX=
 icon) or going to Accessories menu -> PDF -> pdflatex.

you can view your pdf file by simply open Adobe reader or better using the =
Acrobat reader icon (below the pdflatex icon).

>3.) In general, how am I supposed to use MikTeX??? In >my opinoin, this=20
>program is extremely complicated, esp. for a person >just starting out!

MiKTeX is basically an installation of TeX, LaTeX, etc. It simplifies the i=
nstallation process for you. I would encourage you to read the MiKTeX man=
ual.

Regarding TeX/LaTeX being hard, well it may not be as easy as Word or other=
 WYSIWYG word processors, but its not too bad. You get the hang of it aft=
er a while.

>4.) How can I create my own TeX/LaTeX files (i know >that I create them in=
=20
>WinEdt and then save it/open it using MikTeX)

The way you use TeX/LaTeX is that you type your code in a text editor (like=
 WinEdt) and typeset (or compile it) using TeX/LaTeX (which is installed =
as a part MiKTeX).
You can probably say that TeX renders your code.

>5.) Whats the differnce between TeX and LaTeX

To say it briefly, LaTeX is a set of macros based on TeX. Ultimately your L=
aTeX code is converted in tex code and the TeX engine typesets it and you=
 can view your output as a pdf document or as a .dvi document. You can vi=
ew .dvi files using YaP which is installed with MiKTeX.

If you get a file which starts with \documentstyle (old) or \documentclass =
(new), it is LaTeX.

There are quite a few good free resources online whcih can teach you more a=
bout TeX/LaTeX. Check out http://www.tug.org/interest.html#doc website. I=
n the section: For general help with LaTeX, you will find good documentat=
ion to get started with LaTeX. My favorite are The not so Short introduct=
ion to LaTeX, and Online Tutorials on LaTeX by Indian teX Users Group.

-Aditya