[OS X TeX] getting started

[Michael Murray]

>Dear all
>
>I should be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of 
>"how to get started" running LaTeX on a Mac (iBook running OSX). I 
>thought I was not stupid, but I am having a heck of a time trying to 
>make any of the packages (Oztex, cmactex etc) work. All installation 
>instructions etc start from an assumed level of knowledge that I 
>clearly do not have.
>
>I know I can create an ascii file with LateX code. I can edit the 
>.tex file that my coauthor has sent me (created in Scientific Word 
>on a PC) using BBedit lite, or Alpha. I am familiar with Jane Hahn's 
>book on the LateX code. But how do I move on? Where am I supposed to 
>have installed the format files etc? Is this info available on a 
>FAQ list somewhere?  My colleagues at Emory who use Latex all appear 
>to use it on PC's and so cannot help me with the Mac aspect.
>
>Hope someone can help
>
>StephenB
>


Hi Stephen

I my opinion the simplest thing is to get TeXShop from

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~koch/texshop/texshop.html

Scroll down a bit and it tells you where to download
TeXShop and teTeX from (called TeX.dmg on this page).

You have to run the installer for teTeX and drop TeXShop in your
applications folder - thats it.

If you have  style files  etc that need to be installed put them
in a directory in your home folder.  For example all
mine are in

/Users/mmurray/Library/texmf/tex/latex/misc


You can just create this collection of folders in the
usual way inside /Users/mmurray/Library but of course
mmurray will be your name (I guess!).  /Users/mmurray is the
directory or folder you get to when you click on Home in a
finder window.

You may find Gerben Weirda's pages at

http://www.rna.nl/tex.html

useful if you have problems. Gerben maintains the teTeX distribution
that you have downloaded to use with TeXShop.

You are right about Alpha, BBEdit they can be used in various
ways.  They are more powerful editors than the editor built
into TeXShop but the latter is a simple place to start.

If you find I am assuming things there that you don't
understand just post back and we can sort it out.

Michael


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