simtex

simtex (simplified LaTeX) allows you to convert your mardown or files into PDF using LaTeX with one command, configured with simple .json file.

simtex is a program that works based on rules of the user that is defined in simtex.json, which the program uses to the files and converts it in LaTeX based on the rules defined by the user.

simtex also allows for interop between markdown and LaTeX, especially in cases where markdown is not enough to format the document, that part could be written in LaTeX while the others would be converted by simtex!

Note: This program does not intend to replace the LaTeX system, but to simplify the process of turning your already existing markdown/text file into PDF with LaTeX.

Note: The program currently only supports basic markdown syntax and features, and not HTML tags.

Program Options

❯ simtex --help
usage: simtex [INPUT] [ARGUMENTS]

Convert your markdown or text files into LaTeX/pdf with one command! Interop
with LaTeX and markdown is also allowed by simtex!

positional arguments:
  [INPUT]               File to convert to LaTeX.

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -b, --build           Build the generated LaTeX file.
  -B, --buildnview      Build the generated LaTeX file and view the output.
  -F FONT, --font FONT  Use different font package.
  -s FONTSIZE, --fontsize FONTSIZE
                        Use different font size.
  -p PAPERSIZE, --papersize PAPERSIZE
                        Use different paper size.
  -I INDENT, --indent INDENT
                        Indent size to be used.
  -m MARGIN, --margin MARGIN
                        Margin size to be used.
  -e ENCODING, --encoding ENCODING
                        Use a different encoding for the document.
  -t TITLE, --title TITLE
                        Set the title of the document.
  -f FILENAME, --filename FILENAME
                        Use different name for the output file.
  -o OUTPUTFOLDER, --outputfolder OUTPUTFOLDER
                        Change the output folder for the output file.
  -a AUTHOR, --author AUTHOR
                        Set the author name of the document.
  -d DATE, --date DATE  Set the date of the document.
  -c COMPILER, --compiler COMPILER
                        Use a different LaTeX compiler.
  -ft, --filenametitle  Use the filename as title.
  -y, --assumeyes       Assume yes to every prompt.
  -R, --replace         Automatically replace math symbols defined.
  -v, --verbose         Show the stdout of processes.
  --version             Print the version number of the application.

Convertion features

The program allows the user to convert simple file such as markdown or text file into PDF using LaTeX. This program does not intend to compete with pandoc, which essentially does the same but on higher level. Currently, the program has features that can satisfy conversion of basic inputs:

1. Supports the most basic commands, such as bold, italics, emphasize, inline code, quotes, as well as hyperlinks.
2. Environments, the program supports a multiline math environment using align, single line math equation using equation environment, as well as code blocks using lstlisting with syntax highlighting.
3. Figures with captions.
4. Sections, subsections upto subparagraphs.
5. Basic document metadata and properties that can be provided in a configuration file for default value, this includes, author, date, font, among others, view the short documentation for full list.
6. Simple config file using JSON, which defines the rules that should be followed on how the program should parse the input, as well as how to format the document.

Refer to the PDF for more details.

Examples

You can view the output of the program here which was generated using the command:

simtex examples/1/hello.md -t "Hello Simtex!" -f hello -a iaacornus" -d "August 15, 2552"

View ./examples/1/hello.md

View output: .examples/1/hello.pdf

To convert a LaTeX file, and rename the default author defined in $CONF_PATH/simtex.json, add -a="iaacornus (or your name), and with the date, -d="August 15, 2552 to provide other date instead of the present. The program will output the tex file, as well as pdf, if -b was used, in ./out inside the folder of the input if there is no output folder given. See the documentation of arguments and configuration file.

Program features

1. Convert a whole directory of files into LaTeX. simtex allows conversion of bunch of files in all at once.
2. 'simtex' supports different compilers.
3. Interoperation between LaTeX and raw files. simtex is a program that works based on the rules defined by user in simtex.json, which it uses to convert the document given by the user.
4. Automatic replacement (beta) of unicode characters and ASCII symbols that represent mathematical symbol or anything that is defined by user to their respective LaTeX command or the defined command by the user.

Installation

Starting v0.3.2-beta, there is a released frozen code which can be easily downloaded and executed directly with ./simtex [OPTIONS]:

./simtex --help

All of the dependency needed is packaged with in this build.

Another method to install the project is with pip. Since the package is published on PyPI since v0.2.0-alpha:

pip install --user simtex

Other options, specifically -b and -B requires pdflatex and any default pdf viewer for the latter. The LaTeX compiler can be provided by any of TeX distributions that can be installed, but texlive with its full package is recommended since it is tested. texlive is available in most distribution and can be installed with its package manager:

# fedora
sudo dnf install texlive-scheme-full

# arch linux
sudo pacman -S texlive-most

# debian
sudo apt install texlive

For other installation method, see INSTALL.md for details.

Contribution

Refer to CONTRIBUTING.

1. All contributions are required to abide by the CODE_OF_CONDUCT
2. Opening and reporting issues is welcomed and considered as valuable contribution in this project.

Roadmap

The first prioritized features (not sorted) are listed below:

• Support for enumerate/lists.
• Support Windows
• Add templates
• Include GUI
• Improve table support