How to: Get LaTeX running on Linux Mint

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Mint_BackupRestore

How to: Get LaTeX running on Linux Mint

Post by Mint_BackupRestore »

When I was still using Windows some years back, I was always applying "MikTex" to work on my LaTeX documents. After moving to Linux, I found that it is actually a bit more complex then running LaTex under Windows, which surprised me a lot.
However, with new distributions like Mint 16,17 or Ubuntu 13,14, installing a running LaTeX system is actually a snap. Here is how I got LaTeX running on Mint 16 and 17:

1.) First of all you need to open your package manager:
Menu --> Package Manager

2a.) Install TexLive Packages. Depending on your needs there are packages that include a lot of LaTex packages or some that only include the most important ones.
For me the following Linux (TexLive) packages were sufficient to get most of my LaTeX documents complied:

texlive
texlive-binaries
texlive-fonts-recommended
texlive-generic-recommended
texlive-latex-base
texlive-latex-extra
texlive-latex-recommended
texlive-pictures

Of courese you can try leaving out "texlive-latex-extra", for example, if you never use the LaTeX packages included in the "texlive-latex-extra" Linux package.

2b.) I also installed "texlive-lang-german" since I speak German. Of course if you speak another native language, then please select the language pack you need.

3.) Then of course you need a good LaTeX editor. I found "Kile" to work great under Linux Mint.
So please also install the Linux package "Kile" with your package manager. Alternatively, you can try out
this newer editor: "Texmaker". Since Kile hasn't been further developed since 2012 it might be better. But I don't have
any experience with Texmaker. On the other hand, Kile I know works flawlessly with Mint.

4.) If you want that Kile checks your spelling while you type, please also add the corresponding aspell packages to your installation.
In my case this is "aspell-de", so Kile will support German language checking.

Congratulations! You can now use LaTeX using Linux Mint. Just open the LaTeX editor "Kile" and start texing. For example, click on the "PDFLaTeX" icon at the top to output pdf documents.

Some further advice:

- You can activate “Automatic Spell Checking” in Kile by selecting:
Tools → Spelling → Automatic Spell Checking

-You can also install single missing LaTex Packages or even Classes like this (Texlive always includes many packages):

a.) Go to CTAN's webpage
b.) download the missing package or class you need (usually you find *.tar.gz archives for each package)
c.) Unzip the package into a directory you want (I would recommend the directory “/home/user/texmf/tex/latex/foo” but please replace "user" with your username and "foo" with the package name)
d.) open a terminal in the same folder
e.) type $ latex foo.ins
(here “foo” stands for the name of your package, a *.ins file should have been in the archive you downloaded from CTAN)
f.) This will generate a file called “foo.sty” (sometimes the foo.sty file is already in the archive you download from CTAN)
d.) now please open the terminal again or use the same terminal and type:
$ texhash ~\texmf
e.) You can now use the package in Kile using the \usepackage{foo} entry at the beginning of your LaTeX document.


Best regards,
MBR
Rambozore

Re: How to: Get LaTeX running on Linux Mint

Post by Rambozore »

Thanks! Works like a charm :). But I didn't find "texlive-latex-extra" in the package manager.
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ozdroggy
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Re: How to: Get LaTeX running on Linux Mint

Post by ozdroggy »

Thanks. That sorted it out for me.

When I first installed I installed Texmaker using Software Manager without Texlive and it did not work - not surprising in hindsight. :roll:

I then installed texlive-full using Software Manager but still no joy. :( So I removed evrything.

Found this Tutorial and used Package Manager to do the installs starting with Texlive. I now have both Kile and Texmaker working just fine. :D

It is probably essential (???) that Texlive be installed before any editor and maybe Package Manager is better than Software Manager for installing.
Mike.

Linux Mint
Release Linux Mint 21.1 Vera 64-bit
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MATE 1.26.0

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Processor: Intel(R) Core i3-4160 CPU @ 3.60GHz x 4

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Messerj-BB [Mint]
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Re: How to: Get LaTeX running on Linux Mint

Post by Messerj-BB [Mint] »

Thanks for this installation help, which I followed exactly as described. Unfortunately in my case, KILE doesn't start. Starting in a terminal, I get the followin

Code: Select all

qt5ct: using qt5ct plugin
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/16/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/16@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/16/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/16@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/22/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/22@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/24/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/24@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/24/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/24@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/32/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/32@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/32/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/32@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/48/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/48@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/48/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/48@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/64/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/64@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/64/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/64@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/96/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/96@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/128/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/128@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/256/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/256@2x/"
Invalid Context= "Apps" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/apps/symbolic/"
Invalid Context= "Mimetypes" line for icon theme:  "/usr/share/icons/Mint-Y/mimetypes/symbolic/"
kf5.kio.core: Refilling KProtocolInfoFactory cache in the hope to find "mtp"
kf5.kservice.services: KServiceTypeTrader: serviceType "ThumbCreator" not found
kdeinit5: preparing to launch '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libexec/kf5/klauncher'
kdeinit5: Launched KLauncher, pid = 3748, result = 0
qt5ct: using qt5ct plugin
Connecting to deprecated signal QDBusConnectionInterface::serviceOwnerChanged(QString,QString,QString)
kdeinit5: opened connection to :0
kdeinit5: Got EXEC_NEW '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/kf5/kio/file.so' from launcher.
kdeinit5: preparing to launch '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/kf5/kio/file.so'
No text-to-speech plug-ins were found.
Speicherzugriffsfehler (Speicherabzug geschrieben)


I am lost. My environment: Mint 19 with Cinamon and Kile 3 beta1 installed with Synaptics.

Thanks in advance for additional tips.

Regards, Johannes
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Pierre
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Re: How to: Get LaTeX running on Linux Mint

Post by Pierre »

it would be most preferred if you could start a New Topic, about your issue with LaTeX
- rather than resurrecting an oldish Topic, like this one.

just, create a New Topic in the Newbie Section of the Forum,
& then reference back to this Topic - which you have found.
Image
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
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