How to Create Basic LaTeX Documents Efficiently?

[amcavoy]

I know basic formulas / symbols in LaTeX, but I'm not too good with the whole PDF thing. I mean, once I have a .tex file I can make a PS, DVI, or PDF file no problem, but the .tex file is the hard part. Every tutorial I read is like 100 pages long. Does anyone have a brief tutorial that gives the basics (headers, line-spacing, equations, etc.) without all the extras?

Thanks.

 

[VietDao29]

Uhmmm, here's The-not-so-short-introduction to Latex (about 2,271 KB).
Is this what you are looking for?

 

[amcavoy]

I think I'm looking for the short introduction to LaTeX.

 

[ComputerGeek]

I think I'm looking for the short introduction to LaTeX.

What I did was use the projects that I wanted done and then looked up the commands I needed using google and the operation I wanted to perform.

like:

"Insert picture latex"

 

[primal schemer]

Try this: http://www.copernicus.org/guidelines/GSWLaTeX.pdf

The first ten pages (less even) show you how to write a small latex file, and then it goes into equations and symbols etc.

PS

 

[ramollari]

If you have a look at a sample .tex document with some essential elements like TOC, pictures, and formulae, then it will be the fastest way you can get these features to work.

 

[inha]

You don't have to go through the whole not-so-short... It has an index and you can just go to the page relevant to your current problem. And it's not that much of a read anyway. Especially if you use a bit of selective reading.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Start here, where Latex is maintained:

http://www.latex-project.org/intro.html