1 #LyX 2.0 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
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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
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63 \pdf_title "Introduction to LyX"
64 \pdf_author "LyX Team"
65 \pdf_subject "LyX-documentation Intro"
66 \pdf_keywords "LyX, documentation"
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119 \begin_layout Plain Layout
121 If you have comments or error corrections, please send them to the LyX Documenta
123 \begin_inset CommandInset href
125 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
138 \begin_layout Standard
139 \begin_inset CommandInset toc
140 LatexCommand tableofcontents
147 \begin_layout Section
148 The Philosophy of LyX
151 \begin_layout Subsection
155 \begin_layout Standard
156 LyX is a document preparation system.
157 It excels at letting you create complex technical and scientific articles
158 with mathematics, cross-references, bibliographies, indices, etc.
159 It is very good at documents of any length in which the usual processing
160 abilities are required: automatic sectioning and pagination, spell checking,
162 It can also be used to write a letter to your mom, though granted, there
163 are probably simpler programs available for that.
164 It is definitely not the best tool for creating banners, flyers, or advertiseme
165 nts (we'll explain why later), though with some effort all these can be
167 Some examples of what it is used for: memos, letters, dissertations and
168 theses, lecture notes, seminar notebooks, conference proceedings, software
169 documentation, books, articles in refereed scientific journals, scripts
170 for plays and movies, business proposals, presentations \SpecialChar \ldots{}
174 \begin_layout Standard
175 LyX is a program that provides a modern approach to writing documents with
176 a computer by using a markup language paradigm, an approach that breaks
177 with the obsolete tradition of the
178 \begin_inset Quotes eld
182 \begin_inset Quotes erd
186 It is designed for authors who want professional output quickly with a
187 minimum of effort without becoming specialists in typesetting.
188 The job of typesetting is done mostly by the computer, not the author;
189 with LyX, the author can concentrate on the contents of his writing.
192 \begin_layout Standard
193 Part of the initial challenge of using LyX comes from the change in thinking
194 that you, the user, must make.
195 At one time, all we had for creating documents were typewriters, so we
196 all learned certain tricks to get around their limitations.
197 Underlining, which is little more than overstriking with the
198 \begin_inset Quotes eld
202 \begin_inset Quotes erd
205 character, became a way to emphasize text.
206 You were forced to figure out column sizes and tab stops, and set them,
207 before creating a table.
208 The same applied for letters and other right justified text.
209 Hyphenation at the end of a line required a careful eye and a lot of foresight.
212 \begin_layout Standard
213 In other words, we've all been trained to worry about the little details
214 of which character goes where.
215 Consequently, almost all word processors have this mentality.
216 They still use tab stops for adding whitespace.
217 You still need to worry about exactly where on the page something will
219 Emphasizing text means changing a font, similar to changing the typewriter
221 This is the underlying philosophy of a WYSIWYG word processor:
222 \begin_inset Quotes eld
225 What You See Is What You Get
226 \begin_inset Quotes erd
230 Unfortunately, that paradigm often results in
231 \begin_inset Quotes eld
234 What You See Is All You Get
235 \begin_inset Quotes erd
241 \begin_layout Standard
242 This is where LyX differs from an ordinary word processor.
243 You don't concern yourself with what character goes where.
248 and LyX takes care of the rest, following a set of rules called a
256 \begin_layout Plain Layout
257 To be fair, most recent versions of the most popular office suites now have
258 some sort of style sheets which follow a similar markup method.
259 However, our experience is that they are still rarely used in practice.
264 Let's look at a little example:
267 \begin_layout Standard
268 Suppose you are writing a report.
269 To begin your report, you want a section called
270 \begin_inset Quotes eld
273 Introduction\SpecialChar \@.
275 \begin_inset Quotes erd
278 So, you go into whatever menu it is in your word processor that changes
279 font sizes and decide on a new font size.
280 Then you turn on bold face.
282 \begin_inset Quotes eld
294 \begin_inset Quotes erd
298 Of course, if you later decide that this section belongs someplace else
299 in the document, or if you insert a new section before it, you need to
300 change the numbering for this and all following sections, as well as any
301 entry in the table of contents.
305 \begin_layout Standard
306 In LyX, you go to the pull-down on the far left of the button bar and select
312 \begin_inset Quotes eld
315 Introduction\SpecialChar \@.
317 \begin_inset Quotes erd
323 \begin_layout Standard
325 If you cut and paste the section, it will automatically be renumbered —
327 And if you enter references to that section correctly (by inserting cross-refer
328 ence tags), LyX will automatically update them all throughout the file so
329 that you never, ever type a section number.
332 \begin_layout Standard
333 Now let's look at the problem of consistency.
334 Five days later, you reopen your report and start Section
339 However, you forget that you were using 18
340 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
343 pt bold instead of 16
344 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
347 pt, so you type in the heading for Section
351 4 in a different font from the one you used for Section
356 That problem doesn't even exist in LyX.
357 The computer takes care of all that silly bookkeeping about which thing
358 has what size font, not you.
359 After all, that's what a computer is good at.
362 \begin_layout Standard
363 Here's another example.
364 Suppose you're making a list.
365 In other word processors, a list is just a bunch of tab stops and newlines.
366 You need to figure out where to put the label for each list item, what
367 that label should be, how many blank lines to put between each item, and
369 Under LyX, you have only two concerns: what kind of list is this, and what
370 do I want to put in it.
374 \begin_layout Standard
375 So, the basic idea behind LyX is: specify
385 \begin_inset Quotes eld
388 What You See Is What You Get,
389 \begin_inset Quotes erd
393 \begin_inset Quotes eld
396 What You See Is What You
401 \begin_inset Quotes erd
405 \begin_inset Quotes eld
409 \begin_inset Quotes erd
412 It's a powerful idea that greatly simplifies the mechanics of writing documents.
413 This is also why LyX isn't so good for creating posters and flyers.
418 want to specify exactly where everything goes, because there are no functional
419 units like paragraphs, sections, etc.
420 This doesn't mean LyX is missing some cool function.
421 It simply means that it isn't the right tool for the job — you don't use
422 a screwdriver to drive in nails.
425 \begin_layout Subsection
426 Differences between LyX and Other Word Processors
427 \begin_inset Argument
430 \begin_layout Plain Layout
434 \begin_layout Plain Layout
447 \begin_layout Plain Layout
454 and Other Word Processors
462 \begin_layout Standard
463 Here's a list of things you won't find in LyX:
466 \begin_layout Itemize
470 \begin_layout Itemize
474 \begin_layout Itemize
476 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
480 \begin_inset space \space{}
494 \begin_layout Standard
495 Tab stops, along with a ruler showing you the position of things on the
496 page, are useless in LyX.
497 The program worries about where things go on the page, not you.
498 Extra whitespace is similar; LyX adds them where necessary, depending on
500 Not being able to type two blank lines in a row will be annoying at first,
501 but it makes more sense once you're thinking in WYSIWYM terms.
504 \begin_layout Standard
505 Here are some things that exist in LyX, but aren't used as you might think:
508 \begin_layout Itemize
512 \begin_layout Itemize
516 \begin_layout Itemize
518 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
522 \begin_inset space \space{}
525 single spaced, double spaced, etc.)
528 \begin_layout Itemize
529 Whitespace, horizontal and vertical
532 \begin_layout Itemize
536 \begin_layout Itemize
537 Typefaces (bold, italic, underline, etc.)
540 \begin_layout Standard
541 Although they exist in LyX, you generally don't need them.
542 LyX will take care of these things for you, depending on what you're doing.
543 Different parts of the document are automatically set in a different typeface
545 Paragraph indenting is context dependent; different types of paragraphs
546 get indented differently.
547 Page breaks get handled automatically, as well.
548 In general, the space between lines, between words, and between paragraphs
549 is variable, set by LyX.
553 \begin_layout Plain Layout
554 There are ways to adjust all of these (only some of which require knowledge
555 of LaTeX), either for a whole document or for a specific location in a
573 \begin_layout Standard
574 Lastly, there are a few areas where we believe LyX (and LaTeX) surpasses
575 many word processors:
578 \begin_layout Itemize
582 \begin_layout Itemize
586 \begin_layout Itemize
590 \begin_layout Itemize
594 \begin_layout Itemize
598 \begin_layout Standard
599 Granted, many modern word processors can handle mathematical symbols, tables,
600 and hyphenation, and many have moved towards style definitions and the
602 However, they've only recently been able to do so, whereas LyX is built
603 upon the LaTeX document preparation system.
604 LaTeX has been around for over 20 years, and
611 \begin_layout Subsection
615 \begin_layout Standard
616 LaTeX is a document preparation system designed by Leslie Lamport in 1985.
620 \begin_layout Plain Layout
621 The source for the info in this section is
622 \begin_inset Quotes eld
630 \begin_inset Quotes erd
633 by Helmut Kopka and Patrick Daly, which has an entry in the bibliography
644 It was built up from a typesetting language called TeX, created by Donald
646 TeX takes a sequence of typesetting commands, written in a script in an
647 ASCII file, and executes them.
649 \begin_inset Quotes eld
653 \begin_inset Quotes erd
656 of the printing trade were modeled by Knuth as computer algorithms and
657 incorporated into TeX, thus its excellent printed appearance.
658 What comes directly out of TeX is the portable document format
663 \begin_inset Quotes eld
667 \begin_inset Quotes erd
675 The dvi format is often used for previews and can later be converted to
676 other formats like PostScript.
680 \begin_layout Standard
681 TeX isn't only a typesetting engine; it also allows you to define macros.
682 Most people who use TeX are actually using a macro package which Knuth
683 created to hide a lot of the typesetting details.
684 This is where Leslie Lamport enters our story.
685 He wanted a macro package that was more user- and less typesetter-oriented,
686 with a set of commands that consistently typeset things like sections,
687 tables or math formulas in an uniform, consistent fashion.
688 This is how LaTeX was born.
691 \begin_layout Standard
692 Now, in parallel with the development and growth of LaTeX, other folks were
693 creating their own custom macro packages for TeX, ones to make slides or
694 articles for math journals and so on.
695 Some used the raw TeX facilities to do this, others began modifying LaTeX.
696 To try and unify this mess, a team of LaTeX-nicians began to work on LaTeX2e,
697 the current version of LaTeX, during the late 1980's.
698 This new version of LaTeX has commands which provide an easier-to-use interface
699 to TeX's macro-creating commands, aid in the use of new fonts, and so on.
700 In fact, LaTeX is quite an extensive language in its own right! Users around
701 the world have been creating their own add-ons for LaTeX beyond the standard
705 \begin_layout Standard
706 There are two ways to extend LaTeX: classes and styles.
711 is a set of LaTeX macros describing a new type of document, like a book,
713 There are classes for slides, for physics and math journals\SpecialChar \ldots{}
715 even have a class for their thesis format! A
719 differs from a class in that it doesn't define a new type of document,
720 but a different type of
724 that any document can use.
725 For example, LyX controls page margins and line spacing using two different
726 LaTeX style-files designed for these purposes.
727 There are style-files for a whole slew of things: printing labels or envelopes,
728 changing indentation behavior, adding new fonts, manipulating graphics,
729 designing fancy page headings, customizing bibliographies, altering the
730 location and appearance of footnotes, tables, and figures, customizing
734 \begin_layout Standard
738 \begin_layout Description
739 TeX: Typesetting language with macro capability.
742 \begin_layout Description
743 LaTeX: Macro package built upon TeX\SpecialChar \@.
747 \begin_layout Description
748 classes: Descriptions of a type of document, using LaTeX\SpecialChar \@.
752 \begin_layout Description
753 styles: Alters the default behavior of LaTeX in some way.
756 \begin_layout Description
757 LyX: Visual, WYSIWYM word-processor that uses LaTeX to do its typesetting.
760 \begin_layout Standard
761 This section attempts to account for the difference between LyX and other
763 Simply put, LaTeX is the difference.
764 By using LaTeX as its backend, LyX helps you think more about
773 The computer then handles
780 \begin_layout Section
781 Navigating the Documentation
784 \begin_layout Standard
785 To make it easier to answer your questions and describe all of the features
786 of LyX, the documentation has been split up into several different files.
787 Each one has its own purpose, as described below.
788 Before you go ploughing into any of those files, however, you should read
789 this chapter thoroughly first, since it contains a lot of useful information
790 and commentary that can save you some time.
793 \begin_layout Standard
794 The developing of LyX will hopefully never stop, so that some of the documentati
795 on may be incomplete or a bit out of date, though we try to keep up.
796 Like the rest of LyX, the manuals are the work of a group of volunteers
798 \begin_inset Quotes eld
802 \begin_inset Quotes erd
805 , families, dishes to clean, kitty litter to dispose of, et cetera.
806 If you want to help out, be sure to read Section
811 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
813 reference "sec:Contrib"
817 in addition to the rest of this document.
820 \begin_layout Standard
821 Also, please do us a favor – if anything in these manuals confuses you,
822 is unclear, or wrong, don't hesitate to let us know! You can reach the
823 current document maintainers by mailing to
824 \begin_inset CommandInset href
826 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
832 If you have questions which are not obviously answered in the documentation,
833 and need help fast, there is an active users' mailing list which you can
835 \begin_inset CommandInset href
837 target "lyx-users@lists.lyx.org"
845 \begin_layout Subsection
846 The Format of the Manuals
849 \begin_layout Standard
850 Some may have printed out the manuals.
851 Others may be reading it within LyX.
852 There are some differences between the LyX-file and the printed version.
853 First, the title is simply at the top of the document, not formatted on
854 a separate page as in some of the printed versions.
855 Nor are any of the footnotes or the Table of Contents fully visible.
856 To open a footnote, which looks like this:
857 \begin_inset Graphics
858 filename clipart/footnoteQt4.png
863 , click on it with the left mouse button.
864 For the Table of Contents, either click on the grey box or click on the
869 menu, where the contents are displayed automatically\SpecialChar \@.
873 \begin_layout Standard
874 In the printed manuals, all cross-references appear as the actual numbers
875 for a chapter, section, subsection, and so on.
876 Online, however, all cross-references appear as a light-grey box like the
878 \begin_inset Graphics
879 filename clipart/referenceQt4.png
885 If you click on that box with the left mouse button, a dialog box will
886 appear containing a list of all the cross-references in the document.
887 You can go to the referred section by right-clicking on the box or by clicking
900 in the opened dialog.
901 Going back to where you came from is just as easy.
910 to go back to your earlier location.
913 \begin_layout Standard
914 Now that we've cleared up some of the differences between the printed and
915 online versions of this file, we can start looking at the format of this
917 You'll occasionally notice things in different fonts:
920 \begin_layout Itemize
925 is used for general emphasis, generic arguments, book titles, names of
926 sections of other manuals, and notes from the authors.
929 \begin_layout Itemize
934 is used for program and file names, LyX code and functions.
937 \begin_layout Itemize
942 is used for menu, button, or dialog box names, and the names of keyboard
946 \begin_layout Itemize
951 is used for people's names.
954 \begin_layout Itemize
959 is used for LaTeX code
962 \begin_layout Standard
963 When we do need to reference keys, we'll use the following prefixing convention:
966 \begin_layout Itemize
967 \begin_inset Quotes eld
975 \begin_inset Quotes erd
985 \begin_layout Itemize
986 \begin_inset Quotes eld
994 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1004 \begin_layout Itemize
1005 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1013 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1027 \begin_layout Itemize
1028 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1036 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1039 \SpecialChar \ldots{}
1041 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1049 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1052 are the function keys.
1055 \begin_layout Itemize
1056 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1064 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1070 \begin_layout Itemize
1071 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1079 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1083 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1091 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1095 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1103 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1107 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1115 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1121 \begin_layout Itemize
1124 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1130 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1134 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1142 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1146 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1154 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1158 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1166 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1170 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1178 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1182 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1190 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1193 : these are the 6 keys that appear above the cursor keys on many PC keyboards.
1195 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1203 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1207 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1215 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1219 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1227 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1231 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1239 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1245 \begin_layout Itemize
1254 both refer to the same key.
1255 Some keyboards label the
1260 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1264 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1268 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1272 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1275 still others have two keys.
1276 LyX treats all of them as the same key, so we'll use
1287 \begin_layout Standard
1288 The list with the currently set shortcuts can be found in the
1299 \begin_layout Subsection
1300 Units used in the Manuals
1303 \begin_layout Standard
1304 To understand the units described in this documentation, Table
1305 \begin_inset space ~
1309 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
1311 reference "cap:Units-for-image"
1315 explains all units available in LyX.
1318 \begin_layout Standard
1319 \begin_inset Float table
1325 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1326 \begin_inset Caption
1328 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1329 \begin_inset CommandInset label
1331 name "cap:Units-for-image"
1343 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1344 \begin_inset VSpace medskip
1350 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1352 \begin_inset Tabular
1353 <lyxtabular version="3" rows="20" columns="2">
1354 <features tabularvalignment="middle">
1355 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1356 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1358 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
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1367 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1370 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1378 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1381 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1387 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1390 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1398 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1401 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1407 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1410 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1418 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1421 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1427 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1430 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1438 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1441 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1447 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1450 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1452 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1456 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1466 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1469 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1475 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1478 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1480 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1484 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1494 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1497 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1503 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1506 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1508 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1512 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1522 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1525 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1531 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1534 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1536 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1540 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1550 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1553 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1559 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1562 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1564 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1568 \begin_inset Formula $\approx$
1572 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1582 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1585 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1591 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1594 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1596 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1600 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1610 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1613 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1619 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1622 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1623 % of original image width
1630 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1633 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1639 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1642 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1650 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1653 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1659 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1662 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1670 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1673 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1679 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1682 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1690 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1693 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1699 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1702 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1710 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1713 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1719 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1722 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1730 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1733 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1739 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1742 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1750 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1753 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1759 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1762 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1774 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1777 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1783 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1786 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1798 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1801 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1807 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1810 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1812 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1816 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1837 \begin_layout Subsection
1841 \begin_layout Standard
1842 The following list describes the contents of the basic documentation files
1843 that you find in the
1850 \begin_layout Description
1851 Introduction This file.
1854 \begin_layout Description
1855 Tutorial If you are new to LyX, and have never used LaTeX before, you should
1857 If you have used LaTeX before, you should still read the
1861 , starting with the section on
1862 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1865 LyX for LaTeX users.
1866 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1869 (Skimming the rest of the document wouldn't hurt, either.)
1872 \begin_layout Description
1874 \begin_inset space ~
1877 Guide The primary documentation.
1882 of the basic operation and available features of LyX here.
1883 The main manual assumes that you've read the
1890 \begin_layout Description
1892 \begin_inset space ~
1895 Objects Extension of the
1900 Documents in detail how to use tables, graphics, floats, notes, program
1901 listings, and boxes.
1902 It also includes many tricks of the LaTeX masters.
1905 \begin_layout Description
1906 Math Extension of the
1911 Documents in detail how to typeset any kind of formulas.
1914 \begin_layout Description
1916 \begin_inset space ~
1919 Features Extension of the
1924 Documents how to use raw LaTeX commands, additional layouts, and special-purpos
1928 \begin_layout Description
1929 Customization A description of advanced LyX features, including how to customize
1930 the overall behavior of LyX\SpecialChar \@.
1931 This includes such things as keybindings, internati
1932 onalization, and configuration files.
1933 It also includes information about layout files, which are needed to get
1934 LyX to support LaTeX classes or packages.
1937 \begin_layout Description
1938 Shortcuts Tables with the currently defined LyX shortcuts.
1941 \begin_layout Description
1943 \begin_inset space ~
1946 configuration LyX investigates your system upon installation.
1947 This file contains info on what LyX learned about your installation.
1948 Check it to see if you're missing something you might like to have.
1951 \begin_layout Standard
1952 These files will reference one another as necessary.
1961 information on installation and customization, but refers the reader to
1964 Customization Manual
1966 for more information.
1969 \begin_layout Standard
1970 We'll state again an important point:
1973 \begin_layout Standard
1974 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
1980 \begin_layout Standard
1982 If you are new to LyX, read the
1991 \begin_layout Standard
1992 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
1998 \begin_layout Standard
1999 Otherwise, you could needlessly frustrate yourself.
2002 \begin_layout Section
2003 Contributing to the LyX Project
2004 \begin_inset CommandInset label
2013 \begin_layout Subsection
2017 \begin_layout Standard
2018 LyX is mostly written in C++ (the LaTeX importer is written in Python).
2019 It is a large project, and as a result it is not free from bugs, or the
2020 need for improvements in the source code.
2023 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2027 \begin_layout Standard
2028 While using LyX, you may find behavior which you consider a bug.
2029 Crashes, though rare, can happen.
2030 User interface problems are considered major bugs by the LyX team: especially
2031 helpful are indications of parts of the LyX interface you find confusing,
2035 \begin_layout Standard
2036 LyX has a bug tracking system, which you can find at
2039 \begin_inset Flex URL
2042 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2044 http://www.lyx.org/trac/wiki/BugTrackerHome
2052 You should check the bug tracker before reporting any bugs, in case it
2053 has already been reported.
2054 If you have a comment on an existing bug, or wish to report a new bug,
2055 you may either use the bug tracker, or send an e-mail to the development
2057 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2059 target "lyx-devel@lists.lyx.org"
2065 Archives of this list are linked from the main LyX website,
2068 \begin_inset Flex URL
2071 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2083 \begin_layout Standard
2084 A useful bug report will at a minimum include the version of LyX you are
2085 having the problem with.
2086 Accurate, detailed descriptions are preferred - the more time developers
2087 have to spend to pinpoint the source of a bug, the less time they have
2088 for other improvements.
2089 Mention the system and system version you are running LyX with.
2090 Give the versions of the libraries you have installed on your system, and,
2091 if relevant, the versions of external programs that LyX uses.
2092 If it's a compilation or configuration problem, include the file
2096 , and mention which compiler you are using.
2100 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2101 Contributing fixes and new features
2104 \begin_layout Standard
2105 If you have made changes to LyX's source that you think should become part
2106 of LyX, send your changes as a diff file (in unified format) to the development
2107 list referenced above, along with a change log, and a description of what
2111 \begin_layout Subsection
2112 Contributing to the Documentation
2115 \begin_layout Standard
2116 LyX's documentation is extensive; however LyX is under constant development,
2117 and each new release adds new features.
2118 You may find some documentation needs improvement.
2119 This section describes what to do if you find an error, or have some suggestion
2120 s for improving the documentation.
2123 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2124 Reporting Errors in the Manuals
2127 \begin_layout Standard
2128 If you find a problem with the documentation, send a message to the mailing
2130 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2132 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2138 The documentation team will make any necessary fixes.
2141 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2142 Joining the Documentation Team.
2145 \begin_layout Standard
2146 The LyX Documentation Project, like anything else in the LyX project, can
2147 always use assistance! If you're interested in contributing to the Documentatio
2148 n Project, you need to do the following:
2151 \begin_layout Enumerate
2152 Get the latest LyX source code from
2153 \begin_inset Newline newline
2157 \begin_inset Flex URL
2160 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2162 http://www.lyx.org/trac/browser/lyx-devel/trunk/lib/doc
2170 \begin_layout Enumerate
2180 \begin_inset Newline newline
2183 The point of this exercise is to give you ideas.
2192 is likely to be the most up-to-date of all of the documentation.
2193 You should be able to glean some insights into how we want the manuals
2194 to read and to look.
2197 \begin_layout Enumerate
2198 Contact the team at:
2199 \begin_inset Newline newline
2203 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2205 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2211 \begin_inset Newline newline
2214 to discuss your intended changes, and get some feedback on them.
2217 \begin_layout Standard
2218 The changes you wish to make may range from improving clarity of the text,
2219 to doing major re-structuring of the documentation.
2220 Any and all improvements are gladly received.