micro-latex-plugin

This repository contains a plugin for the micro editor that makes it easier to write LaTeX files.

A custom version of micro is currently required, see the installation instructions below. Also note that this package is under development. Everything can change at any time.

Functionality

At present, this plugin provides the following functionality. Many things work only in buffers whose filetype is tex.

Keybindings

• Greek letters are bound to keys like Alt-a for \alpha or Alt-L for \Lambda. The modifier can be configured, see below.
• Entering " inserts `` or '', depending on the context.
• Autoclosing of brackets is extended to \(...\), \[...\], $...$ and `...'.

Autocompletion

• When you press TAB after \ followed by letters, the partial macro name is autocompleted based on the macros used in the file.
• When you press TAB at the end of the argument to \ref{}, it is autocompleted based on the labels defined in the file (with \label{}). This also works for some other macros besides \ref, see below.
• When you press TAB at the end of the argument to \cite{}, it is autocompleted based on the bibliographic references defined in the file (with \bibitem{}). If you define databases via \bibliography, then the completion is instead based on the references defined in the databases. This also works for some other macros besides \cite and \bibliography, see below.

Compilation

• The LaTeX file can be compiled with latexmk and afterwards viewed. You may want to bind the corresponding commands (see below) to some keys.
• If an error occurs, then the output of latexmk will be displayed, and the cursor will be placed on the line of the LaTeX file where the error occurred.

New micro commands

• insert 'text': inserts text at the current cursor position. If a selection is defined, then it is replaced by text.

  This command can be used for binding keys like

      bind F1 "command:insert '\\section'"
  

  (The insert command is defined in the custom version of micro used by this plugin, see the installation instructions below.)

• latex_insert_env 'env': inserts

  \begin{env}
  
  \end{env}
  

  at the current cursor position and places the cursor inside the environment. If a selection is defined, then it is replaced by the inserted text.

• latex_change_env 'env': changes the currently active environment at the cursor position to env

• latex_compile: saves and compiles the current buffer with latexmk. The output is determined by the option latex.mode, see below.

• latex_log: opens a log buffer containing the output of latexmk

• latex_view: opens the compiled file for the current buffer in a viewer

New Lua functions

• latex.insert_env(bp, env): analogous to the command latex_insert_env
• latex.insert_env_prompt(bp): prompts for an environment and inserts it at the current cursor position
• latex.change_env(bp, env): analogous to the command latex_change_env
• latex.change_env_prompt(bp): prompts for an environment and changes the current environment to it
• latex.compile(bp): analogous to the command latex_compile
• latex.log(bp): analogous to the command latex_log
• latex.view(bp): analogous to the command latex_view

Installation

NOTE: At present, this plugin requires some special functionality not included in the official version of micro. It only runs with the m3/latex branch in the forked repository matthias314/micro.

Create a directory ~/.config/micro/plug/latex and store the file latex.lua there. Alternatively, clone this repository into such a directory,

git clone https://github.com/matthias314/micro-latex-plugin.git ~/.config/micro/plug/latex

To compile LaTeX files, latexmk is required. You also need to define viewers for PDF and PostScript, see below.

Configuration

Global options

• latex.smartbraces: if true (default), insert {} after ^ and _
• latex.smartquotes: if true (default), change " to `` or '', depending on the context.
• latex.keymod: the modifier or key used for keybindings, for example Alt (modifier, default) or <Shift-F2> (key, with < and >)
• latex.refmacros: the list of macros that trigger autocompletion of labels. Default value is {"ref", "eqref", "cref", "Cref"}.
• latex.citemacros: the list of macros that trigger autocompletion of bibliographic references. Default value is {"cite", "textcite", "parencite"}.
• latex.bibmacros: the list of macros that define databases with bibliographic references. Default value is {"addbibresource", "addglobalbib", "addsectionbib", "bibliography"}.
• latex.dviviewer: the program used for viewing DVI files. Default value is "xdvi".
• latex.psviewer: the program used for viewing PostScript files. No default value.
• latex.pdfviewer: the program used for viewing PDF files. No default value.

Buffer-local options

• latex.mode: the mode that determines the latexmk compilation target. Can be pdf (default), pdfdvi, ps or dvi, among others.