Ultimate guide to inserting Pictures in LaTeX

Rushil

Making Pictures and Inserting them in Latex
Since a no. of queries have been asked on the topic of adding pictures in Latex, I am posting a topic which lists different programs and methods for inserting different files into Latex. My methods and programs are based on the use of Miktex and Texniccenter in Windows. So I do not know if these will work on your system and software. Please post your queries for your particular system.
Some general documents on inserting images in Latex are available at
1) http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/LaTeX/AoPS_L_PictHow.php
2)http://amath.colorado.edu/documentation/LaTeX/reference/figures.html#pdf
3)http://www.haptonstahl.org/latex/use_insertinggraphics.html
4)http://people.uncw.edu/hermanr/LaTeX/latex.htm

MetaFont

The original creation of the legendary Donald Knuth. It is a command based system rather than a point-and-click program. That is, Metafont is WYWIWYG and NOT WYSIWYG. Through people's recommendations etc, it appears Metafont is very useful for making excellent diagrams though it is a bit tedious. The only problem is that Metafont generates .mf files which are quite difficult to include in Latex. AT least I'm not aware of a simple method.
If you download Miktex, Metafont comes bundled with it. You will find (in the default case) the mf.exe program in C:\texmf\miktex\bin\ A userguide is available at metafont.tutorial.free.fr/. Donald Knuth's book " $MetaFont$ " is available in non-compilable Tex format at www.ctan.org/tex-archive/systems/knuth/mf/mfbook.tex

MetaPost

The problem of inclusion of the excellent metafont files into Latex is solved by Metapost which has the same functionality and method of input as Metafont ; but it produces Postscript files instead of .mf files. These .eps files can then easily be integrated into Latex.
Download available at www.ctan.org/tex-archive/graphics/metapost/
A windows based writer(as compared to a DOS based converter available above) is MPedit available at www.ctan.org/tex-archive/graphics/metapost/contrib/tools/MPEdit/
Documentation is at ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/packages/TeX/graphics/metapost/mpman.pdf

WinGCLC

This is an excellent program. It is not point-and-click but based on commands. However, it doesn't have the functionality of Metapost or Metafont. Nevertheless, it is useful for beginners and gives excellent results. It has options for analytical geometry as well! It can be easily integrated into latex, This is done by putting the gclc.sty (included in download) in .../texmf/tex/latex/gclc . then just use the \input{filename.pic} command in Latex.
It is available(along with documentation) at www.matf.bg.ac.yu/~janicic/gclc/

KSEG

Another good program for creating simple graphics. Not that many options. Could be useful for maybe Physics related uses. Nevertheless, the ability to manipulate geometry pictures by varying points and lengths of lines by clicking is very useful for understanding. it is WYSIWYG . Has an inbuilt .seg to .png converter that makes files easily added to Latex.
Available at www.mit.edu/~ibaran/kseg.html
Advanced Batch converter(trial -- do you know where I can find the full version of a similar program? ) available at www.batchconverter.com can make .eps files from .png that are even easier to put into LAtex. Otherwise , you can always use Adobe Photoshop

Asymptote
This is another command based program that works on the same principle as Metapost. Good. Available at
asymptote.sourceforge.net/
Documentation at same link as above.

While some of the above programs will serve your purpose, other such programs are PStricks, TPX,Jpicedit, TKPaint....
Most of these are simpler but have less feautures than the above. Of course there are many more and just google to find out. If you have any other recommendations, please post along with the appropriate link. If you think I forgot Geometer's Sketchpad, i did'nt include it for it is expensive, not easily available and it's files are difficult to include into LaTeX.

Valentin Vornicu

This looks nice, but can use some improvement. I await suggestions from you folks dealing with these problems ...

**Posted:** Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:17 am

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sumyki · New Member Offline Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 8

There are some other programs like InkSpace(open source scalable vector graphic editor) which can convert your drawings to directly .eps format and many other formats like latex file with PSTricks and also to .ps format. This program can be downloaded freely from www.inkspace.org. Other programs of this kind but not freeware are Mayura Draw (I think this is Trailware/Shareware), Xara X1(Trailware).

**Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:04 am

Rushil

Your link needs to ne corrected . It is www.inkscape.org/. I think the . at the end caused the trouble.

Also, Inkspace has good conversion capabilities and nice options. However, it is NOT a program fro geometry purposes for it does not have options like $\perp$ etc... Anyways, thanks sumyki!!!

**Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:32 pm

jmerry

I think you need to fix your link too, Rushil: inkscape $\neq$ inkspace.

**Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:00 pm

Rushil

I don't understand. My link is working perfectly!

**Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:01 pm

jmerry

OK- it's actually that the name is wrong in all mentions except that link.

**Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:30 pm

sumyki · New Member Offline Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 8

That's Correct Rushil! Sorry for the spelling mistake and for the wrong address i have given. Your URL www.inkscape.org/ is correct.

**Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 10:53 pm

sonar

This is my latest method:

KSEG to draw the picture and to export its image as a pdf file

Adobe Acrobat to crop the pdf.

Done Mr. Green

**Posted:** Sun Oct 02, 2005 2:16 pm

Rushil

Are you sure KSEG has an export to pdf option?? Where is it???

**Posted:** Sun Oct 02, 2005 4:12 pm

zabelman

**Posted:** Sun Oct 02, 2005 7:31 pm

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Valentin Vornicu

Actually guys the easiest way to go, without installing any additional virtual printers or programs is the following.

PdfTex knows to include .png directly using the graphicx package. So you just put the .png file in the same directory as your .tex file and it will compile nice and easily.

To make a .png file, if you are working in KSEG just draw the picture, print screen, ctrl-v in paint and then save as PNG, and you're done. If you are working with Geometers' Sketchpad then you can actually select the drawing, ctrl-c (to copy it), ctrl-v to dump it into paint, then save as PNG.

**Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:05 am

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We all use math everyday: to forecast weather, to tell time, to handle money; we also use math to analyze crime, reveal patterns, predict behavior. Using numbers we can solve the biggest mysteries we know.

Esteban8231 · New Member Offline Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 12

are pictures implemented in the forum?

**Posted:** Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:27 pm

stevem

I presume you mean, can you use LaTeX commands to create pictures on the forum? Yes, but provided you don't use any special packages and stick to the picture environment. For example:
$\setlength{\unitlength}{0.5cm}\begin{picture}(5,2) \put(5,0){\line(-1,0){5}}\put(0,0){\line(1,1){2}}\put(2,2){\line(3,-2){3}}...$ or $\setlength{\unitlength}{2mm}\begin{picture}(30, 20) \linethickness{0.075mm}\multiput(0, 0)(1, 0){31}{\line(0, 1){20}}\multipu...$

**Posted:** Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:08 pm

besttate

I recommend the geometry program Cinderella (http://cinderella.de/tiki-index.php), which has a free educational version and can export directly to PNG or PDF.

**Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:47 pm

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mysmartmouth

**Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 2:33 pm

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stevem

Chapter 5 of The Not So Short Introduction To Latex2e should help, as would the book Guide to LaTeX by Kopka & Daly.

Also you could use a program like jPicEdt where you draw the diagram and it generates the LaTeX code for you. Useful for when you get stuck.

**Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 3:50 pm

mysmartmouth

I downloaded jPicEdt, and it is the most useful tool I've ever downloaded. I strongly recommend it. It's 100x easier to draw stuff with than Geometer's Sketchpad, and then it converts it into LaTeX that you can stick straight into TexnicCenter. WOW!

**Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:44 pm

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lphuff · New Member Offline Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

can anyone give me a detailed description of how to use jPicEdt to get the Latex code for a circle. I am a total beginner. I can draw a picture and then get a code, but I can't copy it.... I don't know what to do with it. Furthermore, what packages do I need in my Latex code??? I thank you in advance.

**Posted:** Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:39 am

Potla

I have installed the asymptote and the MikTex 2.7 and also the TeXnic Centre. All was fine when suddenly I had to insert a picture, I used the command:

**Posted:** Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:22 pm