[Feature Request] LaTeX Export?

signinstranger · Post by **signinstranger** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:24 pm

I know, this is probably not one of the most pressing problems, but I think it would add great value to Mellel. I'm not asking for a full-fletched Mellel-to-LaTeX export filter here, only for a very simple (Philipp-Glass-minimalistic) interface that ships out unicode text and preserves only the most basic markup:

- sections (\chapter, \section...)
- bold/italic (\textbf, \textit)
- footnotes (\footnote)

and in future versions of Mellel:

- crossreferences (\label + \ref)

Stephen Still · Post by **Stephen Still** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 6:11 am

That should be extremely easy to do in xslt. Are you sure that the markup you mentioned is enough though? What about headings — that's useful semantic information I assume you don't want to lose. Similarly, what do you do when you hit tables and lists?

Then again, maybe I'm missing your point, since I'm not at all familiar with LaTeX markup…

simifilm · Post by **simifilm** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:26 am

A LaTeX export module would indeed be very cool and probably not too difficult to make. I agree with Stephen Still that more markup is doable. Headings would definitely be useful. I guess it would mean that you'd have to use pre-defined styles titles (-> convert paragraph style "Header1" to "\chapter"), but this is no problem. The point is of course that you would basically export the structure of the document and not the actual formatting (which is sufficient).

Maybe we could discuss here what could be converted. Definitely doable IMO:

- Part, chapter and section headings.
- Foonotes
- Refs (once they're here).

simon

signinstranger · Post by **signinstranger** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:38 pm

Anything beyond the most basic things is obviously welcome, but I'm afraid that this might be too difficult (and as a result stop the good people at Redlers to add such a feature). lists and tables should be easy though.

It's also very important that the exported file is a very clean and tidy text file (just as Mellel's current plain text export), so that it stays editable. LaTeX documents usually require some manual interaction at the last stages (hyphenation, linebreaks, placement of figures, etc.), so a clean file is imperative. I don't know if xslt is good at such things. I've seen valid html files generated by xslt which were no longer human readable.

aechallu · Post by **aechallu** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:02 pm

I support this request, enthusiastically. I prefer a simplistic approach than a very faithful translation, as the original author implied.

joewiz · Post by **joewiz** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:54 pm

Those who support this feature should create a poll for it - as requested in the sticky for this sub-forum.

Ori Redler · Post by **Ori Redler** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:06 am

joewiz wrote:Those who support this feature should create a poll for it - as requested in the sticky for this sub-forum.

Indeed.

Ori Redler · Post by **Ori Redler** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:07 am

joewiz wrote:Those who support this feature should create a poll for it - as requested in the sticky for this sub-forum.

Indeed.