[Tex/LaTex] Another newbie “thesis LaTeX template to LyX” problem

lyxthesis

I am about to start writing my thesis and decided to finally learn sth other than Word. Realized that LyX has shorter learning curve than plain LaTeX so I decided to give it a shot. It is great so far and have realized how I should have done this long time ago. A bunch of things that started to cause headaches for me (mainly when writing articles) have just disappeared.
My problems started when I realized that I do have LaTeX rules for writing a thesis at my university, but there is no easy way (for me at least) to implement it in LyX. After reading a couple of similarly themed threads here, I came to the conclusion that the LaTeX files provided by my university are not templates or classes or layouts, instead, they are "just" plain .tex files.
Of course, I can open them in, let's say, TexWorks, but after a whole day of trying, I can't figure out how to import them into the LyX environment.
Is there any hint on how I should do it, i.e. how I can use the LaTeX provided rules for writing a thesis in LyX?

The .zip file containing all the "LaTeX related" materials from my university is here:
https://www.fer.unizg.hr/_download/repository/latex_template%5B1%5D.zip

Obviously, I don't need to emphasize that I am a total newbie when it comes to LaTeX.

Best Answer

My suggestion is writing it directly using LaTeX files.

Nonetheless, said that, unlike many thesis templates, in this case main.tex do not use a custom document class but the standard book that is already supported by Lyx without any special configuration.

So you can File > Import > LaTeX (plain) ... > select main.tex. This will make main.lyx as well as lyx versions of all the subdocuments.

However, the imported file will have some problems:

1. Conflicts between the imported preamble and own LyX settings for the document. The solution is remove from Document > Settings... > LaTeX Preamble what could be fixed in other sections of Document > Settings....

For example, in the original main.tex file, this lines:

\documentclass[12pt,oneside, a4paper]{book}
\usepackage[croatian]{babel}
\usepackage[left=2.5cm,right=2.5cm,top=2.5cm,bottom=2.5cm]{geometry}

Will be traduced by LyX in this LaTeX source:

\documentclass[12pt,oneside,croatian]{book}
\usepackage[croatian]{babel}
\usepackage[a4paper]{geometry}

Beside setting defaults margins in geometry, this is wrong mainly because the croatian option cannot be passed two times to the babel package. But you can remove both packages from the preamble and configure them through the LyX interface to produce this:

\documentclass[12pt,oneside,croatian]{book}
\usepackage{babel}
\usepackage[a4paper]{geometry}
\geometry{verbose,tmargin=2.5cm,bmargin=2.5cm,lmargin=2.5cm,rmargin=2.5cm}

That is essentially the same that the original .tex file.

2. Many LaTeX code remain as Evil Red Text boxes (aka ERT boxes or TeX Code boxes that you can insert with Ctrl+L ).

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%... \frontmatter

Generally the ERT boxes are not harmful (the file is still compilable) but annoying. In this case, many of these ERT are LaTeX comments that you remove safely or convert in yellow notes. Others are commands as \tableofcontents that you can replace easily by Lyx objects as Insert > List/ToC > Table of contents and some others could be LaTeX code that is better maintain "as is" since you cannot (or you do not know) replicate through the GUI of LyX (for example, the titlepage environment). If unsure, left the ERT boxes!

3. Imported images are too big on the screen. This is a minor problem easy to solve: Right-click on the image Settings... > LateX and LyX options > Scale on the screen (%) > try with a 1-10%. The image size on the PDF is not modified by this setting.

4. Conflicts inherited from converted sub documents. The conversion of the main file is not too hard but debug compilations errors due (for example) to atabularx environment infested with dozens of ERT boxes in a included subdocument will be a nightmare even for experts. Simply avoid these conflicting example subdocuments until you have a compilable main file. Then start including simple subdocuments with only some text. Remember that LyX cannot produce any type of LaTeX code, only the most common commands and environments, but you always insert unknow code for LyX as long as you use the ERT boxes, and when needed, packages/definitions in the preamble so LaTeX can understand these ERT boxes.

So, after some cleaning, your main.lyx could be some like this:

mwe

File organisation

Place named.sty and named.bst in the same folder as your .lyx file.

Document class options

Go to Document --> Settings --> Document class, choose Report from the list of classes, and add

11pt,openright,twoside,letterpaper

to the Custom options. (The template actually had openright,oneside, but the former has no effect with the latter, so I switched to twoside. I also removed the onecolumn option.)

enter image description here

Preamble

Paste the below code in Document --> Settings --> LaTeX preamble. Notes:

You should of course modify the first three lines, adding your title, name and year.
I removed the epsfig package, don't think it's normally used these days, and LyX loads graphicx (which is recommended for dealing with external images) anyway.
I removed the dvipdfm and letterpaper options to hyperref. You'll probably compile with pdfLaTeX, making the first of these wrong. The latter is not used.

I moved some stuff from the document to the preamble, including the definition of a pagestyle (myplain, I switched name from plain) and \renewcommand\contentsname{Table of Contents}.

\newcommand{\thesistitle}{Thesis title}
\newcommand{\thesisauthor}{Author's name}
\newcommand{\thesisyear}{20XX}

%%%
%%% Packages
%%%
\usepackage{named}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage{afterpage}

%
% We use the hyperref package and customize it for optimal PDF 
%
\usepackage[
   pdftitle={\thesistitle},
   pdfauthor={\thesisauthor},
   pdfpagemode={UseOutlines},
   bookmarks,
   bookmarksopen=true,
   pdfstartview={FitH},
   bookmarksnumbered=true]{hyperref}

%%%
%%% Margins
%%%
\paperwidth=8.5in
\paperheight=11in

% 1in + hoffset + oddsidemargin + textwidth + marginparsep + marginparwidth
% For PhD at Columbia we have single side theses and 1.5in left margin
% The settings below leave 1.5 inch margin at the left and 1 inch at the right 
% for US Letter paper
\setlength{\hoffset}{0.0in}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{.5in}
\setlength{\textwidth}{6in}
\setlength{\evensidemargin}{0mm}

% 1in + voffset + topmargin + headheight + headsep + textheight + footskip 
% For PhD thesis we also need an extra inch at the bottom
% 1inch = 72 pt
\setlength{\voffset}{0.0in}
\setlength{\topmargin}{.0in}
\setlength{\headheight}{14pt}
\setlength{\headsep}{22pt}
\setlength{\textheight}{8.5in}
\setlength{\footskip}{0pt}

%%%
%%% Spacing
%%%
\newcommand{\singlespace}{\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.15} \small \normalsize}
\newcommand{\oneandhalfspace}{\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.3} \small \normalsize}
\newcommand{\doublespace}{\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.5} \small \normalsize}
\newcommand{\normalspace}{\doublespace}
\footnotesep=1\baselineskip

%%%
%%% Counters depth
%%%
\setcounter{secnumdepth}{3}
\setcounter{tocdepth}{3}

%%%
%%% Title page.
%%%
\newcommand{\thesistitlepage}{
    \normalspace
    \thispagestyle{empty}
    \begin{center}
        \textbf{\LARGE \thesistitle} \\[1cm]
        \textbf{\LARGE \thesisauthor} \\[8cm]
        Submitted in partial fulfillment of the \\
        requirements for the degree \\
        of Doctor of Philosophy \\
        in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences \\[4cm]
        \textbf{\Large COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY} \\[5mm]
        \thesisyear
    \end{center}
    \clearpage
}

%%%
%%% Copyright page.
%%%
\newcommand{\thesiscopyrightpage}{
    \thispagestyle{empty}
    \strut \vfill
    \begin{center}
      \copyright \thesisyear \\
      \thesisauthor \\
      All Rights Reserved
    \end{center}
    \cleardoublepage
}

%%%
%%% Abstract page.
%%%
\newcommand{\thesisabstract}{
    \thispagestyle{empty}
    \begin{center}
    \textbf{\LARGE ABSTRACT} \\[1cm]
     \textbf{\LARGE \thesistitle} \\[1cm]
     \textbf{\LARGE \thesisauthor} \\[1cm]
    \end{center}
    \input{abstract}
    \cleardoublepage
}

%%%
%%% Miscellaneous
%%%
\newcommand{\draft}{
    \renewcommand{\normalspace}{\singlespace}
    \normalspace
    \chapter*{Draft. Version \today}
\clearpage }


\renewcommand{\contentsname}{Table of Contents}


% We change the pagestyle 
\fancypagestyle{myplain} {%
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[LE,RO]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[RE,LO]{\itshape \leftmark}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
}

In the document

Start by adding an ERT (Ctrl + L) with

% For the first pages we do not have numbering

\pagestyle{empty}

\thesistitlepage
\thesiscopyrightpage
\thesisabstract
% In the "roman-numbered" section of the thesis, we have numbers at the bottom % and we have to reduce the textheight of the text to make space for the number
\pagenumbering{roman}
\pagestyle{plain}

\setlength{\footskip}{0.5in}

After the ERT, add the table of contents, list of figures and list of tables via the Insert --> List/ToC menu.
Add an unnumbered chapter, call it Acknowledgements and write those here.

(This is not exactly the same as in the template.)
If you want the dedication page, do the following:

i. Do Insert --> Formatting --> Clear double page

ii. Insert --> Formatting --> Vertical space. Choose VFill, check the box for Protect.

iii. Write your dedication.

iv. Add a second VFill, as step i).

v. Insert --> Formatting --> Clear Double page

Add a new ERT with

\pagenumbering{arabic}

% In the "arabic" section of the thesis, we do not have numbers at  the
% bottom and we want to use the full length of the page to avoid vbox 
% underfulls. We use the fancyheaders package to adapt the headers 
% according to the  Columbia requirements. 

\setlength{\textheight}{8.5in}
\setlength{\footskip}{0in}

\pagestyle{myplain}

Write all your content.

Bibliography

Where the bibliography should be, do Insert --> List/ToC --> BibTeX bibliography. Select your .bib file, and from the Style drop down menu, choose named.

Complete example

The code below is actually a .lyx file, you can copy the text, save it as something.lyx and open it in LyX. It is generated by LyX 2.0.6, as LyX 2.1 isn't in Ubuntu's repositories yet, and I haven't bothered updating manually. (I never really use LyX anyway.)

#LyX 2.0 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
\lyxformat 413
\begin_document
\begin_header
\textclass report
\begin_preamble
\newcommand{\thesistitle}{Thesis title}
\newcommand{\thesisauthor}{Author's name}
\newcommand{\thesisyear}{20XX}

%%%
%%% Packages
%%%
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{named}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage{afterpage}

%
% We use the hyperref package and customize it for optimal PDF 
%
\usepackage[pdftitle={\thesistitle},pdfauthor={\thesisauthor},pdfpagemode={UseOutlines},letterpaper,bookmarks,bookmarksopen=true,pdfstartview={FitH},bookmarksnumbered=true,]{hyperref}

%%%
%%% Margins
%%%
\paperwidth=8.5in
\paperheight=11in

% 1in + hoffset + oddsidemargin + textwidth + marginparsep + marginparwidth
% For PhD at Columbia we have single side theses and 1.5in left margin
% The settings below leave 1.5 inch margin at the left and 1 inch at the right 
% for US Letter paper
\setlength{\hoffset}{0.0in}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{.5in}
\setlength{\textwidth}{6in}
\setlength{\evensidemargin}{0mm}

% 1in + voffset + topmargin + headheight + headsep + textheight + footskip 
% For PhD thesis we also need an extra inch at the bottom
% 1inch = 72 pt
\setlength{\voffset}{0.0in}
\setlength{\topmargin}{.0in}
\setlength{\headheight}{14pt}
\setlength{\headsep}{22pt}
\setlength{\textheight}{8.5in}
\setlength{\footskip}{0pt}

%%%
%%% Spacing
%%%
\newcommand{\singlespace}{\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.15} \small \normalsize}
\newcommand{\oneandhalfspace}{\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.3} \small \normalsize}
\newcommand{\doublespace}{\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.5} \small \normalsize}
\newcommand{\normalspace}{\doublespace}
\footnotesep=1\baselineskip

%%%
%%% Counters depth
%%%
\setcounter{secnumdepth}{3}
\setcounter{tocdepth}{3}

%%%
%%% Title page.
%%%
\newcommand{\thesistitlepage}{
    \normalspace
    \thispagestyle{empty}
    \begin{center}
        \textbf{\LARGE \thesistitle} \\[1cm]
        \textbf{\LARGE \thesisauthor} \\[8cm]
        Submitted in partial fulfillment of the \\
        requirements for the degree \\
        of Doctor of Philosophy \\
        in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences \\[4cm]
        \textbf{\Large COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY} \\[5mm]
        \thesisyear
    \end{center}
    \clearpage
}

%%%
%%% Copyright page.
%%%
\newcommand{\thesiscopyrightpage}{
    \thispagestyle{empty}
    \strut \vfill
    \begin{center}
      \copyright \thesisyear \\
      \thesisauthor \\
      All Rights Reserved
    \end{center}
    \cleardoublepage
}

%%%
%%% Abstract page.
%%%
\newcommand{\thesisabstract}{
    \thispagestyle{empty}
    \begin{center}
    \textbf{\LARGE ABSTRACT} \\[1cm]
     \textbf{\LARGE \thesistitle} \\[1cm]
     \textbf{\LARGE \thesisauthor} \\[1cm]
    \end{center}
    \input{abstract}
    \cleardoublepage
}

%%%
%%% Miscellaneous
%%%
\newcommand{\draft}{
    \renewcommand{\normalspace}{\singlespace}
    \normalspace
    \chapter*{Draft. Version \today}
\clearpage }


\renewcommand{\contentsname}{Table of Contents}
\setcounter{tocdepth}{2}


% We change the pagestyle 
\fancypagestyle{myplain} {%
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[LE,RO]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[RE,LO]{\itshape \leftmark}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
}
\end_preamble
\options 11pt,openright,twoside,letterpaper,onecolumn
\use_default_options true
\maintain_unincluded_children false
\language english
\language_package default
\inputencoding auto
\fontencoding global
\font_roman default
\font_sans default
\font_typewriter default
\font_default_family default
\use_non_tex_fonts false
\font_sc false
\font_osf false
\font_sf_scale 100
\font_tt_scale 100

\graphics default
\default_output_format default
\output_sync 0
\bibtex_command default
\index_command default
\paperfontsize default
\spacing single
\use_hyperref false
\papersize default
\use_geometry false
\use_amsmath 1
\use_esint 1
\use_mhchem 1
\use_mathdots 1
\cite_engine basic
\use_bibtopic false
\use_indices false
\paperorientation portrait
\suppress_date false
\use_refstyle 1
\index Index
\shortcut idx
\color #008000
\end_index
\secnumdepth 3
\tocdepth 3
\paragraph_separation indent
\paragraph_indentation default
\quotes_language english
\papercolumns 1
\papersides 1
\paperpagestyle default
\tracking_changes false
\output_changes false
\html_math_output 0
\html_css_as_file 0
\html_be_strict false
\end_header

\begin_body

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset ERT
status open

\begin_layout Plain Layout

% For the first pages we do not have numbering
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
pagestyle{empty}
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
thesistitlepage
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
thesiscopyrightpage
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
thesisabstract
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

% In the "roman-numbered" section of the thesis, we have numbers at the
 bottom % and we have to reduce the textheight of the text to make space
 for the number
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
pagenumbering{roman}
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
pagestyle{plain}
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
setlength{
\backslash
footskip}{0.5in}
\end_layout

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset CommandInset toc
LatexCommand tableofcontents

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset FloatList figure

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset FloatList table

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Chapter*
Acknowledgements
\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
So long and thanks for all the fish.
\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset Newpage cleardoublepage
\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset VSpace vfill*
\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\align center
Dedication
\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset VSpace vfill*
\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset Newpage cleardoublepage
\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset ERT
status open

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
pagenumbering{arabic}
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

% In the "arabic" section of the thesis, we do not have numbers at  the
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

% bottom and we want to use the full length of the page to avoid vbox 
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

% underfulls.
 We use the fancyheaders package to adapt the headers 
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

% according to the  Columbia requirements.

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
setlength{
\backslash
textheight}{8.5in}
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
setlength{
\backslash
footskip}{0in}
\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout

\end_layout

\begin_layout Plain Layout


\backslash
pagestyle{plain}
\end_layout

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Chapter
Intro
\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset CommandInset label
LatexCommand label
name "chap:intro"

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
This is about stuff.
\end_layout

\begin_layout Part
Stuff
\end_layout

\begin_layout Chapter
Something
\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
Etc.
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Grosz_and_Sidner_1986"

\end_inset


\end_layout

\begin_layout Part
Appendices
\end_layout

\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset CommandInset bibtex
LatexCommand bibtex
bibfiles "refs"
options "named"

\end_inset


\end_layout

\end_body
\end_document

Best Answer

Related Solutions

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