User:Bill Flanagan/Notebook/OWW Projects/2009/12/04


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Convert Latex document
The Doc is here

The doc cannot be rendered as a PDF as the member requested. The document referenced a document class (igs.vls) that was not present.


 * I found the class
 * I worked Too long to figure out how to add a new class to the set of supported LaTeX documentclass .cls files.
 * Austin pointed me to a reference on how to identify the TeX file paths and how to modify them:
 * http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=inst-wlcf
 * This shows the local TeX defs: kpsewhich -expand-var "\$TEXMFLOCAL"
 * This shows the global(distibuted) TeX defs:   kpsewhich -expand-var "\$TEXMFHOME"
 * You can add them on a per-user basis on the Mac here: ~/Library/texmf
 * After addint you need to use the texhash command to recognize the new files

The problem was more bad references in the .cls files that are not on the internet.

Now I know...

Time and steps to closure

 * Time to complete: too long (2:30)
 * Original estimate:
 * Why the difference?
 * Use of a new cls file
 * Locate the cls file
 * Research on where to install the file
 * Read source code of the WikiTex extension
 * Sent out requests for info on how to install new documentclasses
 * Attempted to see if it could be done on my Mac
 * Determine which LaTeX/TeX app was required
 * Revceived advice that TeXShop was the bet one to use
 * Figured out how to read the error log from running the LaTex command to render
 * Identified more classes that were not included in the distribution of the igs.cls documentclass.
 * Found that there are errors in using the classes that are not documented in their PDF instructions file
 * Gave up on tracking down the missing files

Assistance from

 * Austin Che

Learned
I even said in my message to the user that nothing can be done quickly. But I didn't listen.

Checkpointing Progress

 * Next time listen to myself and cut out in 10 minutes to evaluate where I am
 * Consider this vis-a-vis other priorities.
 * My interest in seeing how something work got the bettr of me.
 * Asking for help did save a lot of time
 * There's marginal value troubleshooting a RHEL problem on my mac.
 * LaTeX is a way of life. It's not a nice place to visit unless you are required to live there.
 * I now do know how it's set up and how it can be updated.
 * I also know how wikitex works.
 * I did note the other ways people have implemented TeX support
 * Austin's still looks extremely useful

Evaluate HTML converter for Evernote (1:08)
This is a quickie. Estimate: 15 minutes.

I had a few other things get in the middle but am back.

The importer I found for the Mac will create HTML documents from a notebook. It allows you to select a notebook, and exactly which of the list of all pages will be extracted as HTML files and images. It uses AppleScript and works well.

There is a Wordpress addon that will export lower-quality RSS info from EverNote and create a list in a WordPress blog.

The HTML can be directly added to OWW as pages but some assembly is required for adding the images in.

I'm looking at other approaches using their API but this will requires a good deal more work.

Export Wordpress docs for Cameron
This is pretty much an export of the blog pages from his wordpress-mu content.

Estimated time: 20 minutes.