1 #LyX 1.6.3 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
7 % DO NOT ALTER THIS PREAMBLE!!!
9 %This preamble is designed to ensure that the document prints
10 % out as advertised. If you mess with this preamble,
11 % parts of the document may not print out as expected. If you
12 % have problems LaTeXing this file, please contact
13 % the documentation team
14 % email: lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org
16 \usepackage{ifpdf} % part of the hyperref bundle
17 \ifpdf % if pdflatex is used
19 % set fonts for nicer pdf view
20 \IfFileExists{lmodern.sty}{\usepackage{lmodern}}{}
22 \fi % end if pdflatex is used
24 % the pages of the TOC is numbered roman
25 % and a pdf-bookmark for the TOC is added
27 \let\myTOC\tableofcontents
28 \renewcommand\tableofcontents{%
29 \pdfbookmark[1]{\contentsname}{}
32 \pagenumbering{arabic} }
34 % redefine the \LyX macro for PDF bookmarks
35 \def\LyX{\texorpdfstring{%
36 L\kern-.1667em\lower.25em\hbox{Y}\kern-.125emX\@}
39 \use_default_options false
44 \font_typewriter default
45 \font_default_family default
55 \pdf_title "Introduction to LyX"
56 \pdf_author "LyX Team"
57 \pdf_subject "LyX-documentation Intro"
58 \pdf_keywords "LyX, documentation"
60 \pdf_bookmarksnumbered true
61 \pdf_bookmarksopen true
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78 \paragraph_separation indent
80 \quotes_language english
83 \paperpagestyle default
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101 \begin_layout Plain Layout
103 If you have comments or error corrections, please send them to the LyX Documenta
105 \begin_inset CommandInset href
107 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
120 \begin_layout Standard
121 \begin_inset CommandInset toc
122 LatexCommand tableofcontents
129 \begin_layout Section
130 The Philosophy of LyX
133 \begin_layout Subsection
137 \begin_layout Standard
138 LyX is a document preparation system.
139 It excels at letting you create complex technical and scientific articles
140 with mathematics, cross-references, bibliographies, indices, etc.
141 It is very good at documents of any length in which the usual processing
142 abilities are required: automatic sectioning and pagination, spell checking,
144 It can also be used to write a letter to your mom, though granted, there
145 are probably simpler programs available for that.
146 It is definitely not the best tool for creating banners, flyers, or advertiseme
147 nts (we'll explain why later), though with some effort all these can be
149 Some examples of what it is used for: memos, letters, dissertations and
150 theses, lecture notes, seminar notebooks, conference proceedings, software
151 documentation, books, articles in refereed scientific journals, scripts
152 for plays and movies, business proposals, presentations \SpecialChar \ldots{}
156 \begin_layout Standard
157 LyX is a program that provides a modern approach to writing documents with
158 a computer by using a markup language paradigm, an approach that breaks
159 with the obsolete tradition of the
160 \begin_inset Quotes eld
164 \begin_inset Quotes erd
168 It is designed for authors who want professional output quickly with a
169 minimum of effort without becoming specialists in typesetting.
170 The job of typesetting is done mostly by the computer, not the author;
171 with LyX, the author can concentrate on the contents of his writing.
174 \begin_layout Standard
175 Part of the initial challenge of using LyX comes from the change in thinking
176 that you, the user, must make.
177 At one time, all we had for creating documents were typewriters, so we
178 all learned certain tricks to get around their limitations.
179 Underlining, which is little more than overstriking with the
180 \begin_inset Quotes eld
184 \begin_inset Quotes erd
187 character, became a way to emphasize text.
188 You were forced to figure out column sizes and tab stops, and set them,
189 before creating a table.
190 The same applied for letters and other right justified text.
191 Hyphenation at the end of a line required a careful eye and a lot of foresight.
194 \begin_layout Standard
195 In other words, we've all been trained to worry about the little details
196 of which character goes where.
197 Consequently, almost all word processors have this mentality.
198 They still use tab stops for adding whitespace.
199 You still need to worry about exactly where on the page something will
201 Emphasizing text means changing a font, similar to changing the typewriter
203 This is the underlying philosophy of a WYSIWYG word processor:
204 \begin_inset Quotes eld
207 What You See Is What You Get
208 \begin_inset Quotes erd
212 Unfortunately, that paradigm often results in
213 \begin_inset Quotes eld
216 What You See Is All You Get
217 \begin_inset Quotes erd
223 \begin_layout Standard
224 This is where LyX differs from an ordinary word processor.
225 You don't concern yourself with what character goes where.
230 and LyX takes care of the rest, following a set of rules called a
238 \begin_layout Plain Layout
239 To be fair, most recent versions of the most popular office suites now have
240 some sort of style sheets which follow a similar markup method.
241 However, our experience is that they are still rarely used in practice.
246 Let's look at a little example:
249 \begin_layout Standard
250 Suppose you are writing a report.
251 To begin your report, you want a section called
252 \begin_inset Quotes eld
255 Introduction\SpecialChar \@.
257 \begin_inset Quotes erd
260 So, you go into whatever menu it is in your word processor that changes
261 font sizes and decide on a new font size.
262 Then you turn on bold face.
264 \begin_inset Quotes eld
276 \begin_inset Quotes erd
280 Of course, if you later decide that this section belongs someplace else
281 in the document, or if you insert a new section before it, you need to
282 change the numbering for this and all following sections, as well as any
283 entry in the table of contents.
287 \begin_layout Standard
288 In LyX, you go to the pull-down on the far left of the button bar and select
294 \begin_inset Quotes eld
297 Introduction\SpecialChar \@.
299 \begin_inset Quotes erd
305 \begin_layout Standard
307 If you cut and paste the section, it will automatically be renumbered —
309 And if you enter references to that section correctly (by inserting cross-refer
310 ence tags), LyX will automatically update them all throughout the file so
311 that you never, ever type a section number.
314 \begin_layout Standard
315 Now let's look at the problem of consistency.
316 Five days later, you reopen your report and start Section
321 However, you forget that you were using 18pt bold instead of 16pt, so you
322 type in the heading for Section
326 4 in a different font that what you used for Section
331 That problem doesn't even exist in LyX.
332 The computer takes care of all that silly bookkeeping about which thing
333 has what size font, not you.
334 After all, that's what a computer is good at.
337 \begin_layout Standard
338 Here's another example.
339 Suppose you're making a list.
340 In other word processors, a list is just a bunch of tab stops and newlines.
341 You need to figure out where to put the label for each list item, what
342 that label should be, how many blank lines to put between each item, and
344 Under LyX, you have only two concerns: what kind of list is this, and what
345 do I want to put in it.
349 \begin_layout Standard
350 So, the basic idea behind LyX is: specify
360 \begin_inset Quotes eld
363 What You See Is What You Get,
364 \begin_inset Quotes erd
368 \begin_inset Quotes eld
371 What You See Is What You
376 \begin_inset Quotes erd
380 \begin_inset Quotes eld
384 \begin_inset Quotes erd
387 It's a powerful idea that greatly simplifies the mechanics of writing documents.
388 This is also why LyX isn't so good for creating posters and flyers.
393 want to specify exactly where everything goes, because there are no functional
394 units like paragraphs, sections, etc.
395 This doesn't mean LyX is missing some cool function.
396 It simply means that it isn't the right tool for the job — you don't use
397 a screwdriver to drive in nails.
400 \begin_layout Subsection
401 Differences between LyX and Other Word Processors
405 \begin_layout Plain Layout
409 \begin_layout Plain Layout
422 \begin_layout Plain Layout
429 and Other Word Processors
437 \begin_layout Standard
438 Here's a list of things you won't find in LyX:
441 \begin_layout Itemize
445 \begin_layout Itemize
449 \begin_layout Itemize
451 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
455 \begin_inset space \space{}
469 \begin_layout Standard
470 Tab stops, along with a ruler showing you the position of things on the
471 page, are useless in LyX.
472 The program worries about where things go on the page, not you.
473 Extra whitespace is similar; LyX adds them where necessary, depending on
475 Not being able to type two blank lines in a row will be annoying at first,
476 but it makes more sense once you're thinking in WYSIWYM terms.
479 \begin_layout Standard
480 Here are some things that exist in LyX, but aren't used as you might think:
483 \begin_layout Itemize
487 \begin_layout Itemize
491 \begin_layout Itemize
493 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
497 \begin_inset space \space{}
500 single spaced, double spaced, etc.)
503 \begin_layout Itemize
504 Whitespace, horizontal and vertical
507 \begin_layout Itemize
511 \begin_layout Itemize
512 Typefaces (bold, italic, underline, etc.)
515 \begin_layout Standard
516 Although they exist in LyX, you generally don't need them.
517 LyX will take care of these things for you, depending on what you're doing.
518 Different parts of the document are automatically set in a different typeface
520 Paragraph indenting is context dependent; different types of paragraphs
521 get indented differently.
522 Page breaks get handled automatically, as well.
523 In general, the space between lines, between words, and between paragraphs
524 is variable, set by LyX.
528 \begin_layout Plain Layout
529 There are ways to adjust all of these (only some of which require knowledge
530 of LaTeX), either for a whole document or for a specific location in a
548 \begin_layout Standard
549 Lastly, there are a few areas where we believe LyX (and LaTeX) surpasses
550 many word processors:
553 \begin_layout Itemize
557 \begin_layout Itemize
561 \begin_layout Itemize
565 \begin_layout Itemize
569 \begin_layout Itemize
573 \begin_layout Standard
574 Granted, many modern word processors can handle mathematical symbols, tables,
575 and hyphenation, and many have moved towards style definitions and the
577 However, they've only recently been able to do so, whereas LyX is built
578 upon the LaTeX document preparation system.
579 LaTeX has been around for over 20 years, and
586 \begin_layout Subsection
590 \begin_layout Standard
591 LaTeX is a document preparation system designed by Leslie Lamport in 1985.
595 \begin_layout Plain Layout
596 The source for the info in this section is
597 \begin_inset Quotes eld
605 \begin_inset Quotes erd
608 by Helmut Kopka and Patrick Daly, which has an entry in the bibliography
619 It was built up from a typesetting language called TeX, created by Donald
621 TeX takes a sequence of typesetting commands, written in a script in an
622 ASCII file, and executes them.
624 \begin_inset Quotes eld
628 \begin_inset Quotes erd
631 of the printing trade were modeled by Knuth as computer algorithms and
632 incorporated into TeX, thus its excellent printed appearance.
633 What comes directly out of TeX is the portable document format
638 \begin_inset Quotes eld
642 \begin_inset Quotes erd
650 The dvi format is often used for previews and can later be converted to
651 other formats like PostScript.
655 \begin_layout Standard
656 TeX isn't only a typesetting engine, it also allows you to define macros.
657 Most people who use TeX are actually using a macro package which Knuth
658 created to hide a lot of the typesetting details.
659 This is where Leslie Lamport enters our story.
660 He wanted a macro package that was more user- and less typesetter-oriented,
661 with a set of commands that consistently typeset things like sections,
662 tables or math formulas in an uniform, consistent fashion.
663 This is how LaTeX was born.
666 \begin_layout Standard
667 Now, in parallel with the development and growth of LaTeX, other folks were
668 creating their own custom macro packages for TeX, ones to make slides or
669 articles for math journals and so on.
670 Some used the raw TeX facilities to do this, others began modifying LaTeX.
671 To try and unify this mess, a team of LaTeX-nicians began to work on LaTeX2e,
672 the current version of LaTeX, during the late 1980's.
673 This new version of LaTeX has commands which provide an easier-to-use interface
674 to TeX's macro-creating commands, aid in the use of new fonts, and so on.
675 In fact, LaTeX is quite an extensive language in its own right! Users around
676 the world have been creating their own add-ons for LaTeX beyond the standard
680 \begin_layout Standard
681 There are two ways to extend LaTeX: classes and styles.
686 is a set of LaTeX macros describing a new type of document, like a book,
688 There are classes for slides, for physics and math journals\SpecialChar \ldots{}
690 even have a class for their thesis format! A
694 differs from a class in that it doesn't define a new type of document,
695 but a different type of
699 that any document can use.
700 For example, LyX controls page margins and line spacing using two different
701 LaTeX style-files designed for these purposes.
702 There are style-files for a whole slew of things: printing labels or envelopes,
703 changing indentation behavior, adding new fonts, manipulating graphics,
704 designing fancy page headings, customizing bibliographies, altering the
705 location and appearance of footnotes, tables, and figures, customizing
709 \begin_layout Standard
713 \begin_layout Description
714 TeX: Typesetting language with macro capability.
717 \begin_layout Description
718 LaTeX: Macro package built upon TeX\SpecialChar \@.
722 \begin_layout Description
723 classes: Descriptions of a type of document, using LaTeX\SpecialChar \@.
727 \begin_layout Description
728 styles: Alters the default behavior of LaTeX in some way.
731 \begin_layout Description
732 LyX: Visual, WYSIWYM word-processor that uses LaTeX to do its typesetting.
735 \begin_layout Standard
736 This section attempts to account for the difference between LyX and other
738 Simply put, LaTeX is the difference.
739 By using LaTeX as its backend, LyX helps you think more about
748 The computer then handles
755 \begin_layout Section
756 Navigating the Documentation
759 \begin_layout Standard
760 To make it easier to answer your questions and describe all of the features
761 of LyX, the documentation has been split up into several different files.
762 Each one has its own purpose, as described below.
763 Before you go plowing into any of those files, however, you should read
764 this chapter thoroughly first, since it contains a lot of useful information
765 and commentary that can save you some time.
768 \begin_layout Standard
769 The developing of LyX will hopefully never stop, so that some of the documentati
770 on may be incomplete or a bit out of date, though we try to keep up.
771 Like the rest of LyX, the manuals are the work of a group of volunteers
773 \begin_inset Quotes eld
777 \begin_inset Quotes erd
780 , families, dishes to clean, kitty litter to dispose of, et cetera.
781 If you want to help out, be sure to read Section
786 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
788 reference "sec:Contrib"
792 in addition to the rest of this document.
795 \begin_layout Standard
796 Also, please do us a favor – if anything in these manuals confuses you,
797 is unclear, or wrong, don't hesitate to let us know! You can reach the
798 current document maintainers by mailing to
799 \begin_inset CommandInset href
801 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
807 If you have questions which are not obviously answered in the documentation,
808 and need help fast, there is an active users' mailing list which you can
810 \begin_inset CommandInset href
812 target "lyx-users@lists.lyx.org"
820 \begin_layout Subsection
821 The Format of the Manuals
824 \begin_layout Standard
825 Some may have printed out the manuals.
826 Others may be reading it within LyX.
827 There are some differences between the LyX-file and the printed version.
828 First, the title is simply at the top of the document, not formatted on
829 a separate page as in some of the printed versions.
830 Nor are any of the footnotes or the Table of Contents fully visible.
831 To open a footnote, which looks like this:
832 \begin_inset Graphics
833 filename clipart/footnoteQt4.png
838 , click on it with the left mouse button.
839 For the Table of Contents, either click on the grey box or click on the
844 menu, where the contents are displayed automatically\SpecialChar \@.
848 \begin_layout Standard
849 In the printed manuals, all cross-references appear as the actual numbers
850 for a chapter, section, subsection, and so on.
851 Online, however, all cross-references appear as a light-grey box like the
853 \begin_inset Graphics
854 filename clipart/referenceQt4.png
860 If you click on that box with the left mouse button, a dialog box will
861 appear containing a list of all the cross-references in the document.
862 You can go to the referred section by right-clicking on the box or by clicking
875 in the opened dialog.
876 Going back to where you came from is just as easy.
885 to go back to your earlier location.
888 \begin_layout Standard
889 Now that we've cleared up some of the differences between the printed and
890 online versions of this file, we can start looking at the format of this
892 You'll occasionally notice things in different fonts:
895 \begin_layout Itemize
900 is used for general emphasis, generic arguments, book titles, names of
901 sections of other manuals, and notes from the authors.
904 \begin_layout Itemize
909 is used for program and file names, LyX code and functions.
912 \begin_layout Itemize
917 is used for menu, button, or dialog box names, and the names of keyboard
921 \begin_layout Itemize
926 is used for people's names.
929 \begin_layout Itemize
934 is used for LaTeX code
937 \begin_layout Standard
938 When we do need to reference keys, we'll use the following prefixing convention:
941 \begin_layout Itemize
942 \begin_inset Quotes eld
950 \begin_inset Quotes erd
960 \begin_layout Itemize
961 \begin_inset Quotes eld
969 \begin_inset Quotes erd
979 \begin_layout Itemize
980 \begin_inset Quotes eld
988 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1002 \begin_layout Itemize
1003 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1011 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1014 \SpecialChar \ldots{}
1016 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1024 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1027 are the function keys.
1030 \begin_layout Itemize
1031 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1039 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1045 \begin_layout Itemize
1046 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1054 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1058 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1066 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1070 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1078 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1082 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1090 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1096 \begin_layout Itemize
1099 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1105 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1109 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1117 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1121 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1129 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1133 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1141 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1145 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1153 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1157 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1165 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1168 : these are the 6 keys that appear above the cursor keys on many PC keyboards.
1170 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1178 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1182 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1190 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1194 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1202 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1206 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1214 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1220 \begin_layout Itemize
1229 both refer to the same key.
1230 Some keyboards label the
1235 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1239 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1243 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1247 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1250 still others have two keys.
1251 LyX treats all of them as the same key, so we'll use
1262 \begin_layout Standard
1263 The list with the currently set shortcuts can be found in the
1274 \begin_layout Subsection
1275 Units used in the Manuals
1278 \begin_layout Standard
1279 To understand the units described in this documentation, Table
1280 \begin_inset space ~
1284 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
1286 reference "cap:Units-for-image"
1290 explains all units available in LyX.
1293 \begin_layout Standard
1294 \begin_inset Float table
1300 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1301 \begin_inset Caption
1303 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1304 \begin_inset CommandInset label
1306 name "cap:Units-for-image"
1318 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1319 \begin_inset VSpace medskip
1325 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1327 \begin_inset Tabular
1328 <lyxtabular version="3" rows="20" columns="2">
1330 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1331 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1333 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1336 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1342 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1345 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1353 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1356 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1362 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1365 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1373 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1376 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1382 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1385 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1393 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1396 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1402 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1405 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1413 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1416 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1422 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1425 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1427 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1431 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1441 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1444 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1450 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1453 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1455 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1459 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1469 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1472 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1478 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1481 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1483 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1487 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1497 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1500 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1506 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1509 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1511 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1515 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1525 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1528 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1534 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1537 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1539 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1543 \begin_inset Formula $\approx$
1547 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1557 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1560 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1566 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1569 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1571 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1575 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1585 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1588 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1594 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1597 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1598 % of original image width
1605 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1608 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1614 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1617 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1625 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1628 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1634 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1637 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1645 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1648 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1654 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1657 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1665 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1668 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1674 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1677 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1685 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1688 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1694 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1697 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1705 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1708 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1714 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1717 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1725 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1728 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1734 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1737 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1749 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1752 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1758 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1761 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1773 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1776 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1782 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1785 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1787 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1791 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1812 \begin_layout Subsection
1816 \begin_layout Standard
1817 The following list describes the contents of the basic documentation files
1818 that you find in the
1825 \begin_layout Description
1826 Introduction This file.
1829 \begin_layout Description
1830 Tutorial If you are new to LyX, and have never used LaTeX before, you should
1832 If you have used LaTeX before, you should still read the
1836 , starting with the section on
1837 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1840 LyX for LaTeX users.
1841 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1844 (Skimming the rest of the document wouldn't hurt, either.)
1847 \begin_layout Description
1849 \begin_inset space ~
1852 Guide The primary documentation.
1857 of the basic operation and available features of LyX here.
1858 The main manual assumes that you've read the
1865 \begin_layout Description
1867 \begin_inset space ~
1870 Objects Extension of the
1875 Documents in detail how to use tables, graphics, floats, notes, program
1876 listings, and boxes.
1877 It also includes many tricks of the LaTeX masters.
1880 \begin_layout Description
1881 Math Extension of the
1886 Documents in detail how to typeset any kind of formulas.
1889 \begin_layout Description
1891 \begin_inset space ~
1894 Features Extension of the
1899 Documents how to use raw LaTeX commands, additional layouts, and special-purpos
1903 \begin_layout Description
1904 Customization A description of advanced LyX features, including how to customize
1905 the overall behavior of LyX\SpecialChar \@.
1906 This includes such things as keybindings, internati
1907 onalization, and configuration files.
1910 \begin_layout Description
1911 Shortcuts Tables with the currently defined LyX shortcuts.
1914 \begin_layout Description
1916 \begin_inset space ~
1919 configuration LyX investigates your system upon installation.
1920 This file contains info on what LyX learned about your installation.
1921 Check it to see if you're missing something you might like to have.
1924 \begin_layout Standard
1925 These files will reference one another as necessary.
1934 information on installation and customization, but refers the reader to
1937 Customization Manual
1939 for more information.
1942 \begin_layout Standard
1943 We'll state again an important point:
1946 \begin_layout Standard
1947 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
1953 \begin_layout Standard
1955 If you are new to LyX, read the
1964 \begin_layout Standard
1965 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
1971 \begin_layout Standard
1972 Otherwise, you could needlessly frustrate yourself.
1975 \begin_layout Section
1976 Contributing to the LyX Project
1977 \begin_inset CommandInset label
1986 \begin_layout Subsection
1990 \begin_layout Standard
1991 LyX is mostly written in C++ (the LaTeX importer is written in Python).
1992 It is a large project, and as a result it is not free from bugs, or the
1993 need for improvements in the source code.
1996 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2000 \begin_layout Standard
2001 While using LyX, you may find behavior which you consider a bug.
2002 Crashes, though rare, can happen.
2003 User interface problems are considered major bugs by the LyX team: especially
2004 helpful are indications of parts of the LyX interface you find confusing,
2008 \begin_layout Standard
2009 LyX has a bug tracking system, which you can find at
2012 \begin_inset Flex URL
2015 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2017 http://www.lyx.org/trac/wiki/BugTrackerHome
2025 You should check the bug tracker before reporting any bugs, in case it
2026 has already been reported.
2027 If you have a comment on an existing bug, or wish to report a new bug,
2028 you may either use the bug tracker, or send an e-mail to the development
2030 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2032 target "lyx-devel@lists.lyx.org"
2038 Archives of this list are linked from the main LyX website,
2041 \begin_inset Flex URL
2044 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2056 \begin_layout Standard
2057 A useful bug report will at a minimum include the version of LyX you are
2058 having the problem with.
2059 Accurate, detailed descriptions are preferred - the more time developers
2060 have to spend to pinpoint the source of a bug, the less time they have
2061 for other improvements.
2062 Mention the system and system version you are running LyX with.
2063 Give the versions of the libraries you have installed on your system, and,
2064 if relevant, the versions of external programs that LyX uses.
2065 If it's a compilation or configuration problem, include the file
2069 , and mention which compiler you are using.
2073 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2074 Contributing fixes and new features
2077 \begin_layout Standard
2078 If you have made changes to LyX's source that you think should become part
2079 of LyX, send your changes as a diff file (in unified format) to the development
2080 list referenced above, along with a change log, and a description of what
2084 \begin_layout Subsection
2085 Contributing to the Documentation
2088 \begin_layout Standard
2089 LyX's documentation is extensive; however LyX is under constant development,
2090 and each new release adds new features.
2091 You may find some documentation needs improvement.
2092 This section describes what to do if you find an error, or have some suggestion
2093 s for improving the documentation.
2096 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2097 Reporting Errors in the Manuals
2100 \begin_layout Standard
2101 If you find a problem with the documentation, send a message to the mailing
2103 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2105 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2111 The documentation team will make any necessary fixes.
2114 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2115 Joining the Documentation Team.
2118 \begin_layout Standard
2119 The LyX Documentation Project, like anything else in the LyX project, can
2120 always use assistance! If you're interested in contributing to the Documentatio
2121 n Project, you need to do the following:
2124 \begin_layout Enumerate
2125 Get the latest LyX source code from
2126 \begin_inset Newline newline
2130 \begin_inset Flex URL
2133 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2135 http://www.lyx.org/trac/browser/lyx-devel/trunk/lib/doc
2143 \begin_layout Enumerate
2153 \begin_inset Newline newline
2156 The point of this exercise is to give you ideas.
2165 is likely to be the most up-to-date of all of the documentation.
2166 You should be able to glean some insights into how we want the manuals
2167 to read and to look.
2170 \begin_layout Enumerate
2171 Contact the team at:
2172 \begin_inset Newline newline
2176 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2178 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2184 \begin_inset Newline newline
2187 to discuss your intended changes, and get some feedback on them.
2190 \begin_layout Standard
2191 The changes you wish to make may range from improving clarity of the text,
2192 to doing major re-structuring of the documentation.
2193 Any and all improvements are gladly received.