[TxMt] Writing a Book with TextMate

[Christopher Brewster]

>
> 1) Option Latex ( Christopher and Thomas)
>
> 	Advantages:
> 	
> 	* Can successfully handle footnoes, references and Indexes
> 	* Provides pre-publishing Layout options
> 	
> 	Disadvantages:
> 	
> 	* Learning Curve

I really think people make too much of this. If you use the basic  
templates in TextMate you off to a flying start.
You only learn something when you need it and if a project is taking  
time as a proportion of your effort it is not very great.

>
> 	* Markup can become complex and bulk up
I do not see this as an issue.
>
> 	* How about cross platform  compatability ? ( Is it possible to get
> stripped down textversions and such ?)

It is easy to export Latex to text. There are excellent converters to  
HTML but is not an ideal route - I would always prefer PDF.
Cross platform no problem as latex works on Windows/Mac/Linux - hard  
to see a problem here.

>
> 	
>   Further Questions:
>
> 	* How about Project handling ? ( My reference stuff is about 700 Mib.
> Keep in seperate Project ?)

Latex is perfect for very large projects, books, even multivolume works.
>
> 	
> 	* How about Images and Charts ( I also have some charts that are done
> with Omnigraffle Pro that I wanna update occasionally without loosing
> reference track to the original Omnigraffle files)

There is no better environment to handle images (Apple's Pages does  
pretty well I have to say).
I did all my graphics for my PhD in Omnigraffle, export to jpg or png  
and I could revise them whenever.

Finally if you ever need maths formulas, again latex cannot be beaten.

Finaly, finally latex is very beautiful. If you care for the  
aesthetics of a book or document, nothing can compare with using a  
well designed style.
This is something you would leave to an expert and there are dozens if  
not hundreds of designs out there for books, PhDs, articles,  
newsletters, etc.
I chose for my PhD a design by Andre Mede (www.mede.de) which was  
beautiful and much complemented in the end.

What markdown is better at is keeping text/html/pdf in sync if that is  
important. But you will not get the same aesthetics (as far as I can  
make out).

Christopher


>
> 	
> 	
> 2) Option Markdown ( Kevin)
>
>   Advantages:
>
> 	* For Simplicity
> 	* Easy conversion to HTML TXT and PDF
> 	* For Layout PDF Versions Prince can be used
> 	
>   Disadvantages:
>
> 	* Indexes , Footnotes and References can be used, however:
> 	* Brett Terpstra's HTML Index Bundle can be used.
> 	* If chapters are kept in single files, then this obviously makes a
> conversion into other formats more complicated, need of Shell script
> commands, etc.
> 	
> 	
>   Questions:
>
>
> 3)  Option Scrivener in combination with Multimarkdown (Fletcher)
>
>    Advantages:
> 	
>
> 	* Allows nonlinear organization and writing
> 	* Supports multimarkdown  LATEX txt and PDF Export
> 	* Both Import and Export with footnotes and Anotations are supported,
> provided, certain requirements in Document structure are met
> 	
> 	quote:
> 	
> 	You want flexibility in your document - you don’t want to be tied  
> into
> a single document type. With MultiMarkdown you can convert your  
> document
> to XHTML, RTF, LaTeX, or Word .doc, to name a few. With the proper
> knowledge, many other formats are possible.
> 	
> 	end quote
> 	
> 	* A Implementation Guide is available at the Scrivener formums here:
> 	  http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=497
> 	* Template Support and multiple Layout options
> 	* Footnotes , Labels and refs conversion into markdown supported
> 	
> 	further Info:
> 	http://fletcherpenney.net/Using_MultiMarkdown_with_Scrivener
> 	
> 	Disadvantages:
> 	
> 	* Project maintenance might get a little out of scope
> 	
> 	
> 	NOTE: So this basically makes it possible to maintain your Book  
> Project
> Folder under one Roof as project siblings
> 	
> 	Also: Multimarkdown export option provides XHTML which makes parallel
> Web publishing procedures and maintenance  of certain Book-chapters  
> for
> promotion easier
> 	
> 	
> 4) Further Markdown option (Markdown2Book Bundle by John Gruber  
> based on
> initial Scripts by Allan)
>
> 	http://lists.macromates.com/pipermail/textmate/2006-February/008160.html
>
> 	* Designed basically for documentations:
> 	
> 	quote:
> 	
> 	This bundle is for compiling a Documentation project made of several
> Markdown files to HTML. It generates a TOC, a print version with all
> chapters on one page and HTML files for each chapter. You can use
> references to easily link between your pages.
>
> 	end quote
> 	
> 	( Haven't checked this out yet in detail)
> 	
> 	
> 	
> If you have any additional suggestions, Ideas and also recommendations
> how a Project should be structured in each of those cases, then please
> let me know. I will then update my list and publish that in short on  
> my
> Blog.
>
>
> regards, marios
>
> 	
>
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