LaTeX: Line by Line: Tips and Techniques for Document Processing, 2nd Edition [Paperback]

Antoni Diller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1999 | ISBN-10: 047197918X | ISBN-13: 978-0471979180 | Edition: 2

This is an easy-to-follow tutorial on the most popular text processing system used in the academic community. It explains formatting fundamentals and the more complex techniques for typesetting mathematical formulas. It is useful as a resource for those with access to the previous version (LATEX 2.09) who want to update themselves on the latest version - LATEX 2.

The book is aimed at anyone interested in text processing and in particular those wanting to use LATEX to produce high quality documents. LATEX 2e is suitable for people with no previous LATEX experience.

Written from the users point of view, this edition features many entirely new commands, replacing obsolete material as well as an appendix describing the main differences between old version LATEX 2.09 and the new version. There is also a glossary of all basic LATEX 2 commands.

Many of the typesetting examples from the book are coded as templates and are available on the accompanying Website.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

An easy-to-follow tutorial on the most popular text processing system used in the academic community. Explains formatting fundamentals including more complex techniques for presenting difficult mathematical formulas. Contains templates (most of them also available on disk) to create a variety of documents--from a business letter to a technical report--and introduces some advanced features of LaTeX which can be used to produce a customized document style. Numerous examples, an appendix of mathematical symbols and a glossary of typesetting terms are included. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

LATEX Line by Line Second Edition Tips and Techniques for Document Processing How many hours have you spent trying to get LATEX to do what You want? If the answer is 'too many', then you need LATEX Line by Line. Written for LATEX novices, this book starts from the very basics providing clear explanations and realistic examples. The book is designed to help you find solutions to specific tasks, such as indexing, setting complicated mathematics and producing simple line diagrams. It also aims to guide you through the process of creating documents as simple as letters and articles or as complex as books-all to a professional presentational quality. The glossary provides guidance on every standard command-and a few non-standard ones too. Although the book provides a comprehensive introduction to the latest version of LATEX, namely LATEX 2_, an appendix clearly explains the differences between LATEX 2_ and the original version of LATEX. In this way, the book can profitably be used by people who still have the older version. Many of the examples of typesetting that are given in the book are coded as templates and are available on the accompanying Website. They can be used as recipes or skeletons which can be customized by making minor adjustments to the commands. Full explanations of how these documents have been constructed are given for those wanting to better understand the inner workings of this flexible and powerful package. Visit the accompanying Website at: http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~ard

Product Details

• Paperback: 311 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (January 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047197918X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471979180
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,428,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Single Best Book on LaTeX available!, February 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: LaTeX: Line by Line: Tips and Techniques for Document Processing, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

I've recently been through most of the beginning to intermediate LaTeX books and have found the bulk of them almost worthless in helping to learn and use LaTeX. This book is extremely readable and useful with correct syntax. The focus is unapologetically LaTeX2e and is not encumbered with outdated 2.09 commands. This is hands down the one book I would buy if I were only going to buy one. After this I would recommend Kopka, though that is much less well presented but definitely the next best (it is loaded with superfluous 2.09 command comparisons which just get in the way of getting through the book). It is way down hill after that, including Lamport's book (beautifully typeset but not clearly written).

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best beginner's book, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: LaTeX Line by Line: Tips and Techniques for Document Processing (Paperback)

In the TeX/LaTeX universe, I've found that you get the program for free, but then you wind up buying $200 worth of books to learn the program because no one textbook is all things to all people. This is hands down the best "introductory book." It's easy to read and gives you enough information to start up quickly. Hahn's book is outdated with its coverage of Latex 2.09, and Kopka's, while having lots of good stuff in it (if you can find it), reads like a scientific text translated from a foreign language--which it is.

If you want to start getting productive with LaTeX immediately, get this book.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written but missing many things, May 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: LaTeX: Line by Line: Tips and Techniques for Document Processing, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

This book is well written and is great for anyone trying to put together reports and simple documents with no frills (base fonts and formatting). It does not cover font selection (NFSS), customization, and many other important things for advanced documents, like a book. If you need a much more comprehensive book for LaTeX I would recommend Kopka's book. The book is structured in a very confusing and sometimes illogical manner, but it covers much more. This book is much more efficient, but you may find yourself needing more.