Overview

This application is a LaTeX command helper. It provides a menu system that you can use to access the LaTeX markup language. Example text is displayed, copied to the clipboard, and selected after you choose a menu item (such as Text...Bold).

You then paste the text into the text editor of your choice by clicking your third mouse button in the text editor's window or by using the Paste command on the Edit menu. This utility is a replacement for keeping an advanced book on LaTeX beside your keyboard, and it serves to reduce the learning curve of LaTeX.

LaHelper also has a toolbar that lets you quickly translate your text into a format such as PDF and view the result. LaHelper works with any text editor, drawing program, image editor, and file viewers. All settings can be easily customized.

LaHelper allows for multiple command prompts, has menus for using CVS, and includes a user's manual with a LaTeX tutorial. The Mini-Print Preview area lets you quickly see what the LaTeX output will look like in your document.

News

18 May 2007

After some time of inactivity (and a long overdue transition to Ubuntu Linux), the development has been revived on LaHelper. The internal architecture for the new version has not been established, but the overall program will retain its original goals. Those goals are to develop a lightweight, helper application for LaTeX document creation that gives maximum flexibility to the user. It is targeted at more advanced users and is not necessarily a direct competitor to more unified programs such as Kile and LyX.

What is LaTeX?

LaTeX is a markup language that can be used to write a document. In some ways it is similar to using a word processor in a mode that displays the control characters used to format the text.

A LaTeX document is really just a normal text document that contains special text marking things such as the start of a chapter, table, or figure. This webpage was written in a markup language named HTML. You can see the marked up text by choosing the View...Page Source menu item on your web browser's menu bar.

A computer program is used to translate a LaTeX document to other formats that are more pleasing to read and print. Some of the possibilities for the output format include Device Independent (DVI), Postscript (PS), Portable Document Format (PDF), and Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML).

Why use LaTeX?

Many people are intimidated by the amount of information that can be learned while using a markup language to create documents; however, using a markup language such as LaTeX provides some rather unique advantages over other approaches especially for large, detailed reports:

• Plain text file format enables the use of a revision history tool such as CVS to track changes to the document and enable multiple people to contribute to its creation.
• Updated drawings are automatically included in the printable version of the document with no manual labor required.
• The data files and tools can be used on nearly every operating system that exists.
• The mark-up language strongly encourages building a well organized document.
• Automatic figure, table, and equation numbering along with fully automatic cross references, table of contents, list of figures, list of tables, bibliographies, and indices.
• Automatic figure and table placement, text justification, and text hyphenation in all languages.
• Your documents will not become obsolete and incompatible with new software.
• Large, complex documents can be broken into smaller files that are combined together automatically to create the final version.
• There is no risk of losing your work when trying out various formatting options.
• You can use your existing tools that you are comfortable with to help you create documents.
• The output of computer calculations can be included directly in the document. The information can be updated automatically with no human intervention as parameters of the calculation change.
• The markup language is completely customizable to meet your needs.
• Several high quality books exist to explain how to use the markup language most effectively.
• LaTeX works just as well on a computer that is ten years old as it does on the latest hardware.
• The output of any program can be included as postscript or plain text.

Why not use LaTeX?

In all fairness, LaTeX is not the right answer to all document creation tasks. A document that is a hybrid of drawings with specially formatted text (such as a greeting card) presents a good example of something difficult to produce using LaTeX.

Also, users new to computers often do not need or want the flexibility that a markup language such as LaTeX provides. Some people also do not care for the multiple steps that are involved to create the final version of a LaTeX document. Instant visual feedback is not a strength of LaTeX.

Several independent tools are normally used to create a LaTeX document. Users often have a text editor, drawing program, image editing program, and other assorted applications that are used to create the individual files used to build up the LaTeX document. Some users benefit more from a single tool that combines several of these functions rather than having to use separate programs.