[Tex/LaTex] How to fully install IEEEtran for MacOS

ieeetranmacmactextexshop

I have been searching for hours trying to figure this out. I need to write a paper in IEEE double column format for a graduate class. Because LaTeX, I figured there was a package to help me make sure everything was formatted properly and there was! The IEEEtran package comes to the rescue!

I was saved! Just import it- \documentclass{ieeetran} and I should be good. Well, I was wrong.

! LaTeX Error: File 'ieeetran.cls' not found.

The official documentation does not explain how this package is supposed to be installed. You kinda need it installed to be able to even use it…

Someone on this forum said that it should be automatically installed by default with LaTeX, but that I should just use the TeX Live Utility to have it install and prep everything for me. Looked through the packages and lo and behold! It was already there. Tried reinstalling the package, same error. Fine, let's try something else.

After trying for hours and searching for where some files are and are not supposed to be placed, I realized that the .cls file is installed. In the "right" place (not where that last link said it was, but actually at ‎⁨Macintosh HD⁩/usr⁩/local/texlive/2018⁩/texmf-dist⁩/tex⁩/latex⁩/IEEEtran⁩), however it is akchtually called IEEEtran.cls not ieeetran.cls. Fine, whatever LaTeX. You win. Tried it and it worked. I can now \documentclass{IEEEtran}. Yay.

Tried to compile, and I ran into a different error (yay!) on the exact same line (nay!):

! LaTeX Error: File 'IEEEtran.sty' not found.

I saw that after that it said Type X to quit or <RETURN> to proceed, or enter a new name. (Default extension: sty) Enter file name:

Ok cool! The .sty file I found in the same directory as the .cls file is named IEEEtrantools.sty for some reason but whatever, still IEEEtran. Tried it and got back: The IEEEtrantools package is not for use with classes that already provide it.

I am tired of this. How do you properly and fully install IEEEtran for LaTeX/TeXShop for MacOS?

Every single article I've found has been unhelpful, asking about Windows, unhelpful and asking about Windows, unhelpful and for Linux (which I thought MacOS was…?), or asking about Windows and marked as a duplicate. I have now linked 11 different pages, do not mark this as a duplicate if you try to link one of those pages.

Best Answer

You remarked,

I am tired of this B.S. How do you properly and fully install IEEEtran for LaTeX/TeXShop for MacOS?

Relax! All files related to the IEEEtran document class are already there -- no need to install anything afresh.

You just have to remember that LaTeX (and plain-TeX) syntax is case-sensitive under MacOS (and other OSs too, I suppose). Hence, \documentclass{IEEEtran} and \documentclass{ieeetran} are not at all the same. Only the first form "works".

Likewise, since IEEEtran is a LaTeX document class rather than a LaTeX package, neither \usepackage{IEEEtran} nor \usepackage{ieeetran} can possibly work.

Note that IEEEtrantools.sty has filename extension .sty. Hence, it is indeed a LaTeX package, and the correct way to load it -- should you have the need to do so -- is \usepackage{IEEEtrantools}. Just don't type \usepackage{ieeetrantools}.

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