fontsformatting
Is there a template/package that generates realistic handwritten documents?
The font should preferably reflect an average handwritting (readable).
Letters would follow a handwritting style but would change very little each time.
Has anyone got any news/updates?
The most general advice is: Use whitespace to make your code readable.
Let me give a few examples.
Always put \begin{environment} and \end{environment} on separate lines, without other content. An environment usually indicates that you are doing something "radically different", and it's easier to find the environment this way. Related:
Inside an environment, use indentation as you would in any programming language. Whether you use 2, 4 or some other number per nesting level doesn't matter much (but if your editor uses a proportional font you probably want at least 4; spaces are usually much smaller than printed characters in proportional fonts).
\begin{equation}
\det
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & 2 \\
3 & 4
\end{pmatrix}
= -2
\end{equation}
Whenever you force a line break with \\ (in a table, a matrix, an align-environment...), it goes without saying that it should be followed by a linebreak in the code.
In math mode, spaces are ignored. So use spaces around binary relations, and in some cases also binary operators. Write $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$ instead of $a^2+b^2=c^2$. Also spaces after commas as in $(x, y, z)$ is a good idea.
In environments such as align, blank lines are not allowed. But you can give yourself some vertical blank space by putting a single % on a line between the equations.
\begin{align*}
\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \bigl(F(\tau^n m) - F(\tau^{n-1} m)\bigr) &= x\\
%
\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \bigl(F(\tau^{-n} m) - F(\tau^{-(n-1)} m)\bigr) &= y
\end{align*}
The same trick applies in ordinary text if you don't want a paragraph break. But also remember that one blank line has the same effect as five blank lines; around \chapter and \section headings it can be a good idea to have several blank lines. This makes it easier to navigate.
Most of the above points have the effect of making your code look somewhat like the compiled document, which I find very nice. Of course, an editor with syntax-highlighting, indentation facilities and brace matching is also great help.
The code you are using for your declarations is equivalent to
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{cfr-lm}
\newcommand*{\upa}{\textui{a}}
\newcommand*{\upaa}{\textui{á}}
\newcommand*{\upg}{\textui{g}}
\begin{document}
a \upa á \upaa g \upg
\end{document}
There is no need to declare a text font command for a single character and it is not appropriate. Loading lmodern and then loading cfr-lm is pointless because the latter overwrites or duplicates everything from the former. Loading fontenc with option T1 is also pointless because cfr-lm does it anyway.
Note that this approach is going to give you some very bad typographical results.
Text becomes more difficult to read because it becomes less clear where words begin and end, for example. Even without surrounding text, you can appreciate the difficulties:
Note that the kerning issues here. (Admittedly the kerning in the upright italic doesn't help, as can be seen in the ui version of 'gyroscope'.)
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{cfr-lm}
\newcommand*{\upa}{\textui{a}}
\newcommand*{\upaa}{\textui{á}}
\newcommand*{\upg}{\textui{g}}
\begin{document}
Vat
V\upa t
\textui{Vat}
gyroscope buggy
\upg yroscope bu\upg\upg y
\textui{gyroscope buggy}
\end{document}
Best Answer
There is HandLaTeX that could do it.
Edit: Beware, this package does not include any font, it just randomize the appearance of the text. Used with an handwritten-like font, it gives a satisfactory result.
Example, using the Fountain Pen Frenzy font:
Output: