[Tex/LaTex] Texmaker (Windows version) – first use – Error: Log file not found!

errorstexmaker

This is my first time using a LaTeX editor.

I installed Texmaker allowing it to use the default directory on the C drive.

Software Versions

  • Windows: 7 Ultimate 64-bit
  • Texmaker 3.4.1 for Windows

I then did A Local guide for using Texmaker (There use to be a link to this but it is now dead)

Basically create a simple Hello World document and save it.

When I went to process the file 

Tools -> PDFLaTeX

I received 

Error: Log file not found!

What I checked

I checked the configuration (Options -> configure Texmaker) and found no option for log files.

I checked for a log file under the C:\Program Files (x86)\Texmaker and found none.

I checked for a log path in the Windows registry using regedit and found none.

I checked the Texmaker issues and found Issue 97 but it does not help.

Any ideas?

After reading answer

I installed MiKTeX as an administrator (didn't work as user) and chose the default options. After MiKTeX installed I was able to create a PDF file using Texmaker.

Also, correctly setting the PDF viewer options 

Options -> Configure Texmaker -> Commands -> PDF Viewer
Built-in Viewer and Embed

I was able to preview the pdf in Texmaker 

View -> PDF Viewer

What I learned

Texmaker is a LaTeX editor which generates a file containing LaTeX markup.

MiKTeX is a program that converts the LaTeX markup into an output format such as PDF.

Best Answer

You also need to install a TeX distribution, i.e. MiKTeX or TeX Live. The TeX distribution contains all the machinery needed to process source code and produce typeset documents; Texmaker is just a front end.

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