1 #LyX 1.6.0svn 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
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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, spellchecking,
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 her 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---in
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
397 use 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
450 Extra whitespace (i.e.
451 \begin_inset space \space{}
465 \begin_layout Standard
466 Tab stops, along with a ruler showing you the position of things on the
467 page, are useless in LyX.
468 The program worries about where things go on the page, not you.
469 Extra whitespace is similar; LyX adds them where necessary, depending on
471 Not being able to type two blank lines in a row will be annoying at first,
472 but it makes more sense once you're thinking in WYSIWYM terms.
475 \begin_layout Standard
476 Here are some things that exist in LyX, but aren't used as you might think:
479 \begin_layout Itemize
483 \begin_layout Itemize
487 \begin_layout Itemize
489 \begin_inset space \space{}
492 single spaced, double spaced, etc.)
495 \begin_layout Itemize
496 Whitespace, horizontal and vertical
499 \begin_layout Itemize
503 \begin_layout Itemize
504 Typefaces (bold, italic, underline, etc.)
507 \begin_layout Standard
508 Although they exist in LyX, you generally don't need them.
509 LyX will take care of these things for you, depending on what you're doing.
510 Different parts of the document are automatically set in a different typeface
512 Paragraph indenting is context dependent; different types of paragraphs
513 get indented differently.
514 Page breaks get handled automatically, as well.
515 In general, the space between lines, between words, and between paragraphs
516 is variable, set by LyX.
520 \begin_layout Plain Layout
521 There are ways to adjust all of these (only some of which require knowledge
522 of LaTeX), either for a whole document or for a specific location in a
540 \begin_layout Standard
541 Lastly, there are a few areas where we believe LyX (and LaTeX) surpasses
542 many word processors:
545 \begin_layout Itemize
549 \begin_layout Itemize
553 \begin_layout Itemize
557 \begin_layout Itemize
561 \begin_layout Itemize
565 \begin_layout Standard
566 Granted, many modern word processors can handle mathematical symbols, tables,
567 and hyphenation, and many have moved towards style definitions and the
569 However, they've only recently been able to do so, whereas LyX is built
570 upon the LaTeX document preparation system.
571 LaTeX has been around for over 20 years, and
578 \begin_layout Subsection
582 \begin_layout Standard
583 LaTeX is a document preparation system designed by Leslie Lamport in 1985.
587 \begin_layout Plain Layout
588 The source for the info in this section is
589 \begin_inset Quotes eld
597 \begin_inset Quotes erd
600 by Helmut Kopka and Patrick Daly, which has an entry in the bibliography
611 It was built up from a typesetting language called TeX, created by Donald
613 TeX takes a sequence of typesetting commands, written in a script in an
614 ASCII file, and executes them.
616 \begin_inset Quotes eld
620 \begin_inset Quotes erd
623 of the printing trade were modeled by Knuth as computer algorithms and
624 incorporated into TeX, thus its excellent printed appearance.
625 What comes directly out of TeX is the portable document format
630 \begin_inset Quotes eld
634 \begin_inset Quotes erd
642 The dvi format is often used for previews and can later be converted to
643 other formats like PostScript.
647 \begin_layout Standard
648 TeX isn't only a typesetting engine, it also allows you to define macros.
649 Most people who use TeX are actually using a macro package which Knuth
650 created to hide a lot of the typesetting details.
651 This is where Leslie Lamport enters our story.
652 He wanted a macro package that was more user- and less typesetter-oriented,
653 with a set of commands that consistently typeset things like sections,
654 tables or math formulas in an uniform, consistent fashion.
655 This is how LaTeX was born.
658 \begin_layout Standard
659 Now, in parallel with the development and growth of LaTeX, other folks were
660 creating their own custom macro packages for TeX, ones to make slides or
661 articles for math journals and so on.
662 Some used the raw TeX facilities to do this, others began modifying LaTeX.
663 To try and unify this mess, a team of LaTeX-nicians began to work on LaTeX2e,
664 the current version of LaTeX, during the late 1980's.
665 This new version of LaTeX has commands which provide an easier-to-use interface
666 to TeX's macro-creating commands, aid in the use of new fonts, and so on.
667 In fact, LaTeX is quite an extensive language in its own right! Users around
668 the world have been creating their own add-ons for LaTeX beyond the standard
672 \begin_layout Standard
673 There are two ways to extend LaTeX: classes and styles.
678 is a set of LaTeX macros describing a new type of document, like a book,
680 There are classes for slides, for physics and math journals\SpecialChar \ldots{}
682 even have a class for their thesis format! A
686 differs from a class in that it doesn't define a new type of document,
687 but a different type of
691 that any document can use.
692 For example, LyX controls page margins and line spacing using two different
693 LaTeX style-files designed for these purposes.
694 There are style-files for a whole slew of things: printing labels or envelopes,
695 changing indentation behavior, adding new fonts, manipulating graphics,
696 designing fancy page headings, customizing bibliographies, altering the
697 location and appearance of footnotes, tables, and figures, customizing
701 \begin_layout Standard
705 \begin_layout Description
706 TeX: Typesetting language with macro capability.
709 \begin_layout Description
710 LaTeX: Macro package built upon TeX\SpecialChar \@.
714 \begin_layout Description
715 classes: Descriptions of a type of document, using LaTeX\SpecialChar \@.
719 \begin_layout Description
720 styles: Alters the default behavior of LaTeX in some way.
723 \begin_layout Description
724 LyX: Visual, WYSIWYM word-processor that uses LaTeX to do its typesetting.
727 \begin_layout Standard
728 This section attempts to account for the difference between LyX and other
730 Simply put, LaTeX is the difference.
731 By using LaTeX as its backend, LyX helps you think more about
740 The computer then handles
747 \begin_layout Section
748 Navigating the Documentation
751 \begin_layout Standard
752 To make it easier to answer your questions and describe all of the features
753 of LyX, the documentation has been split up into several different files.
754 Each one has its own purpose, as described below.
755 Before you go plowing into any of those files, however, you should read
756 this chapter thoroughly first, since it contains a lot of useful information
757 and commentary that can save you some time.
760 \begin_layout Standard
761 The developing of LyX will hopefully never stop, so that some of the documentati
762 on may be incomplete or a bit out of date, though we try to keep up.
763 Like the rest of LyX, the manuals are the work of a group of volunteers
765 \begin_inset Quotes eld
769 \begin_inset Quotes erd
772 , families, dishes to clean, kitty litter to dispose of, et cetera.
773 If you want to help out, be sure to read Section
778 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
780 reference "sec:Contrib"
784 in addition to the rest of this document.
787 \begin_layout Standard
788 Also, please do us a favor -- if anything in these manuals confuses you,
789 is unclear, or wrong, don't hesitate to let us know! You can reach the
790 current document maintainers by mailing to
791 \begin_inset CommandInset href
793 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
799 If you have questions which are not obviously answered in the documentation,
800 and need help fast, there is an active users' mailing list which you can
802 \begin_inset CommandInset href
804 target "lyx-users@lists.lyx.org"
812 \begin_layout Subsection
813 The Format of the Manuals
816 \begin_layout Standard
817 Some may have printed out the manuals.
818 Others may be reading it within LyX.
819 There are some differences between the LyX-file and the printed version.
820 First, the title is simply at the top of the document, not formatted on
821 a separate page as in some of the printed versions.
822 Nor are any of the footnotes or the Table of Contents fully visible.
823 To open a footnote, which looks like this:
824 \begin_inset Graphics
825 filename clipart/footnoteQt4.png
830 , click on it with the left mouse button.
831 For the Table of Contents, either click on the grey box or click on the
836 menu, where the contents are displayed automatically\SpecialChar \@.
840 \begin_layout Standard
841 In the printed manuals, all cross-references appear as the actual numbers
842 for a chapter, section, subsection, and so on.
843 Online, however, all cross-references appear as a light-grey box like the
845 \begin_inset Graphics
846 filename clipart/referenceQt4.png
852 If you click on that box with the left mouse button, a dialog box will
853 appear containing a list of all the cross-references in the document.
854 This introduction has only two, the first one is named
855 \begin_inset Quotes eld
859 \begin_inset Quotes erd
863 You can go to the referred section by right-clicking on the box or by clicking
876 in the opened dialog.
877 Going back to where you came from is just as easy.
882 to go back to your earlier location.
885 \begin_layout Standard
886 Now that we've cleared up some of the differences between the printed and
887 online versions of this file, we can start looking at the format of this
889 You'll occasionally notice things in different fonts:
892 \begin_layout Itemize
897 is used for general emphasis, generic arguments, book titles, names of
898 sections of other manuals, and notes from the authors.
901 \begin_layout Itemize
906 is used for program and file names, LyX code and functions.
909 \begin_layout Itemize
914 is used for menu, button, or dialog box names, and the names of keyboard
918 \begin_layout Itemize
923 is used for people's names.
926 \begin_layout Itemize
931 is used for LaTeX code
934 \begin_layout Standard
935 For menu accelerator keys and keybindings, you'll probably get referred
941 \begin_inset Quotes eld
946 Addtional Features Manual
949 \begin_inset Quotes erd
957 When we do need to reference keys, we'll use the following prefixing convention
961 \begin_layout Itemize
962 \begin_inset Quotes eld
970 \begin_inset Quotes erd
980 \begin_layout Itemize
981 \begin_inset Quotes eld
989 \begin_inset Quotes erd
999 \begin_layout Itemize
1000 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1008 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1015 key, which on some keyboards will be the
1022 \begin_layout Itemize
1023 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1031 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1034 \SpecialChar \ldots{}
1036 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1044 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1047 are the function keys.
1050 \begin_layout Itemize
1051 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1059 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1065 \begin_layout Itemize
1066 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1074 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1078 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1086 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1090 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1098 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1102 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1110 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1116 \begin_layout Itemize
1119 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1125 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1129 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1137 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1141 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1149 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1153 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1161 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1165 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1173 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1177 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1185 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1188 : these are the 6 keys that appear above the cursor keys on many PC keyboards.
1190 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1198 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1202 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1210 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1214 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1222 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1226 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1234 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1240 \begin_layout Itemize
1249 both refer to the same key.
1250 Some keyboards label the
1255 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1259 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1263 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1267 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1270 still others have two keys.
1271 LyX treats all of them as the same key, so we'll use
1282 \begin_layout Standard
1283 You'll also see something like
1284 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1290 \begin_inset Quotes els
1296 \begin_inset Quotes ers
1300 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1304 We've listed the possible default keybindings for a function in its entry
1306 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1311 Additional Features Manual
1314 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1317 so check there, too.
1318 Note that there are two different keybinding maps in common use in the
1320 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1324 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1327 style which is the default and familiar to those coming from the PC world,
1329 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1333 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1336 style, which is common with those who
1337 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1341 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1344 on Unix systems and use the Emacs editor.
1345 Unless specifically noted, the keybindings in the documentation are from
1346 the default CUA map.
1347 If you like Emacs, you should be smart enough to read the documentation
1348 and figure out the bindings on your own.
1351 \begin_layout Subsection
1352 Units used in the Manuals
1355 \begin_layout Standard
1356 To understand the units described in this documentation, Table
1357 \begin_inset space ~
1361 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
1363 reference "cap:Units-for-image"
1367 explains all units available in LyX.
1370 \begin_layout Standard
1371 \begin_inset Float table
1377 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1378 \begin_inset Caption
1380 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1381 \begin_inset CommandInset label
1383 name "cap:Units-for-image"
1395 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1396 \begin_inset VSpace medskip
1402 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1404 \begin_inset Tabular
1405 <lyxtabular version="3" rows="20" columns="2">
1407 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1408 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1410 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1413 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1419 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1422 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1430 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1433 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1439 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1442 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1450 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1453 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1459 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1462 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1470 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1473 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1479 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1482 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1490 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1493 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1499 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1502 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1504 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1508 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1518 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1521 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1527 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1530 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1532 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1536 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1546 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1549 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1555 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1558 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1560 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1564 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1574 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1577 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1583 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1586 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1588 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1592 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1602 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1605 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1611 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1614 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1616 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1620 \begin_inset Formula $\approx$
1624 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1634 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1637 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1643 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1646 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1648 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1652 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1662 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1665 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1671 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1674 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1675 % of original image width
1682 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1685 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1691 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1694 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1702 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1705 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1711 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1714 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1722 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1725 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1731 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1734 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1742 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1745 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1751 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1754 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1762 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1765 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1771 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1774 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1782 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1785 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1791 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1794 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1802 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1805 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1811 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1814 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1826 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1829 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1835 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1838 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1850 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1853 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1859 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1862 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1864 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1868 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1889 \begin_layout Subsection
1893 \begin_layout Standard
1894 The following list describes the contents of each of the files in the documentat
1898 \begin_layout Description
1899 Introduction This file.
1902 \begin_layout Description
1903 Tutorial If you are new to LyX, and have never used LaTeX before, you should
1905 If you have used LaTeX before, you should still read the
1909 , starting with the section on
1910 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1913 LyX for LaTeX users.
1914 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1917 (Skimming the rest of the document wouldn't hurt, either.)
1920 \begin_layout Description
1922 \begin_inset space ~
1925 Guide The primary documentation.
1930 of the basic operation and available features of LyX here.
1931 The main manual assumes that you've read the
1938 \begin_layout Description
1940 \begin_inset space ~
1943 Objects Extension of the
1948 Documents in detail how to use tables, graphics, floats, notes, and boxes.
1949 It also includes many tricks of the LaTeX masters.
1952 \begin_layout Description
1954 \begin_inset space ~
1957 Features Extension of the
1962 Documents how to use raw LaTeX commands, additional layouts, and special-purpos
1966 \begin_layout Description
1967 Customization A description of advanced LyX features, including how to customize
1968 the overall behavior of LyX\SpecialChar \@.
1969 This includes such things as keybindings, internati
1970 onalization, and configuration files.
1973 \begin_layout Description
1975 \begin_inset space ~
1978 configuration LyX investigates your system upon installation.
1979 This file contains info on what LyX learned about your installation.
1980 Check it to see if you're missing something you might like to have.
1983 \begin_layout Standard
1984 These files will reference one another as necessary.
1993 information on installation and customization, but refers the reader to
1996 Customization Manual
1998 for more information.
2001 \begin_layout Standard
2002 We'll state again an important point:
2005 \begin_layout Standard
2006 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
2012 \begin_layout Standard
2014 If you are new to LyX, read the
2023 \begin_layout Standard
2024 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
2030 \begin_layout Standard
2031 Otherwise, you could needlessly frustrate yourself.
2032 LyX does all that you need a word processor to do, but using a different
2036 \begin_layout Section
2037 Contributing to the LyX Project
2038 \begin_inset CommandInset label
2047 \begin_layout Subsection
2051 \begin_layout Standard
2052 LyX is mostly written in C++ (the LaTeX importer is written in Python).
2053 It is a large project, and as a result it is not free from bugs, or the
2054 need for improvements in the source code.
2057 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2061 \begin_layout Standard
2062 While using LyX, you may find behavior which you consider a bug.
2063 Crashes, though rare, can happen.
2064 User interface problems are considered major bugs by the LyX team: especially
2065 helpful are indications of parts of the LyX interface you find confusing,
2069 \begin_layout Standard
2070 LyX has a bug tracking system, which you can find at
2073 \begin_inset Flex URL
2076 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2078 http://bugzilla.lyx.org/
2086 You should check the bug tracker before reporting any bugs, in case it
2087 has already been reported.
2088 If you have a comment on an existing bug, or wish to report a new bug,
2089 you may either use the bug tracker, or send an e-mail to the development
2091 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2093 target "lyx-devel@lists.lyx.org"
2099 Archives of this list are linked from the main LyX website,
2102 \begin_inset Flex URL
2105 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2117 \begin_layout Standard
2118 A useful bug report will at a minimum include the version of LyX you are
2119 having the problem with.
2120 Accurate, detailed descriptions are preferred - the more time developers
2121 have to spend to pinpoint the source of a bug, the less time they have
2122 for other improvements.
2123 Mention the system and system version you are running LyX with.
2124 Give the versions of the libraries you have installed on your system, and,
2125 if relevant, the versions of external programs that LyX uses.
2126 If it's a compilation or configuration problem, include the file
2130 , and mention which compiler you are using.
2134 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2135 Contributing fixes and new features
2138 \begin_layout Standard
2139 If you have made changes to LyX's source that you think should become part
2140 of LyX, send your changes as a diff file (in unified format) to the development
2141 list referenced above, along with a change log, and a description of what
2145 \begin_layout Subsection
2146 Contributing to the Documentation
2149 \begin_layout Standard
2150 LyX's documentation is extensive; however LyX is under constant development,
2151 and each new release adds new features.
2152 You may find some documentation needs improvement.
2153 This section describes what to do if you find an error, or have some suggestion
2154 s for improving the documentation.
2157 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2158 Reporting Errors in the Manuals
2161 \begin_layout Standard
2162 If you find a problem with the documentation, send a message to the mailing
2164 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2166 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2172 The documentation team will make any necessary fixes.
2175 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2176 Joining the Documentation Team.
2179 \begin_layout Standard
2180 The LyX Documentation Project, like anything else in the LyX project, can
2181 always use assistance! If you're interested in contributing to the Documentatio
2182 n Project, you need to do the following:
2185 \begin_layout Enumerate
2186 Get the latest LyX source code from
2187 \begin_inset Newline newline
2191 \begin_inset Flex URL
2194 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2196 http://www.lyx.org/trac/browser/lyx-devel/trunk/lib/doc
2202 \begin_inset Newline newline
2205 Inside that directory is a file called
2210 Read it; it's the style sheet for the documentation.
2213 \begin_layout Enumerate
2223 \begin_inset Newline newline
2226 The point of this exercise is to give you ideas.
2235 is likely to be the most up-to-date of all of the documentation.
2236 You should be able to glean some insights into how we want the manuals
2237 to read and to look.
2240 \begin_layout Enumerate
2241 Contact the team at:
2242 \begin_inset Newline newline
2246 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2248 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2254 \begin_inset Newline newline
2257 to discuss your intended changes, and get some feedback on them.
2260 \begin_layout Standard
2261 The changes you wish to make may range from improving clarity of the text,
2262 to doing major re-structuring of the documentation.
2263 Any and all improvements are gladly received.