website/content/blog/2020-09-08-install-latex-in-windows.md

+++
title = "Install Latex in Windows"
[taxonomies]
tags = [ "LaTeX" ]
categories = [ "apps" ]
+++
I have some latex templates to format documents to create fancy formal
looking PDF versions of my plaintext mode documents I create in
*org-mode* in *emacs*, well *spacemacs* actually.

# Installation

Since this are tools built in the UNIX world I expected a protracted
battle before I got all settings right, especially since there was no
version of Live Tex in the chocolatey repositories. I never tried MikTex
before.

## Installing MikTex

That is easy, in an admin shell run :

``` sh
> choco install miktex
```

This will take a bit so we can already fetch the templates.

## Installing the custom LaTeX templates

I keep my templates in git repositories for easy updating. Some are
shared with others so new features are sometimes added. Let\'s make a
place for these

In the msys terminal :

``` sh
$ cd
$ mkdir -p .local/texmf/tex/latex
```

I want to use the *.local/texmf* as the local extension folder, but
*MikTex* will not allow to select it if the *tex/latex* folders are
missing. Also this is consistent with the Mac and Linux versions.

## Installing the custom templates

Just add the repos for the *.sty* and *.cls* files to the folder we just
made:

``` sh
$ cd ~/.local/texmf/tex/latex
$ git clone git@gitlab.xomeplace.com:latex/xomeplace-latex.git
$ ... repeat for other templates ...
```

## Configuring MikTex

After installation look for MikTex in the *Start Menu* to start the
config tool. It will complain that no update has been done yes, so I
humoured it by updating, none are available since it is just installed,
but it keeps regularly reminding me to update. I assume this\'ll go away
once some update arrives.

Add the *texmf* folder we created :

-   Press the \'+\' icon
-   Navigate the \~/.local/texmf
-   Confirm

Keep the tool open because we need to copy the location of the *bin*
folder in the next step.

\## Add the TeX tools to the PATH

I only use the TeX tools from Spacemacs so I\'ll just add it there. The
Spacemacs dev team decided to make the environment variables, including
the path, load from a config file. Having been at the receiving end of
the confusion which follows from the subtle differences when launching
*Emacs* as daemon, from the GUI menu or from the command line, I
heartily applaud this approach.

In any case I just update the PATH in *Spacemacs*

-   Space f e e (to open the environment config file)
-   find the line with PATH= ( *\'*\' PATH Enter, maybe some /n\* to
    find the one)
-   Copy the location from the config tool
-   Paste it in the PATH value (do not forget the \';\' separator)
-   Esc : w (to save changes)
-   Space f e E (to reload the new value)

# Using it

Well nothing new here, it kind of just works:

## Creating a PDF

Open an org file with the *LaTeX headers* or add them with *, e e \#*
and select latex from the list. Check the *LATEX~CLASS~* is one of the
custom classes.

Then *, e e l o* and ... nothing will happen, ..., well emacs tells it
is busy with the texfile. It takes a while, taskmaster shows processes
blinking in and of existence under the Emacs process. I assume MikTex is
compiling stuff in the background of first use.

Eventually it returns stating PDF export failed and to consult the log
file.

## Fix Errors

The end of the logfile showed scary things of not being able to write.
Let\'s ignore those for now : I learned to treat the first errors in the
LaTeX log output first, and retry and move my way down the log till
there are no more errors.

First Error : \'Libertine Font\' was not found, a bit further the same
with \'Lato\'.

Download the fonts, unzip, select all *.ttf* files and right-click
install.

Try again and the PDF opens ... in the Edge Browser ??? And the Edge
Browser attached itself to the taskbar??? Again??? I need to tackle that
some time.

Well, it works. Take the document and send it to those you wanted to
impress.