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
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58 \pdf_title "Introduction to LyX"
59 \pdf_author "LyX Team"
60 \pdf_subject "LyX-documentation Intro"
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114 \begin_layout Plain Layout
116 If you have comments or error corrections, please send them to the LyX Documenta
118 \begin_inset CommandInset href
120 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
133 \begin_layout Standard
134 \begin_inset CommandInset toc
135 LatexCommand tableofcontents
142 \begin_layout Section
143 The Philosophy of LyX
146 \begin_layout Subsection
150 \begin_layout Standard
151 LyX is a document preparation system.
152 It excels at letting you create complex technical and scientific articles
153 with mathematics, cross-references, bibliographies, indices, etc.
154 It is very good for working with documents of any length in which the usual
155 processing abilities are required: automatic sectioning and pagination,
156 spell checking, and so forth.
157 It can also be used to write a letter to your mom, though granted, there
158 are probably simpler programs available for that.
159 It is definitely not the best tool for creating banners, flyers, or advertiseme
160 nts (we'll explain why later), though with some effort all these can be
162 Here are some examples of what it is used for: memos, letters, dissertations
163 and theses, lecture notes, seminar notebooks, conference proceedings, software
164 documentation, books, articles in refereed scientific journals, scripts
165 for plays and movies, business proposals, presentations \SpecialChar \ldots{}
169 \begin_layout Standard
170 LyX is a program that provides a modern approach to writing documents with
171 a computer by using a markup language paradigm, an approach that breaks
172 with the obsolete tradition of the
173 \begin_inset Quotes eld
177 \begin_inset Quotes erd
181 It is designed for authors who want professional output quickly with a
182 minimum of effort and without becoming specialists in typesetting.
183 The job of typesetting is done mostly by the computer, not the author;
184 with LyX, the author can concentrate on the contents of his writing.
187 \begin_layout Standard
188 Part of the initial challenge of using LyX comes from the change in thinking
189 that you, the user, must make.
190 At one time, all we had for creating documents were typewriters, so we
191 all learned certain tricks to get around their limitations.
192 Underlining, which is little more than overstriking with the
193 \begin_inset Quotes eld
197 \begin_inset Quotes erd
200 character, became a way to emphasize text.
201 You were forced to figure out column sizes and tab stops, and set them,
202 before creating a table.
203 The same applied for letters and other right justified text.
204 Hyphenation at the end of a line required a careful eye and a lot of foresight.
207 \begin_layout Standard
208 In other words, we've all been trained to worry about the little details
209 of which character goes where.
210 Consequently, almost all word processors have this mentality.
211 They still use tab stops for adding whitespace.
212 You still need to worry about exactly where on the page something will
214 Emphasizing text means changing a font, similar to changing the typewriter
216 This is the underlying philosophy of a WYSIWYG word processor:
217 \begin_inset Quotes eld
220 What You See Is What You Get
221 \begin_inset Quotes erd
225 Unfortunately, that paradigm often results in
226 \begin_inset Quotes eld
229 What You See Is All You Get
230 \begin_inset Quotes erd
236 \begin_layout Standard
237 This is where LyX differs from an ordinary word processor.
238 You don't concern yourself with what character goes where.
243 and LyX takes care of the rest, following a set of rules called a
251 \begin_layout Plain Layout
252 To be fair, most recent versions of the most popular office suites now have
253 some sort of style sheets which follow a similar markup method.
254 However, our experience is that they are still rarely used in practice.
259 Let's look at a little example:
262 \begin_layout Standard
263 Suppose you are writing a report.
264 To begin your report, you want a section called
265 \begin_inset Quotes eld
268 Introduction\SpecialChar \@.
270 \begin_inset Quotes erd
273 So, you go into whatever menu it is in your word processor that changes
274 font sizes and decide on a new font size.
275 Then you turn on bold face.
277 \begin_inset Quotes eld
289 \begin_inset Quotes erd
293 Of course, if you later decide that this section belongs someplace else
294 in the document, or if you insert a new section before it, you need to
295 change the numbering for this and all following sections, as well as any
296 entry in the table of contents.
299 \begin_layout Standard
300 In LyX, you go to the pull-down on the far left of the button bar and select
306 \begin_inset Quotes eld
310 \begin_inset Quotes erd
316 \begin_layout Standard
318 If you cut and paste the section, it will automatically be renumbered —
320 And if you enter references to that section correctly (by inserting cross-refer
321 ence tags), LyX will automatically update them all throughout the file so
322 that you never, ever type a section number.
325 \begin_layout Standard
326 Now let's look at the problem of consistency.
327 Five days later, you reopen your report and start Section
332 However, you forget that you were using 18
333 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
336 pt bold instead of 16
337 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
340 pt, so you type in the heading for Section
344 4 in a different font from the one you used for Section
349 That problem doesn't even exist in LyX.
350 The computer takes care of all that silly bookkeeping about which thing
351 has what size font, not you.
352 After all, that's what a computer is good at.
355 \begin_layout Standard
356 Here's another example.
357 Suppose you're making a list.
358 In other word processors, a list is just a bunch of tab stops and newlines.
359 You need to figure out where to put the label for each list item, what
360 that label should be, how many blank lines to put between each item, and
362 Under LyX, you have only two concerns: what kind of list is this, and what
363 do I want to put in it.
367 \begin_layout Standard
368 So, the basic idea behind LyX is: specify
378 \begin_inset Quotes eld
381 What You See Is What You Get,
382 \begin_inset Quotes erd
386 \begin_inset Quotes eld
389 What You See Is What You
394 \begin_inset Quotes erd
398 \begin_inset Quotes eld
402 \begin_inset Quotes erd
405 It's a powerful idea that greatly simplifies the mechanics of writing documents.
406 This is also why LyX isn't so good for creating posters and flyers.
411 want to specify exactly where everything goes, because there are no functional
412 units like paragraphs, sections, etc.
413 This doesn't mean LyX is missing some cool function.
414 It simply means that it isn't the right tool for the job — you don't use
415 a screwdriver to drive in nails.
418 \begin_layout Subsection
419 Differences between LyX and Other Word Processors
420 \begin_inset Argument
423 \begin_layout Plain Layout
427 \begin_layout Plain Layout
440 \begin_layout Plain Layout
447 and Other Word Processors
455 \begin_layout Standard
456 Here's a list of things you won't find in LyX:
459 \begin_layout Itemize
463 \begin_layout Itemize
467 \begin_layout Itemize
469 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
473 \begin_inset space \space{}
487 \begin_layout Standard
488 Tab stops, along with a ruler showing you the position of things on the
489 page, are useless in LyX.
490 The program worries about where things go on the page, not you.
491 Extra whitespace is similar; LyX adds them where necessary, depending on
493 Not being able to type two blank lines in a row will be annoying at first,
494 but it makes more sense once you're thinking in WYSIWYM terms.
497 \begin_layout Standard
498 Here are some things that exist in LyX, but aren't used as you might think:
501 \begin_layout Itemize
505 \begin_layout Itemize
509 \begin_layout Itemize
511 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
515 \begin_inset space \space{}
518 single spaced, double spaced, etc.)
521 \begin_layout Itemize
522 Whitespace, horizontal and vertical
525 \begin_layout Itemize
529 \begin_layout Itemize
530 Typefaces (bold, italic, underline, etc.)
533 \begin_layout Standard
534 Although they exist in LyX, you generally don't need them.
535 LyX will take care of these things for you, depending on what you're doing.
536 Different parts of the document are automatically set in a different typeface
538 Paragraph indenting is context dependent; different types of paragraphs
539 get indented differently.
540 Page breaks get handled automatically, as well.
541 In general, the space between lines, between words, and between paragraphs
542 is variable, set by LyX.
546 \begin_layout Plain Layout
547 There are ways to adjust all of these (only some of which require knowledge
548 of LaTeX), either for a whole document or for a specific location in a
566 \begin_layout Standard
567 Lastly, there are a few areas where we believe LyX (and LaTeX) surpasses
568 many word processors:
571 \begin_layout Itemize
575 \begin_layout Itemize
579 \begin_layout Itemize
583 \begin_layout Itemize
587 \begin_layout Itemize
591 \begin_layout Standard
592 Granted, many modern word processors can handle mathematical symbols, tables,
593 and hyphenation, and many have moved towards style definitions and the
595 However, they've only recently been able to do so, whereas LyX is built
596 upon the LaTeX document preparation system.
597 LaTeX has been around since 1985, and
604 \begin_layout Subsection
608 \begin_layout Standard
609 LaTeX is a document preparation system designed by Leslie Lamport in 1985.
613 \begin_layout Plain Layout
614 The source for the info in this section is
615 \begin_inset Quotes eld
623 \begin_inset Quotes erd
626 by Helmut Kopka and Patrick Daly, which has an entry in the bibliography
637 It was built up from a typesetting language called TeX, created by Donald
639 TeX takes a sequence of typesetting commands, written in a script in an
640 ASCII file, and executes them.
642 \begin_inset Quotes eld
646 \begin_inset Quotes erd
649 of the printing trade were modeled by Knuth as computer algorithms and
650 incorporated into TeX, thus its excellent printed appearance.
651 What comes directly out of TeX is the portable document format
656 \begin_inset Quotes eld
660 \begin_inset Quotes erd
668 The dvi format is often used for previews and can later be converted to
669 other formats like PostScript.
673 \begin_layout Standard
674 TeX isn't only a typesetting engine; it also allows you to define macros.
675 Most people who use TeX are actually using a macro package which Knuth
676 created to hide a lot of the typesetting details.
677 This is where Leslie Lamport enters our story.
678 He wanted a macro package that was more user- and less typesetter-oriented,
679 with a set of commands that consistently typeset things like sections,
680 tables or math formulas in a uniform, consistent fashion.
681 This is how LaTeX was born.
684 \begin_layout Standard
685 Now, in parallel with the development and growth of LaTeX, other folks were
686 creating their own custom macro packages for TeX, ones to make slides or
687 articles for math journals and so on.
688 Some used the raw TeX facilities to do this, others began modifying LaTeX.
689 To try and unify this mess, a team of LaTeX-nicians began to work on LaTeX2e,
690 the current version of LaTeX, during the late 1980's.
691 This new version of LaTeX has commands which provide an easier-to-use interface
692 to TeX's macro-creating commands, aid in the use of new fonts, and so on.
693 In fact, LaTeX is quite an extensive language in its own right! Users around
694 the world have been creating their own add-ons for LaTeX beyond the standard
698 \begin_layout Standard
699 There are two ways to extend LaTeX: classes and styles.
704 is a set of LaTeX macros describing a new type of document, like a book,
706 There are classes for slides, for physics and math journals\SpecialChar \ldots{}
708 even have a class for their thesis format.
713 differs from a class in that it doesn't define a new type of document,
714 but a different type of
718 that any document can use.
719 For example, LyX controls page margins and line spacing using two different
720 LaTeX style-files designed for these purposes.
721 There are style-files for a whole slew of things: printing labels or envelopes,
722 changing indentation behavior, adding new fonts, manipulating graphics,
723 designing fancy page headings, customizing bibliographies, altering the
724 location and appearance of footnotes, tables, and figures, customizing
728 \begin_layout Standard
732 \begin_layout Description
733 TeX: Typesetting language with macro capability.
736 \begin_layout Description
737 LaTeX: Macro package built upon TeX\SpecialChar \@.
741 \begin_layout Description
742 classes: Descriptions of a type of document, using LaTeX\SpecialChar \@.
746 \begin_layout Description
747 styles: Alters the default behavior of LaTeX in some way.
750 \begin_layout Description
751 LyX: Visual, WYSIWYM word-processor that uses LaTeX to do its typesetting.
754 \begin_layout Standard
755 This section attempts to account for the difference between LyX and other
757 Simply put, LaTeX is the difference.
758 By using LaTeX as its backend, LyX helps you think more about
767 The computer then handles
774 \begin_layout Section
775 Navigating the Documentation
778 \begin_layout Standard
779 To make it easier to answer your questions and describe all of the features
780 of LyX, the documentation has been split up into several different files.
781 Each one has its own purpose, as described below.
782 Before you go ploughing into any of those files, however, you should read
783 this chapter thoroughly, since it contains a lot of useful information
784 and commentary that can save you some time.
787 \begin_layout Standard
788 The developing of LyX will hopefully never stop, so that some of the documentati
789 on may be incomplete or a bit out of date, though we try to keep up.
790 Like the rest of LyX, the manuals are the work of a group of volunteers
792 \begin_inset Quotes eld
796 \begin_inset Quotes erd
799 , families, dishes to clean, kitty litter to dispose of, et cetera.
800 If you want to help out, be sure to read Section
805 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
807 reference "sec:Contrib"
811 in addition to the rest of this document.
814 \begin_layout Standard
815 Also, please do us a favor – if anything in these manuals confuses you,
816 is unclear, or wrong, don't hesitate to let us know! You can reach the
817 current document maintainers by mailing to
818 \begin_inset CommandInset href
820 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
826 If you have questions that are not obviously answered in the documentation,
827 and need help fast, there is an active users' mailing list which you can
829 \begin_inset CommandInset href
831 target "lyx-users@lists.lyx.org"
839 \begin_layout Subsection
840 The Format of the Manuals
843 \begin_layout Standard
844 Some may have printed out the manuals.
845 Others may be reading them within LyX.
846 There are some differences between the LyX-file and the printed version.
847 In LyX, the title is simply at the top of the document, not formatted on
848 a separate page as in some of the printed versions.
849 Nor are any of the footnotes or the Table of Contents fully visible.
850 To open a footnote, which looks like this:
851 \begin_inset Graphics
852 filename clipart/footnoteQt4.png
857 , click on it with the left mouse button.
858 For the Table of Contents, either click on the grey box or click on the
863 menu, where the contents are displayed automatically\SpecialChar \@.
867 \begin_layout Standard
868 In the printed manuals, all cross-references appear as the actual numbers
869 for a chapter, section, subsection, and so on.
870 Online, however, all cross-references appear as a light-grey box like the
872 \begin_inset Graphics
873 filename clipart/referenceQt4.png
879 If you click on that box with the left mouse button, a dialog box will
880 appear containing a list of all the cross-references in the document.
881 You can go to the referred section by right-clicking on the box or by clicking
894 in the opened dialog.
895 Going back to where you came from is just as easy.
904 to go back to your earlier location.
907 \begin_layout Standard
908 Now that we've cleared up some of the differences between the printed and
909 online versions of this file, we can start looking at the format of this
911 You'll occasionally notice things in different fonts:
914 \begin_layout Itemize
919 is used for general emphasis, generic arguments, book titles, names of
920 sections of other manuals, and notes from the authors.
923 \begin_layout Itemize
928 is used for program and file names, LyX code and functions.
931 \begin_layout Itemize
936 is used for menu, button, or dialog box names, and the names of keyboard
940 \begin_layout Itemize
945 is used for people's names.
948 \begin_layout Itemize
953 is used for LaTeX code
956 \begin_layout Standard
957 When we do need to reference keys, we'll use the following prefixing convention:
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
998 \begin_layout Itemize
999 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1007 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1021 \begin_layout Itemize
1022 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1030 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1033 \SpecialChar \ldots{}
1035 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1043 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1046 are the function keys.
1049 \begin_layout Itemize
1050 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1058 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1064 \begin_layout Itemize
1065 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1073 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1077 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1085 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1089 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1097 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1101 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1109 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1115 \begin_layout Itemize
1118 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1124 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1128 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1136 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1140 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1148 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1152 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1160 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1164 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1172 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1176 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1184 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1187 : these are the 6 keys that appear above the cursor keys on many PC keyboards.
1189 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1197 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1201 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1209 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1213 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1221 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1225 \begin_inset Quotes eld
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1239 \begin_layout Itemize
1248 both refer to the same key.
1249 Some keyboards label the
1254 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1258 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1262 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1266 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1269 still others have two keys.
1270 LyX treats all of them as the same key, so we'll use
1281 \begin_layout Standard
1282 The list with the currently set shortcuts can be found in the
1293 \begin_layout Subsection
1294 Units used in the Manuals
1297 \begin_layout Standard
1298 To understand the units described in this documentation, Table
1299 \begin_inset space ~
1303 \begin_inset CommandInset ref
1305 reference "cap:Units-for-image"
1309 explains all units available in LyX.
1312 \begin_layout Standard
1313 \begin_inset Float table
1319 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1320 \begin_inset Caption
1322 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1323 \begin_inset CommandInset label
1325 name "cap:Units-for-image"
1337 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1338 \begin_inset VSpace medskip
1344 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1346 \begin_inset Tabular
1347 <lyxtabular version="3" rows="20" columns="2">
1348 <features tabularvalignment="middle">
1349 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
1350 <column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0">
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1375 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1381 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1384 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1392 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1395 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1401 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1404 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1412 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1415 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1421 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1424 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1432 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1435 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1441 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1444 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1446 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1450 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1460 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1463 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1469 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1472 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1474 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1478 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1488 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1491 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1497 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1500 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1502 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1506 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1516 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1519 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1525 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
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1530 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1534 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1544 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1547 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1553 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1556 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1558 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1562 \begin_inset Formula $\approx$
1566 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1576 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1579 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1585 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1588 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1590 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1594 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1604 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1607 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1613 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1616 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1617 % of original image width
1624 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1627 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1633 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1636 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1644 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1647 \begin_layout Plain Layout
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1656 \begin_layout Plain Layout
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1676 \begin_layout Plain Layout
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1687 \begin_layout Plain Layout
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1696 \begin_layout Plain Layout
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1716 \begin_layout Plain Layout
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1727 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1733 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1736 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1744 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1747 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1753 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1756 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1768 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1771 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1777 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1780 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1792 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
1795 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1801 <cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" bottomline="true" leftline="true" rightline="true" usebox="none">
1804 \begin_layout Plain Layout
1806 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1810 \begin_inset space \thinspace{}
1831 \begin_layout Subsection
1835 \begin_layout Standard
1836 The following list describes the contents of the basic documentation files
1837 that you find in the
1844 \begin_layout Description
1845 Introduction This file.
1848 \begin_layout Description
1849 Tutorial If you are new to LyX, and have never used LaTeX before, you should
1851 If you have used LaTeX before, you should still read the
1855 , starting with the section on
1856 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1859 LyX for LaTeX users.
1860 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1863 (Skimming the rest of the document wouldn't hurt, either.)
1866 \begin_layout Description
1868 \begin_inset space ~
1871 Guide The primary documentation.
1876 of the basic operation and available features of LyX here.
1877 The main manual assumes that you've read the
1884 \begin_layout Description
1886 \begin_inset space ~
1889 Objects Extension of the
1894 Documents in detail how to use tables, graphics, floats, notes, program
1895 listings, and boxes.
1896 It also includes many tricks of the LaTeX masters.
1899 \begin_layout Description
1900 Math Extension of the
1905 Documents in detail how to typeset any kind of formulas.
1908 \begin_layout Description
1910 \begin_inset space ~
1913 Features Extension of the
1918 Documents how to use raw LaTeX commands, additional layouts, and special-purpos
1922 \begin_layout Description
1923 Customization A description of advanced LyX features, including how to customize
1924 the overall behavior of LyX\SpecialChar \@.
1925 This includes such things as keybindings, internati
1926 onalization, and configuration files.
1927 It also includes information about layout files, which are needed to get
1928 LyX to support LaTeX classes or packages.
1931 \begin_layout Description
1932 Shortcuts Tables with the currently defined LyX shortcuts.
1935 \begin_layout Description
1937 \begin_inset space ~
1940 Configuration LyX investigates your system upon installation.
1941 This file contains info on what LyX learned about your installation.
1942 Check it to see if you're missing something you might like to have.
1945 \begin_layout Standard
1946 These files will reference one another as necessary.
1955 information on installation and customization, but refers the reader to
1958 Customization Manual
1960 for more information.
1963 \begin_layout Standard
1964 We'll state again an important point:
1967 \begin_layout Standard
1968 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
1974 \begin_layout Standard
1976 If you are new to LyX, read the
1985 \begin_layout Standard
1986 \begin_inset VSpace bigskip
1992 \begin_layout Standard
1993 Otherwise, you could needlessly frustrate yourself.
1996 \begin_layout Section
1997 Contributing to the LyX Project
1998 \begin_inset CommandInset label
2007 \begin_layout Subsection
2011 \begin_layout Standard
2012 LyX is mostly written in C++ (the LaTeX importer is written in Python).
2013 It is a large project, and as a result it is not free from bugs, or the
2014 need for improvements in the source code.
2017 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2021 \begin_layout Standard
2022 While using LyX, you may find behavior which you consider a bug.
2023 Crashes, though rare, can happen.
2024 User interface problems are considered major bugs by the LyX team: especially
2025 helpful are indications of parts of the LyX interface you find confusing,
2029 \begin_layout Standard
2030 LyX has a bug tracking system, which you can find at
2033 \begin_inset Flex URL
2036 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2038 http://www.lyx.org/trac/wiki/BugTrackerHome
2046 You should check the bug tracker before reporting any bugs, in case it
2047 has already been reported.
2048 If you have a comment on an existing bug, or wish to report a new bug,
2049 you may either use the bug tracker, or send an e-mail to the development
2051 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2053 target "lyx-devel@lists.lyx.org"
2059 Archives of this list are linked from the main LyX website,
2062 \begin_inset Flex URL
2065 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2077 \begin_layout Standard
2078 A useful bug report will at a minimum include the version of LyX you are
2079 having the problem with.
2080 Accurate, detailed descriptions are preferred - the more time developers
2081 have to spend to pinpoint the source of a bug, the less time they have
2082 for other improvements.
2083 Mention the system and system version you are running LyX with.
2084 Give the versions of the libraries you have installed on your system, and,
2085 if relevant, the versions of external programs that LyX uses.
2086 If it's a compilation or configuration problem, include the file
2090 , and mention which compiler you are using.
2093 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2094 Contributing fixes and new features
2097 \begin_layout Standard
2098 If you have made changes to LyX's source that you think should become part
2099 of LyX, send your changes as a diff file (in unified format) to the development
2100 list referenced above, along with a change log, and a description of what
2104 \begin_layout Subsection
2105 Contributing to the Documentation
2108 \begin_layout Standard
2109 LyX's documentation is extensive; however LyX is under constant development,
2110 and each new release adds new features.
2111 You may find some documentation needs improvement.
2112 This section describes what to do if you find an error, or have some suggestion
2113 s for improving the documentation.
2116 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2117 Reporting Errors in the Manuals
2120 \begin_layout Standard
2121 If you find a problem with the documentation, send a message to the mailing
2123 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2125 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2131 The documentation team will make any necessary fixes.
2134 \begin_layout Subsubsection
2135 Joining the Documentation Team.
2138 \begin_layout Standard
2139 The LyX Documentation Project, like anything else in the LyX project, can
2140 always use assistance! If you're interested in contributing to the Documentatio
2141 n Project, you need to do the following:
2144 \begin_layout Enumerate
2145 Get the latest LyX source code from
2146 \begin_inset Newline newline
2150 \begin_inset Flex URL
2153 \begin_layout Plain Layout
2155 http://www.lyx.org/trac/browser/lyxgit/lib/doc?rev=master
2163 \begin_layout Enumerate
2173 \begin_inset Newline newline
2176 The point of this exercise is to give you ideas.
2185 are likely to be the most up-to-date of all of the documentation.
2186 You should be able to glean some insights into how we want the manuals
2187 to read and to look.
2190 \begin_layout Enumerate
2191 Contact the team at:
2192 \begin_inset Newline newline
2196 \begin_inset CommandInset href
2198 target "lyx-docs@lists.lyx.org"
2204 \begin_inset Newline newline
2207 to discuss your intended changes and to get some feedback on them.
2210 \begin_layout Standard
2211 The changes you wish to make may range from improving clarity of the text,
2212 to doing major re-structuring of the documentation.
2213 Any and all improvements are gladly received.