Re: Title page for book latex export

[Nick Dokos <nicholas.dokos@hp.com>]

Jordi Inglada <jordi.inglada@cesbio.cnes.fr> wrote:

> Hi Jeff,
> 
> Thanks for your reply. I actually did that as a first try, but the
> problem is that the org->tex export generates a standard title page
> (title, author, date), then the table of contents, and only after that
> my title page.
> 
> So the question would rather be: how to deactivate the standard title
> page and put mine before anything else in the document?
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Jordi
> 
> Jeff Horn writes:
>  > Any code between LaTeX code blocks should execute automatically. For
>  > example, I could place an entire .tex source between
>  > 
>  > #+BEGIN_LaTeX
>  > [Code goes here]
>  > #+END_LaTeX
>  > 
>  > And name the file tex.org and it can be exported to PDF. So, I would
>  > just place the normal LaTeX commands you would use to accomplish what
>  > you are trying to do in a code block, like above.
>  > 
>  > Good luck,
>  > Jeff
>  > 
>  > On Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 5:39 AM, Jordi Inglada
>  > <jordi.inglada@cesbio.cnes.fr> wrote:
>  > > Hi all,
>  > >
>  > > I would like to export to LaTeX using "#+LaTeX_CLASS: book" and use a
>  > > title page that I have built using the LaTeX titlepage environment. I
>  > > don't know where to put the titlepage environment and how to
>  > > deactivate the title page generation by the LaTeX export.
>  > >
>  > > Thank you for your help.
>  > >
>  > > Jordi
>  > >

<rant>

Instead of saying: "I would like to do such and so", please consider using
something like this:

"I would like to do such and so. This is what I tried: 

<contents of org file>

This is what I got when I exported to LaTeX:

<contents of TeX file>

As you can see, I get <description of undesired behavior>, instead of
what I would like to get: <description of desired behavior>.

How do I accomplish that?"


That helps in several ways:

     o it helps the submitter of the question:in the process of
       explaining the problem you might hit upon the solution.

     o it helps the potential helpers: instead of having to deconstruct
       the description and construct an example of their own (which
       might or might not be related to the original problem), they have
       an exact specification of the problem.

     o it helps the submitter *and* the potential helpers: instead of me
       guessing what the problem is, replying, you pointing out that I
       misunderstood, explaining the misunderstanding, etc. etc., we
       avoid the extended conversation: the submitter gets a quicker
       answer and the helpers can go back to what they were doing
       faster. And saying: "I tried that  - it didn't work", well,
       that's adding insult to injury.

    o it helps the list: there is a crisp description of the problem and
      (hopefully) a crisp answer. Those who are interested can file it
      away faster, those who are not can bypass it faster.

    o it helps future org-mode users: searching the archive for answers
      is much easier.

Also it places the burden where it should be: it is the submitter who
has the problem; it is only fair that it be the submitter who does most
of the work to get it resolved: so tell me (nay, *show me*) what you've
tried. At the very least, it will save some typing on my part.

In general, the rule of thumb is "more information is better than less."
Act accordingly.

In your case, you mention the titlepage environment. Now sometime in the
distant past, I might have used it but do I remember anything about it?
Nope, not at this point. So the next step is to go do some research to
find out how to use it: oops, I packed away the LaTeX book for the move
next week.  Got to go to the web - oops, firefox is wedged, restart it.
Now what? Ah, heck the wireless is having a bad day...

The idea is to make the helper want to continue helping instead of
giving him/her a chance to say "Ah, screw it - it's not worth it,
I have better things to do." 

</rant>


OK, now that I've got that off my chest and as a reward for subjecting
you (and everybody else) to the rant, here's a way to do what you
want (I think - unless I've misunderstood the problem...)

,----
| #+LATEX_HEADER: \input{mytitle}
| 
| * Foo
| foo
| 
| * Bar
| bar
`----

where the file mytitle.tex looks like this:

,----
| \renewcommand\maketitle{\begin{titlepage}%
| FOO
| \end{titlepage}%
| }
`----

and where instead of "FOO", you put your titlepage stuff.
That's how \maketitle is defined in the first place, so
just redefine it.

HTH,
Nick