Setting up LaTeX locally can be painful for a beginner. However, it can be quite advantageous in the long run. For example, it will enable you to write documents without an internet connection. It will also allow you to not depend on cloud-based editors, which means that when their servers are down, you don't need to stress if you are approaching a deadline.
Note: There are many ways of setting up LaTeX locally. Here I explain one way that worked for me.
Visual Studio Code (or commonly known as VSCode) is a source-code editor, which you can download for free on your computer.
Go to extensions in VSCode and install LaTeX Workshop.
Steps 1 and 2 will allow you to use LaTeX in VSCode
To use LaTeX locally you need to download TeX Live.
Depending on your operating system, there are different download options. For example, if you use Mac OS X, you can download MacTeX, which installs the full TeX Live distribution and additional tools on your computer. (Don't worry if the MacTeX website looks old. Many LaTeX-related things look like this.)
Warning: if you download the full TeX Live distribution, for example via MacTeX, you will download and install a ~5GB file on your computer.
If you would like to download a smaller version of TeX Live in Mac OS X, you can download BasicTex, which is only ~100MB.
Once you have installed TeX Live, it will be located in /usr/local.
To access it via finder, go to locations -> macOS -> usr -> local
(cmd + shift + . to show hidden folders in mac.)
Once you have performed steps 1, 2 and 3 you are ready to go.
Here are some helpful commands to use LaTeX in VSCode more easily:
cmd + alt + B or cmd + S
To compile the project and build the pdf file
cmd + alt + V
Place the cursor in the specific location of the tex file and press cmd + alt + J
cmd + click in the specific location of the pdf file
cmd + click + C
Auxiliary files include files with the following extensions: .aux, .log, .synctex.gz, ...
alt + Z
Typical errors that you will encounter, especially if you downloaded BasicTeX are:
Error example:
! LaTeX Error: File 'needspace.sty' not found
To solve this error you need to download the missing package needspace via tlmgr (the TeX Live manager):
- Type in the terminal
sudo tlmgr install <package-name>
Typically, when you use the command sudo the computer will ask for its password, because it needs your permission to perform a given operation, in this case to install a package.
Note: some packages are part of bundles, so to install the package, you need to install the bundle via sudo tlmgr install <bundle-name>.
For example, to install the package authblk you need to install the preprint bundle.
To find information about TeX content, like packages and bundles, go to the CTAN website.
- To update a package
sudo tlmgr update <package-name> - To update all packages
sudo tlmgr update -all - To update tlmgr itself
sudo tlmgr update -self
Here you can find a general usage guide for tlmgr.
Error example:
! I can't find file 'phvr8t'.
<*> ...ljfour; mag:=1; ; nonstopmode; input phvr8t
To solve this error you need to download the missing font phvr8t via tlmgr (the TeX Live manager):
To install a font it is easier to install collections of fonts via bundles. The following are useful font bundles:
sudo tlmgr install psnfssandsudo tlmgr install collection-fontsrecommended
If you would like for LaTeX to count the amount of words in your tex document in VSCode:
Go to extensions in VSCode and install LaTeX Utilities.
Type in the terminal sudo tlmgr install texcount
Feel free to create an issue to share any questions or suggestions :)
Thank you to Saumil Shah for his big brain 👾