Good TeX/LaTeX editor?

Zeon

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good tex/latex front end? I downloaded LyX hoping it would be what i was looking for, but im really disappointed you cant edit the latex source directly. If theres something out there like exactly like LyX but with the ability to edit the raw source right in the program, thatd be perfect.

I know i can get everything close in LyX and then edit the tex files by hand in another editor, but thats kind of round about for what im doing. Templates arent really versatile enough for what im doing either, because stuff like tables are really all over the place and layouts can change almost on a page by page basis.

I also might be retarded and it is possible to unlock the source in LyX for editing, but a google search tells me that its a "widely requested" feature as far back as 2007, but nothing has been implemented yet. If im wrong, thatd be awesome too.

Peter Ebel

I use WinEdt. It certainly allows you to edit tex files directly.

DeathPrawn

What OS?

Zeon

Windows or Linux (unbuntu).

shwaip

windows i like texniccenter and miktex.

ubuntu i use texmaker...but that's only because i haven't looked for anything better.

Folken Fanel

Why not just use Emacs?

ED!

shwaip wrote: »

windows i like texniccenter and miktex.

ubuntu i use texmaker...but that's only because i haven't looked for anything better.

MikTex is good, but a long install (at least the times I've full installed it), and Texnicenter gets the double thumbs up from me as well. It is about the most user friendly compiler that I have run across; I've only ever experienced one glitchy behavior (where it ate up my code), but that turned out to be my fault (sorta). What I like most bout TexNic is that - aside from a toolbar of the most commonly used symbols (for when you're starting out just learning and don't want to keep looking something up), is that even if the thing has a gajillion errors, unless it causes overflow errors or something memory wiping, the damn thing will compile, and even look the way you want it to.

If you dont like TexNic (Windows) center I would try, Kile (Linux) or if this is something you are going to be using quite often and need some facility with, WinEdt (but it costs money and Windows only).

Mojo_Jojo

I use TexWorks, it's super basic but the thing is that all you want is command highlighting and a little blip to let you know when you close brackets. I tried Texniccentre but it's a bloated piece of crap.

ED!

Different strokes for different folks I suppose. I used TexWorks when I was first learning, and found the error handling to be a barrier. Some might argue that helps you build a better LaTex user, but I'd rather be able to built a document than spend half my time searching online for why my hbox is overfilled.

Of course this really all depends on what the OP is using it for. I use it mostly for graduate math/stats and that is a lot of repititous symbols that makes it rife for making mistakes. If one is using it for documents with light equation handling - then really any one that meets OP's requirement for directing editing will suffice.

Mojo_Jojo

I'm writing a physics thesis using it, and I've only had a single confused run in with the error handling (with I agree is vague, but TexnicCentre is hardly better is it?)