[lug] How reasonable to reverse latex stylesheets?

[Ed Hill]

On Wed, 2002-02-20 at 13:23, D. Stimits wrote:
> If I wanted to figure out how to use a C or C++ code library, I could go
> into the source and try to figure out what is going on, and the meaning
> behind parameters. For someone like myself, who is not a LaTeX
> stylesheet writer, or even experienced at using a particular stylesheet,
> are there a set of lines I could perhaps use awk or grep with and reveal
> the options and structure I should use for a particular .cls file?
> 
> Basically, if I want to learn article.cls, is there an awk or grep type
> line I can use to speed up my understanding without outside
> documentation? Article is just one class of course, there are lots of
> them without much public documentation, although article seems common.
> 
> D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com


In all likelihood, what you want to write can be done in LaTeX without
ever having to edit a classfile or "style file".  The tetex package that
ships with many linux distros contains a bunch of "standard" classfiles
that are probably sufficient.  And more can be downloaded from CTAN: 

  http://www.ctan.org/

including ones for letters, books, slides, dissertations, resumes,
business cards, etc.  I recommend purchasing a copy of Kopka and Daly's
"A Guide to LaTeX2e":

  http://www1.fatbrain.com/asp/bookinfo/bookinfo.asp?theisbn=020142777X

which is an excellent and mostly up-to-date reference.

hth,
Ed


-- 
Edward H. Hill III, PhD
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