Computing help and supportLaTeX
A standard LaTeX distribution is installed on the Central Linux system. Overleaf is a cloud-based way of using LaTeX. See our Overleaf page for licensing details.
Example
One way to get started with LaTeX is to look at a simple example. A short document is reproduced below.
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\section{Simple Text} % THIS COMMAND MAKES A SECTION TITLE.
Words are separated by one or more spaces. Paragraphs are separated by
one or more blank lines. The output is not affected by adding extra
spaces or extra blank lines to the input file.
Double quotes are typed like this: ``quoted text''.
Single quotes are typed like this: `single-quoted text'.
Long dashes are typed as three dash characters---like this.
Italic text is typed like this: \textit{this is italic text}.
Bold text is typed like this: \textbf{this is bold text}.
\subsection{A Warning or Two} % THIS COMMAND MAKES A SUBSECTION TITLE.
If you get too much space after a mid-sentence period---abbreviations
like etc.\ are the common culprits)---then type a backslash followed by
a space after the period, as in this sentence.
Remember, don't type the 10 special characters (such as dollar sign and
backslash) except as directed! The following seven are printed by
typing a backslash in front of them: \$ \& \# \% \_ \{ and \}.
The manual tells how to make other symbols.
\end{document} % THE INPUT FILE ENDS WITH THIS COMMAND.
Once you have created a LaTeX source file it must be processed by LaTeX before it can be printed out. Save this file as “myfile.tex”. On systems that offer a command line you can try the command
pdflatex myfile.tex
while in the same folder as the saved LaTeX file. It will produce a number of files including myfile.log, myfile.aux and myfile.pdf. If you are using various sorts of cross referencing then you may have to run LaTeX more than once. If you want an automated bibliography you will also have to run bibtex.
When this procedure is complete you will have a file myfile.pdf to print out or preview.
See Also
- Krishna Kumar’s CUED LaTeX PhD Thesis Template gives you the source code for a Sample Thesis
- LaTeX – squeezing space
- Debugging LaTeX
- Detexify – LaTeX symbol classifier lets you draw a symbol and will give you the corresponding LaTeX