From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: "Thomas S. Dye" Subject: Re: Re: Writing a dissertation using org-mode Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 07:33:13 -1000 Message-ID: <54E9D7CF-7AE5-4E0D-8954-96D2FABB92FA@tsdye.com> References: <87vddcu22l.fsf@belvoir.org> <87bpf4i3ql.fsf@cuma.i-did-not-set--mail-host-address--so-tickle-me> Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v936) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NnEvN-0006n2-QY for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:33:26 -0500 Received: from [140.186.70.92] (port=44447 helo=eggs.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1NnEvK-0006le-TL for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:33:24 -0500 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NnEvJ-0001xQ-EB for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:33:22 -0500 Received: from outbound-mail-359.bluehost.com ([66.147.249.253]:57170) by eggs.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NnEvJ-0001x9-7A for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:33:21 -0500 In-Reply-To: <87bpf4i3ql.fsf@cuma.i-did-not-set--mail-host-address--so-tickle-me> List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: maurizio.vitale@polymath-solutions.com Cc: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org On Mar 4, 2010, at 4:02 AM, Maurizio Vitale wrote: > > I'd recommend you use auctex for writing your thesis: it knows about > many LaTeX packages (and you can teach it more), so you get > autocompletion and highlighting. It does quasi-wysiwyg for fonts and > math. It can render fragments for quick checking and interface with > external viewers. And it has some folding support, albeit not as > nice as > org-mode's. > > Org-mode would basically give you three things: > - sectioning/folding > - todo lists > - simple tables > Org-mode is wonderful for quickly taking notes and generate LaTeX/pdf > out of them. But for a book/thesis you cannot beat auctex. > > Best regards, > > Maurizio Aloha Henri-Paul, I think this is good advice for a thesis writer. auctex, with the reftex plug-in, is a huge help. The model I'm working with now for writing a book (still evolving as I learn org-mode and org-babel and try different things) has 3 parts: 1) The main body of the book, held in several tex files, typically one file per chapter. A master tex file contains the memoir header, the includes, and the glossary, bibliography, and index paraphernalia. I do almost all my writing in these files. 2) An org-mode file with a level one heading for each chapter, underneath which is a place for notes, todo items, random thoughts, and outline fragments. Immediately beneath the level one heading is a link to the chapter tex file. I use the org-mode file to keep track of what I've finished and what still needs work. This is a tremendous help when I have to put the work down for a while and then pick it up again. I'm back up to speed in short order. 3) Several org-babel LaTeX code blocks and noweb references to the output from statistical analyses mostly in R and carried out in org- babel. These are mostly descriptive sections and the benefit of writing them this way is that they track changes in the database as I augment observations or spot data entry errors while writing. These are exported to tex files that are referenced in the master tex file. 4) Compiling my book is a three-step process (ignoring for the moment the bibliography, glossary, and index). First, re-run the statistical analyses in org-babel. Second, run org-babel-tangle on the org-mode file to refresh the output of the org-babel LaTeX code blocks. Lastly compile to pdf with auctex. I'll be interested to learn how you end up writing your thesis with LaTeX and org-mode. HTH, Tom