[lug] How reasonable to reverse latex stylesheets?

[D. Stimits]

Ed Hill wrote:
> 
> 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.

I'm interested in using standard classes, not editing or creating new
ones. And although the book is probably nice, I'm unemployed and can no
longer purchase books or magazines. Thus the interest in figuring out
basic use of given classes via dissection. Or of course online examples,
but examples only go so far.

My current interest is in viewing what the common variations of the
article.cls class can do, e.g., options for single or double column...if
it were C or C++ I could look at the declaration and figure out how to
use it. I'm kind of thinking about figuring out classes in LaTeX to try
out variations that I don't see in samples.

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com

> 
> hth,
> Ed
> 
> --
> Edward H. Hill III, PhD
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